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                    Layers
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                <br clear="both" /><div id="minitoc"><div class="t"><div class="b"><div class="l"><div class="r"><div class="bl"><div class="br"><div class="tl"><div class="tr"><div><h3>Contents [<a href="#" onclick="return toggleMiniToc('minitoc-links', this);" class="hideLink">Hide</a>]</h3><ul id="minitoc-links"><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e7a"><h3 class="topictitle3">About layers</h3>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e6a"><h3 class="topictitle3">Create layers</h3>
</a></p><ul><li><p><a href="#WS74D1749C-8EC7-4d14-9845-871E82869B7A"><h4 class="topictitle4">Create layers</h4>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e5a"><h4 class="topictitle4">Specify layer options</h4>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dea"><h4 class="topictitle4">Assign a layer color</h4>
</a></p></li></ul></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e3a"><h3 class="topictitle3">Add objects to layers</h3>
</a></p><ul><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e1a"><h4 class="topictitle4">Select, move, and copy objects on layers</h4>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e0a"><h4 class="topictitle4">Paste objects into different layers</h4>
</a></p></li></ul></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dfa"><h3 class="topictitle3">Duplicate a layer</h3>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dda"><h3 class="topictitle3">Change the order of layers</h3>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dba"><h3 class="topictitle3">Show or hide layers</h3>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WS4472CE3B-C579-40ba-82B9-8AD273100479a"><h3 class="topictitle3">Set a layer as nonprinting</h3>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70daa"><h3 class="topictitle3">Lock or unlock layers</h3>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70d9a"><h3 class="topictitle3">Delete layers</h3>
</a></p></li><li><p><a href="#WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70d8a"><h3 class="topictitle3">Merge layers in a document</h3>
</a></p></li></ul></div></div><br clear="both" /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br clear="both" /><div><ul class="navlinklist"></ul>
</div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e7a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e7a"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">About layers</h2><div><p>Each document includes at least one named layer. By
using multiple layers, you can create and edit specific areas or
kinds of content in your document without affecting other areas
or kinds of content. For example, if your document prints slowly
because it contains many large graphics, you can use one layer for
just the text in your document; then, when it’s time to proofread
the text, you can hide all other layers and quickly print the text
layer only. You can also use layers to display alternate design
ideas for the same layout, or versions of advertisements for different
regions.</p>
<p>Think of layers as transparent sheets stacked on top of each
other. If a layer doesn’t have objects on it, you can see through
it to any objects on layers behind&#160;it.</p>
<p>Additional layer notes:</p>
<ul><li><p>Objects on masters appear at the bottom of each layer.
Master items can appear in front of document page objects if the
master page objects are on a higher layer. (See <a href="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-7104a.html">About masters, stacking order, and layers</a>.)</p>
</li>
<li><p>Layers involve all pages of a document,
including masters. For example, if you hide Layer 1 while editing
page 1 of your document, the layer is hidden on all pages until
you decide to show it again.</p>
</li>
<li><p>For information on converting layers from Adobe&#160;PageMaker® or QuarkXPress, see <a href="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-6d48a.html">Converting QuarkXPress and PageMaker documents</a>.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="fignone"><img alt="" id="ty_39" src="images/ty_39.png" /><div class="figdesc">The Layers panel lists layers with the frontmost layer appearing
at the top of the panel.</div><br /></div><p>For a video on using layers, see <a href="http://www.adobe.com/go/vid0074" target="_blank">www.adobe.com/go/vid0074</a>.</p>
</div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e6a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e6a"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Create layers</h2><div><div class="section"><p>You
can add layers at any time using the New Layer command on the Layers panel
menu or the New Layer button at the bottom of the Layers panel.
