Why can't layer groups have blend settings?

[photoken]

What's the logic behind not being able to change the blending mode of layer groups? For example, I've imported a PDF file of a vector drawing and it comes in as a layer group of vector objects. It's tedious to have to manually select each vector layer in the group to change the blending mode.

[laienspieler]

In the layer attribute panel (View -> Panels -> Layer Attributes), just check "Draw isolated" for your layer group and you have blend modes on layer groups.

[photoken]

In the layer attribute panel (View -> Panels -> Layer Attributes), just check "Draw isolated" for your layer group and you have blend modes on layer groups.

Thanks for that!

However, that is an obscure setting. It also begs the question of why not have "Draw isolated" as the default (or at least provide a setting in the Options to have that as the default)....

[Hoogo]

A program cannot just add layer for layer to the final result, it has to treat each isolated group like a picture of itself, and that will need more RAM and processing time.

You cannot group adjustment layers only into an isolated group, there would be no background they could work on. And there's something similar about transparency, can't remember exactly.

Such an isolated group is not always the better way.

[bkh]

What's the logic behind not being able to change the blending mode of layer groups? For example, I've imported a PDF file of a vector drawing and it comes in as a layer group of vector objects. It's tedious to have to manually select each vector layer in the group to change the blending mode.

Just select one layer in the group, and then choose "Select All".

Note that there is a difference between changing the blending mode for each layer individually and changing the blending mode for the isolated group – in the former case, overlapping vector layers will also be blended using the chosen blending mode, while in the isolated group, the blending mode used among the vector layers will be the mode of the vector layer itself, and the result will be blended with the underlying image using the blending mode of the group. There will be no difference if the vector layers don't overlap.

I guess that it's hard to decide whether groups or isolated groups are the more "natural" concept. An ordinary group is just a way of orgainising layers – if you ngroup the layers, the results are the same (not quite, because for some obscure reason, ordinary groups can have layer effects and have a transparency setting).

Anyhow, I agree that there should be a more obvious way to create isolated groups (and maybe even a better name for them), maybe there should be "Create Isolated Layer Group" (or whatever) along with "Group Marked Layers".

Cheers

Burkhard.

[photoken]

I guess that it's hard to decide whether groups or isolated groups are the more "natural" concept.

True enough. It's just that (for better or worse) we've become accustomed to the "Photoshop way" of doing things. I don't have PS now, and don't remember exactly how it handles groups, but PaintShop Pro's default layer groups support setting the blending mode for the group.

If the "isolated" group becomes the PL default group type, then your idea about a different name would be my choice, too. The groups would simply be called a "Group", and the layer properties panel would use an option to "Blend layers individually", for example.

[photoken]

A program cannot just add layer for layer to the final result, it has to treat each isolated group like a picture of itself, and that will need more RAM and processing time.

Yes, but computers these days have very powerful processors and lots of RAM. Using multi-threading with processors having multiple cores seems like it should adequately address those performance concerns.

You cannot group adjustment layers only into an isolated group, there would be no background they could work on

Yes, that's absolutely right. If the "isolated" group were to become the default group type, the code would certainly have to check if that group type is valid for the layers that are involved. (Hey, I never said it would be easy. )

[eivuokko]

Hi,

Sorry to bring this old thread up, but it lists exactly what I needed. There are few problems that I see.

• * Documentation (as far as I can see) doesn't clearly/easily-found state that Display Mode is activated (for groups) by Draw Isolated.
  * Virtual copies can't be drawn isolated, it's an option for the original group. This of course makes sense, but it was especially confusing to me.

I'm new to PhotoLine, but the layer-system has been very convenient besides this thing. It would have been nice to have documentation that explicitly states how layer stack is rendered, when I first began using PhotoLine. And last thing, draw isolated really can't be default, my rather low-end computer can be brought to virtual halt by overuse of draw isolated (I've used it mainly with several virtual copies - going too far on non-destructive.)

Best regards, Esa