Layers and Objects List
Each object, such as a TextBlock or Rectangle is located within a layer.
By default each new project includes a single Layer called Layer1 that all new objects are placed in.
Layers initially take up the entire template size, but can be resized as required by unlocking them first. (See Lock Layer below)
Multiple layers are useful for grouping different objects together so that they may be animated and moved as if they were a single image.
The Layers panel as show below includes a couple of options for adjusting layers and objects:
Click the + button to add a new layer.
Click the - button to remove the selected layer.
NOTE: Any objects in the layer will also be removed.
These buttons provide easy access to play the current Storyboard.
Layers highlighted in green are currently selected.
This selection can be changed by clicking another layer with the mouse.
NOTE: Only objects within the selected layer can be selected and moved within the Canvas Window.
An object within the layer can be selected by clicking it with the mouse. It will be highlighted blue while it is selected.
To select multiple layers/objects, hold down the Shift or Ctrl keys while clicking other objects in the list.
Shift will select all objects between two objects while Ctrl will allow selecting objects on at a time.
Objects can only be selected within a single Layer at the same time.
Click the Eye icon to toggle visibility of a layer or object.
Click the padlock icon to lock a layer or object to prevent it from being accidentally moved in the Canvas Window.
Note that the lock only prevents movement in the Canvas Window, any animations set to that object or layer will continue to work as normal, along
with other editing tasks not involving Location and Dimensions.
Drag and drop an object or layer to change the order in which it appears in the list.
This impacts the order in which each object or layer is displayed.
Items on top of the list appear on top of all other objects and layers below them in the Canvas Window.
Double click a layer or object to rename it.
Each layer and object in a template must have a unique name.