Faster option to select/deselect and show/hide layers

[icezimy]

Select/deselect layers:

So currently inside the layer window, in order to select multiple layers you have to tap on each layer individually while select mode is active, (or slide them to the right). It would be much quicker if there was an option to select multiple layers smoothly, like what happens when you’re using keyboard shortcuts and hold down shift to select multiple layers. But available as a gesture without keyboard.

This could work for example like this: when you’re in select mode, and slide with the Apple Pencil directly over the layer thumbnails, it selects and deselects those layers. The old option of tapping or swiping right could still stay, when not tapping directly on the thumbnails, and scrolling trough the layers would still work normally too when not sliding directly over the thumbnails.

Show/hide layers:

Like in select mode in order Show/hide layers in the layers window, you have to tap the eye of each layer individually. This could also work much quicker if instead of tapping the eyes, it would also be possible to just slide over the eyes with the pencil in order to hide or show them. And again scrolling would still be possible normally  when not sliding directly over the eyes. It works like this in photoshop too for example.

Thanks!

[lastaccess]

How many layers do you usually work on?

Grouping layers is a fast way to make lots of layers visible and invisible with one tap.

Speaking of current selection by swipes. It’s not the best realization: swipe right -> select, swipe right ->, swipe right -> select, etc. That’s really long time actions. I’d remove this 2 step action. Swipe right should lead to immediate selection/deselection.

[icezimy]

How many layers do you usually work on?

Grouping layers is a fast way to make lots of layers visible and invisible with one tap.

Speaking of current selection by swipes. It’s not the best realization: swipe right -> select, swipe right ->, swipe right -> select, etc. That’s really long time actions. I’d remove this 2 step action. Swipe right should lead to immediate selection/deselection.

Usually between 30 to 100 layers, mostly settling around 60, to keep good performance of the app. I already work with groups a lot, but I still find myself having to select/deselect and show/hide layers within those groups regularly, and it’s just a bit slow the way it’s working currently. Unless you’re using an actual keyboard that has shift on it (but my current 8bitdo zero2 controller that I use for shortcuts for example doesn’t have those function keys) in order to select quicker. However the Show/hide option doesn’t even gets solved with a keyboard, this is why I think the option to just swipe over the eyes like Photoshop, would be good solution.

And the current selection/deselection does actually does work immediately in 1 step, if you swipe right far enough.
So the current fastest solution without a keyboard, is imo to swipe right on one layer(far enough to actually select) in order to activate selection mode, and then select/deselect the other layers by just tapping on them. But I think that is still not ideal and could be improved upon in a way that I suggested.

[lastaccess]

And the current selection/deselection does actually does work immediately in 1 step, if you swipe right far enough.

Oh, sometimes apps definitely need manual)

100 layers is a lot, hard to concentrate on them) I use from 2 to 10 most of the time at the same time) biggest number of layers was around 50 I guess.

[icezimy]

Everyone works differently. But for people who work with many layers like me, those improvements would be really helpful

[Bbolger]

+1 to this

[Michele_Ianniello]

+1

It would be nice to have!

[Lucky Clan]

It can be difficult to implement this because:
- drag gesture is already taken to scroll layers list
- long-press Eye icon is taken to "Show single layer"

We will rather add color tags, and select by tag. Probably in version 4.1.

[Bbolger]

Select by tag is actually a very nice idea!

[icezimy]

It can be difficult to implement this because:
- drag gesture is already taken to scroll layers list
- long-press Eye icon is taken to "Show single layer"

We will rather add color tags, and select by tag. Probably in version 4.1.

Wouldn’t it be possible to divide the layer list into like three „invisible columns“, and depending on where you scroll/drag it, it either hides/shows, selects/deselects or scrolls trough the layers? I attached a screenshot to kind of show what I mean

And color tags will be great! But I think it still won’t solve these things I mentioned

[Lucky Clan]

It is possible, but looks a bit complex.

[icezimy]

Oh I see.. hmm but maybe it could still be considered for some day? I really believe it could improve the workflow for people 😊

[Cantisani]

Affinity Designer has a gesture mode to select multiple continuous layers on the iPad. Select un layer, and tap with two fingers another layer. All layers in between are now selected. Just an idea.

[icezimy]

This could be an option, but often you don't need to select continues layers only, so its not ideal

Unless maybe this gesture could be repeated multiple times, while in select mode. So tap, 2 finger tap, unselected layers in between, tap, 2 finger tap etc.. should also work in reverse for deselecting specific layers.

And then maybe this same gesture but with 3 fingers tap to show/hide layers

But I still think, the option to just glide over the layer thumbnails and eyes would be much easier (for users)

[Ben]

You could make it rather simple by using 2 finger taps (that work only in the layer panel), which already exists in a similar way in the iOS system:
- select a layer by tapping with 2 fingers. Tapping another layer with 2 fingers adds a new layer to the already existing selection
- 2 finger tap and hold -> followed by dragging up or down with 2 fingers selects multiple layers
- selecting one layer somewhere at the top of the layer panel with 2 tap gesture -> scrolling down the layer panel as usual -> tapping and holding another layer with 2 fingers and all the layers in between are automatically selected