[scribus] Concept of layers

[ZASKE Martin]

Hi Andreas,

thank you for sharing about your perspective on layers. Coming from
Corel for many years, I have often muttered ... things about the need to
switch layers all the time in Scribus. We need many layers not least for
multi-language documents. I have not found a way to assign
keyboard-shortcuts to my most-used layers.

In CorelDraw the user can decide (with just a click) whether he will
work multi-layer or one-layer. I actually mostly work in just one layer
because it makes selecting more straight-forward in complex documents.
But having the multi-layer option is a most useful feature.

Locking in Corel is also separate from "activation" and having an extra
locking feature is useful for certain users (and will not hinder any
other users). In a team-setting the "lock" can also mean that somebody
has indeed completed the work on a certain layer (for example all the
illustrations or all the headlines are done and checked).

I recently discovered the colours of layers (together with outline mode)
as a useful way to tell on what layer my team-mates have "hidden" or
misplaced certain items (normally we got guidelines what goes where).
(In Corel I can click it in multi-layer mode and the status bar will
tell me where it is.) I am not sure that I would like items to show
their bounding boxes according to layer colour. Normally I know where I
am working. And some colours are working ok in outline mode, but would
not be so helpful for normal selection purposes. I would be curious what
other users think.


So if this discussion should evolve into a feature request, I would
plead for a "choice of mono-layer and multi-layer" where the multi-layer
is defined by active and lock toggles.


Andreas, I found a way to select multi layer (for certain wholesale copy
and paste needs) by using the Document-Outline window rather than the
mouse in the main window. That way I can select entire "lumps" of things
that belong together and copy them elsewhere. When pasting, they all end
up on a single layer. But I can always beam items upwards or downwards.
At least each item is in its proper location.

fwiw

Martin



On 08.01.2014 18:36, Andreas Winkler wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> my understanding of layers is that all objects from all layers should
> always be select- and editable regardless of what layer is selected,
> unless the corresponding layer isn't locked. Also, the bounding boxes
> of selected objects should have the color of their layer.
> 
> Scribus allows to select and edit only objects from the currently
> selected layer. If this is intended and not a bug, my question is why
> there is a checkbox to lock a layer? I would be enough just not to
> select the layers I want to be locked.
> 
> Best regards
> Andreas
> 
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ZASKE Martin
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