Layer Functions

A list of functions for adding, editing, removing, exporting, or importing layers and layer stacks can be found in the table below.

Function	How to access it	What it does	Opens this dialog box	Notes
Add new layer	• Menubar \| Layers > Add New Layer • Right-click \| in Layers Palette > Add New Layer • Button \| Layers Palette >	Adds a new layer to the layer stack.
Add adjustment layer	• Menubar \| Layers > Add Adjustment Layer • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Add Layer Adjustment • Button \| Layers Palette > • Keyboard \| Tab	Adds the selected filter as an Adjustment layer to the layer stack.		If adding adjustments by pressing Tab, type in the name of the adjustment you want to add, for example, Contrast.
Add procedural layer	• Menubar \| Layers > Add Procedural Layer • Right-click \| in Layers Palette > Add Procedural Layer • Button \| Layers Palette > • Keyboard \| Tab	Adds the selected Basic, Projection, Lighting,Geometry, or Procedural layer to the layer stack.		If adding procedurals by pressing Tab, type in the name of the procedural you want to add, for example, Cloud.
Cut layer or layer mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Cut • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Cut • Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Cut • Right-click \| layer mask in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Cut • Keyboard \| Ctrl/Cmd+X	Cuts the layer from the layers list to allow you to paste it elsewhere in the project or temporarily remove it.		Using the Ctrl/Cmd+X shortcut cuts the whole layer. You cannot cut only the layer mask.
Copy layer or layer mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Copy • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Copy • Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Copy • Right-click \| layer mask in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Copy • Keyboard \| Ctrl/Cmd+C or Alt+drag	Copies the layer from the layers list to allow you to paste it elsewhere in the project.		Using the Ctrl/Cmd+C shortcut copies the whole layer. You cannot copy only the layer mask.
Paste layer or layer mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Paste • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Paste • Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Paste • Right-click \| layer mask in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Paste • Keyboard \| Ctrl/Cmd+V	Pastes a cut or copied layer into the selected location in the project’s Layers Palette. Layers can be paste as a copy in the layer list, or as a new layer in a mask stack or adjustment stack.
Duplicate layer	• Button \| Layers Palette >	Creates an exact copy of the selected layer.		’Copy’ is added to the layer name to denote which layer is the duplicate.
Remove layers	• Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Remove Layers • Button \| Layers Palette >	Removes the selected layer from the current project.
Merge layers	• Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Merge Layers	Merges two or more layers together into a single new layer.		Any masks or layer groups contained in the selection are also merged into the layer and are no longer displayed as masks or groups.
Layer transfer	• Menubar \| Layers > Transfer • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Transfer	Transfers layers from one object or version to another.	Layer Transfer Dialog
Add empty layer group	• Right-click \| in Layers Palette > Add Layer Group • Button \| Layers Palette >	Adds an empty layer group, which allows you to add layers, masks, adjustments or procedurals within a single layer group.		These layer groups can be flattened to create a single layer.
Group layers	• Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Group Layers • Menubar \| Layers > Group Layers • Ctrl+G	Gathers multiple selected layers together under a single group.		Selected layers are located under a parent layer, which is given a ‘group’ name.
Ungroup layers	• Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Ungroup Layers • Menubar \| Layers > Ungroup Layers • Ctrl+U	Deletes the group of layers and re-arranges the layers while respecting their hierarchy.		You can ungroup multiple layer groups at once.
Flatten layer group	• Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Flatten Layer Group	Reduces multiple layers into a single layer, where all the textures are still present.
Add mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Add Mask • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Add Layer Mask • Button \| Layers Palette >	Adds a layer mask to the selected layer. Select Reveal All, Hide All, or to create From Alpha.
Bake mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Bake Mask • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Bake Mask	Bakes the mask into the layer, essentially flattening it.
Resize Mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Resize Mask • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Resize Mask	Resizes the mask to a size listed in the Resize Mask dropdown menu.
Remove mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Remove Mask • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Remove Mask	Remove the mask from the layer.
