LD Layer Panel Pro


LightWave ProTools spotlight

Layer Panel Pro is a Pro Tools replacement for the standard Layers panel (F7). This panel is divided into three sections. The top (numbers 1-8) concerns overall function; the second (numbers 9-19) deals with the foreground and background layer listers and the third (20-25) is concerned with layer sets. Layer sets are groupings of layers you wish to create - for instance, all the wheel layers for a car model - these layers can be stored with an object or kept as an external file. Equally, you can import layer sets (often from non-LightWave objects).

If you use a layer from a second object as a background for something you are creating in a different object, you will still need to use the standard Layers panel. Here is a video describing the original Layer Panel Pro plugin.

LayerPanelPro
  1. Switch sides - This switches sides for selected layers, an invert of foreground and background layers
  2. Resync - Because LayerPanelPro is a script, it sometimes loses connection to your work. Hitting resyncs makes sure that the standard layers panel sends its content to LayerPanelPro
  3. Alphabetical sort - Allows you to arrange your layers in alphabetical rather than layer number order
  4. Sort toggle - Toggle to reverse order, whether numerical or alphabetical
  5. Selected set only - Shows only the layers from your selected layer set
  6. Help - A window showing all the commands for Layer Panel Pro
  7. Clear - Removes filters and selections
  8. All - Selects all filtered or unfiltered layers
  9. Add/Insert Layer and Remove Layer - Add Layer opens a new window that asks you to name your new layer, which can either be added to the end of the layers list; inserted above your current layer if you use the Insert toggle or inserted at a specific layer number you set. Be careful. Remove Layer works on the nothing selected everything selected paradigm with no warning
  10. Duplicate Layer - Duplicates a layer to the end of the layers list or to a specific layer if you choose that option. If you leave the layer name unchanged a '_dup' gets added to the layer name. If you choose a specific layer - which already has content - that layer will get overwritten with no warning
  11. Rename - Rename Layer is a very complete, complex renamer. You can trim characters from names, replace specific characters, add a prefix or suffix, change capitalisation and non-alphanumerics - even use Regex and Indexing. This can apply to all layers or just selected layers and there's even a single-line preview before you commit.
  12. Rename Simple - This works similarly to double-clicking on a layer name in the default layer browser
  13. Invert - This will invert foreground layer selection
  14. Center Pivot - For situations where you need pivots situated at other than the origin, this tool will help immensely. Select the layers where you wish the pivot to be at the centre of layer geometry and hit this button. If you have the Pivot tool enabled, you will see the layer pivots jump to the centre of the layer geometry
  15. X, C, P - Cut, Copy and Paste - The buttons will cut or copy layer geometry - including layer name - so that it/they can be pasted where you like, including to other objects
  16. Swap - Swaps the positions of two selected foreground layers
  17. Shift Layer Up/Down - This tool only works with single layers, but shifts them up and down the layer list
  18. Move - This takes selected layers and copies them to a new object. If multiple layers are selected, you can choose whether the new object recreates the layer order or collapses to just the layers selected, or even collapses to a single layer
  19. Layout Visibility - This is a toggle for Layout visibility for layers - the dot between the layer number and name
  20. Add to Layer sets - This creates a new layer set from one or more selected foreground layers. When you choose a layer set from the list, all non-layerset layers are shown as background layers
  21. Update - You can change the contents of a layer set by choosing it from your list then adding or subtracting chosen layers in the foreground window. Hitting U then updates the layer set
  22. Remove from Layer sets - Deletes your layer set
  23. External - This is a toggle to save layer sets as external text files instead of with the object. It doesn't work right now (2023.0.1)
  24. Save layer set - Saves your layer sets with your object (just saving the object is not enough and changing layer sets doesn't give the modified asterisk in the object name) or as an external text file (not working as of 2023.0.1)
  25. Restore to Object - If you have saved your layer sets with the object, they should be available as soon as you start Layer Panel Pro. If they are not, or are saved externally, you can restore them with this button