Changing Visibility for Layers and Layer Comps

InDesign CS2 and Illustrator CS2 have exciting new capabilities to control the visibility of layers and layer comps in placed Photoshop PSD and PDF files. For example, a designer can place more than one version of the same Photoshop image into a layout, using layers and layer comps to control the visibility of image features. Or, a designer can create different language editions of an Illustrator graphic saved as a layered PDF file, and turn on the appropriate layers of the graphic once it's placed in an InDesign layout. With Illustrator CS2, you can choose a Photoshop layer comp as you place a PSD file. With InDesign CS2, you can control layer and layer-comp visibility for PSD and PDF layers at any time.

Controlling Layer Visibility in InDesign

InDesign CS2 lets you control the visibility of layers in placed Photoshop PSD files, select layer comps saved with the file and view any comments about the comps, and control which layers remain visible when the linked image is updated. These features are useful for creating different versions of the same file, such as for client reviews.

In InDesign CS2, placing a Photoshop PSD file that has layers or layer comps displays a new Layers panel in the Image Import Options dialog box (Figure 12-28). Here you can select layers to turn on or off by clicking the visibility icons in the Show Layers section. Use the Layer Comp menu to select layer comps that have been saved with the file and view any comments that have been saved with each comp. In this way, a designer could place the same image more than once into a publication, and show different visibilities with each iteration.

Figure 12-28. Placing a Photoshop PSD file with layers or layer comps in InDesign CS2 displays additional options for setting layer visibility.

In addition, choose which layers remain visible when the linked image is updated, using the When Updating Link option. To use the layer visibility of the updated Photoshop file to determine what appears in the layout, choose Use Photoshop's Layer Visibility. To keep the layer visibility that is already set in the layout (usually what you want), choose Keep Layer Visibility Overrides. If you choose this option, it's important that you consult with your print service provider before sending a file for output. Make sure that the provider doesn't flatten the Photoshop file, which would necessarily lock in a single visibility choice.

You can change the visibility of layers and layer comps in InDesign CS2 at any time by choosing Object Layer Options from the Object (or context) menu (Figure 12-29). These options match those in the Import Options dialog box.

Figure 12-29. Changing visibility of layers by choosing Object Layer Options.

You can also set the visibility of placed layered PDF files in InDesign CS2, and choose which layers to turn on and off (Figure 12-30).

Figure 12-30. Changing the visibility of PDF layers in InDesign CS2.

Controlling Layer Visibility in Illustrator

Illustrator CS2 lets you set only the visibility of Photoshop PSD files with layer comps, and these only when placing the file. Illustrator can't turn layers on or off. To change the visibility of layer comps once they're placed, you must place the file again.