Navigate Through the Layer Preview Command

Layer Preview in ARES Commander

ARES Commander brings some interesting features that allow us to manipulate and organize layers with greater productivity. Highlighting among them is the command LAYER PREVIEW, which is exclusive to ARES Commander. This command allows us to select layers and visualize their contents and even select groups of layers.

Navigate through the Layer Preview Command

Select layers, and use the Zoom and Pan command to take a closer look. Press ESC to return to the dialog box. The “RESTORE LAYERS STATE WHEN EXIT” option, when it is active, determines if the previous layer state will be restored after closing the LAYER PREVIEW command. Pay attention, at this point, it says it will restore it. Press CLOSE and the drawing will return to the previous configuration.

Layer Configuration with Layer Preview

Now, let’s try the opposite. Select a group of layers, and deselect the box. Press CLOSE. By this method, we can use LAYER PREVIEW to configure the layer configuration we like to use. Within LAYER PREVIEW, another option appears. See how the drawing is currently shown. Now, notice that the option “RESTORE VIEW WHEN EXIT” is activated. This option is used when we perform a PREVIEW and zoom, or use PAN, to modify the original “point of view” of the project.

Restore Original View

Then, if we press the right button, or we use the ESC key we return to the LAYER PREVIEW box. The original view will be restored when we close the LAYER PREVIEW dialog. In turn, if we deselect it, we will keep exactly the view as modified by the preview in the LAYER PREVIEW command when we will close the LAYER PREVIEW dialog.

Keep selection and Deselect Option

There are more options available. For example, when you press the right button, we will find different options to select the layers. See, we can deselect everything, or select everything. We can also right click and choose KEEP SELECTION to add more layers to the selection. Or, add to the selection by right clicking on another layer and choosing KEEP SELECTION. A small mark appears that tells us which layers are selected.

Now, we have the possibility to stay only with these layers, deselecting here, and pressing CLOSE. In turn, if we want to select a group of layers, we can select one of them, and now holding down the SHIFT key choose the last one in the group.

Shortcut to Select All ‘Control + A’

We can also select one, and by keeping CONTROL pressed, click on other layers without needing to be next to the first one. On the other hand, the “CONTROL + A” key combination is available to select all layers at a time. Of course, we also have a filter that will allow us to quickly find any layer, by writing part of its name.

Delete empty Layers with ‘Remove Layer’ Command

When we select a layer, or a group of layers, at the bottom we will see that an option appears that allows to delete them. Of course, this option will only appear on empty layers. Now, we select a layer that is “empty”, and we see how the DELETE button is activated. We select and remove this layer.

Set Up Layer States

Layer preview not only serves to review our project through the layers but also to discover the organization of the project created by other people and quickly set up the Layer States.

To learn more about these and other layer-related tools in ARES Commander, do not miss out on the extensive Help provided by the program.

Do not miss also the extensive Help offered by ARES Commander in addition to the many video tutorials, you can find on our Youtube Channel: GraebertTV