Interesting research Yu, but I still think that whe should rename
encapsulate to group.
Here's my point:
-Layers are meant to organize the visual ordering of the composition (which
object is above or below the other…compositing) (Ok, compared to other
softwares, our layers here are limited to 1 object/layer, but I think it
has more to do with how one must conceive his drawing than with the
question here. Basically Layers are still composited the same way)
-Encapsulate/group are meant to bundle some layers together so that they
get grouped together; all the compositing attributes inside it (blend
modes, alpha, fxs) affect only the current group, and you can transfrom
them all together too… Then the whole content result is composited using
the "master" group blending mode (I say master group because I often have
several levels of groups :P ).
In more simple words: it makes a bundle of layers that is then treated as a
single layer in the layer stack compositing; in this definition it's
exactly as in other softwares which have a layer group feature.
-Goup/Set are meant to toggle visibility of different elements spread
accross the layer stack. It is a feature quite specific to synfig (although
as you mentionned, the "ungroup layer" from toon boom seems to have similar
usecase, but with a completly different workflow) so it deserves a specific
term.
"A typical Synfig document (sif, sifz) is consist of a root canvas and
sub-canvases(inline & exported). And those sub-canvases are existing as
Encapsulate layers currently."
This is more a technical point that doesn't need to be directly exposed to
the user. This is quite logical that if I import an element from another
file, it will be contained in a separate independant group.
The fact that 1 layer=1object is specific in Synfig design, but actually in
many worflows on other softwares produce the same result (I think of people
I know doing color work with photoshop, and they separate each object on
separate layers, to shade them easier/faster… so they end with
1object/layer exactly like in a synfig file ;) ). So this synfig design is
more a "restriction" of layer usage than a really different thing. It's
still a layer, containing some color pixels (produced by vector shapes or
FXs…), composited on top of other layers. In the basics it's still the same
thing. And this restriction is good in a way because it force the user to
separate his drawing in different elements, that can be animated
independantly easier then.
So now it's up to everyone here to say what they think is best.
I already told my preferences, I think I won't change again my choice now.
We'll see what comes out when everyone has answered :)
Tim
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