Feature suggestion - sort or rename selection of layers

[Bit Disappointed]

 

I continuation of the request here:

https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/189528-feature-request-for-the-layers-panel-reverse-order-of-selection/&do=findComment&comment=1183649

I am looking for more concrete functionality for the benefit of everyone. 🙂 I envision two functions that could be made by Serif, but could also be created as scripts when they are available.

Examples:

1. Sort Selected
   1.     A-Z
   2.      Z-A
   3.     Inverse Selection
2. Rename Selected
   1. Bulk Renaming
   2. Numbered Bulk Renaming

Background

I often miss the opportunity to organize or batch rename layers. Renaming layers individually, even with the tab improvement, is time-consuming. It's even worse to change the order. It's completely troublesome to navigate through layers with the same name to select the correct one.

For complex or extensive work, my need is to select a bunch of layers and choose to rename them all at once, typing slate/wood/flower/frame whatever repeatedly and DONE.

I might also need to do the same thing where a number precedes it, so all layers are also numbered, allowing me to navigate more easily between them, and, for example, place every fifth layer at the bottom, which can happen.

If they get disordered, it would be nice to be able to sort them as well, or just to alphabetically sort the elements in layers if, for example, it's a series of objects that are separate from each other, but have been drawn in a random order, and I want to tidy up at the end.

Reverse order - when you need it, you really need it. 

[Pšenda]

Just for interest - there have already been several requests for layer sorting:

https://www.google.com/search?q=sort+layers+by+name+site:forum.affinity.serif.com

Many users, including me, find this automatic reorganization of layers without taking into account the needs of the user on the Layer stack and thus also with the impact on the document rather harmful and dangerous. Sorting should be done on all layers, including Adjustments and live filters? On groups/Layers and their descendants? How will layers with the same name be sorted? according to the time of insertion? etc.

[bbrother]

@Bit Disappointed,

Bulk renaming or numbered bulk renaming trigered manualy by the user on selected layers is an interesting idea but when it comes to A-Z Z-A sorting I'm not convinced.

Sorting can cause many problems. The order of layers in the layers panel is too important and has a key impact on things like:

A - Visibility of layers. The layer at the top of the panel is at the front of the document and vice versa.

B - How an adjustment layer affects other layers. Because by moving them in the layer stack you cand do one of the following:

• Drag the adjustment to the top of the Layers panel so it affects all layers below it.
• Drag the adjustment above or below layers to affect more or fewer layers in the project.
• Drag the adjustment onto an object to make it a child of that object and confine the affect of the adjustment to that object only.

C- in APub the order in the layer stah has an impact on the numbering and the bookmarks order.

So as you can see, sorting could wreak a lot of havoc.

There are too many factors to take into account when sorting layers to maintain the original appearance on the canvas. Therefore, implementing such functionality would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. And sorting for the sake of sorting without preserving the original makes no sense in my opinion.

 

Edited March 11, 2024 by bbrother
Corrected mistake in point B - How an adjustment layer affects other layers

[Alfred]

25 minutes ago, bbrother said:

when it comes to A-Z Z-A sorting I'm not convinced

Neither am I.

26 minutes ago, bbrother said:

B - How an adjustment layer affects other layers. Because by moving them in the layer stack you cand do one of the following:

• Drag the adjustment to the top of the Layers panel so it affects all layers below it.
• Drag the adjustment above or below layers to affect more or fewer layers in the project (in APh).
• Drag the adjustment onto an object to make it a child of that object and confine the affect of the adjustment to that object only (in ADe)

Moving an adjustment layer up or down the layer stack to affect more or fewer layers doesn’t only apply to APh, and nesting an adjustment to confine its effect to a parent object doesn’t only apply to AD.

[bbrother]

13 minutes ago, Alfred said:

Moving an adjustment layer up or down the layer stack to affect more or fewer layers doesn’t only apply to APh, and nesting an adjustment to confine its effect to a parent object doesn’t only apply to AD.

Right i will correct this. I made a mistake while writing and editing my post. Thank you for drawing my attention to this error.

[Bit Disappointed]

It is a need I have, which can be extremely relevant in my projects, and possibly in others' as well.

I am an adult man who promises not to ruin illustrations where names and placement in the hierarchy do not align.

I am also capable of causing significant disruption with other functionalities, especially rasterization. I do not believe that Serif needs to provide me with special protection against this.

I name everything I can in complex illustrations as I create, duplicate, etc., and often I wish for it to sort in a logical sequence afterward. Especially with duplication, a peculiar order in layers can occur.

So all in all, I am personally quite convinced that sorting according to my careful and deliberate naming will greatly support my types of workflows.

The same applies to bulk renaming and especially numbering.