Layers

Layers

Overview

In PlateEditor, Areas and Concentrations can be tagged on different layers to facilitate the creation and reading of complexe layouts, involving combination of multiple components in the same well.
Additional layers can be added after a plate is created, using the Add layer button available in the Options group under the Layout panel (1).

There is no limit in the number of layers that can be created, but cases requiring more than 2 layers should be rare, and more than 3 very unlikely to happen.
Layers can be hidden or restored by clicking on their corresponding tab headers (2). A layer can also be deleted by clicking on the trash bin icon located next to its name, in the tab header (2). This will remove all the tags defined on this layer (for both areas and concentrations).

Export as jpg
Layers can be visualized as a fixed jpg image by clicking on the jpg button next to their names, in the tab panel (3). A separate window or web-browser tab will open with the generated jpg. Note that the highlighting for wells selected or in error/duplicate will persist in the output image.
Do not use the View Image control from the context menu available after left-clicking on the layer, as this will produce only a partial image.

View as table
Layers can also be visualized as an html table by clicking on the html button next to their names, in the tab panel (3).
A popup will show with the layer represented as an array. The area name and concentrations will be indicated in every wells. The table can be displayed in a separate window/ web-browser tab using the Printable Version button.

For layers containing ranges attached to a definition file, the resolved names can be displayed instead of the generic names by ticking the corresponding box at the top of the popup. See the [Ranges] and [Definitions] pages for more information about name resolution for ranges.

Export as .txt (tab-delimited)
A layer can be exported as a tab-delimited text file, in which the content of each well is defined on a single row, by clicking on the txt button next to their names in the tab panel (3). For layers containing ranges attached to a definition file, the resolved names will also be exported, together with the generic names, each on distinct columns. See the [Ranges] and [Definitions] pages for more information about name resolution for ranges. A form containing a link to download the file will open as soon as the range names are resolved for the selected plate.

Zoom
The size of the wells can be adjusted using the buttons located in the Zoom group of the Layout panel (4). The size of the fonts will follow, making the text more lisible at higher level of zoom.
The magnifying glass with the + sign will regenerate all the layers with bigger well dimensions, while the - sign will do the opposite. Seven levels of zoom are currently available.