Is Grouping broken ?



  • And here, same select tool (transform tool), in Affinity, working with composite shapes, easy peasy, best of class:

    alt text

    And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I do most of my workflows in Affinity or Corel Vector (Gravit). Blazing speed and not much to remember.

    "To Keep Your Customers, Keep It Simple"



  • @Ingolf said in Is Grouping broken ?:

    I don't like the several selection modes in the transform tool.
    Affinity and Corel Vector has ONE, that does this in one mode and better:

    • select objects

    With one click, like VS.

    • select objects in group (with two intuitive options, either hierarchical through the layers and groups or directly what you click)

    With a double-click, like VS?

    • select objects in composite shapes

    With a double-click, unlike VS?

    (I don't mean double-clicking in the Layers panel, obviously).



  • Depends, you click through the group hierarchy first then single click elements of the level you have reached OR directly with Option-click (single click).

    No need for four selection modes. And the logic is pretty much the same if the node tool (shape editor) is selected, so when I activate it by accident I rarely discover it and continue working smoothly.

    Nothing is different when working with composite shapes - it is treated like a group, click-wise.

    Simple, elegant, efficient.



  • @Ingolf I can't say there's "no need for four selection modes" – the 'Select group members' and
    'Select composite members' modes let you select members of any group or composite
    shapes directly without having to select the group or composite first then double-click.
    Then double-click to exit the group…

    This IS useful (does CDR or AD have something like this?) and it's not something that can be
    triggered by mistake — they don't have a shortcut (sorry for repeating this part).

    LATER EDIT: Oops… Option-clicking a group or composite object switches to the second or third mode.

    So there is a shortcut…

    So if you don't select any of these specific modes with a click, it shouldn't bother anyone,
    except that indeed it adds to the visual complexity of the context panel, especially
    if you don't find a use for these modes. 🙂

    (Who knows if these three selection modes are used often?
    If I would know they are not, I would suggest moving them in the toolbox,
    hidden under the first button.
    But I don't know…)

    So anyway, for normal editing of groups on the canvas, double-clicking to get inside the
    group is the rule, then single-clicking selects the objects inside.

    This is OK, right? Or did I miss some detail in your explanation about how AD does it better?

    Indeed, double-clicking with the Select/Transform tool in default mode doesn't get
    to the "components" of a composite shape, but that is because the rule is that double-clicking
    any single shape (composite or not) switches to 'draw inside' mode, just like
    with non-composite shapes.

    Should double-clicking perform double duty in this case — let you draw inside AND let you
    select/transform the shapes inside the composite shape?

    Would this conflict with anything, or create confusion?



  • @b77 Right now I am to tired to understand much, maybe tomorrow. 🙂 Going to bed now.

    The thing is, I don't ever need more than Affinity and others provide, and many are possibly like me. Thats why I would love if that group (and I am positive it is the majority) and me could get what other programs offer in ONE tool/mode.

    Then there could be other modes like now, for special cases. But I wouldn't ever need them. I just don't see what they have to offer when I work so fast in AD without and never even opened a manual to learn how to.

    As I said, in AD I can select any object directly by Option-clicking it no matter where it is in the layers hierarchy.

    I strongly suggest anyone interested in the difference to install the Affinity trial - it is damn hard to describe an experience in just words. Words also reduce the experience to an exchange of formulars and icons which is not what it is about. It is about joy and uninterrupted, smooth, intuitive workflows. And simplicity. The actual experience.



  • @Ingolf Option-clicking a group or composite object switches to the second or third mode!

    So there is a shortcut…

    OK, we'll talk more tomorrow. 👍



  • @b77 I asked for the "remember selection mode" preference because I only use the second mode whenever I can, and it drove me crazy I had to re-select it every day. I never use any other mode. Had that preference not been there (been added!), I would probably not use VS.

    Nite nite



  • @b77 said in Is Grouping broken ?:

    @Ingolf Option-clicking a group or composite object switches to the second or third mode!

    So there is a shortcut…

    OK, we'll talk more tomorrow. 👍

    Sorry to revive an old topic, but trying Alt+click in windows to get deeper into groups more easily and I'm finding it difficult to deal with highly organized groups. I do have to change the pointer mode to that second tool and yes, I agree wholeheartedly with @Ingolf it is definitely the least intuitive.. I like the idea of having a "root" selector" though and don't mind holding Alt... but it's not working on Windows anyway.


  • administrators

    @debraspicher said in Is Grouping broken ?:

    don't mind holding Alt... but it's not working on Windows anyway

    I try to find out what happens with Alt on windows, there might be a conflicting modifier issue again.

    BTW: how about double click to isolate? that should work.



  • @VectorStyler Yes double click for isolation is working.