Setting Scene Layer Properties

 
 
 

Although you can apply any property to a layer to affect its members in branch mode, the scene layer manager allows you to directly set the following basic attributes:

In addition, the scene layer manager makes it easy to apply and edit the following properties:

Setting Basic Scene Layer Attributes

Each scene layer has four main attributes that you can set directly using the scene layer manager: viewport visibility, rendering visibility, selectability, and animation ghosting.

Setting values in the scene layer manager is equivalent to setting them in the layers' own property editors. Turning an attribute off is the same as setting it to "No effect on members", which allows each object's individual settings to determine its behavior.

To set basic attribute values in the scene layer manager's grid

A

Click in a cell of a layer to toggle the corresponding attribute.

B

Click on a color swatch to set wireframe color and other display attributes.

C

Right-click in a column and choose Check All or Uncheck All to set the attribute for all layers in the scene.

D

Click and drag across a region to toggle multiple attributes.

To set basic attributes in a layer's property editor

  • To open a layer's property editor, right-click on its row in the scene layer manager and choose Inspect.

View Visibility

View visibility determines whether objects in a layer are visible in the 3D views. An object in a layer whose view visibility is disabled is neither visible nor selectable in the viewports, but you can still select it in an explorer or schematic view.

Objects in layers that are not view-visible will still render if the layer's render visibility is enabled.

Render Visibility

Render visibility determines whether objects in a layer are rendered or not. Render visibility applies to both the render region and the final render.

In the viewports, you can still see and select objects in render-invisible layers if their view visibility and selectability are enabled.

Selectability

Selectability determines whether objects in a layer can be selected in the 3D views. However, objects are always selectable in explorer and schematic views.

View Playback Visibility

Determines whether objects are visible in the 3D views during playback. Hiding objects can increase playback speed.

Ghosting

Ghosting determines whether animated objects in a layer are ghosted or not. Animation ghosting, also known as onion-skinning, is a viewing mode that lets you display a series of snapshots of animated objects at frames or keyframes behind and/or ahead of the current frame. This lets you easily visualize the motion of an object, which can help you improve its timing and flow.

For more information about ghosting, see Ghosting Animated Objects [Animation].

Setting Display and Geometry Approximation Properties on Layers

By default, scene layers do not have Display or Geometry Approximation properties. However, you can use the scene layer manager to apply these properties to affect a layer's members.

Properties applied to a layer take precedence over properties applied directly to objects and groups, but they are overridden by properties applied to partitions. For more information, see How Properties Are Propagated.

When you use the scene layer manager to manage these properties:

  • If a layer already has a property applied, its property editor opens for editing.

  • If a layer does not yet have a property, a default one is applied and then opened for editing.

To apply a property to the current layer

  • Choose one of the following commands in the scene layer manager:

    • Layers Custom Display Settings

    • Layers Custom Geometry Approximation

To apply a property to a specific layer

  • Right-click on the layer name in the scene layer manager and choose one of the following commands:

    • Custom Display Settings

      Alternatively, you can double-click the layer's color swatch.

    • Custom Geometry Approximation

TipYou can also apply these properties by selecting the layer(s) that you want to apply them to, and choosing Get Property (name of property) from any toolbar.