Feature Request: Implement a Modern and Usable Layer Handling

[Amyoqzy]

Working on a complex PCB is sometimes really unnerving because the lack of help with the layer visibility/lock handling. I will explain the reasons for this feature request in the second part of this post. First the request itself:

a) Permanent visible/docket layer panel:

• Make a panel which can be permanently visible (docked in the window) with the list of all layers.
• Add a keyboard shortcut to show/hide this panel.
• Each layer should have a "eye" icon to toggle the visibility of the layer (like the current behaviour clicking on the number).
• Each layer should have a "lock" icon to lock the whole layer from any edit or select operation.
• A click on the "eye" icon in this panel should toggle the visibility immediately. No second click should be necessary.
• A click on the "lock" icon should toggle the lock status for this layer.
• Double clicking the "eye" icon will only show the clicked layer, hide all other layers.
• Double clicking the "eye" icon of another layer will switch the single visible layer.
• Double clicking on the current "single visible" layer should restore the previous state of all layers.
• Double clicking on a "lock" icon should lock all layers except the clicked one.
• Double clicking on the same "lock" icon should restore the previous state.
• This special "single" lock/view state should always be temporary, never permanently affect the layer state.

b) Locking

• Objects of a locked layer can not be edited or selected.
• If an object on a not locked layer is attached to objects on a locked layer, just the attached parts will move with the object.
  
  • If the copper layer is locked, but the origins layer is not locked and a package is selected for moving. Attached routes will keep attached to the package and move with it. But the routes can not be selected by them self.

c) Layer state presets.

• The layer dock should have a preset area on top or bottom.
• A given state of visible/locked layers can be stored as preset under a user defined name.
• Selecting a preset will restore the state for this preset.
• It should be possible to assign a keyboard shortcut to switch to a given preset.
• There should be one fixed preset "default" with a default preset of visible layers without any locked ones.
• There should be a preset called "last" which always restores the last selected preset/state.
• There should be a preset called "custom" which appears as soon the current layer state does not match any saved preset.
• Presets should be exportable/importable in a simple XML format.

The reasons for this feature request:

• Working on a PCB means working in many different areas. Sometimes I work just on the outline of a PCB and would like just to see these, but then easily switching back to the normal view to check if any package overlaps the outline.
• Using the text commands is very slow and slows down working at different areas of the board.
• Using macros for this simple functionality seems too complicated to me.
• Locking a whole layer will make selecting certain objects much simpler. Sometimes one would like to focus just to reposition packages on the top area of the board, but would like to keep the bottom layers in view to avoid certain overlaps.
• For detail work I often select just one layer.

[matt.berggren · Accepted solution]

This is in the cards!  We'll do a big refactor on the layers dialog without killing the ability to edit layers and layer stackups via scripts / command line.  Expect this sometime this year for sure.  🙂

Best regards,

Matt

[engineeringNCMXB]

Still waiting for this critical solution. 
On high layer count designs, I spend half my time trying to manage visible layers. It kills me. So clumsy and slow. 

The horrifying graphics make this worse. The transparency and mouse-hover-highlighting in Altium makes multi-layer work vastly more visually intuitive where I don't have to constantly hide/show layers. 

I just re-upped my subscription for Eagle/F360 for $800+ for the year. Hoping to see it all go into layer management and graphics engine for Eagle.