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In this video, we'll learn how to delete, lock and group layers in Sketch.
You can get more information on these and other shortcuts at the Bohemian Coding Features Page
Layer Basics
-
Select a layer by clicking on the name of the layer in the List, or by clicking on the layer in the Canvas
- Delete a layer by pressing backspace, or clicking Delete in the menu.
- Hide a layer by clicking the eye icon.
- Lock a layer by right-clicking and selecting “Lock Layer” from the menu.
- Group layers by selecting the layers you'd like to group and clicking "Group" in the menu.
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So I have my duplicated layer as well as
my original and the oval we drew before.
0:00
If I don't want the oval there just now, I
can delete the layer by pressing
0:05
Backspace or pressing Delete in the menu I
get from right-clicking it.
0:10
What if I want to use this later on?
0:15
So my best option here would be to hide
the layer.
0:17
A way to do this is to hover over the
right-hand side of the cell
0:20
in the Layer list, and click the eye icon
that appears.
0:25
Now it's hidden on the canvas, but
0:31
still visible on the Layer list in case we
need to make it visible again.
0:33
Any layers that are hidden will have
dimmed text, with this icon next to them.
0:38
Layers can also be locked.
0:44
A locked layer remains visible in the
canvas but
0:47
can only be selected via the Layer list.
0:50
You would lock a layer that you wouldn't
want to select when working with
0:54
lots of other layers.
0:57
For example, something that may sit in the
background.
0:58
To lock a layer, right-click and select
Lock Layer from the menu.
1:02
You may remember, when going through the
toolbar icons, the Group and
1:10
Un-group options.
1:14
This relates to organizing your layers.
1:16
Let me select these two rectangles here.
1:19
I can do this by clicking on a blank spot
on the canvas and
1:22
drawing a box around the layers I want to
select.
1:25
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1:28
Because one of my layers is locked,
1:33
I cannot select it on the canvas using
this method.
1:35
So we'll have to hold down the Cmd key and
click on its name in the list.
1:39
Now these are selected, I'll click Group.
1:45
You can see a folder has now appeared
containing these two layers.
1:50
If I move the selected folder around the
canvas,
1:55
anything inside will move with it, too.
1:58
Groups are really important, as they help
you organize your document.
2:03
It's not uncommon to see groups inside of
other groups,
2:07
depending on how the content is laid out.
2:10
Say you are designing a website.
2:14
You may want its header to be in a group
and
2:16
then icons in that header maybe in another
group.
2:18
Grouping items helps you find your way
around the documents
2:22
if the layer list is organized neatly.
2:25
With your layers inside a group, it can
still easily select them
2:29
by double-clicking, or by holding down Cmd
and clicking on the individual layer.
2:32
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2:37
If you have a moving laser around your
canvas already,
2:40
you may have noticed noticed some red
lines appear towards the edges or
2:43
middle of the layer when you bring it
close to another one.
2:46
[BLANK_AUDIO]
2:49
These are called Smart Guides and they
help you measure and align your layers.
2:53
Sketch will show you what layer your
object will snap to as well as how far
2:58
apart your layer is to another one by
pressing the Option key and
3:03
hovering over the layer with your cursor.
3:06
[BLANK_AUDIO]
3:09
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