Unity 5: how to zoom and translate an object from a grid layout to the center of the screen - unity3d

Question

I'm trying to create a scroll grid view in which every cell object is tapable.
When a cell object is tapped I want to scale and traslate it to the center of the screen and render it above other cells.
I was able to make it tapable and scale it in its position. Now I want to move the cell object to the center of the screen and render it above other cells.
I've tried many solutions but none of them works.
This is my hierarchy:
This is the grid in normal state:
This is the grid when a cell was tapped:
I'm populating the grid from a C# script dynamically.
void Populate()
{
GameObject cardContainerInstance, cardInstance;
foreach (var c in cardsCollection.GetAll())
{
if (c.IsOwned)
{
cardContainerInstance = Instantiate(cardContainer, transform);
cardInstance = cardContainerInstance.transform.Find("Card").gameObject;
var cardManager = cardInstance.GetComponent<CardManager>();
cardManager.card = c;
cardManager.AddListener(this);
}
else
{
Instantiate(cardSlot, transform);
}
}
}
public void OnCardClick(GameObject cardObject, Card card)
{
Debug.Log("OnCardClick " + card.name);
if (openedCard != null) {
if (openedCard.Number == card.Number)
{
CloseCard(openedCardObject);
}
else
{
CloseCard(openedCardObject);
OpenCard(cardObject, card);
}
}
else
{
OpenCard(cardObject, card);
}
}
void OpenCard(GameObject cardObject, Card card)
{
//cardObject.GetComponent<Canvas>().sortingOrder = 1;
var animator = cardObject.GetComponent<Animator>();
animator.SetTrigger("Open");
openedCard = card;
openedCardObject = cardObject;
}
void CloseCard(GameObject cardObject)
{
var animator = cardObject.GetComponent<Animator>();
animator.SetTrigger("Close");
openedCard = null;
openedCardObject = null;
}
I can't figure out how to move the cell to the center and render it above others.
Note that all is animated using an animator attached to the object itself.
Could anyone help me please? Thank you very much!
EDIT: more details
All cell object have the following hierarchy:
where:
CardContainer is an empty object added to use animator on Card child object
Card is the object itself that has a script, a canvas renderer and an animator
StatsImage is the object that slide out when the card is tapped
Image is a calssic UIImage with Image script, Shadow script and canvas renderer
Other component are simple texts.
EDIT: fix in progress
Trying to apply this suggestions I was able to manage the rendering order (as you see on the image below) but it seems that prevent touch events to be detected on the game object.
I've added a GraphicsRaycaster too and now the bottom horizontal scroll view scrolls again but only if I click and drag a card.
Moreover, with the GraphicsRaycaster, the main grid card still are not clickable and it's possible to open the card only if it is behind the bottom panel (if I click on the red spot in the image below the card behind the panel receives che click)
This is the CardContainer at runtime(note that I'm attaching new Canvas and GraphicsRaycaster on the CardContainer, which is the "root" element):

Answer 1

You didn't clarify whether you are using a sprite renderer or some other method but here is an answer for each.
Sprite renderer:
this the simple one. In each sprite renderer, there is a variable called "sortingOrder" in script and "Order in layer" in the inspector. sprite renderer with sorting Orders that are higher is rendered first. All you would need to do is call:
cardObject.GetComponent<SpriteRenderer>().sortingOrder = 1;
when you click the card, and
cardObject.GetComponent<SpriteRenderer>().sortingOrder = 0;
when you unclick it. I hope that makes sense!
Other Method:
this one is a bit harder and I would suggest that you switch to sprite renderers and it will be much easier and more stable down the road, but I can understand if you have already written a lot of scripts and don't want to go back and change them.
Anyway, all you will need to do Is create two layers: cardLower and cardUpper. then create a new camera and call it topCamera. now under the top camera object in the inspector, change the culling mask (it's near the top) and make sure cardUpper is selected. then change the Clear flags (first one) to "Don't Clear" finally change the depth to 0 (if that doesn't work change it to -2). Now objects in the cardUpper will always be rendered above everything else. You can change the layer through script with
cardObject.layer = "cardUpper"
or
cardObject.layer = "cardLower"
I hope that helps!

Answer 2

Ok, so its pretty simple. So you are going to want to add another canvas component to the game object, and check the override sorting to true. Then use
cardObject.GetComponent<Canvas>().sortingOrder = 1;
to place it in the front and
cardObject.GetComponent<Canvas>().sortingOrder = 0;
to put it in the back.
you are also going to need to put a GraphicsRaycaster on to each of the cardObjects
Ignore my other answer about sprite renderers, they are not needed here