# New ETO Layer Panel

**URL:** <https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711>\
**Category:** Serengeti (Rhino BETA)\
**Tags:** windows\
**Created:** [May 18, 2022, 8:37am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711 "2022-05-18T08:37:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 12\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Eugen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/eugen/32/656992_2.png) [@Eugen](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Eugen)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 8:37am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/1 "2022-05-18T08:37:30Z")

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Hello!  
Cool that the rewritten layer panel is ‘online’ in R8 WIP! First impressions:

- Moving these column separators left and right is glitchy. Some ‘hangs’ occur every now and then.  
 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/1/1/5/11596fd2719debc001ff1b59001bb51a2e64fc11.png)

- Please don’t forget all the sub-panels, and make them fit for dark mode!  

- It can happen that the layer panel (when undocked) gets behind the main application window.  
Repro: undock the panel, click on another open application (the browser in my case). Panel disappears. A click on the rhino window will bring it back.

- The filter functions are obviously not finished yet. When you do, please don’t forget to put the [search input field](https://mcneel.myjetbrains.com/youtrack/issue/RH-56866) into the panel’s toolbar directly.

- Are you going to support moving layers up/down by drag&drop WITHOUT making them sub-layers? So these stupid little arrows up there can finally go away.  
 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/6/d/4/6d4e2b54e5433d938e0607b1067fd479f0629fe6.png)  
The way the Layouts panel works is a good example. The list items can just be moved up/down directly, and a separator line is displayed in doing do.

- It would be nice if it was possible to toggle/lock multiple layers at once by ‘swiping’ across the column. This is e.g. possible in Adobe Illustrator.

Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eugen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/eugen/32/656992_2.png) [@Eugen](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Eugen)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 10:17am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/2 "2022-05-18T10:17:22Z")

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![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/1/5/4/1543e0a081a57b0c88b608677e462ce3d3cdfdf0.png)

You moved “Change Object Layer” up in the menu! Thumbs up!  
(please don’t move it back down again)

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**Author:** ![RedAlert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/redalert/32/664553_2.png) [@RedAlert](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/RedAlert)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 10:36am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/3 "2022-05-18T10:36:11Z")

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Hi

- The flashlight and lock icon must be updated

- Choose the second color for the current layer

 ![Untitled-1](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/4/a/3/4a363621da1d0fad10be8e3cf2bc2f157b28aa08.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eugen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/eugen/32/656992_2.png) [@Eugen](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Eugen)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 10:47am UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/4 "2022-05-18T10:47:55Z")

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… and yes: Please add an option to select the content of a layer by simply ALT-clicking on it!  
(ALT would be possible because it is unused here)

Of course, if more layers are selected in the panel, all objects on all these layers should be selected this way.

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**Author:** ![rudolf.neumerkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/rudolf.neumerkel/32/498802_2.png) [@rudolf.neumerkel](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/rudolf.neumerkel)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 2:48pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/5 "2022-05-18T14:48:19Z")

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> [@Eugen](#):
>
> Are you going to support moving layers up/down by drag&drop WITHOUT making them sub-layers? So these stupid little arrows up there can finally go away.

The way it was implemented on Mac worked perfectly IMO. With those arrows it is now much more cumbersome? Can we have that functionality - as shown in the video - back? And maybe also make it available for the Windows version.

Cheers

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**Author:** ![dale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/dale/32/685184_2.png) [@dale](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/dale)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 3:58pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/6 "2022-05-18T15:58:36Z")

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> [@rudolf.neumerkel](#):
>
> The way it was implemented on Mac worked perfectly IMO

We’ll get there eventually. The initial goal was to make what Windows provided cross-platform. Once we’re happy we’ve done this, we’ll make additional tune up to (hopefully) make everyone happy.

– Dale

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**Author:** ![dale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/dale/32/685184_2.png) [@dale](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/dale)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2022, 4:59pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/7 "2022-05-18T16:59:26Z")

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> [@Eugen](#):
>
> It would be nice if it was possible to toggle/lock multiple layers at once by ‘swiping’ across the column.

Try this:

1.) Select a layer  
2.) Hold your Shift key down and click in the `Lock` column of another layer.

This works in versions of Windows prior to the WIP (too).

– Dale

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Czaja](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/czaja/32/472252_2.png) [@Czaja](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Czaja)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 5:38pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/8 "2023-06-03T17:38:11Z")

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Please add an option to stretch the Layer column names bar vertically so it will display column names in the multiline fashion. Right now there is a conflict between compact icons and very long horizontal column names, I can hide the names, but it hurts readability - there is a lot to be confused between Detail, Layout, and Model column settings.

Another idea is to let users color-code these columns so all Model columns could have different backgrounds than Detail and Layout. This idea might conflict with another I saw once - color coding Layer rows - I think this might be more useful.

