Layer Comps

Layer Comps is a convenient way to store a snapshot of certain key aspects of your documents layers. A simple click in the palette lets you name and save your current view of layer visibility and editing state as a Layer Comp. As Layer Comp preserves states and atributtes such as visibility, lock state, print state, guide visibility, guide lock state or layer order, it is very useful when you work with larger amount of layers. The features introduced in version 2.0 allow to record changes in page size, object size and obejct position, allowing you to keep all layout alternatives and different output variations in the same document, with all the benefits of single content update for all outputs. This plug-in becomes really powerful in conjunction with Layer Group plug-in by DTP Tools.

Figure 1

• Scripting Layer Comps

How does it work

It is very simple. You just need to create a new Layer Comp - this Layer Comp remembers certain states and attributes of your layers. Later you can just activate the Layer Comp and remembered attributes and states of your layers will be restored. You can also create more than one Layer Comp and browse them. More Layer Comps comes in handy, especially if you need frequently to change states of multiple layers (such as turning visibility on and off).

Creating a new Layer Comp

You can create a new Layer Comp via Layer Comp panel menu -> New Layer Comp or by clicking on the small button in the right lower corner of Layer Comp panel. New dialog box for creating new Layer Comp comes up (see figure 2). In this dialog box, you can name it and select which attributes of layers should be preserved in Layer Comp.

Figure 2 - Create New Layer Comp dialog

Apply To Layers:

1. Visibility - records whether the whole layer is made visible or not
2. Lock State - records whether the layer is locked in the Layers or Layer Groups panel
3. Print State - records whetehr the layer is printable or not (only with Layer Groups under CS4) 
4. Guide Visibility, Guide Lock - records settings of guides in the comp
5. Order - records which layers are placed on top of the others. With Layer Groups plug-ins it also records in which group or sub-group the layer is placed)
6. Hide Layers Created After Comp - Any Layer that was not present in the document when the comp was created will be automatically set to invisible when comp is loaded, you can turn it visible and update the comp to change this.

Apply To Spreads And Pages:

1. Spread Orientation - records if the pages in spread are next to each other on on top of each other
2. Page Size And Position - when this is reacorded, pages resize to the position they were when the comp was created or updated when comp is loaded

Apply To Page Items:

1. Size and Position - records the size and position of text and graphic frames and graphic objects
2. Object Layer Visibility  - records visibility of layers inside graphic files such as PSD and AI files. (a good way to use this feature is to have an adjustment layer for black and white in your color images and use Layer Comps to switch between color and black and white for all images in the document)
3. Visibility - records whether the frames and graphic objects are visible or not
4. Lock State - records whether the layer is locked in the Layers or Layer Groups panel
5. Hide Page Items Created After Comp - Any Object that was not present in the document when the comp was created will be automatically set to invisible when comp is loaded.

Updating existing Layer Comp

You can update your Layer Comps via Comp panel menu -> Update on the small button in the right lower corner of Layer Comp panel. This saves the current state of your layers into the currently selected Layer Comp.

Switching to existing Layer Comp

You can update your Layer Comps via Comp panel menu -> Apply Layer Comp or by double-clicking on the square on the left of the comp name. When an eye Icon is in the square, the comp is active.

Browsing Layer Comps

If you created more layer comps, you can easily browse them with an instant click. Just click on the small square next to the name of desired Layer Comp. The active Layer Comp is marked with a small dark icon. If you change any state or attribute of one of your layers, the active comp automatically becomes "Last Document State". For sequential browsing use small arrow buttons on the lower ledge of Layer Comps panel.

See figure 3 and 4 for browsing - notice how layers in layer panel menu changes when different Layer Comp is active.

Figure 3

Figure 4

Printing and Exporting Layer Comps

You can also print or export Layer Comps. Firstly, you need to select which Layer Comps you want to export/print by clicking on their names (hold shift for multiple selections).

For Exporting choose Layer Comp panel menu -> Export Layer Comps.  A dialog box like in the figure 5 will show up. Select the folder you would like to save your exports, type (InDesign Document, PDF, XML, EPS or JPEG) and preset. Hit "Save" and the selected Layer Comps will be exported into files (the files will be same number as selected Layer Comps). The name of your files will consist of the name of your document and the name your Layer Comp.

Figure 5

For Printing  choose Layer Comp panel menu -> Print Layer Comps. Regular dialog window for printing will show up and the rest of the procedure is totally the same as when you print any other document.