The number of layers a document can have is limited only by the
RAM available to InDesign.</p>
</div>
</div><div id="WS74D1749C-8EC7-4d14-9845-871E82869B7A" class="nochunk"><a name="WS74D1749C-8EC7-4d14-9845-871E82869B7A"></a><h3 class="topictitle3">Create layers</h3><div><ol><li><span>Choose Window&#160;&gt; Layers.</span></li>
<li><span>To create a new layer using default settings, do one
of the following:</span><ul><li><p>To create a new layer at the top of the
Layers panel list, click the New Layer button.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To create a new layer above the selected layer,
hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac&#160;OS) as you click
the New Layer button.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ol>
</div></div><div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e5a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e5a"></a><h3 class="topictitle3">Specify layer options</h3><div><ol><li class="stepexpand"><span>Choose
New Layer in the Layers panel menu, or double-click an existing
layer.</span></li>
<li class="stepexpand"><span>Specify the layer options, and then click&#160;OK.</span> <dl><dt class="dlterm">Color</dt>
<dd>Assign a color to identify the objects on that layer.</dd><p class="dlseparator"></p><dt class="dlterm">Show Layer</dt>
<dd>Select this option to make a layer visible. Selecting this
option is the same as making the eye icon visible in the Layers
panel.</dd><p class="dlseparator"></p><dt class="dlterm">Show Guides</dt>
<dd>Select this option to make the guides on the layer visible.
When this option is not selected for a layer, the guides cannot
be made visible, even by selecting View&#160;&gt; Show Guides
for the document.</dd><p class="dlseparator"></p><dt class="dlterm">Lock Layer</dt>
<dd>Select this option to prevent changes to any objects on the
layer. Selecting this option is the same as making the crossed-out
pencil icon visible in the Layers panel.</dd><p class="dlseparator"></p><dt class="dlterm">Lock Guides</dt>
<dd>Select this option to prevent changes to all ruler guides
on the layer.</dd><p class="dlseparator"></p><dt class="dlterm">Print Layer</dt>
<dd>Select this option to allow the layer to be prevented from
printing. When printing or exporting to PDF, you can determine whether
to print hidden and nonprinting layers. </dd><p class="dlseparator"></p><dt class="dlterm">Suppress Text Wrap When Layer Is Hidden</dt>
<dd>Select this option if you want text on other layers to flow
normally when the layer is hidden and it contains objects with text
wrap applied.</dd><p class="dlseparator"></p></dl>
</li>
</ol>
</div></div><div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dea" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dea"></a><h3 class="topictitle3">Assign a layer color</h3><div><div class="section"><p>Assigning a color to a layer makes it easier
to distinguish the layers of different selected objects. For each
layer that contains a selected object, the Layers panel displays
a dot in the layer’s color. On&#160;the page, each object displays
the color of its layer in its selection handles, bounding box, text
ports, text wrap boundary (if used), frame edges (including the
X displayed by an empty graphics frame), and hidden characters.
The layer color does not appear for a deselected frame if its edges
are hidden.</p>
</div>
<ol><li><span>In the Layers panel, double-click a layer or select
a layer and choose Layer Options for<var class="varname"> [layer name]</var>.</span></li>
<li><span>For Color, choose a color or choose Custom to specify
a color in the system color picker.</span></li>
</ol>
</div></div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e3a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e3a"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Add objects to layers</h2><div><p>Any
new object is placed on the <dfn class="term">target layer</dfn>, the layer
currently displaying the pen icon in the Layers panel. Targeting
a layer also selects it. If multiple layers are selected, targeting
one of them doesn’t change the selection, but targeting a layer
outside the selection deselects the other layers.</p>
<p>You can add objects to the target layer by any of the following
methods:</p>
<ul><li><p>Creating new objects with the Type tool or drawing tools.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Importing, placing, or pasting text or graphics.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Selecting objects on other layers, and then moving them to
the new layer.</p>
<p>You cannot draw or place a new object on a
hidden or locked layer. When you select a drawing tool or the Type
tool, or place a file when the target layer is hidden or locked,
the pointer changes to the crossed-out-pencil icon when it is positioned
over the document window. Either show or unlock the target layer,
or target a visible, unlocked layer. If you choose Edit&#160;&gt;
Paste when the target layer is hidden or locked, an alert message
gives you the choice of showing or unlocking the target layer.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<p>When you click a layer in the Layers panel to target it, the
pen icon appears on the layer you clicked, and the layer also highlights
to indicate that it is targeted.</p>
<div class="fignone"><img alt="" id="ty_41" src="images/ty_41.png" /><div class="figdesc">Changing the target layer for the next new object</div><br /></div></div><div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e1a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e1a"></a><h3 class="topictitle3">Select, move, and copy objects on layers</h3><div><p>By
default, you can select any object on any layer. In the Layers panel,
dots mark layers that contain selected objects. The layer’s selection
color helps you identify an object’s layer. To prevent selecting
objects on a specific layer, lock the layer.</p>
<div class="para"><img src="images/dingbat.png" />&#160;Do any of the following:<ul><li><p>To select all
objects on a specific layer, hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac&#160;OS)
as you click a layer in the Layers panel.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To move or copy objects to another layer, use the Selection
tool to select one or more objects on a document page or master.
