Adobe InDesign CS3 Bible

Working with Objects on Layers

Whether you're designing a magazine template from the ground up or modifying an existing ad, you can isolate specific types of objects on layers. You can create objects on a layer, move objects to a layer, or copy objects to a layer.

The active layer

The active layer is the one on which you're creating objects ‚ whether you're using tools, importing text or graphics, dragging objects in from a library, or pasting objects from other layers or other documents. A pen icon to the right of a layer's name means it's the active one (refer to Figure 6-2). Although more than one layer can be selected at a time, only one can be active. To switch the active layer to another layer, click to the right of the layer name that you want to be active; the pen icon moves, making that the new active layer. Keep in mind that to activate a layer, it must be visible.

Regardless of which layer is the active layer, you can select, move, and modify objects on any visible, unlocked layer. (The display and locking of layers is controlled by the eye and pencil icons on the Layers pane, respectively, and by the Show Layer and Lock Layer check boxes in the Layer Options dialog box.)

Selecting objects on layers

Regardless of the active layer, you can select, move, and modify objects on any visible, unlocked layer. You can even select objects on different layers and manipulate them.

The Layers pane (Window ‚ Layers, or F7) helps you work with selected objects in the following ways:

• To determine which layer an object belongs to, match the color on its bounding box, handles, and so on, to a color to the left of a layer name.

• To determine which layers contain active objects, look to the right of the layer names . A small box next to a layer name (refer to Figure 6-2) indicates that it contains an active object.

• To select all the objects on a layer, Option+click or Alt+click the layer's name in the Layers pane. The layer must be active, unlocked, and visible.

  Tip ‚

  To select master-page objects as well as document-page objects on a layer, you need to Option+Shift+click or Altl+Shift+click the layer name.

Placing objects on layers

To place objects on a layer, the layer must be active as indicated by the pen icon. To place objects on the layer, use any of these options:

• Use any tools to create paths and frames .

• Use the Place command (File ‚ Place, or z +D or Ctrl+D) to import graphics or text.

• Use the Paste command (Edit ‚ Paste, or z +V or Ctrl+V) to paste objects from the Clipboard onto the layer.

• Drag objects to the layer from a library or another document.

  Note ‚

  When you create objects on master pages, they are placed on the default layer and are therefore behind other objects on document pages. To create objects on master pages that are in front of other objects, place the objects on a different layer while the master page is displayed.

  Note ‚

  You can cut and paste objects from one page to another, but have the objects remain on their original layer ‚ without concern about the active layer. To do this, use the Paste Remembers Layers command in the Layers pane's palette menu rather than Edit ‚ Paste, or z +V or Ctrl+V. You might do this if you're moving the continuation of an article from one page to another but you want the text to remain on the same layer. (For example, if you're working on a multilingual document with separate layers for English, French, and Spanish text, using Paste Remembers Layer would ensure that text frames cut or copied from the French layer would be pasted onto the French layer on the new location.)

Moving objects to different layers

Once an object is on a layer, it isn't stuck there. You can copy and paste objects to selected layers, or you can move them using the Layers pane. When you move an object to a layer, it's placed in front of all other objects on a layer. To select multiple objects, remember to Shift+click them, then move them in one of the following ways:

• To paste objects on a different layer, first cut or copy objects to the Clipboard. Activate the layer you want to put the objects on, then use the Paste command (Edit ‚ Paste, or z +V or Ctrl+V). This method works well for moving objects that are currently on different layers.

• To move objects to a different layer, drag the active object box (to the right of a layer's name) to another layer. When you use this method, it doesn't matter which layer is active. However, you can't move objects from different layers to the same layer using this method. (If you select multiple objects that reside on different layers, dragging the box moves only objects that reside on the first layer on which you selected an object.)

• To move objects to a hidden or locked layer, press z or Ctrl while you drag the active object box.

• To copy rather than move objects to a different layer, press Option or Alt while you drag the active object box.

• To copy objects to a hidden or locked layer, press Option+ z or Ctrl+Alt while you drag the active object box.

  Tip ‚

  After designing a new template, you might realize that working with it would be easier if you had isolated certain objects on layers. You can create new layers, then move objects to them at this point. Just make sure the layers are in the same stacking order as the original objects.