Nested layers and Layer comps

A couple of things I would like to see is better layer control.
At the moment, I use nested layers the same as I use layer groups in Photoshop. ie I put all the element for the front of a label in a layer called 'Front label'. And this works great, however when I reopen the document, the layer palette looks like a mess because Illustrator has expanded all the layers!!
I would be really useful if the Illustrator could remember the layer state of the layer view.
Since we work in the packaging design industry for a brand which operates in a number of countries. We have the same pack but with different language clusters. It would be great to have a layer comp feature which works like layer comps in Photoshop. And to be able to export the different layer comps as separate files.

Similar Messages

PS Elements 10 Layers and Layer Masks - novice

I'm new to layers and layer masks. Can anyone give me a quick tutorial, or a link, on how to do the following:-
I wish to put the cobweb in to the witch's cave. Obviously, making it smaller and rotating it in the process. I hope the attached photos (from my own album) will help explain.

You'll probably get more complete answers in the photoshop elements forum, but it's looks like your in the Qiuck Edit mode.
Press the Full button to get to the full edit mode.
http://forums.adobe.com/community/photoshop_elements?view=discussions
Added: i see they already moved your question from the full photoshop forum to the elements forum.
Message was edited by: R_Kelly

Flattening or merging layers with layer effects and maintaining them.

How do you maintain multiple layer effects when merging or flattening the layers within a group or on their own ensuring they end up eventually to normal and 100 % opacity? (Using PSCC)
Thank you.

You want to flattern an image with multiple layers and layer effects? It should just happen for you, but there some occassions where flatterning does not show the expected results. When that happens, select the upper-most layer (so long as it is turned on) and add a copy merged layer to the top of the stack (Shift Alt Ctrl e). Then flattern, and it should be fine.

BUG? - Vector shapes move after when resizing PSDs with layer comps.

I use layer comps to show different interaction steps through my designs.
Designing mostly for mobile, i create at @1x (72 Pixels/Inch) resolution, and then scale up to @2x (144 PPI) and @3x (216 PPI) to get my assets for higher resolution devices.
However when i scale the PSD, all vector shapes within it offset themselves by one pixel up and to the left for @2x resolution and two pixels for @3x resolution, meaning all my careful alignments go out the window. Raster elements and text fields behave as they should and do not shift.
All my vectors shapes are bang on the the pixel to begin with so that's not a factor, and the scaling is a multiple so again that isn't the cause either.
You can see the issue in the image attached.
The obvious white edges along the right and bottom edges are revealed after the scale and layer comp change as the shapes shift.
The bitmap layers equivalent on the right are fine.
You can try it for yourself by downloading this PSD...
http://neonstate.com/scale-layer-comps-test.psd
1. Open the file
2. Change the resolution by going to Image / Image Size and entering 144 or 216 as the resolution.
3. Step through the layer comps, you'll see after the first layer comp is changed that the vector shapes shift, affecting all layer comps.
I'm sure this didn't used to happen, but what it means is I can no longer use this technique.
I'm using Photoshop CC 2014.2.2 / 20141204.r.310 x64
Any help much appreciated.
Rob

Hi again,
The purpose of this checkbox in the Layer Comp settings is to remember the positions of items, if you turn it off then you can save the positions which defeats the point a bit.
I've created another example to better explain - http://neonstate.com/scale-layer-comps-test-reposition.psd
If you step through the layer comps you'll see the shapes move from one position to the next, i've set these positions specifically.
Now change the resolution to 144 or 216.
Everything looks fine until you step through the layer comps - the boxes change position as they should, but the vector ones are incorrectly offset to the top left.
Rob

Is it possible to apply new set of swatch to pre-determined layers and areas.

For example, if I created a HUD that is primarily blue; each button, area, layer and so on are all different variations of blue and it is all saved as a Swatch Preset.
Now I export this out and send it to a third party and they decided that they want a green version as well as the blue.
Is there a way to make it so easy for that third party, that they can select a shade of green from a color picker and it would replace all the swatches to green but keep in the exact same variations/level in terms of how dark, light, transparent each swatch is and then have it automatically replace every area and layer?
I kind of remember seeing somewhere that theres a thing similar to this but i just cant for the life of me find it again, i remember it had something to do with linking symbols and swatch definitions and that it can be done with extracting assets and layer comps as well.
Now if that is not doable, is it possible then to simply send the 3rd party a new set of Swatches where each color is predefined to an area/layer and would immediately replace the current color at that place as soon as the 3rd party presses this new Swatch set?
Thank you!

