Re: [Gimp-user] Layer Opacity Access Point(s) Madness

[yahvuu <yahvuu gmail com>]

Am 31.08.2013 12:21, schrieb Ofnuts:
> How would you identify a layer on the canvas? The topmost 
> non-transparent one (like the Move tool uses)?

that's a tough question. And where to set the opacity threshold when choosing from multiple layers
that contribute to the pixel under the cursor?

Things become worse with blend modes like multiply, when there is no way to determine which layer is
on top just by looking at the canvas. For example, a bottom black layer can appear as if it were on
top of a multiply-mode layer:
http://yahvuu.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/canvas-visible-order.png


On the solutions side, it has been suggested to tilt the canvas in 3D to make the layer stack
accessible:
http://gimp-brainstorm.blogspot.de/2008/06/3d-layers.html
This scheme works surprisingly well for analysing the hierarchical structure of HTML documents:
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Tools/3D_View#Controlling_the_3D_view

One might also think of digging into the layer stack analogous to digging into the earth which
reveals the stratigraphy of rock layers.


just brainstorming,
peter