Did you know that when working with a PSD document in InDesign, you don’t have to go back to Photoshop to turn on/off layer visibility or layer comps? Beginning with CS2, InDesign allows you to control a PSD file’s layer or layer comp visibility within InDesign.
Layer Visibility
To access layer visibility in InDesign, first place the PSD document in InDesign (File, Place). With the PSD file selected in InDesign, go to Object, Object Layer Options. This will bring up the following dialog box:
Object Layer Options Dialog Window
As if you were in Photoshop, simply click on the “eye” beside each layer or layer group to turn that layer on/off. If you are using a file with a very large number of layers remember to be patient and give InDesign time to make the requested adjustments. When you change the visibility of layers in InDesign, you are not changing the PSD file at all. If will have the same layer visibility as it did when you last saved it.
One more important thing: There is an “Update Link Options” drop down menu at the bottom of the dialog window. Be sure that you select the option that you would like to use to eliminate setting the visibility over again. If you make changes in the Photoshop document and would like for the visibility of the layers to remain the same when the file is updated in InDesign, choose “Keep Layer Visibility Overrides.” If you would like for updating the PSD file in InDesign to cause the visibility of the layers in InDesign to revert back to the default visibility set in Photoshop, choose “Use Photoshop’s Layer Visibility.”
InDesign Visibility Override Options
Layer Comp Visibility
You can also access Layer Comps for PSD files in this same dialog window (see below). If you have set Layer Comps in Photoshop, simply choose the Layer Comp that you would like to be visible in InDesign. Need to know how to make a Layer Comp in Photoshop and why you would want to? Check back next week to find out.
Layer Comp Visibility Options in InDesign
Unfortunately, these option are not available when using TIFFs, only when placing PSD files. Questions? Let me know!
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