Layer sizes

[Slug45]

Hi, 1st post here.

When you do a selection, then copy and paste it, the new created layer is about the size of the selection, is there any way that when you do the paste the new layer would be as big as the initial image instead of the size of the selection?.

For example, if the original image size is about 1000x1000 px and you do a selection of 100x100 px, when you copy/paste it, the new created layer size is 100x100 px, what I want is a layer size of 1000x1000 px with the pasted selection in it, is there any way to do this by default?.

I'm used to Photoshop wich manages layer as "subchilds" of the main document. What I mean, is that if the main document is 2500x1000px, all the new layers will be 2500x1000px (the new you'll create by "new layer", by pasting, etc...) with the main document resolution (72,150,200... DPI).
I really like this behavior.

Thanks in advance.
(Excuse my poor english)

[Gerhard Huber]

I know that Photoshop can only create layers of the same kind and size.
PL32 has many layout functions and is therefore able to handle documents with different layer kinds and sizes. This has many advantages, for example it is ease to scale or rotate layers with the mouse, layers need less memory, ...
I don't see an advantage of all layers with the same size. Why do you want to have this?

Gerhard

[Slug45]

I use Photoshop mainly for image editing and digital matte painting.

Well, all this is just a matter of routine. With Photoshop what I do is to do selections, copy paste them and use the resulting layers for painting on them and go on with the painting "merging up the jigsaw puzzle".

If I want to do this with PL32, what I have to do is to copy/paste, then create a new layer (selecting previously the background layer so the new layer I wanna create would be the same size of the document), then move this layer on the bottom of the previous layer I did via copy/paste and then merge them both and go on painting.

I didn't want to say that's worse the way PL32 manage the layers, it's just a different way I'm used to. I understand the advantage of the less need of memory (and I give you thanks fot it!).

I just was wondering if there's a faster way to do all these.

Thanks for the fast support.
(..and of course, please excuse my poor english).

[Hoogo]

You could record an action (macro?) that does that. I use the german version, so I'm not sure if I hit the correct translations.
1) duplicate layer
2) mask to alpha (transparency?)

That's not exactly the same, the rgb-channels are still completely there and appear again if you use soft brushes. But as you can have soft masks this should be ok (but eats a lot of memory).

[Slug45]

Thanks, good idea.... BUT, the matter is that if I copy an image and paste into another , when I do the selection to keep the part I want, I follow the steps you gave me and it works... but, if the second image I pasted into the first one is smaller, I got a selection with a border (the selection as is and the rest of the image deleted so, the resulting layer continues being smaller than the image size I'm working on.)

For example:
If I'm working on a image "A" about 2000x2000 px, then I open another image "B" of 1000x1000, I copy B and paste on A, I do a selection of 500x500 in image B then tool>mask>mask to alpha, what I get is the image A (2000x2000 px) with a layer within of 1000x1000px and the selection I did in the middle of the empty layer (500x500).

...So we come to the same problem. We got a layer that doesn't fit the entire document.

Well, I guess that by the moment the developers hate me enought ...

I'll change my routine and done!.

Thanks for the reply .
(Excuse my poor english)

[kevjon]

I don't see an advantage of all layers with the same size. Why do you want to have this?

Gerhard

The problem I am running into is that I need to paint additional information onto a layer that is within the document size but the layer (imported from PS) has come in smaller that the document size. If I resize the layer to match the document size then the borders of that layer do not match the document borders.

Thanks to this post I've solved the problem by creating a new layer below the smaller one and merging the smaller one down.

[photoken]

When you do a selection, then copy and paste it, the new created layer is about the size of the selection, is there any way that when you do the paste the new layer would be as big as the initial image instead of the size of the selection

There's no way to change the default method of pasting an image selection as a layer; but, after creating the new layer, use Layout...Image...Bring to Document Size. That will expand the edges of the image layer to the document size without moving the position of the layer's content.

[kevjon]

There's no way to change the default method of pasting an image selection as a layer; but, after creating the new layer, use Layout...Image...Bring to Document Size. That will expand the edges of the image layer to the document size without moving the position of the layer's content.

I can see myself using this command a lot a photoline. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Cheers

[photoken]

There's no way to change the default method of pasting an image selection as a layer; but, after creating the new layer, use Layout...Image...Bring to Document Size. That will expand the edges of the image layer to the document size without moving the position of the layer's content.

I can see myself using this command a lot a photoline. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

If you're going to use it a lot, you can assign a hotkey to it. Use Edit...Options...Usage...Keyboard Layout...Image...Bring to Document Size, then give it a new Shortcut.

[Herbert123]

I also do digital painting and compositing of 3d plates in Photoline, and I assigned <ctrl><shift><A> as a shortcut for the image-->Bring to Document Size.

It works really well. Also easy to memorize, since <ctrl><A> will select ALL, so the new shortcut will create a full layer. That shortcut is also unassigned in Photoline. Well, at least it makes sense to me

[kevjon]

Thanks guys, some good suggestions on creating an action or assigning a shortcut key to a command I will use often when importing PSD files.

@Herbert
Thanks for bringing this software to my attention on the modo forums.
I'm looking forward to using it at a reasonably indepth level to create textures and 16 bit bump maps for my aircraft models, so I'm still finding my way around PL at the moment. Appreciate the help.

[Herbert123]

Are you on Mac or Windows? If you work on Windows, you may want to install Krita as well, and hook it up to Photoline through the app link (Filter-->External Programs).

Krita has a number of very handy functions. For example, <W> activates seamless repetition mode, which allows you to seamlessly move sections of your texture around. It also supports 16 and 32bpc, and I regularly send layers from Photoline to Krita, make some changes I could not do in Photoline, and then return the result. Photoline then automatically senses the change, and updates your layer accordingly.

Krita also offers much improved digital painting tools (arguably much better than Photoshop). The combo is great.

The app link also works with pdf, so you can send your vector layers into InkScape, edit there, add objects, layers, etc, and the object wil again automatically update in Photoline (even creating a group with vector objects!).

And even Gimp can be used as a plugin through this method There is a wealth of interesting scripts and plugins for Gimp, which become available to Photoline with the app link. It really works very well - just save the change, and it updates in Photoline.

[Herbert123]

PS layer masks are also 16bpc in Photoline, but ONLY if your background layer is 16 or 32bpc as well. So be sure to create a 16bpc/32bpc image when you need that quality in your masks.

[kevjon]

Thanks Herbert

I'm using Windows 7-64 bit.

Krita has a number of very handy functions. For example, <W> activates seamless repetition mode, which allows you to seamlessly move sections of your texture around. It also supports 16 and 32bpc, and I regularly send layers from Photoline to Krita, make some changes I could not do in Photoline, and then return the result. Photoline then automatically senses the change, and updates your layer accordingly.

I have downloaded Krita but haven't really played with it too much. Sounds like I better start learning it. I was going to use Corel Painter in conjunction with Photoline but Krita/PL workflow sounds cleaner and easier.

The app link also works with pdf, so you can send your vector layers into InkScape, edit there, add objects, layers, etc, and the object wil again automatically update in Photoline (even creating a group with vector objects!).

I think PL's vector objects and layers is all that I need but time will tell. Good to know there is a good alternative in inkscape.

PS layer masks are also 16bpc in Photoline, but ONLY if your background layer is 16 or 32bpc as well. So be sure to create a 16bpc/32bpc image when you need that quality in your masks.

Will do, thanks for the tip.