Make mask stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Make Mask Stack • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Make Mask Stack • Button \| Layers Palette >	Creates a mask layer stack from a single mask on a layer. Requires the selected layer to have a mask, unless you are adding the mask stack using the Add Mask Stack button in the Layers palette.		Clicking the mask stack icon opens an undocked mask stack palette.
Flatten mask stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Make Mask Stack • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Flatten Mask Stack	Reduces the masks in a mask stack back into a single mask on the layer.
Enable mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Enable Mask • Right-click \| in Layers Palette > Layer Mask > Enable Mask	Enables the mask to be viewed on the model.
Disable mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Disable Mask • Right-click \| in Layers Palette > Layers Mask > Disable Mask	Disables the mask from being viewed on the model. Disabling the mask only temporarily removes it from view.		To remove the mask entirely, simply Remove Mask in the same menu.
Convert Mask	• Menubar \| Layers > Layer Mask > Convert Mask • Right-click \| in Layers Palette > Layers Mask > Convert Mask	Converts the mask's texel format to either 8bit (Byte), 16bit (Half), or 32bit (Float). This works much the same way as converting a channel's texel format.
Add secondary adjustment	• Menubar \| Layers > Secondary Adjustment > Add Secondary Adjustment • Right-click \| adjustment layer in Layers Palette > Secondary Adjustment	Allows you to add another type of adjustment to the selected adjustment layer.		This only applies to adjustment layers. The option appears grayed out if the selected layer isn’t an adjustment.
Remove secondary adjustment	• Menubar \| Layers > Secondary Adjustment > Remove Secondary Adjustment • Right-click \| adjustment layer in Layers Palette > Remove Secondary Adjustment	Removes any secondary adjustment that has been applied to the selected adjustment layer.		This only applies to adjustment layers. The option appears grayed out if the selected layer isn’t an adjustment.
Add adjustment stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Adjustment Stack > Add Adjustment Stack • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Adjustment Stack > Add Adjustment Stack • Button \| Layers Palette >	Adds an adjustment stack to the selected layer. Add an adjustment layer from the menu of Filter adjustment layers.		This only applies to layers other than adjustment layers.
Bake adjustment stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Adjustment Stack > Bake Adjustment Stack • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Adjustment Stack > Bake Adjustment Stack	Bakes an adjustment stack down, essentially flattening the stack into a single adjustment layer.
Remove adjustment stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Adjustment Stack > Remove Adjustment Stack • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Adjustment Stack > Remove Adjustment Stack	Removes any adjustment stack that has been applied to the selected layer.		This only applies to layers other than adjustment layers.
Enable adjustment stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Adjustment Stack > Enable Adjustment Stack • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Adjustment Stack > Enable Adjustment Stack	If an adjustment stack has been disabled, this option re-enables the adjustment stack.		This only applies to adjustment stacks that have been disabled. If a layer does not have an adjustment stack, or if the stack is already enabled, the option appears grayed out.
Disable adjustment stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Adjustment Stack > Disable Adjustment Stack • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Adjustment Stack > Disable Adjustment Stack	Disables an adjustment stack to show the paint layer result as it is without the stack. Useful for comparing the model with and without the adjustment stack.		This only applies to adjustment stacks that have been added to a layer. If a layer does not have an adjustment stack, the option appears grayed out.
Convert to paintable	• Menubar \| Layers > Convert to Paintable • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Convert to Paintable	Converts non-paintable standard layers to paintable Paint layers. Converts non-paintable multi-channel layers to a set of paintable layers across streams.		Once converted to paintable layers, the layers display the color palette icon.
Share Layer	• Menubar \| Layers > Sharing > Share Layer • Right-click \| layers in Layers Palette > Sharing > Share Layer • Shift+drag layer	Creates a shared layer in the layer stack.
Unshare layer	• Menubar \| Layers > Sharing > Unshare Layer • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Sharing > Unshare Layer	Undoes the shared state of the shared (created) layer and the original layer.		If sharing a layer as a channel, unsharing the layer to remove the shared state doesn’t remove the channel from the Channels Palette. This needs to be done manually.