You could put all your elements of one color on one layer, add a Color Fill layer above it with a blending mode of Color, and Layer > Create Clipping Mask.
Now you can change the color of the Color Fill, and all the elements on the lower layer will change along with it.

Export Layers as Files: Top Level Layers and Layers Sets

Is there a script that can do the following that ImageReady was capable of?
File/Export Layers as Files/
I know there is a script that can just export the layer as files, but what I want to do is export the "Top Level Layers and Layer Sets" so that I can send several layers grouped under a folder as one image.
Thanks! - j

Something like this should work:
// enable double clicking from the
// Macintosh Finder or the Windows Explorer
#target photoshop
// Make Photoshop the frontmost application
app.bringToFront();
// Start at the top of the layers stack and select each
// layer in turn
for (var i = 0; i < activeDocument.layers.length; i++) {
activeDocument.activeLayer = activeDocument.layers[i];
// Put all your processing functions... //
duplicateSelectedLayers(activeDocument.activeLayer.name);
var psdSaveOptions = new PhotoshopSaveOptions();
app.activeDocument.saveAs( File( "~/Desktop/" + activeDocument.name + ".psd" ), psdSaveOptions);
app.activeDocument.close(SaveOptions.DONOTSAVECHANGES);
// ...in the area between these two comments. //
function duplicateSelectedLayers(soParent){
var id2277 = charIDToTypeID( "Mk " );
var desc304 = new ActionDescriptor();
var id2278 = charIDToTypeID( "null" );
var ref144 = new ActionReference();
var id2279 = charIDToTypeID( "Dcmn" );
ref144.putClass( id2279 );
desc304.putReference( id2278, ref144 );
var id2280 = charIDToTypeID( "Nm " );
desc304.putString( id2280, soParent );
var id2281 = charIDToTypeID( "Usng" );
var ref145 = new ActionReference();
var id2282 = charIDToTypeID( "Lyr " );
var id2283 = charIDToTypeID( "Ordn" );
var id2284 = charIDToTypeID( "Trgt" );
ref145.putEnumerated( id2282, id2283, id2284 );
desc304.putReference( id2281, ref145 );
executeAction( id2277, desc304, DialogModes.NO );

Continuous rasterization with contained comps, 3D layers and track mattes

I have an project comprised only of AI objects contained in comps, used with 3D and I have a problem similar to many I have seen on this forum, though I have tried every solution supplied to no avail.
At the lowest level comp are some AI layers that are animated in the comp. Call it comp A.
Two copies of comp A are in comp B, each track matted by another AI layer.
Five copies of comp B are in comp C.
Comp C is placed several times into 3D space in the main comp where a camera moves past.
All the vector layers are 3D and set to CR
All the comp layers are 3D and NOT set to CT
Without the proper settings for CR/CT, the track mattes slip all over the place (but things rasterize well).
WITH the above settings, nothing rasterizes properly (but the mattes work). The comps appear rendered at the original size of comp A, which is heavily pixelated (or blurred with quality turned up) as the camera moves past.
I have tried precomposing the track-mattes and their objects contained in comp B into their own comp (also following above settings) and got no change.
Of course, in retrospect, I could have scaled up the objects in comps A, B and C but at this point the project is in final stages and I'm wary of all the adjustments it would take to go this route (it also seems like a very wrong way to go about working with vector graphics).
Can anyone help, or is this just the way AE is? (I am fairly experienced, but < 1 year.)
Thank you for this forum.

