One of Scriptation’s most powerful features is Layers, which enables you to organize sets of annotations. Hide or show layers based on your current workflow, and share layers of notes with your team.

We’ll start by adding a Layer. From the Top Toolbar, select the Layers tool.

###### Add a Layer

Select + Add Layer at the bottom of the Layers side panel, then name it and press Save. In this example, we’re creating a set of annotations for the Art Department.

Coloring a Layer

Assign a color to this layer with the color picker (touch or click the circle to the left of the layer's name to show the color swatches):

###### Showing / Hiding

Toggle this layer’s visibility by touching or clicking the closed eye to toggle the layer to visible and the open eye to toggle the layer to hidden.

Active Layer

The Active Layer is the one that is currently editable. Even if a Layer is shown, it may not be the active layer. To make it the active layer, simply select its label. The Layers sidebar will be hidden and you'll be back at your script with the selected layer active.

Any annotations you make from this point will be in this layer, until you make a different layer the active layer.

You can always open the Layers tool to see which is the active layer, which is indicated by the pencil icon. If the Active Layer has been assigned a color, its label will be in that color as well:
The Active Layer is always visible.

Manage Your Layers

Touch or click the 3-dot menu at the upper right of the Layers sidebar for Layers actions and settings:


Edit – rename, delete, and reorder Layers:

To delete the layer, touch or click the red icon to the left of the Layer name, then touch or click the red Delete square to confirm the deletion.

To rename it, simply touch or click in the text field and the blinking cursor will appear, ready for you to edit. Touch or click the X to clear the box entirely.

To reorder the list, drag a Layer up or down with the drag handle (the three-line icon) on the right.

When you’re finished making your changes, touch or click OK to return to the main Layers sidebar.

Merge – combine two or more Layers if (for example) the Director’s Notes and the Art Department notes should now be seen by both.

To merge Layers, select the Layers to be merged and touch or click OK. Enter a name for this new Layer and choose Save. The two merged Layers won’t be there anymore but this new Layer (which contains both sets of annotations) will.
Duplicate – to duplicate a layer, select it and touch or click OK. The layer will be copied and a 2, 3, 4, etc. will be added to the name of each new copy.
Show All – shows all of the script’s Layers.
Hide All – hides all of the script's Layers except for the Active Layer.

Settings

Layer Settings – set the opacity of background layers, meaning all but the Active Layer.

Optimize Layers – reduces the file size for better application performance. Especially useful for scripts with many layers and many annotations.
###### Export

Export PDF – creates a PDF of the script with just the Layer(s) you’ve selected, then displays the standard iOS or macOS Share window, with options for AirDrop, email, cloud storage and other destinations.

Export SLF – exports a Scriptation Layer File that can be shared by AirDrop, email, cloud storage and other channels. When an SLF is imported into a script in Scriptation, a named set of annotations created elsewhere is integrated into the user's copy of a script.

These export utilities are used to send specific content to a specific person or team. For example, the director has created a set of notes and annotations for the art department and another set for the special effects unit. The art department doesn’t need to see the notes meant for the SFX people and vice versa, so the director exports the Art Department Layer and sends it to that team. They can import that Layer into their script in Scriptation and see what the director wants. The SFX team receives from the director the exported SFX Layer and now they have the director’s instruction in their Scriptation file.

What's Next

How to Share Layers with Export
How to Import Layers
Can I transfer multiple Layers at a time?

Updated on: 18/12/2024