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A layer is an object or group of objects that occupy a particular plane. Layers are often used in graphical editors to create composite images that contain overlapping objects. In BarTender, layers may contain one or more text objects, images, barcodes, shapes, and/or lines to be included on the same plane. Even if the objects on two layers do not directly overlap, each layer will occupy a different plane.

In BarTender, layers are managed primarily through the Layers pane of the Toolbox. This pane is used to create, edit, and maintain layers. Layers are grouped in order of priority and printer type, so that all layers that use the same print method will be grouped together. Layers can be rearranged by using the Toolbox buttons or the drag-and-drop method.

Layers can be given distinctive on-screen appearances to enable you to easily distinguish between them. For example, you can set one layer to display in a single color while another layer has reduced transparency. In addition to on-screen changes, you can also configure individual layers to print using different print heads. For more information on configuring a layer, see the Layer Properties dialog.

Layers may also be locked to prevent accidental changes to them. Common use cases for locking layers include pre-printed layers that represent graphics that are already printed on the page or layers that represent static parts of the template. By locking a layer, you ensure that it is not accidentally moved or re-sized on the template. For information on how to password-protect layers, see Layer Security.

In This Section

• Using the Layers Toolbar

  How to use the Layers toolbar to create new layers and manage the order of existing layers.

• Layer Properties Dialog

  How to use the Layer Properties dialog to control the display and print properties for each layer in your document.

• Arranging Layers on a Template

  How to arrange layers on your template to best suit your needs. Multiple layers are useful in situations where objects in one layer overlap with objects in another layer.

• Layer Object Management

  How to use the Arrange menu and the Properties dialog to move objects between layers.

• Layer Security

  How to lock layers in place, password protect layers, and limit modification of a template to a specific area.