Share Layers As Channel	• Menubar \| Layers > Sharing > Share Layers As Channel • Right-click \| layers in Layers Palette > Sharing > Share Layers As Channel	Copies the selected layers into the Channels Palette as a new Channel. Clicking on the channel icon opens a new palette with the shared layer already listed.
Make shared channel current	• Menubar \| Layers > Sharing > Make Shared Channel Current • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Sharing > Make Shared Channel Current	Makes the shared channel the current channel in the Current Channel option of the Default Shaders tool of the Project Controls toolbar.
Cache layer(s)	• Menubar \| Layers > Cache Layers • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Cache Layers	Bakes the layer to speed up layer performance. Caching a layer caches it to the hard-disk.		Warning: Changing colorspace settings of a channel removes any cache from all layers of that channel. Note: Cache Layers and Cache Up To Here both cache material layers across all siblings channels. See Managing Materials in Mari for more information on materials.
Cache up to here	• Menubar \| Layers > Cache Up To Here • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Cache Up To Here	Caches up to the current selected layer in the layer stack.
Uncache layer(s)	• Menubar \| Layers > Uncache Layers • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Uncache Layers	Release the cached files and unlocks the layer stack, allowing it to be edited again.
Uncache layer up to here	• Menubar \| Layers > Uncache Up To Here • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Uncache Up To Here	Releases the cached files and unlocks the layer stack up to the selected layer, allowing those layers to be edited again.
Export selected layers	• Menubar \| Layers > Export > Export Selected Layers • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Export > Export Selected Layers	Exports the selected layer to an external source.	Export Dialog
Export all layers	• Menubar \| Layers > Export > Export All Layers • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Export > Export All Layers	Exports all the layers in the layer stack to an external source.	Export Dialog
Export selected masks	• Menubar \| Layers > Export > Export Selected Masks • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette or shader in Shader Layers tab > Export > Export Selected Masks	Exports the mask of the selected layer(s) or layered shader(s).	Export Dialog	The masks for layers and layered shaders behave in the same way as they are in effect the same entity.
Export all masks	• Menubar \| Layers > Export > Export All Masks • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette or shader in Shader Layers tab > Export > Export All Masks	Exports all the masks in a layer stack, in either the Layers Palette or the Shader Layers tab of the Shaders Palette.	Export Dialog
Export selected layers flattened	• Menubar \| Layers > Export Flattened > Export Selected layers Flattened • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Export > Export Selected Layers Flattened	Exports the selected layer or layers flattened into a single file to an external source.	Export Dialog
Export all layers flattened	• Menubar \| Layers > Export Flattened > Export All Layers Flattened • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Export > Export All Layers Flattened	Exports all the layers in the layer stack flattened into a single file to an external source.	Export Dialog
Export selected masks flattened	• Menubar \| Layers > Export Flattened > Export Selected asks Flattened • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette or shader in Shader Layers tab > Export > Export Selected Masks Flattened	Exports the mask of the selected layer(s) or layered shader(s) flattened into a single file to an external source.	Export Dialog	The masks for layers and layered shaders behave in the same way as they are in effect the same entity.
Export all masks flattened	• Menubar \| Layers > Export Flattened > Export All Masks Flattened • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette or shader in Shader Layers tab > Export > Export All Masks Flattened	Exports all the masks in a layer stack, in either the Layers Palette or the Shader Layers tab of the Shaders Palette, flattened into a single file to an external source.	Export Dialog
Import into layer	• Menubar \| Layers > Import > Import into Current Layer • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Import > Import into Current Layer	Selects a file with paint or mask data to be imported into the selected layer.	Import Dialog
Import into layer stack	• Menubar \| Layers > Import into New Layer • Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Import > Import into New Layer	Selects a file with paint or mask data to be imported into the current layer stack.	Import Dialog
Inspect layer properties	• Right-click \| layer in Layers Palette > Layer Properties	Opens a separate window to display the properties of the selected layer.
Refresh layer view	• Right-click \| in Layers Palette > Refresh Layer View	Refreshes the entire layer stack.