% Copyright 2006 by Till Tantau
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\section{Layered Graphics}

\label{section-layers}

\begin{package}{pgfbaselayers}
  This package provides a commands and environments for composing a
  picture from multiple layers. The package is loaded automatically by
  |pgf|, but you can load it manually if you have only included
  |pgfcore|.   
\end{package}



\subsection{Overview}

\pgfname\ provides a layering mechanism for composing graphics from
multiple layers. (This mechanism is not be confused with the
conceptual ``software layers'' the \pgfname\ system is composed of.)
Layers are often used in graphic programs. The idea is that you can
draw on the different layers in any order. So you might start drawing
something on the ``background'' layer, then something on the
``foreground'' layer, then something on the ``middle'' layer, and then
something on the background layer once more, and so on. At the end, no
matter in which ordering you drew on the different layers, the layers
are ``stacked on top of each other'' in a fixed ordering to produce
the final picture. Thus, anything drawn on the middle layer would come
on top of everything of the background layer.

Normally, you do not need to use different layers since you will have
little trouble ``ordering'' your graphic commands in such a way that
layers are superfluous. However, in certain situations you only
``know'' what you should draw behind something else after the
``something else'' has been drawn.

For example, suppose you wish to draw a yellow background behind your
picture. The background should be as large as the bounding box of the
picture, plus a little border. If you know the size of the bounding box
of the picture at its beginning, this is easy to accomplish. However,
in general this is not the case and you need to create a
``background'' layer in addition to the standard ``main'' layer. Then,
at the end of the picture, when the bounding box has been established,
you can add a rectangle of the appropriate size to the picture.



\subsection{Declaring Layers}

In \pgfname\ layers are referenced using names. The standard layer,
which is a bit special in certain ways, is called |main|. If nothing
else is specified, all graphic commands are added to the |main|
layer. You can declare a new layer using the following command:

\begin{command}{\pgfdeclarelayer\marg{name}}
  This command declares a layer named \meta{name} for later
  use. Mainly, this will setup some internal bookkeeping.
\end{command}

The next step toward using a layer is to tell \pgfname\ which layers
will be part of the actual picture and which will be their
ordering. Thus, it is possible to have more layers declared than are
actually used.

\begin{command}{\pgfsetlayers\marg{layer list}}
  This command, which should be used \emph{outside} a |{pgfpicture}|
  environment, tells \pgfname\ which layers will be used in
  pictures. They are stacked on top of each other in the order
  given. The layer |main| should always be part of the list. Here is
  an example:
\begin{codeexample}[code only]
\pgfdeclarelayer{background}
\pgfdeclarelayer{foreground}  
\pgfsetlayers{background,main,foreground}
\end{codeexample}
\end{command}


\subsection{Using Layers}

Once the layers of your picture have been declared, you can start to
``fill'' them. As said before, all graphics commands are normally
added to the |main| layer. Using the |{pgfonlayer}| environment, you
can tell \pgfname\ that certain commands should, instead, be added to
the given layer.

\begin{environment}{{pgfonlayer}\marg{layer name}}
  The whole \meta{environment contents} is added to the layer with the
  name \meta{layer name}. This environment can be used anywhere inside
  a picture. Thus, even if it is used inside a |{pgfscope}| or a \TeX\
  group, the contents will still be added to the ``whole'' picture.
  Using this environment multiple times inside the same picture will
  cause the \meta{environment contents} to accumulate.

  \emph{Note:} You can \emph{not} add anything to the |main| layer
  using this environment. The only way to add anything to the main
  layer is to give graphic commands outside all |{pgfonlayer}|
  environments. 

\begin{codeexample}[]
\pgfdeclarelayer{background layer}
\pgfdeclarelayer{foreground layer}
\pgfsetlayers{background layer,main,foreground layer}
\begin{tikzpicture}
  % On main layer:
  \fill[blue] (0,0) circle (1cm);
  
  \begin{pgfonlayer}{background layer}
    \fill[yellow] (-1,-1) rectangle (1,1);
  \end{pgfonlayer}
  
  \begin{pgfonlayer}{foreground layer}
    \node[white] {foreground};
  \end{pgfonlayer}
  
  \begin{pgfonlayer}{background layer}
    \fill[black] (-.8,-.8) rectangle (.8,.8);
  \end{pgfonlayer}

  % On main layer again:
  \fill[blue!50] (-.5,-1) rectangle (.5,1);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{codeexample}
\end{environment}

\begin{plainenvironment}{{pgfonlayer}\marg{layer name}}
  This is the plain \TeX\ version of the environment.
\end{plainenvironment}

\begin{contextenvironment}{{pgfonlayer}\marg{layer name}}
  This is the Con\TeX t version of the environment.
\end{contextenvironment}






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