No Z Elevation for 9patch Objects??

Am I missing something here? I have a 9patch object with a 0.25 Z-elevation value but compared to another 9patch object which is like its twin (minus color and layer differences...layers are ultimately the same, just different ones), there appears to be no distinction.

Nothing I do to the 9patch object in question seems to affect it other than setting its size to that of the layout (the other 9patch also is the same size so one overlaps the other equally). Curiously, the opacity works fine, too. But there is no difference in the Z Elevation.

Am I missing something here? Are 9patch objects an exception? ...which is silly to ask, I know, because it allows me to SET the Z Elevation value...soooo...I'm at a loss here.

That shouldn't make a difference here. One 9patch item is the only object on an entire layer. The other, its "twin" is at the bottom of the other (which is also z-elevation=0). The one on its own layer is below the other layers altogether.

I just tried opening the 9-patch example and adjusting the 9-patch's Z elevation - it seems to work fine.

Oh!! That must be it! I had forgotten that z-el had a base limit of 0. I was setting it to 0.25 and THAT'S why it didn't seem smaller/father away than the "twin" object above on the layer atop.

That explains everything.