Layer Methods

Layer

The Layer method can be used to add, duplicate, edit, and remove layers.
The action performed is set by the mode property value, which can be add, addEdit, duplicate, edit, or remove.
For convenience, you can use the addLayer, addEditLayer, duplicateLayer, editLayer, and removeLayer methods which automatically set the mode.
The default layer mode is addEdit this mode will edit a layer if it exists and if it does not exist it will add the layer.
Besides the properties available in Layer Options, the layer can be moved relative to other layers, or tagged artwork.

Layer Options

Layer Options

Use the name or number properties to target which layer to edit, duplicate or remove.
Set the layer's options using the name, newName, template, locked, visible, print, preview, dim and dimPercent properties.
When adding a new layer you can use the name property to set its name. When editing or duplicating a layer, use newName to set the new name.
See layer color for details on setting the layers color.

Location

Layers are by default added and duplicated above existing layers or, if provided above a targetLayer or targetTagSearch.
You can set the layer's exact location, by providing a targetLayerName, targetLayerNumber and / or a targetTagSearch.
Set the location property's value to aboveAll or belowAll to place the layer at the top or bottom of the document.
Set the location property's value to top and bottom to place the layer at the top or bottom of a layer or group.
Set the location property's value to above and below to place the layer above or below a tagged target artwork or a layer.
The default value of location is above.

Layer Color

Use the color property to set the color of the layer, i.e. the color that shows next to the layer on the layer panel and the paths of the panel's artwork.
Hex, decimal values and named values can be provided to set the layer. #ff0000, ff0000, f00 (6 or 3 digit hex values), 255, 0, 0, (rgb values), 0 100 100 0 (cmyk) 50 127 50 lab lab, red (CSS named color or custom color name) all would set the layer color to red.
Named colors can be enabled and disabled in the settings tab. Named colors with spaces like, light blue should be either quoted "light blue" or written as lightBlue (Not case sensitive), light-blue or light_blue.

Removing Layers

To remove a layer, use the remove mode or the removeLayer method.
Set the number or name of the layer to be removed. The layer's sublayers and artwork will be deleted.

Layer Properties

Property	Modes used with	Description
color	addEdit add duplicate edit	The layer color as shown in the layers panel and the layers artwork paths. Sample Values: #ff0000, ff0000, f00 (6 or 3 digit hex values), 255, 0, 0, (rgb values), 0 100 100 0 (cmyk) 50 127 50 lab lab, red (CSS named color or custom color name)
dimPercent	addEdit add duplicate edit	The percentage that images should be dimmed, if set to -1 the images will not be dimmed. Valid Values: -1 10, 50, 70
location	addEdit add duplicate edit	The location where the layer should be relative to the target. Sample Values: aboveAll or belowAll to place the layer at the top or bottom of the document top and bottom place the layer at the top or bottom of a layer or group. above and below to place the layer at the above or below artwork or a layer.
locked	addEdit add duplicate edit	Whether or not the layer is locked. Valid Values: true or false
mode	addEdit add duplicate edit remove	When using the layer method, the mode, which sets the process to be done to the layers, must be set. When using addLayer, addEditLayer, duplicateLayer, editLayer, or removeLayer methods, the mode is set automatically. Valid Values: add addEdit [Default] duplicate edit remove
name / layerName	addEdit add duplicate edit remove	The case sensitive name of the layer to be processed. Use either name or number and not both. Sample Values: Layer 1, Images
newName	addEdit add duplicate edit	The new name the layer should be called. Valid Values: true or false
number / layerNumber	addEdit add duplicate edit remove	The index of the layer to be processed. Use either layerName or layerNumber and not both. Sample Values: 1, 4
preview	addEdit add duplicate edit	Whether or not the layer should preview. Valid Values: true or false
print	addEdit add duplicate edit	Whether or not the layer should print. Valid Values: true or false
targetLayerName / parent	addEdit add duplicate edit	The name of the target layer, relative to which the location of the new or edited layer is given. Sample Values: Layer 1, Images
targetLayerNumber	addEdit add duplicate edit	The number of the target layer, relative to which the location of the new or edited layer is given. Sample Values: 1, 4
targetTagSearch	addEdit add duplicate edit	The tagSearch relative to which the location of the new or edited layer is given. If a target layer is also provided, then the artwork matching the tagSearch in the given layer will be used. Sample Values: Layer 1, Images
template	addEdit add duplicate edit	Whether or not the layer is a template. Valid Values: true or false
visible	addEdit add duplicate edit	Whether or not the layer is visible. Valid Values: true or false
*	addEdit add duplicate edit remove	Set to false if you want the method to be skipped in a particular row. Valid Values: true or false
skip	addEdit add duplicate edit remove	Set to true is you want the method to be skipped in a particular row. See * and Skip for details. Valid Values: true or false

