The layer tool is used for selecting, moving, creating, scaling, shearing, rotating and distorting layers. By double-clicking you can enter a group and by clicking outside of it you can leave it again.
Tip: You can quickly toggle between the layer tool and the active tool using the ESC-key.
Selecting Layers
PhotoLine has two different modes to select layers by left-clicking with the mouse:
Normally only layers within the active group will be selected. This behavior
can be modified by turning on Deep Selection
in the Tool Settings or
by holding Shift+Ctrl (Windows) or Shift+Command (macOS)
respectively.
Alternatively you can use the arrow keys while pressing the mouse button. This way you can switch through all layers at the current mouse position regardless of the active group.
The context menu of the layer tool lists all layers at the mouse position. Layers will only be listed, if they have a name.
Move/Create/Copy Layers
You can drag the selected layers. By holding Shift you can restrict the moving direction in steps of 45°.
If you hold Shift+Ctrl (Windows) or Shift+Command (macOS) a copy of the layer will be moved. Using additionally Alt will create a virtual copy (see chapter 2.3.6).
If you hold Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) and click, you can create a new layer with a rubber rectangle. After releasing the mouse button you will see the normal dialog for creating a layer.
A double click on the icon of the layer tool can be used to create a new layer.
Edit Layers
Selected layers have small handles at the corners and edges. If the handles are green, you can modify the layer by using these handles:
If the active layer is a text layer, double-clicking a handle will adjust the layer size to its content. Double-clicking a corner handle adjusts the entire size, a double click on one of the side handles only the width or height.
The Tool Settings can be used to turn on an extended mode (by using the
gear icon ).
Alternatively you can use the Ctrl (Windows) or Command
(macOS) key to turn it on temporarily:
If the handles are cyan or red, editing by using the layer tool is locked (see chapter 4.7). If the handles are gray, input focus is not on the document but on another user interface element. Therefore, keystrokes will not be handled by the document and the layer tool, respectively, but by that user interface element.
If more than one layer is selected in the Layer List, there will be a single frame with handles around all selected layers.
The Tool Settings have an option to turn on a small magenta-colored circle containing a cross. This special handle is the rotation point of the layer. This point can be dragged with the mouse and will snap to the corners and the center of the layer.
The layer tool also allows to rotate the active layer by using Alt+arrow left and Alt+arrow right. By additionally holding Shift, the layer will be rotated in steps of 90°.
If the current layer is a 3D body, it can be modified with various shortcuts (see chapter 7.8.57).
Move and Copy Selection Content
If you have created a selection in your document (see Chapter 2.4.1 and Chapter 2.4.2) and the active layer is an image, you can move and copy the contents of the selection directly with the Layer tool without creating a new layer. The following options are available:
Guides
You can use the layer tool to modify and delete guide lines:
Options
Proportional
scaling (Shift key)
Centered
Scaling
Show
rotation point: The rotation point is displayed and used. It can
also be changed.
Deep
selection (Shift+Ctrl): See above under Selecting Layers.
Prefer
dragging: See above under Selecting Layers.
Normal
transformation mode: See above under Edit Layers.
Extended
transformation: See above under Edit Layers.
,
Add/remove Auxiliary grid for transformation.
Mouse Cursors
The shape of the mouse cursor always corresponds to the current situation. There are the following shapes:
By
clicking and dragging the active layer or the selection will be
moved.
By
clicking the next layer at the current position will be selected.
By
clicking the next layer at the current position will be selected. By
clicking and dragging the active layer will be moved.
By
clicking and dragging the active layer will be scaled. By holding
Shift it will be scaled proportionally.
By
clicking and dragging the active layer will be rotated. By holding
Shift it will be rotated in 45° steps.
By
clicking and dragging the active layer will be sheared.
By
clicking and dragging the active layer will be distorted
perspectively.
Shift: The corner point corresponding to the clicked point is moved, too.
Shift+Ctrl/Command: The clicked corner point can be only moved along the layer bounds.
By
clicking and dragging the rotation point of the active layer will be
moved.
By
clicking and dragging a horizontal/vertical guide line will be moved
or deleted.