Selecting Layers
In Fater's Image Editor, selecting a layer is the first step before you can modify it. You select layers primarily through the Layers Tab in the Right Sidebar.
The number of layers selected impacts which tools and actions are available.
How to Select Layers
Open the Layers Tab: Make sure the Layers Tab (🖼️ icon) is active in the Right Sidebar.
You will see a list of all layers in your current Layer Workspace.
Single Layer Selection:
Click: Simply click once on the layer item in the list that you want to select.
Indication: The selected layer item will highlight (change background color).
Effect:
Required for using Direct Layer Editing Tools (Pencil, Cutter/Edge Tool, Layer Eraser). These tools will target this single selected layer.
Activates the Layer Splitter Slider over this layer on the canvas, if applicable.
Many individual layer actions (from context menus) will apply to this layer.
Multiple Layer Selection:
Fater supports selecting multiple layers at once for certain operations (context menu actions).
Shift + Click (Range Selection):
Click to select the first layer in a range.
Hold down the Shift key.
Click another layer in the list. All layers between (and including) the first and second clicked layers will be selected.
Ctrl + Click (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Click (Mac) (Individual Selection):
Hold down the Ctrl key (or Cmd key on Mac).
Click individually on each layer you want to add to (or remove from) the current selection.
Indication: All selected layers will be highlighted in the Layers Tab.
Effect: Group actions like "Delete Selected Layers" or "Duplicate Selected Layers" will apply to all highlighted layers.
Why Select Layers?
Targeting Direct Edits: A single layer must be selected to use direct editing tools like the Pencil, Cutter, or Layer Eraser.
Activating Layer-Specific Features: Features like the Layer Splitter Slider appear and operate on a single selected layer.
Applying Actions: Many actions (e.g., Duplicate, Delete, setting transform mode for assets) operate on the currently selected layer(s).
Layer Splitter Slider
When some image layers are selected, a Layer Splitter Slider will appear on the main canvas on it's union bounding box right border.
Appearance: A draggable vertical line.
Purpose: Allows you to visually compare parts of the layer, potentially to see "before and after" an effect or to blend/reveal content. (The exact visual outcome depends on how it's used by underlying canvas rendering).
Interaction:
Drag: Click and drag the line horizontally.
Context Menu (Right-click on the slider's grab area):
"Hide": Removes the slider from view.
"Animate": Causes the slider to automatically move back and forth across the layer.
Selecting a hidden (invisible) layer is the current way to hide it.
Deselecting Layers
To deselect all layers: Selecting a different single layer will deselect the previous multi-selection.
To deselect one layer from a multi-selection: Ctrl+Click (or Cmd+Click) on an already selected layer to toggle its selection off.
Understanding how layer selection impacts tool availability and activates features like the Layer Splitter Slider is key to efficient and precise work in the Image Editor.
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