- an object can be in zero or more layers
Such concepts are better called groups or sets. Can what you aim at be described as saved selections?
Yes! I think it's exactly what it is - named selections. And from this viewpoint, the idea is useful, but it should NOT be coupled with visibility any more than it's coupled with z-order. It should be only concerned with saving and restoring selections (that possibly span layers or groups). And after you call it "named selection" and remove any attempts to tie it in with layer-like behavior, the idea of an object belonging to more than one named selection is perfectly legitimate.
The UI might be simple: a "Name selection" command and an extra drop-down list in Find that lists all named selections in document. Or, even simpler, a single combo box on the selector top panel where you can type in the new name of your current selection, or select one of the defined names from a drop-down to reselect them.
And the more I think about it, the more I like this idea. Saved selections can indeed be very useful. Mental, what do you think?
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