"Link layers" analog?

[kirkl]

Is there any way to link layers like in Photoshop ?

[Hoogo]

You mean that chain symbol between 2 layers? Depends on the purpose.

Most of the time i've seen these chains with adjustment layers. Pick the adjustment layer in the layer list and drop it on the pixel layer. It is shown indented to show that it only applies to the other layer.

For linking pixel layers it's easier to group them all and set the attribute "draw isolated" for the group.

[Herbert123]

No, unfortunately not directly. As Hoogo states, it depends a bit on the situation, but I do miss that functionality at times - in particular when unrelated elements in a layout must be linked somehow.

It would be great if we could somehow link properties of layers somehow in Photoline - linking layers is Photoshop is quite limited in scope. Perhaps an expression option could work here.

[kirkl]

thanks for making it clear, it's really pity since makes certain things impossible.

Another question: Can Photoline use placeholder layers as clipping layers/groups , same way Photoshop does? Looks like I can't do a mask from placeholder

[Herbert123]

Yes, placeholders can be used as layer and clipping masks: first create a group, and place the placeholder(s) in that group. Then turn on "Draw Isolated" in the layer properties for that group, and turn on the clipping mask/layer mask.

It would be nice if we could directly use a placeholder layer as a layer mask, but I tend to work with groups as masks anyway.

[kirkl]

Thank you, Herbert123.

[Herbert123]

thanks for making it clear, it's really pity since makes certain things impossible.

Which things are you looking for to achieve with linked layers?

[kirkl]

I work on tileable textures and need a system that could keep different objects linked not only within a single group.

For example a few objects with its 3 virtual copies on the edges of the texture (within a group ) being linked to to another group of the same objects representing roughness property. Looks like perfectly possible at first.
But in between I need a totally different layer of objects subtracting its roughness values from original layer ,staying intact when I move that original layer and transferring the subtraction result as a thresholded mask to some third layer of virtual copies.

Some expression based links would be super helpful, but at first I would satisfied with just an option for virtual copies to track/keep their transform/scale values from original object and not from groups they are inside as an on/off switch.