Patent ID: 8635587

Claim:
A method, executed by a processor, comprising: receiving a user selection of a first tool type and setting(s) for editing a first layer of a plurality of layers of a composition; while the first layer is active with the first tool type and setting(s), receiving a user selection of a second layer selected from the plurality of layers of a composition, wherein the second layer is different from the first layer; storing in memory the first tool type and setting(s) as being the last active tool type and setting(s) in the first layer and making the second layer active, wherein the first tool type and setting(s) are different from the default tool type and setting(s) in the first layer; receiving a selection of a third layer from a plurality of layers of a composition, wherein the third layer is different from the second layer; making the third layer active and determining whether the third layer is an existing layer or a new layer; in the event it is determined that the third layer is a new layer, obtaining a default tool type and one or more tool setting(s) for the third layer; in the event it is determined that the third layer is an existing layer and not a new layer, automatically identifying which tool type and tool setting(s) were in use in the third layer a last time the third layer was selected and obtaining the identified tool type and tool setting(s), and if it is determined that the third layer is the first layer, identifying the first tool type and tool setting(s) as being in use in the first layer the last time the first layer was selected; and automatically configuring a tool for the third layer using the obtained tool type and tool setting(s), wherein the tool is associated with manipulating the composition and an indication of the last used tool types and setting(s) of the first, second, and third layers are stored in memory.