How Focus Mode makes it easier to edit complex documents
In this original artwork by Cynthia de Melo Silva, we can see in the Objects docker (Objects inspector for Mac users) that the main “Breakfast” layer is comprised of multiple groups.
Some groups, like “Orange”, contain only single curves.
Other groups, like “Toast”, have a mix of single objects and nested groups.
Let’s say we want to edit part of the happy face in the egg yolk. Without Focus Mode, we would have to drill into that group via the Objects docker and select the object to change.
Or, going back to the main layer of the document, with the Pick tool active, we can hold the Ctrl key (Cmd key for Mac users) and click repeatedly on a curve to drill down into nested groups until we reach the object we want.
But if we were to mistakenly Ctrl/Cmd-click the wrong element, we’d be back up to the top of the group level and need to start over to get to the object we want to work with.
Also, when we add a small new rectangle to this group of two objects, the new object isn’t part of the group–it's placed at the very top of the objects list, just under the layer name. Adding this object to its desired group requires a drag-and-drop into the right spot in the Objects docker and perhaps even an order change.
This might be easy in a simple document, but it’s not so easy in a complex document like this one, with many nested groups. Let’s see how much easier it can be when using Focus Mode.
How to use Focus Mode in CorelDRAW
1. How to enter Focus Mode
There are several ways to bring an object or group into focus:
- Right-click on the object in the drawing window or Objects docker/inspector and select Bring into Focus.
- Select the object and click the Bring into Focus icon on the property bar.
- Select the object and click Bring into Focus under the Edit menu.
- Double-click on the object in the drawing window.
2. How to view objects and groups in Focus Mode
The object or group in focus is temporarily brought to the front of the stacking order. It appears in full color, in its entirety, even if other design elements are placed above it.
All other design elements are covered with a transparent overlay, are greyed out in the Objects docker, and cannot be edited or selected.
Using the Color Eyedropper to sample color from inactive objects will pick up the actual color, not the faded version that appears under the overlay.
3. How to navigate the Focus Mode hierarchy
The floating breadcrumbs toolbar that appears when you enter Focus Mode shows the hierarchy of layers and which object or group is in focus.
If there are multiple objects and nested groups within the group in focus, these will appear on the toolbar as you drill down to bring them into focus.
Clicking the double arrow beside the layer name displays a list of breadcrumbs for the group currently in focus and any nested groups above it in the hierarchy.
Click on any breadcrumbs to shift focus to another object or group in the hierarchy.
You can also use the Esc key to shift focus to higher objects in the hierarchy. If objects are selected, pressing Esc the first time deselects them. Pressing Esc again goes one level up in the breadcrumbs.
4. How to edit object groups in Focus Mode
In Focus Mode, you can edit any objects within a group and add new objects to the group, as you usually would. When you exit Focus Mode, all changes you made to objects and groups are retained, and their name and place in the design hierarchy are restored in the Objects docker.
5. How to edit single objects in Focus Mode
When you bring a single object into focus, it is placed in a temporary “Focus Group”, which you can see on the floating toolbar and in the Objects docker.
If you edit the object but don’t add any new objects, the temporary focus group disappears when you exit Focus Mode since a group isn’t needed for a single object.
If you add a new object to the temporary focus group, the group will remain when you exit Focus Mode since it now contains more than a single object.
6. How to exit Focus Mode
There are several ways to exit Focus Mode:
- Click the Exit Focus Mode icon on the floating toolbar or property bar.
- Right-click on the object and select Exit Focus Mode.
- Double-click anywhere in the drawing window off the object or group in focus.
- Press Shift + Esc.
- Under the Edit menu, select Exit Focus Mode.
7. How to change the default Focus Mode settings
- Click the Options > CorelDRAW icon on the property bar or select Options > CorelDRAW under the Tools menu.
- Click Edit on the left to open the Edit tab.
- Use the slider to adjust the transparency of the overlay for inactive objects.
- Use the checkbox to turn on or off the Double-click to activate Focus Mode setting.
- Click the Reset button to go back to the default 20% overlay transparency.
8. Now you’re all set to streamline your editing workflow
Now that you know how to use Focus Mode, try it and see how it can be a game changer when working with complex designs and overlapping objects.
Try Focus Mode now