Saving layers is a helpful way of creating another copy of the active layers in a file. Several layers, images, or some of each can be saved in new files for use in other designs. This method of saving is also perfect for exporting ready-to-print layers to a haptic printer or engraving Mac®hine.

This can often be more useful than merging or splitting layers because the original file remains unchanged and a new file is created with the selected images or layers in it.

1. Activate the layers to be saved.
2. Go to the Layer Menu and choose Save Selected Layers.
3. Name the new file, select the required file format at the bottom of the window and click Save. The default format is .ava4 but others can also be selected.

Saving layers as separate documents

Several active layers can be saved into separate files in one go.

1. Activate the layers to be saved in the Layer Palette.
2. Go to the Layer Menu and choose Save Selected Layers Separately. A Finder window will open.
3. Name the new file, choose your desired file format, and click Save.
   
   

A number will be added to each file name, e.g. 1, 2, 3 etc., depending on the number of layers to be saved. For example, if the file is named Alfresco, the new layer files will be named Alfresco1, Alfresco2 and so on.

Loading layers

1. Open the design you want to load a layer into.
2. Go to the Layer Menu > Load Layers. A Finder Window will open.

Navigate to the file you wish to load into the active design and select Open. The layer will be loaded into your design as a new layer.

If you want to load the layer into an existing layer within your design, you will need to hold down the ⌥ (option key) when you go the to Layer menu. Doing this will change the option ‘Load Layers’ to ‘Load into existing Layers.’

Activate the layer in your design you wish to load the new information into.

1. Holding down ⌥ (option key) on the keyboard, go to the Layer Menu and select Load into Existing Layers.
2. The new layer will load into the active layer, replacing its original content with the information in the loaded layer.

Merging layers with different resolutions

Loading and merging layers with different resolutions can result in some distortion of the layers you load. Because of this we would always recommend that your layers are the same resolution as the file you are loading them into.

If you do load layers which contain a different resolution to the destination image, a notification will appear warning you about the potential problem.

If you have your Notifications set to Mac®OS in AVA’s General Settings , the message will appear in the top right hand side of your screen;

If you have the General Settings set to show notifications in AVA, the message will appear somewhere on your screen and will look like this;