Multiple pages and layers

[PixelDust]

Just wondering... How do you more experienced Xara users manage multiple-page projects with many objects on many layers? I tried searching the forums, but I couldn't find anything about this.

It seems that layers are shared across multiple pages in Xara. For example, if page 1 has layers named "lines", "colors", and "bitmaps", page 2 will have the same layers. If I delete the "lines" layer on page 2, it deletes the "lines" layer on all pages and everything on them.

So, what is the best way to manage and identify many objects - the Names Gallery, perhaps?

Also, is there a limit to how many layers a document can have? I thought about having separate lines, colors, and bitmaps layers for each page, but in a longer document (say 15 pages), would that cause undue problems?

Thanks!

[steve.ledger]

Curious - I don't get that happen no matter which way I create new pages.

If I create layers before I create a new page, the named layers are reproduced on the new page.
But I can go back and delete the named layers on page 1 without it deleting the same named layer on page two (or vice-versa).

I tried a number of different approaches, but still couldn't get the layer to delete from all pages together.

Can you attach a file that does this for you?

I'm not much of a layer user, so it's possible I have missed something.

[PatentGuy]

Curious - I don't get that happend no matter which way I create new pages.

If I create layers before I create a new page, the named layers are reproduced on the new page.
But I can go back and delete the named layers on page 1 without it deleting the same named layer on page two (or vice-versa).

I, too, rely on multi-page documents. I opened an old drawing and deleted a layer from one page. The layer, and its contents, was deleted from all pages (all my pages are duplicates of my default template).

But, if I create a new multi-page drawing file, I notice the same thing you saw. The pages are independent, and deleting one layer does not affect the other pages. I then saved the drawing and reopened it. The same named layer on all pages would be deleted when a layer on one page was deleted.

So, deleting layers works differently depending upon if the file has been saved.

The attached file acts just like PixelDust describes. Fortunate for me, I do not use many layers because of the limitations in layer handling.

[steve.ledger]

Yes you're right..
That's just silly.
I'll report this as a possible bug.

[PatentGuy]

Yes you're right..
That's just silly.
I'll report this as a possible bug.

It gets better. I've noticed strange layer behavior before, but never paid attention to it.

If you hide a layer in a saved file, the layer is hidden on all pages. Normally, this is what I want because I keep similar objects on certain layers and I move between pages during editing, so I normally want the same layers visible/invisible on all pages.

The odd thing that I never paid attention to before is that if I am working on a new document, checking the visible box or the editable box only affects the current page. I normally set up all my pages before I save a file for the first time.

[Edit:] Also, if you add a layer to one page, after saving the file, all pages have that layer.

My preference is to have the option to select that layers are independent between pages or common for all pages with same-named layers.

[steve.ledger]

This might be best handled as a global condition applied in the Xtreme 'Options' perhaps?
eg:
Layers are independent across multipage docs (on / off)

[PatentGuy]

This might be best handled as a global condition applied in the Xtreme 'Options' perhaps?
eg:
Layers are independent across multipage docs (on / off)

I would be happy with that.

[PatentGuy]

Just wondering... How do you more experienced Xara users manage multiple-page projects with many objects on many layers?

Almost all my drawings are multi-page documents (usually 4 to 12 pages). In fact, I originally upgraded to Pro version 3 for the multi-page feature.

My default template has 7 defined layers with some preset, common objects spread among the layers. When I draw, I usually keep the majority of my objects on just one or two layers. I also make most of the other layers uneditable while I am working on one layer. I have the unfortunate tendency to select and move the wrong object.

I often use photos as guides for my illustrations, so I put all photos on one layer. I make the layer invisible when I no longer need to rely upon the photo. But, I keep the photo in the file for future editing and reference.

I sometimes make a layer named "hidden." I move objects that I don't like to the hidden layer. I make the hidden layer visible if I want to compare the old objects to what I have redrawn.

I occasionally create a layer if I have a complex portion of the drawing I am working on and I want to isolate it from nearby objects on the drawing. Being all thumbs, I often select the wrong object when I am clicking away.

It has also been suggested that text objects be placed in the topmost layer when the output is a pdf file. That is not an issue for me, but my topmost layer typically is where I put my text anyway. I use text as labels for various elements in my drawings. I probably should keep all my text on one layer. I tried that, but found that it was too much trouble remembering to switch between the layers when adding text or objects.

[covoxer]

Steve,

This might be best handled as a global condition applied in the Xtreme 'Options' perhaps?
eg:
Layers are independent across multipage docs (on / off)

It is alreay handled this way! C'mon, you knew about it, didn't you?
If you turn off "AllPagesTheSame" setting in the registry, it makes all pages completely independent. So they can have different size and personal set of layers too. That simple.

[steve.ledger]

Yes I have this turned off already, but it doesn't seem to affect layers at all John.

Deleting a layer from a selected page of a multipage doc removes the layer from all pages if the document has been saved, closed and re opened.
Before saving, closing and re opening, deleting a layer only removes it only from the selected page.