Is there a way to load the results of a bitmap trace into the layers palette, similar to PS? I know how to run the tracer, but want to be able to separate each color as a layer.

Welcome to InkscapeForum!

It can't be done automatically. The only way to do it, would be to first create the new layers. Then move each color into the proper layers. Use Layers memu > Move selection to layer above/below. If there are many layers, it would probably be easier to use the key shortcuts: Shift + PgUp or PgDn.

Ah, ok. That leads me to my next question, is there a way to pull apart the colors and then re-align it back to the original photo, or do you have to nudge each color back into place by hand?

Realigning and nudging can be done, but imo, not the best way to do this. I can think of a couple of better ways, and someone else might know something even better, lol.

One way would be to make all the new layers first. Next, you'll need to Ungroup (because the scans come out of the trace in a Group). Then select the top scan, and use Shift + PgUp to move it to the top layer. Then select whatever scan is now on top, and move it to the proper layer, etc. etc.

The other way, you also need to make all the new layers first, and then Ungroup the scan. After that you can use the Alt key, to select objects that may by hidden below others. Click once on the stack (which selects the top object), then Alt + click to select the next one below. While holding the Alt key, every time you click, you select the next object below. In this way, you can select them in any order, and move them to their appropriate layer.

(Actually, now that I think of it, that would be a nice feature to add to Trace Bitmap -- the ability to have each scan placed on its own layer. I know this is often needed for screenprinting, and that Trace Bimap is an ideal tool for that. I don't use it much, but I think if I did use it for screenprinting designs, I'd probably make a new feature request (viewtopic.php?f=28&t=286).)

Ok, thanks. Thanks for answering my questions so thoroughly I've done some vectoring by hand with Photoshop, for my own amusement really. It's quite addicting I'm looking forward to learning more with Inkscape.

There's a hacky way to do it using the XML editor - it's still a manual process, but might be easier than trying to move then realign thing in the UI:

1) Start with a new document. You can make this work in an existing document, but these instructions assume a blank one.
2) Trace your image to give you a single group of multiple stacked scans.
3) Delete the original image (optional).
4) Ungroup to separate the paths.
5) Open the XML editor (Edit > XML Editor)
6) Select one of the paths - any one will do
7) You should now see your path selected in the XML editor, alongside the other paths that make up this scan. Select the first one in the XML editor.
8) Click the "Group" button in the main Inkscape toolbar. In the XML editor you should see your selected item change into a group (svg:g) which has the path inside it.

Here's the clever bit - SVG doesn't have a concept of layers at all, so Inkscape implements them as groups with a bit of extra metadata. So...

9) With your svg:g line still selected look to the bottom right of the XML Editor. There's a single line field next to a "Set" button, with a multi-line field below it. Put the following (without quotes) into the single line field: "inkscape:groupmode" (you might want to copy that to your clipboard). Put "layer" (no quotes) into the multi-line field. Then click the "Set" button. Your group is now a layer
10) Select the next path in the XML editor and repeat steps 8-10 until they've all been turned into layers.

You should now have all your new layers as sub-layers of the default "Layer 1" that you get in a new document.

It sounds complex, but take it one step at a time and you'll find it's not too bad - not as good as an automatic solution, though.