Layers Poll

[joolz]

As a Xara 'newb' and software developer my comments on Layers are thus...

I was expecting to be able to click on an object and then... right click - Move to layer name/number (whatever) . You can only seem to move objects infront or back based on the current position (what if there are 100 layers and you want to move from 99 to 49?)

I was expecting to be able to move layers around within the tree itself (to create nested layers)

I was expecting to be able to drag an object off the work area onto the layer 'gallery' to change its layer

I was expecting to see the number of objects on a particular layer

I was expecting to right-click an object and be able to find out what layer it is on


Now maybe, you can do all of these things.. like I said, I am new

Just some thoughts..

Great software though

[covoxer]

Ha, ha! Well, if you expect it to be so, then when you'll develop your graphics program it will certainly work the way you expect it to!

Just kidding,
Seriously though, the layers implementation in the object oriented graphics concept is of secondary importance. The complex layer structures are not essential unlike they are in the layer based graphics concept (e.g. Photoshop).
Actually any graphic design can be created in a single layer. Layers are just helpers in organising more convenient workflow. And we use them to some extent for the HTML and animation exports (the frames in animation are internally equivalents to layers, you can't have multiple layers in animations).
Of course, improvements of the layer implementation is a good thing as well as lots of other features we have on the wish list. So it just waits for it's time to be implemented. But how much time? No one can tell.

Now some answers:

I was expecting to be able to click on an object and then... right click - Move to layer name/number (whatever) . You can only seem to move objects infront or back based on the current position (what if there are 100 layers and you want to move from 99 to 49?)

You can do this in the Object Gallery in XtremePro5.

I was expecting to be able to move layers around within the tree itself (to create nested layers)

You can freely move them around in the gallery, though you can not nest them, so no trees.

I was expecting to be able to drag an object off the work area onto the layer 'gallery' to change its layer

Drag it within the object gallery.

I was expecting to see the number of objects on a particular layer

Ctrl+A and look at the status bar.

I was expecting to right-click an object and be able to find out what layer it is on

"Find" button in the Object Gallery.

[cbutton69]

I never use layers. I haven't taken the time to understand how they work. Sometime maybe.

[angelize]

Personaly I would rather see a overhaul of the brushes first. The object gallery in Xtreme 5 was already a good improvement in this area.

[joolz]

Thanks for the reply covoxer..

To answer/comment on your post

>>you'll develop your graphics program it will certainly work the way you expect it to

Well as someone who has written and sold a large 3D OpenGL graphics application to Autodesk (you may have heard of them), then yes, I have certain expectations and experience in the field of software development

>>You can do this in the Object Gallery in XtremePro5.

Hmmm yes but - clunky

1. Select desired layer in the Object Gallery
2. Select object
3. Press Move button

Lots of mouse movement across the screen and clicking (is there a quicker way?)

What about

1 RHM on Object - Move to current Layer (or have a dropdown for layer selection)

All done in-place on the object and not moving backwards and forwards to the Object Layer.

>>You can freely move them around in the gallery, though you can not nest them, so no trees.

Yes it's the nesting that I was expecting to see. This is a very usefull thing to have (certainly in CAD apps anyway) - maybe it's not an issue here

>>Drag it within the object gallery.

As above, not the same thing... you may have 100 objects on a layer and only want to move 1, so dragging the layer about in the Gallery achieves nothing

What I was saying was to pick up the Object then drag it over to the Object Gallery so that it is 'dropped' on the layer of choice. The object would return to its original position but would now be on the new layer .... This would avoid the 3 step move as above ....

>>Ctrl+A and look at the status bar.

Again, not the same thing ... How do I know at a glance haw many objects are on layer 100? ... Without switching on/off layers? A simple number against the layer in the Object Gallery or a RHM hover would be of use. For example, it would tell you which layers are in use

EDIT:- This is perhaps a 'non issue' because you get a display of the objects on the layer as you hover over it.. so you can see if it has no objects.

>>"Find" button in the Object Gallery.

Strange... I don't have a find button in my Object Gallery! .... However, clicking on the object gives the info in the status bar (which is better anyway)

So, at the end of the day, the above are really only minor things .... I am just VERY picky about the UI design because it's something I do for a living

I am sure there are far more important things for the Developers to spend time on and it's a fantastic piece of software

PS Great user group

[steve.ledger]

Strange... I don't have a find button in my Object Gallery! ....

Xtreme 5 Pro only

[joolz]

Xtreme 5 Pro only

Aha

Thanks

I knew there had to be more than just the CMYK export for the extra £100

I feel cheap now

[covoxer]

You should really try Pro version. It shows not only layers but all the objects in the Object Gallery. You can drag them around the gallery changing their order or even layer they belong to. You can even set visibility and lock attributes for every object individually as well as for entire layers.

[joolz]

You should really try Pro version. It shows not only layers but all the objects in the Object Gallery. You can drag them around the gallery changing their order or even layer they belong to. You can even set visibility and lock attributes for every object individually as well as for entire layers.

Thanx

Looks like I should have gone for the Pro ...

TBH The difference looked like 'print stuff' to my untrained eye (CMYK export, the stuff that pro graphic designers need) ... I didn't spot the fact that there were UI changes too

That will teach me to be a cheapskate

Thanks again

Julian

[Gms9810]

I use them frequently, they help keep things organized but I do think the layers gallery could stand some improvement.