Please add pixel snapping for all layer types!

[Herbert123]

I would like to request:

a) full pixel snapping for all types of layers and guides
b) when pixel snapping is turned on that decimal values for x and y position are always rounded up or down to exact non-decimal values for all types of layers and guides. Positions should be set to non-decimal values when working with pixel snapping active.
c) a change of "alignment" in the layer properties panel and the document properties panel to "Pixel Snapping", or "Align to Pixel Grid", or "Pixel Snap". The current generic "Alignment" is quite confusing.
d) with pixel snapping active, the size of all new objects and layers that are generated would be set to non-decimal values as well. Example: a vector rectangle's size cannot be set to a decimal value for either width or height.

Explanation
Currently we can turn on pixel snapping for either all vector objects in the document panel, and/or individual vector objects in the layer panel. This works well for vector objects, and saves a lot of time when dealing with pixel precise work for web, GUI, mobile, etc.

However, it does not work for:
1) bitmaps
2) text layers
3) guides

When bitmaps with sharp artwork are placed in a document/composition in Photoline, and moved around, more often than not they look fuzzy with anti-aliasing turned on. Only by meticulously entering precise non-decimal values in the x and y position fields can this issue be mitigated and prevented.

This takes a lot of time and effort on the part of the user.

left: precisely entered position without decimals. left: x.5, y.5

unsharp2.png

Notice how the sharp artwork looks blurred in the right version.

This is especially troublesome when preparing screen grabs for documentation, for example:

unsharp1.png

Turning anti-aliasing off for bitmap layer creates other issues when decimal x and y positional values are active, such as the last row/column of pixels being repeated, and this adds information that was not there before:

issue.jpg

[Herbert123]

With text layers it is also a tremendous problem, because the text rendering/anti-aliasing for each text line will be different:

text.jpg

While this may not be a big issue with larger type, it does become problematic when applying smaller type sizes and when used for screen work. At times the difference between two lines is quite obvious, and again the user is forced to enter exact non-decimal values in the x and y position input fields.

In some instances even vector layers will still add anti-aliasing even when pixel snapping is turned on. This line. although snapped to the pixel grid, displays with anti-aliased ends. Yes, we can turn off anti-aliasing for this vector layer, but what is the point of pixel snapping then?

line.png

[Herbert123]

Addendum:

Proposed solution(s):

1) with document/layer pixel snapping activated, all layer types (not only vector layers) will snap to exact pixel coordinates. No more decimal values. Perhaps an additional requirement would be to switch first to pixel units for the rulers as well. This also prevents the issue that sharp edged bitmap artwork are blurry looking, and text is rendered with varying anti-aliasing.

2) when document/layer pixel snapping is activated, non-decimal values are always rounded up or down in the numeric input fields. Moving and scaling a layer always works with exact pixels: no more decimal values. This will also make Photoline's behaviour far more predictable.

3) an option to draw strokes on the outside, inside, and center of any vector edge. Refer to Fireworks for this solution (see below).

4) when working with pixel snapping turned on for the document, and rulers set to pixels, guides should always snap to exact pixel coordinates. No more decimal values in this case. Ideally this should also work for the new guide creator.

5) when pixel snapping is activated, and the rulers are set to pixels, moving layers with the cursor keys will move those by exactly 1 pixel. ctrl-cursor keys will move by 10 pixels.

6) when pixel snapping is activated, for the inside and outside stroke placement, straight lines should ideally not be anti-aliased (see example below)

Visual reference how stroke placement should work (and this is also great for non-pixel precise work, by the way). All rectangles are snapped exactly to the guides.

Untitled.png