In the Layers panel, drag the colored dot on the right side of the
layer list to move the selected objects to the other layer.</p>
<div class="fignone"><img alt="" id="ty_42" src="images/ty_42.png" /><div class="figdesc">Moving an object to a new layer</div><br /></div></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="tip"><img src="images/tip_help.png" />To move selected objects to a hidden or locked
layer, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac&#160;OS) as
you drag the colored dot. To copy selected objects to another layer,
hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac&#160;OS) as you drag
the colored dot on the right side of the layer list to the other
layer. To copy selected objects to a hidden or locked layer, hold
down Ctrl+Alt (Windows) or Command+Option (Mac&#160;OS) as you
drag the colored dot.</div></div></div><div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e0a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70e0a"></a><h3 class="topictitle3">Paste objects into different layers</h3><div><p>The
Paste Remembers Layers command affects how objects pasted from other locations
interact with existing layers.</p>
<p>If the Paste Remembers Layers command is selected, objects cut
or copied from different layers retain their layer assignments when
pasted to the new page or position. If you paste objects to a document
that doesn’t have the same layers as the document from which they
were copied, InDesign adds the objects’ layer names to the Layers
panel in the second document, and pastes each object on its layer. </p>
<p>If the Paste Remembers Layers command is deselected, objects
cut or copied from different layers are pasted together on the target
layer.</p>
<ol><li><p>Make sure that Paste Remembers Layers is deselected in
the Layers panel menu.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Select objects and choose Edit&#160;&gt; Copy or Edit&#160;&gt;
Cut.</p>
</li>
<li><p>In the Layers panel, click the other layer to target it.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Choose Edit&#160;&gt; Paste.</p>
</li>
</ol>
</div></div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dfa" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dfa"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Duplicate a layer</h2><div><div class="section"><p>When
you duplicate a layer, you copy its contents and settings. The duplicate layer
then appears above the original layer in the Layers panel. Any duplicated frames
that were threaded to other frames on the layer remain threaded.
Duplicated frames whose originals were threaded to frames on other
layers are no longer threaded to those frames.</p>
</div>
<div class="p"><span><img src="images/dingbat.png" />&#160;In the Layers panel, do one of the following:</span><ul><li><p>Select the layer name and choose Duplicate
Layer <var class="varname">[layer name]</var> in the Layers panel menu.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Drag a layer name and drop it on the New Layer button.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dda" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dda"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Change the order of layers</h2><div><div class="section"><p>Change
the stacking order of layers in your document by rearranging the
layers on the Layers panel. Rearranging layers changes the order
of layers on every page, not just on the target spread.</p>
</div>
<div class="p"><span><img src="images/dingbat.png" />&#160;In the Layers panel, drag a layer up or down in
the list. You can also drag multiple selected layers.</span></div>
<div class="section"><div class="fignone"><img alt="" id="ty_43" src="images/ty_43.png" /><div class="figdesc">Reordering layers</div><br /></div></div>
</div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dba" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70dba"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Show or hide layers</h2><div><div class="section"><p>You
can hide or display any layer at any time. Hidden layers can’t be
edited, and don’t appear on&#160;screen or in print. Hiding
layers can be useful when you want to do any of the following:</p>
<ul><li><p>Hide parts of a document that are not meant to appear in
the final document.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Hide alternate versions of a document.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Simplify the display of a document, to make it easier to
edit other parts of the document.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Prevent a layer from printing.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Speed up screen redraw when a layer contains high-resolution
graphics.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="tip"><img src="images/tip_help.png" />By default, text continues
to wrap around objects on hidden layers. To ignore text wrap settings
for hidden objects, choose Layer Options from the Layers panel menu, and
then select the Suppress Text Wrap When Layer Is Hidden option.</div></div>