Here's what you are probably missing. Let's set up something very simple. You have a Main Comp and a PreComp. The Main comp contains the PreComp and a Camera. The PreComp only contains single layer - TestShape that is a 20 X 20 pixel red solid and it has a circular mask applied so it looks like a dot. When you add a mask to a solid you have essentially turned that layer into a vector layer.
Let's go through a couple of things in the PreComp. Fist, scale TestShape 600% and look at the edges. They are a mess. Turn on Continuously Rasterize and they are perfect.
Look at the Main comp and scale up the PreComp layer 600% and the edges look terrible. Turn on Collapse Transformations and the edge is sharp.
Notice that I used two different terms here for the same button. Collapse Transformations only applies to layers that are compositions. It means that the items inside that composition are treated as if they were in the main comp. In other words when Collapse Transformations is applied we are scaling the TestShape layer 600% and then scaling that again 600% effectively making the layer 3600% bigger. Did you follow that? It's important.
Now let's go back to the PreComp and add a second 20 X 20 blue solid with a circular mask. Call the Blue Solid TestShape 2 and make it 3D and turn on CR. Add a camera to the comp. Now adjust the z value of the TestShape 2 layer so that the layer is about the same size as the 2D TestLayer. If the TestShape layer is scaled to 600% then the Z position of TestLayer 2 will be about 80% of the Zoom value of the camera. Now move the camera's X position just a little to the right so you have a Blue circle overlapping a Red circle in your comp. Turn CR on and off for the TestShape 2 layer to see how that works. Moving the TestShape 2 layer closer to the camera is exactly like scaling the layer.
Now return to your Main Comp. With CT turned on you should see only the blue circle. This is because CT is ignoring the camera in the nested comp and using only the Active Camera in the MainComp. Turn off CT and you'll see what you see in the Pre-comp but the edges will be soft. The only way to get the same view in both comps is to copy the camera in the PreComp and paste it in the Nested Comp.
Here's one more interesting thing that happens. If you make the PreComp a 3D layer it will multiply the position value of any 3D layers in the PreComp making camera moves an interesting but not impossible thing to deal with. In this example if you were to make the PreComp 3D it would look like the blue layer disappeared, but just move the camera back and it will show up again.
Now let's add a track matte by creating a new rectangular solid that is 1000 pixels wide and 200 pixels tall and add an elliptical mask. Scale this up 600% use it as a track matte and turn on and off CR. The results should be predictable. If you make a track matte layer 3D moving the Z position around will not effect what is matted out in the nested comp. If you had 2 3D layers in the nested comp you could not move the track matte between the two 3D layers and only mask one of them.
I hope this helps. It's a good exercise to help you understand how CT and CR work. Start throwing in effects and you'll learn more.

PS CS6: It'd be helpful to have the option to collapse or expand the nested groups and layers.

PS CS6: It'd be helpful to have the option to collapse or expand the nested groups and layers all at once. Autodesk Maya has a similar feature in it's outliner that allows for you to do this.

And as Jeffrey Tranberry answered there:
• Open/close all layer groups (folders) at the current level of hierarchy: Cmd-click the arrow next to the group - This is handy when you want to open/close, say, all the top-level groups without disturbing the open/closed state of any groups nested within them.
• Open/close all layer groups nested within the current one: Opt-click the arrow next to the group - This is nice when you want to open/shut a bunch of nested groups, without affecting any that lie outside the target group.
• Open/close all layer groups, period: Cmd-Opt-click the arrow next to a group So, to keep things simple: when in doubt, Cmd-Opt-click a group’s arrow and you’ll collapse/expand all groups.
* On Windows please substitutes Ctrl for Cmd and Alt for Opt. .

How to delete layers not used in any layer comp?

I have a psd with multiple layers and multiple layer comps. Many of the layers are not used in any layer comp. I need to import this file into flash, but I don't want to import anything I don't need. So, I need to delete any layer (particularly text layers) that aren't used in any of the layer comps. I know I could go through and turn on each individual layer comp and manually delete, but the way this file is laid out, that could take years and cost millions of lives.
Is there a more automated way to do this?

You could export the layer comps to files and then re-import them to a fresh file.

Re-Time Comps Layers and all Sub-Comp's Layers ...

Hi,
I have made a comp B based on comp A and re-timed it, so far its working fine, everything seems to be re-timed correctly in the result. But, this way i don't have the comps, layers and their animations available in re-timed manner to work on them based on the new timing ... is there a function or a good way, rather than manually re-timing all affected comps and layers durations?
I've checked rd_CompSetter but that does not scale the duration of the layers / animations.
Regards,
Frank

Then it should be able to change just like you can change the color of the Main Layer or any other sublayer by double-clicking on it and changing the color in the dialog that appears.

Can I place a smart object and specify a layer comp?

I have many buttons, each as a layer comp, in a single file.
I do this because there are many common elements: layers for the button base, shared features, button gloss, etc.
What changes is the icon on the button, and possibly a supporting label.
I want to place these buttons on objects in other files.
So, I'd like to Place the file as a smart object AND SPECIFY THE LAYER COMP for the proper button.
Anybody?
Or maybe there is another approach?
Much obliged!
Dave

I'm on CC on a Mac.
What 21 is talking about is making some sense.
I am able to create new smart object via copy, then create a variation on the original file linked in the parent smart object. Then I save that from illustrator with a different file name. Then I go back to photoshop and replace contents of the new smart object, linking it to the newer illustrator file.
This gets around the problem, but it takes a few more steps than the same thing did it in earlier versions of photoshop.

