Missing Layer Option?

[paultb]

I am running SCAL 3.056 on Win 7 64bit and want to create a new layer but all the "Create a new layer" options mentioned in the help file (3 of them) are not there. The only options available are to create a new layer folder.
What am I doing wrong? Any help greatly appreciated.
Thought I would be smart and just Duplicate layer but that option does nothing i.e. it does not duplicate the layer....
Paul

[Gigi]

Paul -

Do you have a box showing the layers? If not hit Control 1 and the layers box will appear. Then as you add items they will appear in layers, If you have several shapes that make up one item, ungroup and or break apart and each will appear in a separate layer.

Hope that helps.

[paultb]

Yes I have the layers panel showing!
I tried object break apart with a complex shape.... Hmmm nothing, would not break apart and create multiple layers.

[paultb]

Here is a screen grab, you can see the options for adding a layer are not there?

[Gigi]

You only have one object showing so that is your current layer. If you add something else it will create another layer automatically. What are you trying to do?? Maybe that will help us/me understand....

[paultb]

I want layers..

One for cut lines ... blade
One for score lines ... embossing tool small tip
One for punch lines ... punch tool

so I want to create layers for each but the program won't let me create layers?

[Elizabeth]

Hi. If you do a copy and paste in place twice, you will get a new layer for each of your copied shapes. Then you can select each shape (I find it easiest to select stacked shapes by clicking on the layer I want in the layers window) and change the line style, if you like, for scoring etc.

layers screenshot.PNG

Hope this helps!

[Gigi]

Thanks Elizabeth. That is what I was trying to say but the words were eluding me.

I did notice that if you go to the help menu it talks about adding a new layer with an icon and options that I don't have in Scal Pro and I don't see it in his screen shot either. Am wondering if that is what the real question is?? There should be an icon to add a new layer and I don't have it. So even though each new item/color creates a new layer, the option that should be there to add a new layer doesn't exist as instructed.

Will email Brandon if no one can shed any light on that...

[paultb]

Thanks for your input it really helps, yes that is the question, the help file says there is an icon on the layer panel to add a layer, also from the layer menu there should be an option to add a layer, and there should be an option from the menu tab on the layer panel to add a layer but none of these options exist in the program.

I worked around this by creating my project in Inkscape in layers, saving the SVG and importing into SCAL for cutting with my SB24.

While SCAL is very good I would be nice if the help files matched the actual program.

Thanks all again for your help

[Gigi]

Checking on it for you, Paul. Will let you know as soon as I receive an answer.

[Gigi]

Paul -

I emailed Brandon and this was his reply:
"Originally there was an option to manually add blank layers, and you could add multiple items into a layer. But this ended up being confusing when you tried to remove specific items out of a layer, or ungrouping/grouping specific items within a layer.

So it was simplified to where every shape added automatically gets a layer and thus the add blank layers option was removed."

He will fix the help menu so it mirrors what the program does and will also fix the duplicate layer option. Thanks for the heads up on that one.

[Elizabeth]

That's all good information to know. Thanks, Gigi!

[Gigi]

You are so welcome, Elizabeth.

[LisaH]

Thanks Gigi!

[Gigi]

Of course!

[paultb]

Thank you so much, it all makes sense now, just the incorrect help files that caused all my confusion.

The help provided by all on this forum is just unbelievable!!! Thank you all

Paul