Example Spreadsheet and Screenshots

Spreadsheet using layer and mode

*
layer
mode	name	newName	color	targetLayer	target	location	visible	locked	print	preview	template	dimPercentage
add
add	Gold		gold	Orange Layer		above					TRUE
duplicate	Green Layer	Locked and Hidden	#bca	Blue Layer	blue	below	FALSE	TRUE
edit	Orange Layer		GrassGreen	Green Layer		bottom				FALSE
edit	Green Layer	Gray Layer	grayscale 20					TRUE	FALSE			25
edit	Blue Layer		0 0 255			aboveAll
remove	Blue Layer

Original Artwork

Original Artwork

Row 1 Artwork

A layer is added above existing layers, it is named as per its layer number

Row 1 Panel

mode: add

Row 2 Artwork

The layer "Gold" is added above "Orange Layer", it is colored gold, it is made a "template" layer

Row 2 Panel

mode: add name: Gold color: gold targetLayer: Orange Layer location: above template: true

Row 3 Artwork

The layer "Green Layer" is duplicated above the artwork tagged "blue" which is in the "Blue Layer", the layer is named "Locked and Hidden" and colored #bca, it's artwork is not visible and the layer is locked

Row 3 Panel

mode: duplicate name: Green Layer newName: Locked and Hidden color: #bca targetLayer: Blue Layer target: blue location: above visible: false locked: true

Row 2 Artwork

The layer "Gold" is added above "Orange Layer", it is colored gold, it is made a "template" layer

Row 2 Panel

mode: add name: Gold color: gold targetLayer: Orange Layer location: above template: true

Row 3 Artwork

The layer "Green Layer" is duplicated above the artwork tagged "blue" which is in the "Blue Layer", the layer is named "Locked and Hidden" and colored #bca, it's artwork is not visible and the layer is locked

Row 3 Panel

mode: duplicate name: Green Layer newName: Locked and Hidden color: #bca targetLayer: Blue Layer target: blue location: above visible: false locked: true

Row 4 Artwork

"Orange Layer" is moved to the bottom of the "Blue Layer", colored "Grass Green", it's artwork is not previewed, i.e. only the artworks outlines will be visible

Row 4 Panel

mode: edit name: Orange Layer color: GrassGreen targetLayer: Green Layer location: bottom preview: false

Row 5 Artwork

"Green Layer" is renamed to "Gray Layer" colored gray 20, the layer is locked, will not print and images are dimmed to 25%

Row 5 Panel

mode: edit name: Green Layer newName: Gray Layer color: grayscale 20 locked: true print: false dimPercentage: 25

Row 6 Artwork

"Blue Layer" colored RGB 0 0 255 and moved above all other layers

Row 6 Panel

mode: edit name: Blue Layer color: 0 0 255 location: aboveAll

Row 7 Artwork

"Blue Layer" and its artwork is removed (deleted)

Row 7 Panel

mode: remove name: Blue Layer

Spreadsheet using addLayer

*
addLayer
name	color	targetLayer	location	template
Gold	gold	Orange Layer	above	TRUE

Spreadsheet using addEditLayer

*
Comment	addEditLayer
*	name	color	locked	visible
Edits the "Red" layer if it exists, otherwise adds the new layer	Red	red	FALSE	TRUE
Edits the "Layer 2" layer if it exists, otherwise adds the new layer	Layer 2	#f80	FALSE	FALSE
Edits the "Gold" layer if it exists, otherwise adds the new layer	Gold	gold	TRUE	TRUE

Spreadsheet using duplicateLayer

*
duplicateLayer
name	newName	color	targetLayer	target	location	visible	locked
Green Layer	Locked and Hidden	#bca	Blue Layer	blue	below	FALSE	TRUE

Spreadsheet using editLayer

*
editLayer
name	newName	color	targetLayer	location	locked	print	preview	dimPercentage
Orange Layer		GrassGreen	Green Layer	bottom			FALSE
Green Layer	Gray Layer	grayscale 20			TRUE	FALSE		25
Blue Layer		0 0 255		aboveAll

Spreadsheet using removeLayer

*
removeLayer
name	LayerNumber
Blue Layer
	1