Sharing Layers

If you want to duplicate a layer as a shared (connected) layer in your layer stack, you can use the Share Layer option from the context menu. This allows you to link the layers so that any changes made to the original layer are also produced on the shared layer. Unlike simply duplicating a layer, sharing a layer lets you make changes to multiple copies by changing only a single linked layer.

If you want to duplicate finished layers as shared layers in a new channel, you can select Share Layers As Channel from the context menu or Layers menu. As with the shared layer in a layer stack, any changes made to the original layers are also made to the shared layers in the new channel.

If you want to make changes to the original layers and don’t want them to be copied over to a shared layer, you can select Unshare Layer from the context menu to stop sharing the layer, before continuing your work.

To share a layer in the same layer stack:

• with the layer selected, from the Layers menu, select Sharing > Share Layer, or

• right-click on the layer and select Sharing > Share Layer from the dropdown menu.

A new channel appears in the channels list. Selecting the channel displays the shared layer in the layer stack.

To share a layer in a different layer stack:

• use Sharing > Share Layer (as outlined above) to create a shared layer, and then drag that to the stack where you need it, or

• use modifier keys and dragging as outlined in Dragging Layers for Moving, Copying, and Sharing.

To share a layer, or layers, as a new channel:

• with the layer(s) selected, from the Layers menu, select Sharing > Share Layers As Channel, or

• right-click on the layer and select Sharing > Share Layers As Channel from the dropdown menu.

Note: For layers shared as new channels, you can make the new channel your current channel by selecting Sharing > Make Shared Channel Current from either of the menus above.

To unshare a layer:

• with the shared layer select, from the Layers menu, select Sharing > Unshare Layer, or

• right-click the shared layer and select Sharing > Unshare Layer from the dropdown menu.

Note: A shared layer is denoted by the link icon on the layer.

Tip: With the possibility of multiple shared layers, it can be difficult to keep track of them. Ensure that you rename any relevant layers or channels in order to limit confusion.

Video: Watch the Sharing Layers in Mari video to learn how to share layers between channels.
This video shows the workflow using Mari 3. Even though the Mari 4 workspace is different, the workflow remains the same. To have a look at the main UI differences, see Mari 3.3 vs 4.0.