Like all elements on your page, your layers need to have unique names, so that javascript functions can use them properly. Layers are no different.

These boxes determine the left and top position, and the height and width of the layer. The left and top position are measured from the upper left hand corner of the browser window, so this layer's top left corner would be at the far upper left of the browser window. Be sure to add the px (for pixels) after the measurement to ensure that you are using valid CSS-Positioning.

The Z-Index determines the order layers are displayed. The higher the Z-Index, the higher the layer is displayed in the stack order. A layer with Z-Index 2 will display on top of a layer with Z-Index 1.

Here you choose whether you want your layer displayed or not.
Default: Your layer is displayed as normal.
Inherit: This will pick up the visibility setting from it's parent layer. So a nested layer (child layer) in a hidden layer (parent layer), will inherit the parent layer's visilibity setting.
Visible: The layer is displayed. Just like default.
Hidden: The layer is hidden, and not visible.
These settings can also be changed in the Layers Panel by clicking on the eye symbols.

This sets the background image for your layer, just as you would for a table or a table cell.

Here's another easy one. This one sets the background color. If it's blank, the background of the layer will be transparent, and you'll see all your other page elements through the layer.

Here you choose the type of tag your layer will use. You'll almost always want it set to div. The other three options are problematic in various browsers, and should probably be avoided until the browsers support the CSS standards better.

The LAYER option should never be used, as it's a proprietary Netscape tag, and no other browser will recognize it.

This determines what the browser will do with content that expandes beyond the bottom of the layer. The default is visible, so the layer will expand to accomodate your text. Hidden will hide any content past the edge of the layer. Scroll will provide browser scrollbars on the side of your layer (problematic in Netscape 4.x), and auto will also provide browser scrollbars for your layer.

This will set the clip of your layer. Content will be clipped off the set amount of pixels from the left, right, top or bottom. It won't wrap at that point, but will actually be cut off, so you may end up with letters cut in two. This is useful for javascript scrollers and other similar javascript layer effects.