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Not being prompted to flatten layers when saving in a format that doesn't support them (3.0 beta) #1283
Description
Description
While the release notes say this is supposed to happen, when I tested this feature, I was not prompted to flatten the image before saving.
To Reproduce
- Create an image with multiple layers.
- Attempt to save in a format that doesn't support layers.
- The file is saved without a prompt.
Version
OS: Ubuntu 24.10
Pinta Version: 3.0 beta
Activity
cameronwhite commentedon Feb 25, 2025
Was it this entry in the release notes you're referring to?
Saving an image already saved in a format that supports multiple layers to a format that does not support layers will now explicitly prompt the user...Maybe the wording is a bit confusing, but this only applies when the original image was in a multi-layer format like
.oraand then you try to export to a flat file type. From #910 there was some concern about adding a scary-sounding message all of the time when saving a layered image to formats like .png, but we can reconsider that based on feedbackrolandixor commentedon Feb 25, 2025
Ahh, this would explain what I encountered. Yes - it was a WEBP image that I added some layers to and then attempted to save. From the release notes I was expecting it to ask me to flatten the image. Perhaps there could be a message if it's worded in a way that doesn't come off as "scary", something to the effect of "Would you like to flatten this image before saving?"
cameronwhite commentedon Feb 25, 2025
Yeah, I think the tricky thing was that we were trying to warn users that if they re-opened that file they would no longer have their layers, since the flattening previously just happened implicitly as part of the saving process
In the long run, this might be better expressed as a "Save" vs "Export" type of operation? Or it could just be a less obtrusive notification letting the user know why the image was flattened
leylin3 commentedon Aug 30, 2025
Hi! I'm a fresh user who just downloaded pinta yesterday to take notes on a puzzle game i'm working on. Did i miss a Pinta file format that would have conserved the layers? I was really confused when the save function was more of what i expected an "export" to entail, and there was no "save as Pinta Project" function I could locate
I scoured the user guide bc i felt like i must really be missing something, but this thread makes me think this isnt a feature? If not, a warning that layers would be flattened would have been helpful to clue me in.
rolandixor commentedon Aug 30, 2025
If you use the .ora file format (Open Raster) it will preserve all your layers and their settings.
leylin3 commentedon Aug 30, 2025
Ah lovely thank you!! I had never heard of that one before and was too impatient to keep trying the rest of the formats I hadn't heard of... I'll leave y'all be with a note - a warning that layers flatten, and that .ora exists, could be useful for a brand new user/install. Maybe a "don't show me this message again" checkbox on the warning could avoid annoying experienced users :)
Appreciate the work y'all are doing!