GraphiteEditor/Graphite

Edge case where moving layers between groups changes the location, rotation or scale on the canvas

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#3195 opened on Sep 19, 2025

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 (12 comments) (0 reactions) (0 assignees)Rust (25,662 stars) (1,176 forks)batch import
Good First Issue

Description

Recently I've spent more time working in Graphite and I want to make a point about one of the current design decisions.

Individual layers have their transforms set relative to parent node transforms. When such layer is moved outside of the parent into a different location in the nodegraph it changes its position on the canvas. It is really frustrating to work around this mechanic, and I believe many people will have similar opinion, especially those that come from other 2D apps.

Two solutions that might work here:

  • make every layer have its transforms as absolute values relative to canvas origin (0,0)
  • recalculate transforms when the layer is moved into a different place in the nodegraph so it's location, rotation and scale does not change

Contributor guide

Tech stack
rust
Domain
frontend
Issue type
bug
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
4
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
1-2 days
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
active
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
clear
Prerequisites
Node graph basicsTransform math
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
25
Research direction
Investigate how layer transforms are currently stored relative to parent nodes in the node graph. The issue proposes two solutions: either store transforms as absolute values relative to the canvas origin, or recalculate transforms when a layer is reparented so its visual properties remain unchanged. Examine the existing code in the graph engine and transform handling (likely in files like `graphite/src/../node graph.rs` or similar) to determine the feasibility and impact of each approach. Review the discussion in the 12 comments for additional insights from maintainers.