Technical data

Using Layers and Masks 63
To make a layer’s contents visible or invisible, click the
Hide/Show Layer button next to its name on the Layer Manager tab.
The icon switches between an open and closed eye. Shortcut: Left- or
right-click a hidden layer’s name to make the layer visible again.
To prevent further editing of transparent regions on a standard layer,
click the Protect Transparency button next to its name on the Layer
Manager tab.
For a visual preview of layers (including hidden
layers) in the image, pause the mouse pointer over a
layer name and the Layer Preview window
appears. It’s especially handy if you’re working
with many similar layers, image fragments, and/or
hidden layers.
Manipulating layers
Control over layers means control over a great variety of creative
possibilities. This section will review some of the manipulations you
should know about.
Note that commands on the Image menu, such as color adjustments and
special effects, typically are applied to the current selection (if one
exists). Otherwise they affect the active layer (the one currently selected
in the Layer Manager tab).
Moving the contents of one or more layers
To move the contents of the entire active layer, make sure nothing
is selected, then drag with the Move tool. Note that layer content
moved in this way outside the image window (canvas area) survives—
you can drag it back inside the window later if desired.
You can link one or more layers to the active layer so that when
you drag with the Move tool, the contents of all linked layers move
together. Click the Link Layer button next to the layer’s name on the
Layer Manager tab. The link button is always “down” (as shown) for
the active layer. You can see which others are linked to it by checking
to see which other link buttons are also down. Once layers are linked,
they remain so regardless of which layer in a linked group is active.
To unlink a layer from the active layer, click its link button again (so
it’s now “up,” with an open-link icon).