Customized Layer Selection

[mkelley]

Imagine you have layers in your palette like so:

Character 1
__Character 1 Bones
____Character 1 Vector Layer
Character 2
__Character 2 Bones
____Character 2 Vector Layer
Background

Now the things we need added:

1) The ability to select a layer by clicking in the workspace. It
selects whatever shape is topmost in whatever layer is topmost. That
shouldn't be a hard thing to accomplish (and may have already been
requested and MAY already be possible with scripting). This selection
process needs to be able to be hotkeyed (so a tool).

(Note: since I first started thinking about it Wes has noted this IS possible and he's working on this. I'd like Mike to make it easier, though -- either with a custom tool or with LUA access to make it more straightforward).

2) The ability to turn a layer's showing in the layer palette off by
unchecking it. I've decided I want this checkmark visible in the
palette itself. And then we have palette menu options one of which says
"Show all layers" and "Show only checked layers". We also need a "Check all layers" option to reset all.

3) The ability to save and load Palette views.

Now, if we use our select tool and select a layer it will by default
always select the topmost layer *that isn't hidden in the palette*. So
in the above layers, by clicking we can select either one of the
character top layers or the background and use the size, move and rotate
layer tools (changing via hotkey to the "layer select tool" as needed).

But if we hide the top level character layer, we end up with a palette
like this:

__Character 1 Bones
____Character 1 Vector Layer
__Character 2 Bones
____Character 2 Vector Layer
Background

Now when we select our layer in the workspace the bones become visible
by default and we can then rotate, transform and size them using the
appropriate tools. So we can easily move among our characters in this
manner without having to otherwise concern ourselves with the layer palette.

And, yes, we can hide the bones layer as well, and end up with:

____Character 1 Vector Layer
____Character 2 Vector Layer
Background

so our selection process in the workspace allows us to work with the
character vectors right in the workspace, moving and transforming
vertices and changing which character we work on with a tool shortcut
press. And, of course, we want to save our various views of the palette
(and be able to load them back in) so we can work any way we'd like at a
time.

Even more customizing is possible, so that you can select the bone layer from one character and a switch layer from another, for example. In short, it should be possible to customize nearly any rig or workflow you want and still allow easy navigation among your characters without using the layer palette (other than to store your layer schemes and retrieve them).