Layers getting cut off when deselecting

[SplitFate]

Lets say that I have a canvas that is 900x600, but my background image is 1200x900 so that I have a few more options for placement/alignment in case I want to change it. But when I deselect the background to work on something else in the project and then go "Hmm, I think I'd like it if this background was a little to the left" and then go move the layer, its cut off, it has lost everything that was outside of the 900x600 canvas instead of simply keeping it outside of the canvas, it just deletes it. Why does it do it like this? Is this just a setting that I don't know about? I know that one solution would simply just be to increase the canvas size to say 1800x1200, but then I'd have these huge white spaces on all sides when I'd still be finishing the project at 900x600. In case I explain it badly, here's a video (no audio) showing what I mean. Its just such a jarring thing for my workflow. Some things that this program does, just unreal, way better than what I'm used to using. But its not like what I'm using now is some powerhouse software, it hasn't been updated since 2015 and yet I can still move layers with them partially being outside of the frame without them getting cut off. Is there a solution that exists? It just makes it a bit harder to tweak backgrounds for example if I have to bring the image in again if I want to change it. 

[Rick Brewster]

This is how it works. Only things inside of the canvas "exist". The Move tool will hold onto things while it is active, but once you finish/commit and move onto another operation those pixels are gone. If the pixels still existed then they would be visible. If you can't see it then it doesn't exist, in other words. If you need to retain those pixels then you should work with a larger image/canvas and crop it when you are ready to complete the image.

[SplitFate]

21 minutes ago, Rick Brewster said:

This is how it works. Only things inside of the canvas "exist". The Move tool will hold onto things while it is active, but once you finish/commit and move onto another operation those pixels are gone. If the pixels still existed then they would be visible. If you can't see it then it doesn't exist, in other words. If you need to retain those pixels then you should work with a larger image/canvas and crop it when you are ready to complete the image.

Well, ok, that kind of sucks but I guess I'll have to get used to it, some of the features this program has (like plugins for missing features) are just too good to pass up. Thanks for the quick reply!

[Rick Brewster]

What you're asking for would be really neat, but it would also be extremely complicated and expensive to implement. This is one of those areas in computing where we just have to accept a compromise between "what we want" and "what is practical." Other programs may be able to do this but have intentionally designed for it and have also put significant investment into it.

[Rick Brewster]

Another way to explain or think about it is: the only place for storing pixels ("the only place pixels can exist") is in the layer, which is only as big as you tell it to be (the image size), or in the Move Selected Pixel's temporary buffer which holds the entire thing you've pasted in.

[SplitFate]

15 minutes ago, Rick Brewster said:

Another way to explain or think about it is: the only place for storing pixels ("the only place pixels can exist") is in the layer, which is only as big as you tell it to be (the image size), or in the Move Selected Pixel's temporary buffer which holds the entire thing you've pasted in.

It is something that consumes memory for sure, I guess its one of those things that I've taken for granted. I'm sure its difficult to implement, but at least I can just adjust my workflow and then just crop after I'm done. One extra step isn't THAT bad.

[Tactilis]

1 hour ago, SplitFate said:

But when I deselect the background to work on something else in the project and then go "Hmm, I think I'd like it if this background was a little to the left" and then go move the layer, its cut off, it has lost everything that was outside of the 900x600 canvas instead of simply keeping it outside of the canvas, it just deletes it.

Just hit Ctrl+Z a few times to undo the Deselect and the Moves until you get back to the Paste in the History list.

Or just click on the Paste in the History list to immediately undo back to there.

Then move your image to the right place.
 

[Rick Brewster]

To simplify the cropping later, you can create a layer, fill it with a solid color, move it to the bottom, uncheck its visibility. Then, use Image -> Canvas to make the canvas larger. That bottom layer will now have a transparent border. Later on when you’re done, use the Magic Wand in the center of that bottom layer — it should only select the non-transparent area. Then, Image->Crop to Selection, and optionally delete the bottom layer.

 

Paint.NET can do a lot of things that may not be apparent at first, sometimes you just have to exercise a little creativity. I try not to add commands for things you can already do by combining a few other things, so that the menus and toolbars don’t get stuffed and overflowing with all sorts of stuff.