Control Order of Layers in QGIS Merge Vector Tool?

Question

It may be that the answer to my question is the same as this one: How to sort the layer list in Multuple selection window, i.e. that there is way to do so in QGIS 2.18 but there will be in the 3.0 release. If so, I apologize for the redundant question. Still, I'd like to be absolutely sure there's not another solution to my problem.

I need to merge a few vector layers in QGIS to make, essentially, a "bullseye" around a specific point which I can then use to visualize the intensity of events around that point within each concentric perimeter.

Merge vector layer seems simple enough except for the fact that I can't control the order in which these layers are rendered/merged, so some of the smaller features are ending up underneath the bigger ones.

Is there any way to control the rendering/merge order of layers within the "Merge Vector Layer" tool in QGIS?

If any of this helps:

• I am using QGIS 2.18.14
• I am running Windows 10
• "Control feature rendering order" under the style tab of the properties window doesn't affect the order in which layers appear in the list of features available for merging in the Merge Vector Layer tool (this was my first attempt at a fix)

Answer 1

Yes, QGIS 3.0 allows you to control the order which layers are added using this algorithm.

Keep in mind that depending on the data format you saved the merged layer to, regardless of the order which the features are added you may NOT be guaranteed to get the same order in the final layer -- some formats by design ignore the order of features added.

So, given that -- the proper solution here is to merge the layers (using any version), and THEN set the desired render order using "control feature rendering order" on the MERGED layer (not the unmerged source layers).