Layer Finder (updated) - view and select new current layer

[Svengali]

Here's a simple button for reviewing (and/or selecting different) layers in your current project. Pictured is a simple four layer setup showing the Project title, and info on each layer (your project may contain ANY number of layers 5, 10 , 15 or more):
column 1 is the stack order of the layers
column 2 is + for visible or - for hidden for each layer
column 3 is the name of each layer

The layer that is current will also have the word (current) appended to it

You can select any of the layers in the list to be the new current layer by clicking that menu entry. Finally, after the new current layer is selected, Layer Finder will force it to become visible in the timeline window.

If you run Layer Finder with a project that has not yet been saved (i.e. an Untitled file with no path to any folder), you will get an error message and Layer Finder will close without doing anything. You should immediately give your project a name and save it.

If you click the title or click outside the menu, it will close without doing anything.

LayerFinder3.png (5.99 KiB) Viewed 5225 times

Post any problems or suggestions in this thread.

edit: Click here for new version...

Sven

[Paul Fierlinger]

Sven, this is wonderful! Two problems at first touch: Why call first layer number 00 (the way toilettes in many European countries are (or used to be) numbered). Many of us hate frame one to be called frame nothing. Second: Could the outlay remain opened at all times? This happens to work like a dream come true because even in the days before Mirage I tried to talk someone into building this. What it turns out to be is a miniature plan of the clips layers, like the street corner mapo of the subway. When I touch a layer in your plugin, the corresponding layer is activated in the real layer stack AND IT JUMPS INTO VIEW if it happens to have been below or above the layer panel's borders. BUT. But, it's nasty that your panel closes as soon as a layer is touched. Please make it stay open and we have something of a real gem hear. I can't think of anything else I would want of it.

[Paul Fierlinger]

Sandra just had a look at this and wants to know if the layer's colors can be reflected in your panel -- for instance simple dots for each layer or the numbers would assume the corresponding colors. I have to tell you again how maddening it is that your thingy keeps collapsing. It should also at all times stay above all panels. I still can't get over how practical this is going to be, particularly for people with single monitors. Probably most of the time they will be able to keep their entire layer panel hidden and work just with this. I wouldn't even need to see the numbers anymore but others will have a different view, I'm sure.

[Paul Fierlinger]

I actually found a place for your button on a vertical line of my own buttons docked directly to the side of the Layers Panel and in this position it is not a problem anymore that your list closes as soon as I touch on a layer -- it actually makes sense, and it also isn't important anymore that it doesn't stay on top of all other panels. This thing just takes up the space of a single button. As far as I'm concerned I now have just what I've always wanted. Many, many thanks.

[Paul Fierlinger]

Another thing I forgot to mention was that while having two or more projects opened and switching between these, the Layer Finder automatically reflects each project's layers without having to do anything with it.

[Svengali]

hi paul,
i've updated the .tvxp file to what is now shown. Download it and reinstall.

I removed the column showing layer identifier (who cares about that?)
I added a column indicating visible or hidden for each layer
I added a column indicating the color group to which each layer belongs (I can't do color in the George menu system - need a programmer for that and for better functionality... )

I also changed the numbering so that the layer stack starts with layer 1.

Sven

[Paul Fierlinger]

Hmmm... the color descriptions don't do it for me. Mine are called
colorgroup.0error
colorgroup.12error
colorgroup.12error

etc. It takes up too much space, making it an eyesore, but mostly seeing real colors is instant recognition but to read a color takes all the instantaneousness out the window; it becomes useless. I would rather not have to deal with the color at all in such a case. Since the purpose of this plugin is to save space, can we keep it simple, like this?:
01+railing
02+Slocum
03-Victor
04-spars

Plus standing for visible and minus for hidden. Nothing else is needed.

[Svengali]

Well, there it is. I posted a new screen grab of how the Layer Finder display looks now along with the latest script.

I removed the color group info... I'm a little rattled by the error message you got but I assume you are using Layer Finder on some new version beyond the latest release and some of the scripting commands or how data is stored may have been changed.

Aside from being a little cryptic, I think simpler is better so I changed the visibility/hidden initials to plus and minus.

As it stands now, I'll leave it unless some other problem emerges after the next TVPaint release. Seeing the layers in an ordered list and being able to select and jump to a new current layer might be enough.

Perhaps a more substantial/comprehensive version of a Project Data window and organizer will be added as an integral TVP tool in some future release.

Sven

[Paul Fierlinger]

Yes, I am testing this on a beta version, which is good to know that it'll work for everybody. There have been some improvements made to the George scripting but that is completely outside of my field of knowledge so you'll have to wait for a few more days to find out for yourself what that has been all about.

Otherwise I like this last version for its simplicity and ease of use; it has already become my knew friend.

[Paul Fierlinger]

Just one more note. What you call a "hidden" layer is actually an active or inactive one (plus or minus) . When a layer is really hidden, the symbol still is a minus or plus sign, depending on whether its active or inactive in its hidden state. I think this is good because sometimes that can be useful to know since without your Layer Finder we can't tell the state of activity of hidden layers.

[BenEcosse]

this is really handy when working with the timeline minimized to create space, thanks for sharing.

[Thunderdog]

Hello Svengali. Is it not possible to make this work on an unsaved file?

[Svengali]

Here's an updated version of Layer Finder that provides three more helpful flags for all layers showing all settings which the user may have chosen in the timeline layer headers. A new option lets the user clear all layers' flags with one click.

In addition I'm including another button which lets you toggle between pixel-stencil states: on-normal, on-inverted and off.

Like the first version, click any other layer to make it current - the timeline is forced to select and display the new current layer. Click outside the menu to leave things as they are.

Any problems... post here.

Layer Finder Plus.png (79.26 KiB) Viewed 5126 times

[Thunderdog]

Thank you, Svengali. It works great. I now have a nicely maximized workspace.
I haven't learned the value of the stencils yet. I'll have to give that some time.

[Sewie]

Thanks Sven! Very handy indeed when on a maximised project window.