The Tool Desk
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Most visual editors divide the interface into three jobs: a panel for finding items in the document, a canvas for working on them visually, and an inspector or properties panel for editing the selected item. A toolbar provides common actions. The exact layout varies by editor, and the controls you see can change with your selection, tool, and access permissions.
What the panels are for
Panels give you structured ways to navigate and edit a document; the canvas gives you a direct view of the result. These regions work together rather than duplicating one another. The canvas is often quickest when an object is visible and easy to click. A layers panel is more useful when you need to find an item in the document hierarchy, while an inspector is useful when you know what you want to change but need precise controls.
There is no universal panel arrangement. Figma describes three main interface elements detached from its canvas: a navigation panel on the left, a toolbar at the bottom, and a properties panel on the right. Sketch separates a Layer List, Toolbar, and Inspector. Other editors may put the toolbar elsewhere or let you dock, float, resize, or collapse panels. Treat the panel’s name and location as editor-specific; its role is the more reliable guide.
What the layers or navigation panel does
The layers panel exposes the document’s hierarchy: pages, frames, groups, and individual objects. Instead of relying only on what is visible on the canvas, you can locate an item by its place in the structure. This is particularly useful when objects overlap, sit behind other objects, or are too small to select comfortably.
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In editors that synchronize the hierarchy and canvas, selecting an item in the list also selects or highlights it on the canvas. That connection helps you confirm that you have the intended object before changing it. If selection does not appear to synchronize, check which page or frame is active and whether the item is hidden, locked, or outside the currently visible area; the exact controls depend on the editor.
Use the hierarchy when direct selection is difficult
- Expand the relevant page, frame, or group to see its contents.
- Select the item by name or position in the tree, then confirm which object is highlighted on the canvas.
- If the wrong object is active, inspect parent groups and nested items rather than repeatedly clicking through overlapping artwork.
The tree is also document context: it shows how objects are grouped or nested, not just where to click. A hierarchy can make a crowded canvas easier to understand, but it does not by itself tell you every visual property of an item; that is the inspector’s job.
What the canvas or workspace does
The canvas is the central visual work area. It is where you place, move, resize, and inspect objects in relation to one another. It supports direct manipulation: you work on the visible composition and judge the visual result as you go. Panels complement that work by exposing document structure and more explicit settings.
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Use the canvas for visual positioning and for checking the overall composition. Use the hierarchy when an object is hard to target, and use the inspector when you need a precise property or want to understand the values governing the selection. A change in the inspector should still be checked on the canvas, because a correct numeric setting does not necessarily mean the composition looks right.
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What the properties panel or inspector does
The inspector is context-sensitive: it presents settings for the selected layer or controls for the active tool. Sketch describes it this way: “In the Inspector, you’ll find settings for any layers you’ve selected, or controls for the tool you’re using.” Figma documents controls that include alignment, rotation, position, frame size, constraints, layout guides, component properties, auto layout, text, fill, stroke, effects, and export settings. Wix documents comparable areas for responsive sizing, design, layout, position, transforms, and anchors.
That breadth is why the right-hand panel can seem to change dramatically as you work. A text selection may expose typography controls; a frame or container may expose layout or sizing controls; a selected object may expose appearance or export settings. The relevant controls depend on the editor and the type of selection, so do not assume every editor uses the same names or groups settings in the same way.
Common categories of controls
- Geometry: position, dimensions, rotation, and alignment.
- Layout and behavior: constraints, layout guides, responsive sizing, anchors, or auto layout where the editor supports them.
- Appearance: text, fills, strokes, and effects.
- Reusable structure and interaction: component properties or prototype-related controls where available.
- Output: export settings exposed for the selected item or document.
The inspector is not always limited to object properties. As Sketch’s description notes, it may show controls for the tool you are currently using when no suitable layer is selected. If a familiar control disappears, first check whether the selection or active tool changed.
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The toolbar gathers frequent actions such as creating or selecting objects, navigating, zooming, or switching modes. Its location is not standardized: Figma documents a bottom toolbar, while other editors may put controls above or beside the canvas. The toolbar is action-oriented; the inspector is primarily about settings for the current selection or tool.
