Advanced Layer Actions

Fater provides several advanced actions you can perform on individual layers, primarily accessed through buttons directly on each layer item in the Layers Tab. These actions help with precise compositing, workflow efficiency, and specific AI preparations.

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1. Applying Layer Content to the Main Mask (Wand icon )

• How:

  1. Identify the layer whose content (non-transparent pixels) you want to use to define a selection.

  2. In the Layers Tab, locate that specific layer item.

  3. Click the "Apply Layer to Mask" (Wand) icon on that layer's item.

  4. Hold Alt while clicking the Wand icon to subtract the layer's shape from the main mask instead of adding to it.

• Action: This operation modifies the main mask on the Inpaint Canvas.

  • Default (Add): All non-transparent pixels of the clicked layer are added to the main mask, effectively selecting those areas.

  • Alt+Click (Subtract): All non-transparent pixels of the clicked layer are removed (made transparent) from the main mask, effectively deselecting those areas.

• Use Case: Quickly creating a mask based on an existing object or element on a layer, useful for then targeting AI inpainting to that shape, or for further refining the mask with other tools.

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2. Resizing the Generation Canvas to Fit a Layer (Crop icon 🖼️)

• How: In the Layers Tab, locate the layer item you want the canvas to fit. Click the "Resize Canvas to Layer" (Crop) icon on that layer's item.

• Action: The Generation Area Bounding Box on the main canvas will automatically resize and reposition to perfectly match the bounds of that specific layer's visible content.

• Use Case: Essential after adding a new base image to ensure the entire image is within the generation area. Also useful for focusing AI operations on a specific layer's content by making it the active generation area.

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3. Zooming to a Specific Layer (ZoomIn icon 🔍 / Double-Click Thumbnail)

• How:

  • Button: On the layer item in the Layers Tab, a "Zoom on Layer" (ZoomIn) icon might be available.

  • Double-Click: Double-click the preview thumbnail of the layer in the Layers Tab.

• Action: The main Inpaint Canvas view will pan and zoom to fit that specific layer's content within the visible area.

• Use Case: Quickly navigate to and focus on a specific layer in a complex project.

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4. Merging Layers Down (Merge icon 📥)

• How: In the Layers Tab, identify the layer you want to merge down (the upper layer). Ensure there is a visible layer directly beneath it in the same Layer Workspace. Click the "Merge Down" icon on the upper layer's item (this icon typically appears if the layer is not the bottom-most in its workspace).

• Action: Combines the visual content of the clicked layer and the layer directly below it into a single, new layer. The new layer replaces the bottom one of the pair, and the original top layer (the one you clicked "Merge Down" on) is removed from the stack.

• Important Considerations for Merging:

  • Area Coverage: The resulting merged layer will visually cover the combined area (union) of the two original layers.

  • Resolution & Quality: Fater attempts to preserve the maximum possible quality. However, the internal canvas for the merged layer has a maximum side length of 16,384 pixels.

  • Impact of Distance: If you merge two layers that are very far apart on a large canvas, or if their combined area would exceed this pixel limit, the merged result might be downscaled, potentially reducing its visual quality or sharpness compared to the originals.

  • Destructive Operation: Merging is a destructive action for the two original layers. Consider duplicating layers before merging if you might need the originals later.

• Use Case: Simplifies your layer stack by combining elements that are finalized, reducing project complexity and potentially improving performance.