Any way to have an AE layer style applied to a comp NOT effect certain layers inside said comp?

OK... here's my issue.
I have a character AND a cheeseburger made in Photoshop that I then import into AE (two separate .psd files). So I have two compositions in AE... the burger .psd file and the puppet "Burgerman" .psd.
Burgerman needs to hold the cheeseburger, so I have to nest the burger comp WITHIN the "Burgerman" comp so that his hand will go IN FRONT of the cheeseburger. See image:
The problem is... I have a layer style applied to the "Burgerman" composition. It's an Inner Shaodw and it gives the character the pink hue you see outlining him. THE PROBLEM is though... the layer style effects the burger composition because it is nested within the Burgerman comp. As you can see... the burger turns very red, which I do not want.
Is there some way to say.. "DO NOT APPLY the layer style to the burger comp nested within the Burgerman comp"?
running CS5 on Mac OS X 10.7.

Help anyone? I feel like it must be pretty simple and it's something I'm overlooking as a new user.
Here's as short as an explanation for where I'm at....
My master comp is called "Comp1." In this comp, there is one comp called "Puppet Combined." When you double click "Puppet Combined," it takes you to a comp with my original animation, "Puppet," and its duplicate comp "Puppet Duplicate." "Puppet Duplicate" sits on top and is merely the inner shadow (set by making the Fill Opacity to 0%). I created the duplicate by selecting my original animation, "Puppet," and hitting CMD+D to duplicate it. I can tell everything is in order as advised by Mylenium, because if I hide the comp "Puppet," I can see that "Puppet Duplicate" is just the inner shadow.
At this point though... I'm not sure how to handle the comp "Burger" which is the actual cheeseburger. How do I go about adding the "Burger" comp back into my project where it will retain it's original coloring and not be affected by the inner shadow? As I stated above, if I add it back into the comp "Puppet," it also adds it into "Puppet Duplicate," which I don't want as it then applies the inner shadow.

Multiple Layers Export in Clipping Mask (Without using Layer comp to files script)

Man, Actually I am designer and create mobile case design. I have done mobile cover design preview in psd. so many layers created. Top layer-group Camera & button. Second Layer-group different mobile cover designs in clipping mask.. I want to export the preview (without using Layer comp to files). Means Single design to export without hiding the layers.... 30 design preview in single click....

Mine don't even work.

PSD Layer Comps and updating links

I love InDesign's ability to show/hide PSD layers in InDesign, and especially to display Layer Comps of PSD files.
But InDesign seems to have trouble "remembering" which layers / Layer Comps to show when updating links.
An example:
Let's say a product exists in 3 versions: black, white and blue.
A PSD contains a productshot in these 3 color versions using some common and some color-specific layers. A Layer Comp with the color name is assigned to each set of layers that displays the according color version.
Now it's easy to place the PSD in InDesign, choose 'Object Layer Options' (which can contain multiple other layers) and set the correct Layer Comp (eg: "blue").
I set 'When Updating Link' to 'Keep Layer Visibility Overrides' to make sure InDesign remembers the correct color when the PSD is edited.
Now you feel the trouble coming… let's say an extra color red should be added. I add the red version (including a 'red' layer comp) to the same PSD and save it.
When updating existing links, InDesign messes up the existing 'Object Layer Options'. The black version will now show blue, etc…
'Layer Comp' in 'Object Layer Options' does actually show 'blue' while it was 'black' before the update.
Removing the red Layer Comp and save the PSD again doesn't restore the correct Layer Comp in InDesign.
I used this feature often, and updating links never caused me any trouble until now.
Is this a bug, or are the update link options not to be trusted (and was I just lucky in the past)…?

Thanks for the clarification!
I guess I was lucky with other files that retained the correct object layer options.
Too bad for this limitation. It makes the whole object layer options feature quiet limited.
I'll add a feature request.

Layers panel - add folders, shortcuts, layer comps

The Layers panel needs a little attention to help us manage a lot of content and changing layer content displays.
The sublayering is less effective than the layer grouping that Photoshop uses.
This is what I would find really helpful in this area:
- Add Folders to the layers panel to help group and control visibility
- Add keyboard shortcuts to some of the more frequently used actions (Add New Layer,.. Group selected layers,..)
This has been mentioned before, but I second the idea: Add a Layer Comps panel.
Thanks.

Several years out now, and still no folders in Illustrator.

Nested layers and Layer comps

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for