Layer
Layer
app.activeDocument.layers[index]
Description
A layer in an Illustrator document. Layers may contain nested layers, which are called sublayers in the user interface.
The layer object contains all of the page items in the specific layer as elements.
Your script can access page items as elements of either the Layer object or as elements of the Document object. When accessing page items as elements of a layer, only objects in that layer can be accessed. To access page items throughout the entire document, be sure to refer to them as contained by the document.
Properties
Layer.artworkKnockout
app.activeDocument.layers[index].artworkKnockout
Description
Is this object used to create a knockout, and if so, what kind of knockout. You cannot set this value to KnockoutState.Unknown.
Type
Layer.blendingMode
app.activeDocument.layers[index].blendingMode
Description
The mode used when compositing an object.
Type
Layer.color
app.activeDocument.layers[index].color
Description
The layer’s selection mark color.
Type
Layer.compoundPathItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].compoundPathItems
Description
The compound path items contained in this layer.
Type
CompoundPathItems; read-only.
Layer.dimPlacedImages
app.activeDocument.layers[index].dimPlacedImages
Description
If true, placed images should be rendered as dimmed in this layer.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.graphItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].graphItems
Description
The graph items contained in this layer.
Type
GraphItems; read-only.
Layer.groupItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].groupItems
Description
The group items contained in this layer.
Type
GroupItems; read-only.
Layer.hasSelectedArtwork
app.activeDocument.layers[index].hasSelectedArtwork
Description
If true, an object in this layer has been selected; set to false to deselect all objects in the layer.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.isIsolated
app.activeDocument.layers[index].isIsolated
Description
If true, this object is isolated.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.layers
app.activeDocument.layers[index].layers
Description
The layers contained in this layer.
Type
Layers; read-only.
Layer.legacyTextItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].legacyTextItems
Description
The legacy text items in this layer.
Type
LegacyTextItems; read-only.
Layer.locked
app.activeDocument.layers[index].locked
Description
If true, this layer is editable; set to false to lock the layer.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.meshItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].meshItems
Description
The mesh items contained in this layer.
Type
MeshItems; read-only.
Layer.name
app.activeDocument.layers[index].name
Description
The name of this layer.
Type
String.
Layer.nonNativeItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].nonNativeItems
Description
The non-native art items in this layer.
Type
Layer.opacity
app.activeDocument.layers[index].opacity
Description
The opacity of the layer.
Range: 0.0 to 100.0.
Type
Number (double).
Layer.pageItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].pageItems
Description
The page items (all art item classes) contained in this layer.
Type
Layer.parent
app.activeDocument.layers[index].parent
Description
The document or layer that contains this layer.
Type
Layer.pathItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].pathItems
Description
The path items contained in this layer.
Type
PathItems; read-only.
Layer.placedItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].placedItems
Description
The placed items contained in this layer.
Type
PlacedItems; read-only.
Layer.pluginItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].pluginItems
Description
The plug-in items contained in this layer.
Type
PluginItems; read-only.
Layer.preview
app.activeDocument.layers[index].preview
Description
If true, this layer should be displayed using preview mode.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.printable
app.activeDocument.layers[index].printable
Description
If true, this layer should be printed when printing the document.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.rasterItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].rasterItems
Description
The raster items contained in this layer.
Type
RasterItems; read-only.
Layer.sliced
app.activeDocument.layers[index].sliced
Description
If true, the layer item is sliced.
Default: false.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.symbolItems
app.activeDocument.layers[index].symbolItems
Description
The symbol items contained in the layer.
Type
SymbolItems; read-only.
Layer.textFrames
app.activeDocument.layers[index].textFrames
Description
The text art items contained in this layer.
Type
TextFrameItems; read-only.
Layer.typename
app.activeDocument.layers[index].typename
Description
The class name of the referenced object.
Type
String; read-only.
Layer.visible
app.activeDocument.layers[index].visible
Description
If true, this layer is visible.
Type
Boolean.
Layer.zOrderPosition
app.activeDocument.layers[index].zOrderPosition
Description
The position of this layer within the stacking order of layers in the document.
Type
Number (long); read-only.
Methods
Layer.move()
app.activeDocument.layers[index].move(relativeObject, insertionLocation)
Description
Moves the object.
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
relativeObject | Object | Object to move element within |
insertionLocation | ElementPlacement, optional | Location to move element to |
Returns
Layer.remove()
app.activeDocument.layers[index].remove()
Description
Deletes this object.
Returns
Nothing.
Layer.zOrder()
app.activeDocument.layers[index].zOrder(ZOrderCmd)
Description
Arranges the layer’s position in the stacking order of the containing layer or document (parent) of this object.
Parameters
| Parameter | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
zOrderCmd | ZOrderMethod | Stacking order arrangement method |
Returns
Nothing.
Example
Bringing a layer to the front
// Moves the bottom layer to become the topmost layer
if (documents.length > 0) { var countOfLayers = activeDocument.layers.length; if (countOfLayers > 1) { var bottomLayer = activeDocument.layers[countOfLayers - 1]; bottomLayer.zOrder(ZOrderMethod.BRINGTOFRONT); } else { alert("The active document only has only 1 layer"); }}