Mask Experiments with Vector Objects

[MarcT]

I like the way it works, you can select only one object or group and apply the mask. (clip or cut, etc..)

Very simple and visual.

Marc

[jclements]

• Content Aware photo scaling
• Cut / Copy / Delete operations
• Duplicate and Clone
• Clipview
• Combine Shapes (Arrange menu)



I haven't figured out the process for the red-hilighted functions yet. Anyone want to post an example?

[MarcT]

• Content Aware photo scaling
• Cut / Copy / Delete operations
• Duplicate and Clone
• Clipview
• Combine Shapes (Arrange menu)



I haven't figured out the process for the red-hilighted functions yet. Anyone want to post an example?

From what I've tried: While having the mask turned on, select object(s) you want and do the operation, for example subtract, like you would normally.

I don't know for duplicating and cloning, it mus be that you can copy different shapes inside the mask.

Marc

[Soquili]

The duplicate and clone work on the non-masked area.

See attached image.

[jclements]

I don't see the advantage, you can select and clone without the mask. As Covoxer mentioned, a mask means you don't have to select objects.


[Edit]
Looks like Bill has shown up.

Unless I am missing something, the mask itself is not in play here then. You are merely copying/duplicate the object resulting from a mask operation. So is this just a matter of symatics?

[Soquili]

Same mask and shape as in my previous post but using the Combine Shapes > Subtract shapes.

Result: The non-masked area is subtracted from the bitmap.

Same Mask and shape as in my previous post but using the Combine Shapes > Interset Shapes.

Result: The area not masked is the result, similar to Duplicate and clone except the original shape and mask are no longer in the work area.

Essentially the shape drawn on the mask is used exactly as a shape drawn in the work area and used as if it were selected along with the original bitmap. The mask does not require both objects are selected.

[Albacore]

Has anyone found that after making a mask and cutting vector objects into parts and then moving selected objects slightly tricky? Now I understand masks and have no problems using them in PS and AI but in XPro 5 moving the cut parts is unpredictable, they do move but it like a memory problems they move well after the cursor and they don't like being stacked. The file size is only 15k so that can't be the problem any suggestions. It is not worth posting the file as it is nothing special.

[MarkMyWords]

Using a mask to duplicate, copies only the sections of any visible objects under the mask and pastes them, in place, on the same layers as the originals -even when several objects are spread across multiple layers. So, in effect, it is copying, cutting and pasting those objects in place, each on different layers.

I don't have any problems moving the copies afterwards, either individually or as a soft (multi-layer) group.

Quite a good trick. Not entirely sure exactly how I would use this yet, but it seems like the kind of thing I might use. The disappearance of the mask itself after an operation is the kind of automatic deletion I don't like. What if I want to re-use that shaped mask in another area of the image, for instance?

[jclements]

I think you can copy the shape to a non-mask layer then copy it back for later use.

If not, draw shape for mask first on a non-mask layer, then copy that to clipboard and Ctrl-Shift-Place onto the mask layer.

[MarkMyWords]

Yes, it is easy to do a work around, but it should work right in the first place. Masks aren't generally automatically deleted in other programs, at least not the ones I use.

Is there an option to stop this behaviour?