Graphics

Basic question: How do you order the layers to display which elements render on top of others? I would think that the order on the Object Manager would define this but it seems not to be the case.

Am I missing something?

Thanks,

z position dictates the order of layers UNLESS you have your layers inside a LAYER OBJECT, then is basically after effects but reversed. The lowest layer inside a Layer Object is on top.
#XPression

You can adjust the ordering by looking at the "Depth Sorting" section on the "Rendering" tab of the scene object. If you find things not behaving the way you expect, you can try setting the sorting to "manual", which renders the objects in order (which results in the bottom objects being on top). I could have sworn this used to be the default sorting in Xpression, but I can't find any evidence that this changed.

The other thing to watch out for is if you have text set to render on top, or normally.
#XPression

>>>>> First thing you need to know: the XPression looks the wrong way!
From the lowest layer and then upwards! This explained 99% of my authoring problems.
No need to mess with Z values if you use flat objects only, if you understand it looks from below to the upper line in the object manager!

Another thing you should do, is deselect "text always on top" for each text object. This prevents text from acting normally, to the upside down stacking order of the XPression.

Next problem to tackle is the MASKS and LAYER OBJECTS. A mask should sit below the objects you want to reveal or hide. So create a mask and reveal a text or something. Problem you will get, is that EVERYTHING above the mask in the object manager will be masked as well. Solution: Put the text (or whatever) and the mask inside a layer object. Now put EVERYTHING else in their own layer object as well, because layer objects have their OWN order in which they are visible.
You can correct the layer order when you click a layer object and look for the tab layer order at the right, AGAIN realize the XPression looks the wrong way, so put the background things in a backgroung layer object and make it the first line in the Object Manager AND in the layer order tab!!!! Then go for the second line etc.

If you understand the upside down layer order of the object manager AND use the layer objects (with masks in them) in the same order (on the object manager AND the object layer tab) you will NEVER again get unexpected results!!!
#XPression

Thanks everybody, really helpful stuff!
#XPression