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Layer Priority

DarkwingDarkwing
in Mapping with ProFantasy's Software
Is there any way to make all an entire layer and everything on it automatically go either above or below everything on another layer?

I have a recurring problem in that I start a map, start putting symbols on various layers, etc, and everything starts out fine. Then, for no apparent reason (that I can determine yet), all the symbols/objects on the layer I'm working on appear below the objects on another layer when I "redraw" the image. Usually when I draw, the more recent symbols appear "above" previously placed symbols...but once this problem occurs, all the new symbols/objects get moved below objects on another layer. I can fix the problem by the "Bring to Front" command, but when you're placing hundreds of symbols, having to place the symbols and then "Bring to Front" for every single one of them seems ridiculous. There has to be an easier way.

I'd appreciated any help that anyone can give me.
Thanks!
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Comments

  • JimPJimP 🖼️ 280 images Cartographer
    Symbols typically go on the symbols sheet automatically. There is a way around that, so they go where you want them to. Sorry, I don't remember off-hand how to do it. Someone should pop by and tell you the method.
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  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    Note that in CC3, layers do not determine ordering. It is perfectly valid in CC3 for some entities on layer A to be above entities on layer B, while other entities on layer A is below the entities on Layer B. Layers are just a logical grouping. For absolute ordering, you need to place them on correct sheets.

    Also note, that when placing entities, to be able to be more responsive, because redraws a re slow operations, everything you place will always appear on top. It is only on the next redraw that entities are shown in their proper order. So if entities appear below another entity in a way you didn't expect after a redraw, it means that one of the two entities are on the wrong sheet. You can check the respective sheets by using the LIST command on the entities.
    Also note that your sheet order can also be wrong. If you go into the Sheets & Effects dialog, you can reorder the sheets.
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  • Joachim de RavenbelJoachim de Ravenbel Surveyor
    You can also try the Symbols -> Sort Symbols in Map command to reorder the symbols on each sheet.
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  • DarkwingDarkwing
    Ok, messing with the ordering of the sheets appears to help. As long as I have the proper sheet selected it appears to work. However, before I tried that (on the advice from you guys), I hadn't changed the sheets at all since starting the drawing, so I can't figure out what initially caused the problem. After reading your comments, I opened the drawing and I was on the "Common" sheet, and as far as I can tell, I had *always* been on the Common sheet. So I don't know what happened. Perhaps I was changing sheets without realizing it.

    Anyway, thanks for your help.
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  • MonsenMonsen Administrator 🖼️ 81 images Cartographer
    Most Tools and Symbols choose their own sheet, so you shouldn't need to manually select the sheet most of the time, but it never hurts to keep an eye on them and have a conscious relationship to how they work.
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  • Henrie61Henrie61 Traveler
    edited May 2013
    Joachim de Ravenbel made a turtorial.
    In it is a small part about sheets and layers.


    It is particularly important to understand the difference between sheets and layers.
    Sheets are like real transparent paper sheets piled one above the other. Whatever you do with
    commands like Bring to Front or Send to Back, entities present on a sheet SHEET1 above
    SHEET2 will always be in front of every entity on SHEET2.
    Layers are convenient memory drawers to keep entities organized, regardless of the sheet containing
    them. Except for the hide/show features, layers have no graphic effect.
    For example, you might have a lot of chairs and tables on the SYMBOLS sheet. If you just want to
    move a chair, you can easier select and move the chair if it's on the CHAIRS layer and the tables are
    on the TABLES layer with the TABLES layer hidden or frozen.
    The sheets and layers denominations may be confusing because some graphic softwares use layers
    that work like CC3's sheets.
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  • DogtagDogtag Moderator, Betatester Traveler
    edited May 2013
    Yeah , that whole thing confused me for a while, since most paint programs use "layers" the way CC3 uses sheets. Wouldn't have been so bad if CC3 didn't also have "layers" that performed a whole different function.

    ~Dogtag
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