In NiceLabel 10, the Layers panel is a tool that helps you manage your layers and added objects while designing labels or forms.

Note

Layers act as transparent surfaces that allow you to place your objects on labels or forms in multiple levels.

Working with the Layers panel

UUID-b10b6a35-4787-e846-6b9b-e8627fcf9ae1.png
  • Adding a layer: Click the green plus button to add a new layer. This adds a new layer on top of the default layer. The number of layers is not limited.

  • Setting the layer properties: The Layer Properties window appears automatically when you add a layer. Use this window to set the properties of the added layer:

    • Add Name and Description to make your layers easy to find and edit later when you add more layers.

    • The Visibility settings allow you to define if objects on layers are visible when you print the label, or after you run the form.

      Note

      In comparison with layer states (see section For easier designing: layer states), the visibility settings affect the layout when you print a label, or when you run a form.

    • Visible: defines if the objects on the selected layer appear on the printed label, or are visible when you run the form.

      Condition: the layer is visible if the result of the given condition is "True".

      Example 2. Example

      You can create a single label template for labels in multiple languages. Stack the objects with text in the required languages on the dedicated layers. Use visibility conditions to only display the layer with the right language – in this case German.

      UUID-77d7bafd-e440-9457-4d2c-8eebecf504a0.png

  • Deleting layers: Select a layer and click the red X button. This deletes the layer with all of its objects. If the layer is locked, you cannot delete it.

  • Moving layers up or down: You can change the stacking order for your existing layers. This allows you to define how the objects overlap. If you move one layer above another, you also place the objects on this layer in front of the objects that belong to the layer below.

Positioning your objects using layers

Layers help you position label or form objects on the z-axis. This means that you can place your objects on top or beneath the objects on other layers. If you change the stacking order of layers, you also change the stacking order of objects.

Note

When designing labels or forms, the stacking order of layers tells you the vertical position of each individual layer within all existing layers.

By default, you add all objects on a single layer. If you decide to add more layers, you can move your objects onto newly added layers, or move objects from one layer to another at any time.

To add objects to a specific layer, click the layer in the Layers panel to make the layer active, and drag the objects onto the currently active layer.

UUID-cbbd2a33-cf29-7a42-4218-3270e8f58147.png

Note

You can only group the objects that belong to the same layer. To group objects from multiple layers, move these objects onto the same layer first.

For easier designing: layer states

Layer states allow you to show/hide, lock/unlock, or highlight your layers.

Note

Layer states only affect the label template or form layout during the design phase. After printing a label or if you run a form, the layers remain visible even if you set their state to invisible, locked, or highlighted. Manage the final visibility of layers using the Visibility settings in the Layer Properties window.

UUID-8a4b3e05-acf6-bd1f-491a-51a39c6763f1.png

Layer states allow you to:

  • Keep the layer visible or hide the layer. Toggle the states to make all layer objects visible or hidden while you are designing your label template or form.

    Note

    The ability to show or hide a layer helps you position the objects that appear above or below other objects.

  • Unlock or lock the layer. If you lock a layer, you cannot:

    • Add objects to this layer.

    • Move objects from other layers to this layer.

    • Change the position of the existing objects.

    • Delete this layer.

    Note

    Layer locking prevents unwanted layout changes.

  • Set focus on the layer. Use this option to determine which objects are on this on this layer by defocusing the objects that belong to other layers. If you hover over the focus icon with your mouse pointer, the objects on this layer remain visible, while all other objects become semi transparent.

    UUID-612b97d4-216f-1be2-27b2-ca0ade1031f7.png

Keeping layers organized using the right-click menu

Right-clicking a layer opens the contextual menu which helps you manage the layers of your label or form:

  • New layer adds a layer on top of the existing highest layer.

  • Copy makes a copy of the selected layer and all of its objects.

  • Paste pastes the copied layer.

  • Duplicate allows you to duplicate the selected layer with a single click.

    UUID-cbae9f21-9d83-ec63-3227-0d9d18052174.png
  • Rename allows you to change the name of the selected layer.

    Note

    By default NiceLabel 10, names the layers as Layer_"number" where "number" tells you the initial stacking position of the layer.

  • Hide Other Layers makes all layers with their objects invisible, except for the selected layer.

  • Show All Layers makes all layers with their objects visible.

  • Lock Other Layers makes only the selected object editable. This option locks the objects on all other layers.

  • Unlock All Layers makes all layers editable.

  • Move Up/Down allows you to change the stacking order for the selected layer. Note that the layers panel represents the stacking order of the layers. Use Move Up/Down to change the position of the highlighted layer.

  • Merge Down moves the objects from the selected layer to the layer below. NiceLabel 10 places the moved objects on top of the existing objects and deletes the merging layer.

  • Merge visible unlocked layers moves the objects from all unlocked layers to the lowest unlocked layer. Objects from the upper layers are placed on top of the objects that belong to the lowest layer. NiceLabel 10 deletes the merging unlocked objects.

  • Properties opens the Layer Properties window.