# Sketch background

**URL:** <https://cl.desmos.com/t/sketch-background/4198>\
**Category:** Questions\
**Tags:** sketch\
**Created:** [March 30, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://cl.desmos.com/t/sketch-background/4198 "2022-03-30T17:24:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Andy\_Malbouef](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/cl.desmos.com/andy_malbouef/32/3345_2.png) [@Andy\_Malbouef](https://cl.desmos.com/u/Andy_Malbouef)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 5:24pm UTC](https://cl.desmos.com/t/sketch-background/4198/1 "2022-03-30T17:24:32Z")

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Hi, all: when combining two or more sketches (or graphs), I’ve seen both of these background sinks used:

background: sketchLayer(mergeSketches(sketch4.sketch,sketch6.sketch))

background: layerStack(sketchLayer(sketch4.sketch),sketchLayer(sketch6.sketch))

Is one preferable to the other in terms of carryover to other features?

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**Author:** ![Daniel\_Grubbs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/cl.desmos.com/daniel_grubbs/32/719_2.png) [@Daniel\_Grubbs](https://cl.desmos.com/u/Daniel_Grubbs)\
**Post date:** [March 30, 2022, 7:41pm UTC](https://cl.desmos.com/t/sketch-background/4198/2 "2022-03-30T19:41:52Z")

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layerStack will allow you to combine both sketchLayers and graphLayers.

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**Author:** ![willow01nb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/cl.desmos.com/willow01nb/32/762_2.png) [@willow01nb](https://cl.desmos.com/u/willow01nb)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 1:30am UTC](https://cl.desmos.com/t/sketch-background/4198/3 "2023-11-12T01:30:20Z")

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Is there a reason that the sketch on slide 1 of this activity is not copying down? I am using sketchLayer:

> **[11.8 Discrete Random Variable • Activity Builder by Desmos](https://teacher.desmos.com/activitybuilder/custom/654b1e186506ddbb5e8e1ca9#preview/6e5987ea-3274-4cc9-ab89-2b5edad3e6ed)**
>
> Notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DpMtz2f2z3auLH\_vjWqdPdl3HRk9ttAetcb9sd4yjTo/edit?usp=sharing

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Daniel\_Grubbs](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/cl.desmos.com/daniel_grubbs/32/719_2.png) [@Daniel\_Grubbs](https://cl.desmos.com/u/Daniel_Grubbs)\
**Post date:** [November 12, 2023, 8:08am UTC](https://cl.desmos.com/t/sketch-background/4198/4 "2023-11-12T08:08:46Z")

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There’s a lot going on in this activity, but you have a lot of CL errors regarding component names, “solm” in particular. If you’re referencing components in other screens, they need to be unique names otherwise CL doesn’t know which one to reference. Component names that are referenced on the same screen can be duplicate names because it defaults to the current screen. Hopefully that helps a little. Once you resolve those, it would be helpful for you to note specific sketches, rather than figuring out which of many are the issue.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![willow01nb](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex031/user_avatar/cl.desmos.com/willow01nb/32/762_2.png) [@willow01nb](https://cl.desmos.com/u/willow01nb)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2023, 11:26am UTC](https://cl.desmos.com/t/sketch-background/4198/5 "2023-11-13T11:26:47Z")

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> **[test • Activity Builder by Desmos](https://teacher.desmos.com/activitybuilder/custom/655202b1673025d907ff3222)**
>
> by Nancy Blanks

Thanks: above I have deleted all other components on the slide. The sketch called “sketchdot” will copy down to the sketch called “s1a” when, in “s1a,” I use the code "background: sketchLayer(sketchdot.sketch) "

However, the sketch called “sketchdot” will not copy down to the sketch called “s2a” when, in “s2a,” I use the code: “layerStack(sketchLayer(sketchdot.sketch),graphLayer(sketchdot.calculatorState))”

Normally layerStack works but it is not working in this scenario for some reason.