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When looking for a command, distinguish between an action that changes what you are doing now and a property that defines the selected object. The former is more likely to be in a toolbar or tool controls; the latter is more likely to appear in an inspector. This is a useful starting point, not a promise that every editor follows the same arrangement.
Why controls change when you select something
A context-sensitive inspector avoids presenting every possible setting at once. It shows controls relevant to the active object or tool, so selecting a different kind of layer can replace one set of options with another. The visible controls can also depend on your access level and the editor’s mode.
Figma distinguishes edit access from view-only access: edit access permits changing layer properties and adding prototype flows, while view-only access permits inspecting properties, comments, and export. If you can see a property but cannot change it, the reason may be your access rights rather than a hidden panel or a different selection. The available actions should be understood in the context of the file’s permission level.
A quick check when an expected control is missing
- Confirm the intended object is selected in the hierarchy or on the canvas.
- Check whether you selected a single item, a parent container, or a different kind of layer.
- Check which tool or mode is active; some controls belong to the active tool rather than the object.
- Consider whether your access is edit or view-only. A visible property may be inspectable without being editable.
What happens when you select multiple objects
With a multi-selection, an editor may show only properties that apply to every selected object. Microsoft Visual Studio documents this common rule: when multiple objects are selected, only properties common to all of them appear. This avoids offering a single edit for incompatible properties. For example, if the selection contains different kinds of objects, a control specific to only one kind may not be available for the whole selection.
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Multi-selection can also expose batch actions. Balsamiq adds alignment and distribution controls and applies changes to all selected elements. This lets you arrange several objects together rather than repeating the same operation one at a time. The exact set of shared settings and batch controls varies by editor.
When a property vanishes after selecting more items
- Check whether the property is shared by every selected object; a control may disappear if it is not applicable to the full selection.
- Reduce the selection to one item to inspect its individual settings.
- For a repeated layout adjustment, look for alignment or distribution actions that work across the selection.
How to choose the right panel for a task
| Task | Best place to start | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Find an object hidden beneath other objects | Layers or navigation panel | The hierarchy gives you a way to select it without relying on a canvas click. |
| Move or inspect an object in context | Canvas | You can see its relationship to the rest of the composition. |
| Set a precise value or inspect available settings | Properties panel or inspector | It exposes controls relevant to the active layer or tool. |
| Apply a common arrangement to several objects | Multi-selection and its available controls | Some editors expose batch alignment or distribution actions. |
| Switch tools, create items, or navigate | Toolbar | It contains frequent actions, though its location varies. |
A practical sequence is to locate the object in the hierarchy, confirm it on the canvas, and then make a precise change in the inspector. For work involving several objects, make the selection deliberately and verify which common settings or batch actions remain available.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common panel problems and how to diagnose them
- You keep selecting the wrong object: use the hierarchy instead of clicking through overlapping objects, then confirm the selected item on the canvas.
- The inspector shows unexpected controls: check the selected layer and active tool. The inspector can change with either.
- A control disappears in a multi-selection: it may not apply to every selected object. Inspect one object at a time or use shared batch controls.
- You can inspect but cannot edit: check whether the file grants view-only rather than edit access. In Figma, view-only users can inspect properties, comments, and export, while editing layer properties requires edit access.
- You cannot find the toolbar: panel placement varies across editors. Look around the canvas edges and consult the editor’s own interface guidance rather than assuming the toolbar is at the top.
These checks identify common causes without assuming a particular editor’s exact menu names. If a control remains unavailable, the editor’s documentation for that selection type and permission level is the most reliable next reference.
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A screenshot can make a panel layout, selection state, or handoff easier to discuss, but a website screenshot service captures a rendered web page; it does not replace the editor’s own canvas, hierarchy, or inspector. For visual references on a web-based workflow, ScreenshotNeo is an option to try first: it accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture, with each step configurable. Its API also reports page verdict and billing status; bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing.
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One GET request returns a screenshot or PDF. The example below saves a WebP capture of a page:
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Quick Recap
What to remember
- The hierarchy helps you find and select document items; the canvas is the visual work area; the inspector exposes settings for the current selection or tool.
- Panel placement and available controls vary between editors.
- Multi-selection commonly limits properties to those shared by the selected objects, while some editors add batch alignment or distribution actions.
- Access rights can determine whether a property can be changed, even when it can still be inspected.
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