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DTPtutorialyCZ-L.Zalesky
DTPtutorialyCZ-L.Zalesky
Inspiring
September 2, 2026
Question

Has the Layers panel ever felt due for a change?

  • September 2, 2026
  • 4 replies
  • 70 views

This is not a question, more something I keep wondering about.
Has it ever struck you that the Layers panel has not really changed in years?
It sits in the corner. To move an object one layer down you open it, find the

layer and drag a small square. On a leaflet with fifteen layers that is most of my day.
At some point I stopped complaining and built what I wanted instead.

Smart Layers:
- one shortcut opens it right at your cursor, no hunting for a panel
- click a layer name and the selected objects move there
- Shift + mouse wheel moves them one layer up or down
- object counts per layer, on the page and in the whole document
- sort objects into layers by type, object style or what a group contains
- layer templates and visibility sets, similar to Layer Comps in Photoshop

Two versions: an AutoHotkey palette for Windows, and a UXP plugin that also runs on macOS.

Short demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUggYIyQyvg
Download and manual: https://zaleskyworkflow.com

But I am still curious about the original question. If you could change one
thing about the Layers panel, what would it be? Half of what ended up in
mine came from exactly that kind of complaint.

screenshot-1

 

      4 replies

      Community Expert
      Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 3, 2026

      I’ve always wanted a layer where the Effects were applied to the entire layer, like you can move an item to a layer and it will inherit the Effects> Difference > 50% tint 

       

      Or you could have your drop shadow objects on a layer. And all your drop shadow settings are controlled in the layer effects. 

      I know you can do object styles. But what about ‘Layer Styles’. 

      Layer Style>All Objects>Overprint

      or multiply 

       

      Just a thought. Not a very well explained or thought out one, but a thought!

        DTPtutorialyCZ-L.Zalesky
        DTPtutorialyCZ-L.ZaleskyAuthor
        Inspiring
        September 6, 2026

        But then there are a million more options, like non-printing, overprint stroke/fill, 10+ blend modes, and so on. The menu would simply become too large.

        I think it’s better to handle those things with Object Styles.

        What I have already added, though, is the option to create layer groups, just like in Photoshop.
         

         

          Community Expert
          Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          September 7, 2026

          I think you might be overthinking what I meant a little. 🙂

          I wasn’t suggesting putting every possible option into the Layers panel. I was just answering the question about what I’d personally like to see added.

          What I had in mind was essentially a “Layer Style” where a layer itself could hold certain effects or attributes, and anything moved onto that layer would inherit them.

          So, for example, a layer could be set to Multiply, or have a particular transparency/drop shadow effect, without having to assign an Object Style individually to everything on it.

          I know Object Styles already exist I mentioned them in my original post. The difference is that the formatting would be controlled by the layer rather than by the object.

          And layers can already be set as non-printing in InDesign, so that part is already handled at layer level anyway.

          It was really just an idea for extending that same principle if layers can already control visibility, locking, printing, etc., why couldn't they potentially control certain effects too?

          For example, I have script that puts an object onto a layer for me and sets the difference to and 40% opacity.

          When I move things to this layer I want them to inherit that setting too. Not having to go to each object and set them each time.

          It’s just an idea, what was asked in the original post was for an idea. 

          And it’s probably not practical anyway. But I’d still like something along those lines.

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