Intensive use of layers

[Petar_MK]

I would like to suggest very usefull idea taken from Photoshop, but maybe not so easy to implement.

At first, every page should start with three layers: guides, grid and background (the page). The background layer should be used only for fill (color, gradient and maybe picture) and no objects should be put there. Every new layer(s) should be inserted between guides and grid layers.

This idea can serve mainly for three purposes:

1. Grouping objects

• Temporary grouping by selecting the desired layers like in the newest version of Photoshop;
• Grouping by activating an icon (located next to 'enabled', 'selected'... icons) as in previous older versions of Photoshop;
• Merging (flattening) selected layers into one. Any object are still editable and can be copied/moved (if needed) to a new or existing layer anytime by Copy/Paste or Cut/Paste.

2. Selecting hidden (invisible) objects

• It would be much easier to find and select object(s) that is behind other object and moved to front or back simply by dragging the layer to desired location.

3. Cloning objects

• Duplicated layer(s) should be treated as cloning layer(s) i.e. when an action is taken to an object inside the "original" layer, the change should be reflected to the object into the cloned layer(s).

[James Allen]

Interesting thoughts, Petar.

I think the default in both PS and X should be a single page with no layers. Those who want layers can add them easily. I have merged thousands of images in PS because whenever I drop a photo into it I get an extra layer I don’t want.

If anything Photoshop could copy Xara in the way it handles different levels in one layer. I can drop ten photos on the page one by one, and they will all be in the order I dropped them, one over the other. Yet I haven’t created any new layers. I can then put some of the photos behind or in front of others, and still without adding extra layers. In PS by contrast, the dropping of ten photos creates ten different layers whether you like it or not.

[handrawn]

I The background layer should be used only for fill (color, gradient and maybe picture) and no objects should be put there.

but a fill and a picture are objects in Designer.....

I think you are confusing a canvas oriented editor with an object oriented one

that said I can see a use for a 'clone layer' - but it should be a seperate entity from a duplicate layer and not a replacement, otherwise other functionality would be lost