Layers & Groups

Every object you draw in Molkit lives on its own layer: each connected molecule is one layer, and each annotation (arrow, text, shape, image, and so on) is one layer. Layers stack from bottom to top, and the stack order is the render order, so a layer higher in the stack draws on top of everything below it. The Layers panel shows the stack, lets you reorder it, and gives you a reliable way to find and select objects on a crowded canvas. Groups bundle several layers into a unit that moves and selects together.

The Layers panel

Press F7 or choose View > Layers Panel to toggle the panel. It docks on the right side of the canvas and remembers its open and collapsed state between sessions.

Order buttons

Four buttons sit at the top of the panel and act on the selected layer:

Button	Shortcut	Effect
Bring to Front	`Ctrl+Shift+]`	Move to the top of the stack
Bring Forward	`Ctrl+]`	Move up one step
Send Backward	`Ctrl+[`	Move down one step
Send to Back	`Ctrl+Shift+[`	Move to the bottom of the stack

The shortcuts work even when the panel is closed, as long as a single layer is selected. Buttons gray out when the selection is already at the relevant boundary.

The list

The list shows layers top-first: the first row is the frontmost object. Molecules appear as “Molecule (N atoms)” with a hexagon icon; annotations get a type icon and a generated name such as “Reaction Arrow” or a short text preview like Text: "Mechanism step 1". Names are generated from the object’s content and are not editable.

Row gestures:

Click a row to select that object on the canvas (this replaces the current selection and switches to the Select tool).
Hover a row to highlight the matching object on the canvas. This is the fastest way to locate an item when several objects overlap: run the pointer down the list and watch the canvas light up.
Drag a row up or down to reorder it. Drops are restricted to the same parent, so you can reorder layers at the top level or reorder members inside one group, but you cannot drag an item into or out of a group this way.

Canvas badges

While the panel is open and expanded, every layer gets a small numbered badge at its top-left corner on the canvas. Numbers match the list order, and groups get their own G1, G2 badges sitting above their members’ badges. Click a badge to select that layer; Shift+click a badge to add it to the current selection. Badges scale with zoom so they stay readable at any magnification.

Groups

Select two or more objects and press Ctrl+G to group them; press Ctrl+Shift+G to ungroup. Groups can nest: grouping a selection that already contains a group folds that group in as a single member.

Once grouped, clicking any member with the Select tool selects the whole group, so the bundle moves, copies, and deletes as one unit.

Entering a group

To edit one member without ungrouping, double-click it. This enters the group and selects just that item; you can then move it, restyle it, or select other members individually. Press Esc to exit the group, which re-selects the whole group. While you are inside a group, the group’s row in the Layers panel is marked so you can see where you are.

Groups in the list

A group appears in the list as a folder row named “Group N (M items)” with a disclosure triangle. Click the triangle to expand or collapse the member rows, which display indented beneath it. Clicking the group row selects the entire group; hovering it highlights every member on the canvas. Members drag-reorder within the group the same way top-level layers do.

Shortcut recap

Shortcut	Action
`F7`	Toggle Layers panel
`Ctrl+]`	Bring forward
`Ctrl+[`	Send backward
`Ctrl+Shift+]`	Bring to front
`Ctrl+Shift+[`	Send to back
`Ctrl+G`	Group selection
`Ctrl+Shift+G`	Ungroup
`Esc`	Exit entered group