CorelDRAW Help | Creating layers

Quick links to procedures on this page:

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To create a layer

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To make a layer active

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To display pages, layers, and objects in the Object Manager docker

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To delete a layer

Creating layers

All CorelDRAW drawings consist of stacked objects. The vertical order of these objects — the stacking order — contributes to the appearance of the drawing. An effective way to organize these objects is by using invisible planes called layers.

Drawings can be assembled by placing objects on various levels or layers.

Layering gives you added flexibility when you organize and edit the objects in complex drawings. You can divide a drawing into multiple layers, each containing a portion of the drawing’s contents. For example, you can use layers to organize an architectural plan for a building. You can organize the building’s various components (for example, plumbing, electrical, structural) by placing them on separate layers.

Local layers and master layers

All content is placed on a layer. Content that applies to a specific page is placed on a local layer. Content that applies to all pages in a document can be placed on a global layer called a master layer. Master layers are stored on a virtual page called the Master Page.

The Object manager docker displays the default layer structure. The names of the active page and layer appear at the top.

You can create master layers for all pages, for even pages, or for odd pages. For example, placing content on an even master layer means that the content will appear on all even pages but not on the odd pages.

Each new file is created with a default page (Page 1) and a Master Page. The default page contains the following layers:

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Guides — stores page-specific (local) guidelines. All objects placed on the Guides layer appear as outlines only, and the outlines act as guidelines.

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Layer 1 — represents the default local layer. When you draw objects on the page, the objects are added to this layer unless you choose a different layer.

The Master Page is a virtual page that contains the information that applies to all pages in a document. You can add one or more layers to a master page to hold content such as headers, footers, or a static background. By default, a master page contains the following layers:

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Guides (all pages) — contains the guidelines that are used for all pages of the document. All objects placed on the Guides layer appear as outlines only, and the outlines act as guidelines.

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Desktop — contains objects that are outside the borders of the drawing page. This layer lets you store objects that you may want to include in the drawing at a later time.

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Document grid — contains the document grid that is used for all pages of the document. The document grid is always the bottom layer.

The default layers on the master page cannot be deleted or copied.

To add content to a layer, you must first select the layer so that it becomes the active layer.

Viewing layers, pages, and objects

You can choose different views that let you display pages, layers, or all the objects in your document. The view you choose depends on the complexity of your document and the task you are performing. For example, in a long multipage document, you can choose a pages-only view so that you can navigate the document more easily and view only one page at a time. The Current page, layers only view lets you view and reorder all the layers that affect the current page, including the master layers.

For information about how facing page views affect layers, see To view facing pages.

For information about how layers are affected when you save a file to an earlier version of CorelDRAW, see To save a drawing.

To create a layer

1 .

If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object

Object manager.

2 .

Perform a task from the following table.


To	Do the following
Create a local layer	In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the flyout button , and click New layer.
Create a master layer for all pages	In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the flyout button , and click New master layer (all pages).
Create a master layer for odd pages	In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the flyout button , and click New master layer (odd pages). This command is available only when the active page is an odd page.
Create a master layer for even pages	In the upper-right corner of the Object manager docker, click the flyout button , and click New master layer (even pages). This command is available only when the active page is an even page.

To use a layer in the drawing, you must first make the layer active by clicking the layer name in the Object manager docker. The layer name appears in a red bold font to indicate that it is the active layer. When you start a drawing, the default layer (Layer 1) is the active layer.

Master layers are always added to the master page. Content added to these layers is visible on all pages of the document, all odd pages, or all even pages, depending on the type of master layer that you have chosen.

Master layers for odd and even pages cannot be created in Facing Pages view. If you have created odd and even master pages before switching to Facing Pages view, the odd and even master layers will be converted to all-page master layers. For more information about facing pages, see To view facing pages.

You can also add a layer by clicking the New layer button in the Object manager docker.

You can also create new master layers by clicking the respective button in the Object manager docker: New master layer (all pages) , New master layer (odd pages) , or New master layer (even pages) .

You can make any layer a master layer by right-clicking the layer name, and clicking Master (all pages), Master (odd pages), or Master (even pages).

To make a layer active

1 .

If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object

Object manager.

2 .

In the Object manager docker, click the layer name.

The layer name appears in a red bold font to indicate that it is the active layer.

By default, the active layer is Layer 1.

The name of the active layer and the type of the currently selected object appear on the status bar at the bottom of the application window. The names of the active page and layer also appear at the top of the Object manager docker.

To display pages, layers, and objects in the Object Manager docker

1 .

If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object

Object manager.

2 .

Perform a task from the following table.


To	Do the following
Display pages	Click the flyout button , and then click Show pages.
Display all layers for the current page	Click the name of a page, click the Layer manager view button , and then click Current page, layers only.
Display all layers and objects across all pages	Click the Layer manager view button , and then click All pages, layers and objects.
Display selected objects in the Object manager docker	Click the flyout button , and then click Expand to show selection.

If you want to view a document that has facing pages, see To view facing pages.

To delete a layer

1 .

If the Object manager docker is not open, click Object

Object manager.

2 .

Click the name of a layer.

3 .

Click the flyout button

, and click Delete layer.

When you delete a layer, you also delete all the objects on it. To preserve an object, move it to a different layer before you delete the current layer.

You can delete any unlocked layer except the following default layers: Document grid, Desktop, Guides, and Guides (all pages). For more information about locking and unlocking layers, see To set the editing properties of a layer.

You can also delete a layer by right-clicking the layer name in the Object manager docker and choosing Delete.

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