Known Participant

Question

How to make a gigantic layer thumbnail?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
December 23, 2022
6 replies
2508 views

The largest thumbnail in the layer flyout menu option is not sufficient, I need a gigantic one.

macOS

This topic has been closed for replies.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

How many screens do you use? If you use a desktop system you could be clever with your screen sizes and resolutions. Set the UI to 100% and have the layers panel on a second large screen with low pixel density. My layers panel is on a 24" 1200 X 1920 screen and the thumbnails are planety big enough, (a fraction under an inch wide) and I have crap eyesight! Steer clear of Retina displays with high pixel density for the second screen, and you should be fine.

mysysctrlm74982608Author

Known Participant

It has no business with my screen.

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

Would having a second monitor solve the need? I believe that a second monitor can be set up to mirror what you see on the first monitor.

rayek.elfin

Legend

@barbara_a7746676But how would that solve viewing layer B isolated from the other layers on one view while displaying the full layer stack on the second view AND edits made in Layer B would update the full layer stack view in real time?

mysysctrlm74982608Author

Known Participant

Yep, the monitor is not the key.

rayek.elfin

Legend

If you only need a second or third view of the same document: are you aware that you can open multiple views of the same file?

Window menu-->Arrange submenu-->New Window

Then arrange the windows using the same Arrange menu.

Or do you require separate individual views of each layer thumbnail? (Not sure if this is possible.)

mysysctrlm74982608Author

Known Participant

Nope, I need the independent layer thumbnail, not a window.

rayek.elfin

Legend

I need to see the details of Layer B, but because Layer A is above my Layer B, I can not directly tell what I am doing on Layer B. I need Layer A constantly on Layer B, but I have to know the instant variation on Layer B.

Here is a workaround that, while not perfect, may still be helpful:

convert layer B to a smart object.
double-click the smart object to edit B's content
arrange the parent file and smart object view side by side.
edit B, save (ctrl-s). The changes update in the parent view after a second.

Even if this is not a real-time feedback, it will still allow you to make changes to a clearly visible content of B and view the composition result of A&B in the other view while working.

It's too bad that we cannot hide and show different layers for each individual document view, because that would have solved your workflow issue. Perhaps an idea as a feature suggestion?

barbara_a7746676

Community Expert

As previously said, no way to increase layer thumbnails at this time.

Depending on your workflow, you might find the Navigator panel useful. (WIndow > Navigator)

Navigator will show the currently visible layers in a single preview. You can enlarge or reduce the size of the panel which will enlarge or reduce the preview.

mysysctrlm74982608Author

Known Participant

Thanks, but I am not a newbie.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

I haven’t gotten into UXP Panels myself, but maybe you could create a custom Layers Panel.

@DavideBarranca , please forgive the intrusion, but do you know if this would be feasible?

Davide_Barranca12040269

Legend

Why not!

The Imaging API for UXP have been just published in Beta (they're likely gonna change before getting to the Release version), those might be useful to get the layer's thumbnail.

Davide Barranca - PS developer and authorwww.ps-scripting.com

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

I know of no option for this – other than changing the screen resolution on the OS-side.

Why do you need larger icons?

mysysctrlm74982608Author

Known Participant

I need an independent window to show what am I doing besides the artboard synchronously.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded