PhotoPlus X2 User Guide - Serif

To view the active layer's mask:
Layers and Masks 151
• Alt-click the mask preview thumbnail, or check View Mask on the Layers
menu. Alt-click again or uncheck the menu item to exit View Mask mode.
White or light portions of the mask reveal layer pixels (make them more opaque).
Black or dark portions hide layer pixels (making them more transparent).
You can disable the mask to see how the layer looks without the mask's effects.
Note that disabling the mask is not the same as cancelling Edit Mask mode—it
only affects your view of the layer, not which plane (i.e. mask or layer) you're
working on.
To disable the active layer's mask:
Shift-click the mask preview thumbnail, or check Disable Mask on the
Layers menu. (Shift-click again or uncheck the menu item to enable
masking again.)
When the mask is disabled, a red "X" appears across its thumbnail.
If you want to fine-tune a mask or layer's position independently of each other
it’s possible to unlink them. You may have noticed a small link button between the
layer and mask thumbnails on the Layers tab, i.e.
A click on this button will unlink the layer and mask, changing the button to
display a red cross through it ( ). By selecting the layer or mask thumbnail, you
can then drag the layer or mask on the page, respectively. After fine-tuning, click
the button to relink the mask to the layer.
TIP: Once you're happy with your mask you can merge the mask with the
layer (use Mask>Merge Mask from the Layers menu).