Using canvas-only mode now works, albeit with a slight lag entering and exiting. Using the right-click pop-up palette, I still have access to colours and presets while in canvas-only mode. However, there is one other docker that I use often (probably less often than presets and colours, but still quite often), and that is the layers docker. It occurred to me that it could be useful to have easy access to basic layer operations, mainly selecting layers, without having to exit canvas-only mode.

My proposed solution is a popup layers 'palette'. Summoned by an event such as shift + right click, the palette shows a list of all layers and allows the user to select which one is active.

I think the important functions are to be able to a) check which layer is active and b) change which layer is active. However, it probably wouldn't add much clutter to include most of the functionality from the layer's docker.

There may be other possible solutions. Shortcuts to change layer (bug 298632) would help, but I know that if I try to change layer just by shortcut, without any indication which layer I've changed to, I *will* end up accidentally painting on the wrong layer. 

I know there is an option to keep "Toolbox and palettes" visible when entering canvas-only mode, but this more or less defeats the point of entering canvas-only mode, as they are the widgets that occupy the most space. Besides, I already have access to colours and presets via right-click.

Reproducible: Always