Creating Multiple Versions with Layer Comps

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The new Layer Comps palette is used to create multiple versions of a layered document. Designers can use this feature to present multiple comprehensives, or comps, to a client. In a sense, it s similar to the History palette but is entirely layers based. Unlike the History palette it is saved along with the document when the file is closed. A layer comp is a snapshot of a state of the Layers palette and records the palette s characteristics including layer visibility, opacity, position in the stacking order, content, and any styles that might be applied to the layers . The advantage of using layer comps is that you can build a document and display multiple versions quickly and efficiently .

To create a layer comp, follow these steps:

Choose Window ’ Layer Comps to reveal the Layer Comps palette (see Figure 22.17).

Figure 22.17: The Layer Comps palette
Click the Create New Layer Comp icon at the bottom of the Layer Comps palette. The default comp will be based on the current state of layers in the Layers palette.
In the New Layer Comp dialog box, name the comp. You can also add descriptive comments and choose options to apply to the comp. Then click OK.

If you choose File ’ Scripts there are three Adobe supplied scripts to automatically save layer comps as PDF or WPG (web photo gallery) files.

Applying and Viewing Layer Comps

You must apply the layer comp to be able to see the comp in the image window.

In the Layer Comps palette, click the Apply Layer Comp icon next to a selected comp. You can apply the previous and next layer comp by clicking on the backward and forward arrows at the bottom of the palette.

You can cycle through all the layer comps by clicking the Next and Previous buttons at the bottom of the palette.

To cycle through a view of specific comps, highlight the comps in the Layer Comps palette by clicking them while pressing the /Ctrl key. Click the Next and Previous buttons at the bottom of the palette to cycle through only the highlighted comps.

Updating and Restoring Layer Comps

You can save changes to a layer comp by highlighting it in the Layer Comps palette and then clicking the Update Layer Comp icon. This revises the targeted layer comp to reflect the current document.

After you ve viewed how the changes affect your document, you can restore the document to its original state. Click the Apply Layer Comp icon next to the Last Document State, or with any layer comp selected, choose Restore Last Document State from the palette menu.

If you delete a layer, merge layers, or convert a layer to a Background, layer comps can no longer be fully restored. A caution icon appears to the right of the comp s name in the palette. You can ignore the warning, which might result in the loss of one or more layers, or you can update the comp. If you click the caution icon, an alert will appear (see Figure 22.18). Choose Clear to remove the alert icon and leave the remaining layers unchanged.

Figure 22.18: The Layer Comps alert

Deleting Layer Comps

To delete a layer comp, select the layer comp in the Layer Comps palette and either drag it to the trash icon, click the trash icon in the palette, or choose Delete Layer Comp from the palette menu.