Layers
Digital Image Pro 7 applicable also
for versions 9 and 10
By and © Shelleyrae Cusbert
The Stack shows the different layers of your
picture that contain objects.
When you begin a layout the canvas open in your workspace is a
transparent base so the stack is empty. As you add objects to your page such as
a background, photo and text they each are placed on a separate layer. An image
of each object is shown on the stack to show the order in which the objects have
been placed. The object at the top of the stack is on the upper most layer.
You can move objects to a lower or higher layer by clicking
on the object in the stack and dragging it up or down. You may wish to do this
to place part of an object behind or in front of another. You can also right
click on an object and access the Move Forward or Backward menu, or use Format
(on the toolbar) > Move forward or backward or click on the object within
the stack and choose your option.
Generally any changes you make will only be applied to the
object on the layer you have selected. Grouping objects combine all the chosen
objects onto one layer. This allows you to apply the same action for all the
grouped objects eg, shadowing or changing color. Ungrouping objects will release each object
back into its own layer and undo any changes you have made to a group. However
some actions will permanently combine layers to form one new layer.
It can sometimes be difficult to select a particular object
that is low down in the stack in DIP. Clicking on the object in the stack
automatically selects the layer. Moving the object temporarily to the top of
the stack can make it easier to access. You need to ensure that you are
selecting part of the image itself on the layer or you may inadvertently select
another layer. Zooming in on the object can help when there are multiple layers
where objects lay close together.
When you save a layout in DIP’s native format of .png plus
it retains its layers so that each time you open it in DIP the objects will
still be separated by layers. Saving to a different format such as .tif or .jpg
will combine all the objects into one layer, no longer allowing editing of
individual objects. If you plan to or think you may want to edit a layout at a
later date you should always save a copy in the native format.
© Copyright 2003-2005 by Scrapbook-Bytes; & original creator/s of tutorials/articles
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