<div class="p"><span><img src="images/dingbat.png" />&#160;Do any of the following:</span> <ul><li><p>To hide or show one layer at a time, in the Layers
panel, click the square at the far left of a layer name to hide
or show the eye icon for that layer.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To hide all layers except the selected layer, choose Hide
Others in the Layers panel menu.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To show all layers, choose Show All Layers in the Layers
panel menu.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div></div>
<div id="WS4472CE3B-C579-40ba-82B9-8AD273100479a" class="nochunk"><a name="WS4472CE3B-C579-40ba-82B9-8AD273100479a"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Set a layer as nonprinting</h2><div><ol><li><span>Select
the layer in the Layers panel.</span></li>
<li><span>Choose Layer Options from the Layers panel menu.</span></li>
<li><span>To prevent the layer from being printed, deselect Print
Layer, and then click OK.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="section"><div class="note"><span class="notetitle">Note:  </span>When you print or export to PDF, you will still have
the option of printing hidden and nonprinting layers.</div>
</div>
</div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70daa" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70daa"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Lock or unlock layers</h2><div><div class="section"><p>Locking
is useful for preventing accidental changes to a layer. A locked
layer displays a crossed-out pencil icon in the Layers panel. Objects
on locked layers cannot be selected or edited directly; however,
if objects on locked layers have attributes that can be edited indirectly,
they will change. For example, if you edit a tint swatch, objects
on locked layers using that tint swatch will reflect the change.
Similarly, putting a series of threaded text frames on both locked
and unlocked layers will not prevent text on locked layers from
recomposing.</p>
</div>
<div class="p"><span><img src="images/dingbat.png" />&#160;Do any of the following:</span><ul><li><p>To lock or unlock one layer at a time,
in the Layers panel, click a square in the second column from the
left to show (lock) or hide (unlock) the crossed-out-pencil icon
for a layer.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To lock all layers except the target layer, choose
Lock Others in the Layers panel menu.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To unlock all layers, choose Unlock All Layers in
the Layers panel&#160;menu.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70d9a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70d9a"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Delete layers</h2><div><div class="section"><p>Remember
that each layer is document-wide—it appears on every page of a document.
Before deleting a layer, consider hiding all other layers first,
and then turn to each page of the document to verify that it is
safe to delete the remaining objects.</p>
</div>
<div class="p"><span><img src="images/dingbat.png" />&#160;Do any of the following:</span><ul><li><p>To delete a layer, drag a layer from the
Layers panel to the Delete icon &#160;or choose Delete Layer<var class="varname"> [layer
name]</var> from the&#160;Layers panel menu.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To delete multiple layers, hold Ctrl (Windows) or
Command (Mac&#160;OS) while you click the layers you want to
delete. Drag the layers from the Layers panel to the Delete icon
or choose Delete Layers from the&#160;Layers panel menu.</p>
</li>
<li><p>To delete all empty layers, choose Delete Unused
Layers in the Layers panel menu.</p>
</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div></div>
<div id="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70d8a" class="nochunk"><a name="WSa285fff53dea4f8617383751001ea8cb3f-70d8a"></a><h2 class="topictitle2">Merge layers in a document</h2><div><div class="section"><p>You
can reduce the number of layers in a document without deleting any
objects by <dfn class="term">merging</dfn> layers. When you merge layers, objects
from all selected layers are moved to the target layer. Of the layers
you merge, only the target layer remains in the document; the other
selected layers are deleted. You can also <dfn class="term">flatten</dfn> a document
by merging all&#160;layers.</p>
<div class="note"><span class="notetitle">Note:  </span>If you merge layers containing
a mix of page objects and master items, the master items move to
the back of the resulting merged layer.</div>
</div>
<ol><li><span>In the Layers panel, select any combination of&#160;layers.
Be sure to include the layer you want to target as the merged layer.
If you’re flattening the document, select all layers in the panel.</span></li>
<li><span>Click any selected layer to make it the target layer,
indicated by the pen.</span></li>
<li><span>Choose Merge Layers in the Layers panel menu.</span></li>
</ol>
<div class="section"><p>You can also merge identically named layers for exporting
a book to PDF.</p>
</div>
</div></div>

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