[Bf-funboard] freezing layers...

[Daniel Fairhead]

> >> Is it possible to "freeze" objects in Blender yet? So that they're still
> >> visible but no interaction in any way is possible? This would be very
> >> useful if it could be applied to layers, like a third layer-state
> >> besides visible and invisible.
> >
> > Yes. That would be very useful. Currently, I don't think it is possible
> > (I could be wrong), although you can do something a bit similar with
> > linked scenes (background? set? something like that in the render buttons)
> 
> And doesn't that give you even more flexibility than layer states?

I don't think so. I just went and had a play with it now. It's called set, and is
used from the little dropdown menu hidden in the Output panel of renderbuttons.
All it allows is you to set another scene (something many users don't even know
about, and I use about once a year...) as an immovable, unselectable backdrop.

A "immovable" toggle on the layerbuts (or something that allowed that property)
would be very useful, for instance in building a house, you could make all the walls
and such, stick them on layer 1, and then "lock" it. Then you could reposition stuff
as before, but without moving the walls. You could even select the walls and use them
as alignment points, rotation axis, etc.

Unfortunately... thinking about this idea gives rise to others. For instance, how about
a "Unselectable" toggle too? So you cannot even select those objects. Very useful
when working on a scene with lights, floors, walls, etc, and you want to select just one
tiny light-switch on a wall, without selecting anything else. A feature like that would save
me much time.

And how about a drawtype toggle per layer? You could set all objects on a layer to
draw only in wireframe mode. Or in bounding-boxes, or whatever, so that while working
on small details on layer 13, all objects on layer 4 (rooves and ceilings) are drawn only
as outlines, without blocking the view from outside?

Many ideas, huh? All are possible, but are any practical? And what about that objects
arent just "on" one layer?

(sorry if I am confusing)

Dan