Layers
From Scribus Documentation Project
You may know the concept of layers from drawing or image editing software. Layers are a powerful tool used to create complex documents. For instance, you can keep texts in another language on a separate layer and print versions in different languages from one file. Similarly, you might have different versions of images or graphics for different audiences. A single Scribus document can thus generate many different PDFs.
By default, a new document will have one layer, with the default name “Background”. As you add frames and other objects, these will each be at its own Level on this layer, so you may have many levels on one layer. For many documents, only one layer will be necessary, but for various reasons it my be desirable to add one or more layers.
Creating Layers
As frames and other objects are added to a layer, each object has its own level in relationship to others, above or below. As you see here, layers, containing one or more objects, also are above or below other layers. Just as an object's level can be changed in relationship to other levels, so can a layer's in relationship to other layers. Furthermore, an object can be moved from one Layer to another.
As described below, these different versions are created by using settings which tell Scribus which layers to use for printing directly from Scribus or creating the final PDF version.
The layers dialog can be opened via Windows > Layers or by pressing F6. It is clearly arranged, yet efficient:
- Create a new layer by clicking the left-most button at the bottom, with a “New Layer” naming scheme as above.
- Remove whatever layer is highlighted by clicking on the second button from the left.
- The arrow buttons move the highlighted layer up and down in the stack.
- Change the name of a layer in this dialog by double-clicking its name, then editing with the keyboard.
- The checkboxes under the “Eye” icon, printer icon and lock icon will show/hide, enable or disable printing, and lock (freeze) the layer, respectively.
When you leave the Layers dialog, the highlighted layer will be the one you can edit. You can only edit one layer at a time, except for moving an object to a different layer.
In the main window, the layer which is being edited can be changed with this widget at the bottom:
Moving Objects from One Layer to Another
Use Item > Send to Layer from the Menu Bar (for whatever Item is selected), or right-click the object you wish to move for the Context Menu > Send to Layer.
Hints
If you're working with layers, you should consider the following:
- To make sure that a layer will be exported to another format, it has to be printable.
- An invisible layer will be printed or exported to another format only if it it's printable.
- Text flow around objects will only work if the text that is supposed to flow, is on a layer above the objects.
- If you're deleting a layer with objects on it, you will be asked if the objects on it should be removed as well. If you negate, all objects on the deleted layer will be moved to the background layer.




