The Layers Panel gives you a hierarchical view of all elements in your design. Access it by clicking the "Layers" tab in the right sidebar.
Layer List
Elements are displayed in a vertical list, sorted by z-order (stacking order):
- Top of list = Front of canvas (drawn last, appears on top)
- Bottom of list = Back of canvas (drawn first, appears behind)
Layer Features
Thumbnails
Each layer shows a 32×32 pixel preview of the element, making it easy to identify layers visually. Thumbnails are cached for performance and update when elements change.
Layer Names
Double-click a layer name to rename it. Good naming conventions help keep complex designs organized. Default names are based on element type (e.g., "Rectangle 1", "Text 2").
Visibility Toggle
Click the eye icon to hide/show an element. Hidden elements:
- Don't appear on the canvas
- Are excluded from exports (by default)
- Can still be selected in the Layers Panel
- Show a crossed-out eye icon
Lock Toggle
Click the lock icon to lock/unlock an element. Locked elements:
- Cannot be selected on the canvas
- Cannot be moved or transformed
- Can still be selected in the Layers Panel
- Show a closed lock icon
Search & Filter
Search Bar
Type in the search bar to filter layers by name:
- Real-time filtering as you type
- Case-insensitive search
- Click X or press Escape to clear
- Result count shows "X of Y" when filtering
Type Filters
When you have 3+ elements with 2+ different types, filter chips appear:
- Click chips to filter by type (Rectangle, Circle, Text, etc.)
- Select multiple types to show all matching
- Selected chips show a checkmark and blue background
- Combine with search for powerful filtering
Layer Actions
Selecting
- Click - Select a single layer
- Shift + Click - Select a range of layers
- ⌘/Ctrl + Click - Add/remove from selection
Reordering
- Drag and drop - Move layers up or down to change z-order
- ⌘/Ctrl + ] - Bring forward one level
- ⌘/Ctrl + [ - Send backward one level
- ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + ] - Bring to front
- ⌘/Ctrl + Shift + [ - Send to back
Context Menu
Right-click a layer to access:
- Rename - Edit layer name
- Duplicate - Create a copy
- Hide/Show - Toggle visibility
- Lock/Unlock - Toggle editing lock
- Delete - Remove the layer
- Group - Create a group from selection
- Send to Back/Front - Z-order shortcuts
Press ⌘/Ctrl + F to quickly focus the search bar in the Layers Panel. This works from
anywhere in the application.
Groups & Hierarchy
Grouped elements appear nested in the Layers Panel:
- Click the arrow to expand/collapse groups
- Drag layers into a group to add them
- Drag layers out to remove from group
- Group properties affect all children
Drag-and-Drop Reparenting
Easily reorganize your layer hierarchy by dragging layers into different parents:
Reparenting to Frames
- Drag layers into frames - Not just groups! Drop layers onto frames to make them children
- Visual drop targets - Frames highlight when you drag a layer over them
- Drag feedback - See a preview of where the layer will be placed
- Drop zone indicators - Visual cues show valid drop locations
Automatic Coordinate Transformation
When you reparent a layer to a new parent, Azyrom automatically handles coordinate transformation:
- Position preserved - Element stays in same visual location on canvas
- Coordinates updated - X/Y values adjusted relative to new parent
- No manual math - System automatically calculates the transformation
- Works with rotation - Handles rotated parents correctly
Reparenting Command
All reparenting operations use the ReparentLayerCommand:
- Full undo support - Press
Cmd/Ctrl + Zto undo reparenting - Full redo support - Press
Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + Zto redo - Single operation - Each drag-and-drop is one undoable command
- Preserves state - Element properties maintained during reparent
How to Reparent
- Click and hold on a layer in the Layers Panel
- Drag the layer over a frame or group
- Watch for the drop target highlight
- Release to drop the layer into the new parent
- Element is now a child of the target frame/group
Reparenting is especially useful when converting flat designs into proper frame hierarchies. Drag multiple elements into a frame to group them logically, and Azyrom handles all the coordinate math automatically.
Performance
The Layers Panel is optimized for large designs:
- Thumbnails are cached (up to 200 layers)
- Virtualized scrolling for long lists
- Thumbnails regenerate only when elements change
- Loading indicators while generating thumbnails