So maybe Layers Columns should have grayscale-semitransparent color coding which would multiply underneath colors (because there are not that many column groups one would need) and then Layer rows could have colors…

_Column names are sometimes very long and they don’t play nice with compact data underneath_

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/e/2/b/e2bf1e38c559d07fa7394791368e3d3fa6a45cde.png)

EDIT: So now when I started thinking about it, I would add filters to the Layers Panel that would only show selected color-coded Layer rows. - This might be very useful.

And one could have multiple Layers Panels open at the same time with different filters active (something like that is in Unreal Engine and is very useful).

_and wishes goes on and on…_

* * *

Please make all Panel settings independent from each other. I thought it is that way and I purposefully created a separate Container and button that toggles the full-sized Layers Panel. Unfortunately, after reopening Rhino I noticed that changes made to one Layers Panel are propagated to another.

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/7/0/1/701eb57a056459a4309917f84f66606f528f05ea.jpeg)

_Unreal Engine Outliners - all customized independently_

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/6/d/9/6d9abafe7b4f4090d5e2eaa2867c4c8880b9042f.jpeg)

I know that currently in Rhino active Layer is highlighted in the Layers Panel, so there might be a situation where the active Layer would be filtered out in different Layers Panel. To avoid that I think some kind of indication of an active Layer could be added to the Layers Panel and it should always be visible. Right now it is shown at the bottom bar of Rhino, but I don’t know if this is sufficient for everybody.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eugen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/eugen/32/656992_2.png) [@Eugen](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Eugen)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 6:24pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/9 "2023-06-03T18:24:48Z")

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> [@Czaja](#):
>
> Column names are sometimes very long and they don’t play nice with compact data underneath

Agreed! Good idea to make the column headers multi-line!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Eugen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/eugen/32/656992_2.png) [@Eugen](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Eugen)\
**Post date:** [June 3, 2023, 7:16pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/10 "2023-06-03T19:16:52Z")

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> [@dale](#):
>
> 1.) Select a layer  
> 2.) Hold your Shift key down and click in the `Lock` column of another layer.

Very late answer, sorry!  
Ok, what you say is simple enough. Let’s leave it at that.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Czaja](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/czaja/32/472252_2.png) [@Czaja](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Czaja)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2023, 2:38pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/11 "2023-11-04T14:38:34Z")

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Since we are no longer in Beta, and my last post might went unnoticed I’m pointing out this issue again.

Changes to column sizes in one Layer Panel are copied to another Layer Panel after reopening Rhino.  
It’s a major inconvenience if you try to have something like me, one compact Layer Panel docked on the side and another, full-sized one that you can toggle on/off to have everything about the layers displayed at once.

_Before closing Rhino_

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/f/d/2/fd20f7f8327bdbbba41deb059c680b2e67de6eed.jpeg)

_After reopening - right Layers Panel took the column widths from the left one_

 ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/1/f/a/1fa5fa42d8af787733a3e42adf291b6cab42593f.jpeg)

BTW.  
A small wish/idea. Similar to what we can do in Excel spreadsheets (freeze panes"), maybe it would be handy to have the ability to stick in place some columns (or at least layer name column) so they wil

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Czaja](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/user_avatar/discourse.mcneel.com/czaja/32/472252_2.png) [@Czaja](https://discourse.mcneel.com/u/Czaja)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2024, 7:42pm UTC](https://discourse.mcneel.com/t/new-eto-layer-panel/142711/12 "2024-06-16T19:42:00Z")

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After a year it’s column widths are still broken. Can you please at least add it to the YouTrack system?

> **Screenshots**
>
> _Before closing Rhino_
> 
> ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/1/8/a/18a0c6a46d1020b5cd2fd4a8c0091ce78eef9362.png)
> 
> _After reopening Rhino - the right Layer panel copied column widths from the floating, full-size Layers panel. This is highly unwanted behavior, I would like to have compact columns in the docked Layers panel and wide, readable columns in another layers Panel that I can toggle on/off when in need of some extra space._
> 
> ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/2/8/1/281d77c6d4c6de90f6843f65bc8324b26caf3aec.png)

* * *

> [@Czaja](#):
>
> _Unreal Engine Outliners - all customized independently_
> 
> ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/mcneel/uploads/default/original/4X/6/d/9/6d9abafe7b4f4090d5e2eaa2867c4c8880b9042f.jpeg)
> 
> I know that currently in Rhino active Layer is highlighted in the Layers Panel, so there might be a situation where the active Layer would be filtered out in different Layers Panel. To avoid that I think some kind of indication of an active Layer could be added to the Layers Panel and it should always be visible. Right now it is shown at the bottom bar of Rhino, but I don’t know if this is sufficient for everybody.

This wish still stands. It would be very convenient to have because Rhino gives the ability to use Layers to categorize many things. I would like to have multiple separate Layers panels. If you extensively use Blocks, Layers may be used to steer the level of detail, categories (like in Revit), design options, etc. Having all this mixed together is not nice. I would like to have a separate filtered Layers Panel with only building elements categories and a different one to toggle through design options.