Feature Request: LayerPicker: Statusbar info, Tool, or Shortcut

[midora]

We all know the layer below the mouse is the active (selected) layer in the Layers window.

But quite often you have no idea which layer belongs to the visible pixel at the mouse position.

For sure the pixel is a composite constructed from rgb values, alpha channels, layer opacities and blend modes on different layers. Means there is no biunique solution. Still here is a proposal:

 

Show in the statusbar the name of the layer at the mouse position.

Calculate the layer to show in the following way:

From top to bottom
  if the layer is visible
    if the alpha value of the pixel at the layer is greater zero (or a tolerance value) 
    then you are done
If no layer could be found show "No layer".
If the mouse position is out of document bounds show nothing.
If the layer is active then show the name in bold else normal.

I could also imagine a tool to activate a layer identified in this way (maybe showing the layer name as tooltip)

Or a shortcut to select the layer.

 

I implemented this in one of my applications and it's a real help.

 

 

Edited February 2, 2014 by midora

[midora]

Here is how a tool may look: