Layers Dialog Box

Layers

    Ribbon: Home – Layers >  Layer Properties

   Menu: Format –  Layers…

   Toolbar: Properties –

 Command line: LAYER, LAYERS

The Layers dialog box is used to manage layers and their properties:

The Layers dialog is modal, that is, while the dialog is displayed on the screen, all relevant information on layers is displayed in it (and not on the functional bars) and changes outside the dialog are not taken into account.

There is a window in the left part of the dialog box with a category tree.  In general, a category tree consists of the following elements:

·         All

·         All Used Layers

·         All Layers without xrefs;

·         External references

·         Filters

·         Groups

·         Configurations

The right part of the dialog box shows the list of layers for the selected element in the category tree.

Below the dialog box title:

 – the current layer is shown.

Below the layer list box there is information about the displayed layers, the total number of layers and the number of disabled, frozen and locked layers.

Parameters:

Tree categories window

List of edited layers

Buttons

Columns

Double-click by the left mouse button on the column header separator automatically changes the columns width.

Layers in paper space

When working in paper space, a message appears in the title of the Layers dialog box –

When there is a current layout VIEWPORT, the title will look like -

Columns with information about layers parameters in the viewport are added to the list of layers box.

PDF Underlay layers

If PDF underlays are present in the drawing, information about them will appear in the categories tree.

If the selected PDF underlay contains layers, their list will be reflected in the dialog box. You can control visibility of underlay layers by turning the sign  on or off.

Editing a Layer’s Parameters

To Select Layers in the Dialog Box

Click on a layer to select it.

You can edit the parameters of several selected layers at once.

With SHIFT pressed, select the first and the last layer in the list. These layers and any layers between them will be selected.

With CTRL pressed, you can select individual layers from the list.

All layers in the list are selected by the Select all context menu command. The Unselect all command cancels the selection of all layers selected in the list.

Search for Layers by Name

The Search for layer field in the top right part of the dialog box is designed for quick search for layers by name

To search for layers by name:

1.    Enter text or part of the text in the field to search. You can use special symbols.

As you enter, only the elements the name of which contains the entered phrase remain in the list of layers.

The field button  resets the search results.

To Sort Layers by Property

A list of layers can be sorted by any parameter. To sort a list of layers, click on the parameter column title.

For example, click on the Color title and all layers in the list are sorted by color. Clicking on the title again reverses the order of the sorted layers:

The sorting direction is indicated by the arrow in the header of the sorted parameter.

Specifying the Color, Type and Width of Lines in the Layer

In the Layers dialog it is possible to specify all the properties that can be inherited by the objects created on it. Ensure the By layer value is set in the corresponding boxes of the object properties.

Color, type and weight of lines can be specified for several layers at once:

1.    Select a layer or several layers to change the properties.

2.    Click on the required parameter in the column.

3.    Select the value from the list.

Creation of a New Layer

A newly created layer has default properties. After a new layer is created, you can change its properties.

To create a layer:

1.    Click button  Add.

A new layer with the name New Layer (N) appears in the list. The default name for the new layer can be changed.

Renaming a Layer

To rename a layer:

1.    Select layer in the dialog box.

2.    Click name of the layer.

3.    Enter the new name.

4.    Press ENTER.

Removing a Layer

Only layers not used in the document can be deleted. The current layer, even if it is not used cannot be deleted.

To delete a layer:

1.    Select layer in the dialog box.

2.    Click the Delete  button.

3.    You can delete several unused layers at once.

To delete several layers:

1.    Select All Used Layers in the categories tree.

2.    Switch on the Invert filter   parameter.

Select all sorted unused layers and select the Delete  button or Delete command from the context menu.

Removing of Used Layers

1.    Select layer(s) in layer list.

2.    Click the Delete  button.

Delete used layers dialog box appears when you delete used layers:

3.    click Delete.

If the selection for deletion contains layers that cannot be deleted, information on them is presented in the Delete Layers dialog:

Making a Layer Active

To make a layer active:

1.    Select a layer in the Layers dialog box.

2.    Click in the column icon of the selected layer. The  icon means that a layer is current.

Controlling Layer Visibility

Objects with visibility switched off are not displayed on layers and are unprintable, but are used in regeneration of a drawing. When layers are switched on/off, regeneration is not performed. It is recommended to switch on/off layers when you need to do it frequently and not for a long time. In other cases it is better to freeze them.

Visible layers are marked with  icon. The  icon means that visibility of the layer is switched off. Visibility can be switched off for several layers at once. Visibility of the current layer cannot be switched off.

To switch on/off visibility of a layer:

1.    Select one or several layers in the list.

2.    Click the  icon of any selected layer to switch them off

Freezing a Layer

Objects placed on frozen layers are not displayed on the screen and are unprintable and not used in regeneration of the drawing. You can freeze unused layers to make display and regeneration operations faster. But freezing a layer causes regeneration of the drawing, which takes time. Freeze layers if you only do it occasionally or you want to freeze the layers for a long time. In other cases it is better to switch them off.

Frozen layers are marked with  icon, while unfrozen layers are marked with .

You can freeze and unfreeze several layers at once. The current () layer cannot be frozen.

Freezing or unfreezing a layer to edit it:

1.    Select one or several layers in the list.

2.    Click the  icon of any selected layer to freeze them all.

Freezing Layers in the Viewports of a Layout

Layers can be frozen in separate viewports of a layout. You can get different displays of the same objects in different viewports without creating additional geometry. For example, you create two layout viewports for the same object and freeze the layer with design elements in the second viewport:

Frozen layers from the current viewport are marked with  icon.

When the viewport is active, then icon is added to the Properties toolbar.

To freeze layers in a layout viewport:

1.    Switch to layout with required viewport.

2.    Double click this viewport to make it active.

3.    Open the Layers dialog box and select all layers that should be frozen.

4.    Click the  icon of any selected layer to freeze the selected layers.

5.    Close the Layers dialog box.

The layer will be frozen in the current viewport, but will remain unfrozen in all other layout viewports. It will not be printed only in this viewport.

To freeze a layer in all VPs:

1.    Open the Layers dialog and select all the layers that should be frozen on all viewports.

2.    Open the context menu by right-click on the selected layers and select the VP Freeze Layer > In All Viewports command.

3.    Close the Layers dialog.

Layers will be frozen and invisible in all viewports.

To freeze a layer in all VPs except the current one:

1.    Activate the viewport by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.

2.    Open the Layers dialog and select in it all the layers that should be frozen on all viewports except the current one.

3.    Right-click on the selected layers to open the context menu and select the VP Freeze Layer > In All Viewports Except Current command.

4.    Close the Layers dialog.

Layers will be frozen and invisible in all viewports except the current one.

You can also use the LAYVPI command to freeze a layer on all layout viewports except the current one.

To thaw a layer in all VPs:

1.    Open the Layers dialog and select all the layers that should be thawed on all viewports.

2.    Right-click on the selected layers to open the context menu and select the VP Thaw Layer in All Viewports command.

3.    Close the Layers dialog.

The layers will be thawed and visible in all viewports of all layouts.

Command to manage frozen layers in individual viewports

 Command line: VPLAYER

Command prompts and options:

Enter an option or [?/Freeze/Thaw/rEset/New_frozen_layers/Default visibility]:

Freeze – freezes layers in one or more viewports.

Thaw – thaws one or more layers in one or more viewports.

rEset – sets visibility of one or more layers in selected viewports according to default visibility of layers.

New frozen layers – creates new layers frozen in all viewports.

Default visibility – freezes or thaws specified layers for all new viewports.

Only two options are available in VPLAYER command for model space: New frozen layers and Default visibility.

Redefinition of Layer’s Properties in Viewports

Redefinition of layer’s properties is a way to display objects in different viewports of layout with different properties (color, type and line weight) without changing properties with “ByLayer” or “ByBlock” values.

A color of axes lines is changed in the right viewport:

To redefine properties of a current viewport of a layout:

1.    Double click this viewport to make it active.

2.    Open the Layers dialog.

3.    Select a layer from a list and change its parameters. You can redefine Color, Linetype, Lineweight and Transparency.

Parameters are changed only in the viewport of a layout. Other paper space viewports and the model space parameters are unchanged.

Layers with redefinitions of properties in viewports are highlighted in blue:

Removing redefinitions of properties of viewports layers

Remove Viewport Overrides for command in the context menu cancels redefinitions of layers’ properties in viewports

Command options:

Lock a Layer

If a layer is ulocked, you can create a new object on it. Objects created before locking are visible and they can be selected to view their properties, but they cannot be edited. You can snap to the object on a locked layer with an object snap. You can change the color, line type, weight type, make printable or unprintable on a locked layer.

Locked layers are marked with  icon.

You can lock or unlock several layers at once.

To lock/unblock layer:

1.    Select one or several layers in the list.

2.    Click on the lock column of the selected layer.

To select objects from locked layers:

In status bar click the  Selection from locked layers button.

Controlling Layer Printability

The contour  icon means that objects on the layer can be printed. Objects on the layers with  icon will not be printed.

You can make several layers printable or unprintable at once.

To make layers printable or unprintable:

1.    Select one or several layers in the list.

2.    Click on the printability column of the selected layer.

View Mode of Selected Layers

    Ribbon: Home – Layers >  Layer walk

    Menu: Format – Layer tools >  Layer walk

    Toolbar: Properties –

 Command line: LAYWALK

There is a mode to view only the selected layers in nanoCAD. Visibility of all layers in this mode, except the selected, are switched off automatically; visibility is restored when you close this mode. This mode is a quick alternative to switching off the visibility of all layers to display the content of one layer; it is very convenient if there are a lot of layers in the drawing.

To switch on single layer or several layers view mode:

1.    Click a layer to view in the dialog.

2.    Select the  Layer walk button, visibility of all layers, except the one selected, are temporarily turned off. Near the selected layer in the  column the  icon is displayed. It means that this layer is visible.

3.    Click other layers to view. Near the selected layers in the  column  the  icon is displayed. It means that this layers are visible. Visibility of all layers, except the selected, is temporarily switched off.

4.    Click on a visible layer (which marked with the  icon) turns off its visibility.

With the Layers dialog box opened you can zoom and pan the drawing using the corresponding commands.

To restore visibility of all the layers, switch off the  Layer walk button or close the Layers dialog box.

This mode is a quick alternative to switching off the visibility of all layers to edit the content of one layer. After selecting the mode, select any command and the Layers dialog box closes and the selected layer will be displayed. To restore the visibility of all layers after editing, open the Layers dialog box and the visibility of all layers is restored automatically.

Creating and Editing Group of Layers

The Layers dialog box allows merging of layers into groups. Grouping of layers is recommended when a document contains a lot of layers and you often need to change the settings of several layers; for example, to quickly block/unblock them or to control their printability.

One layer can belong to different groups.

Creation of a New Group of Layers

To create a group of layers for the entire document:

1.    Select All in the categories tree.

2.    Select the button  Add group and the button  Show all layers (for group). To the left of the current layer icon column, the column  for selecting layers for the groups is shown.

3.    Enter a group name (the default name is Group…N, where N – is the number of the created group).

4.    Select layers to make a group.

5.    Select the  Edit filter button to complete creating the group.

To add a subgroup of layers, select the existing group, in the context menu select the command Add > Group.

When adding new layers to a subgroup they are automatically added to all parent groups.

You cannot create a subgroup of layers for a filter.

Editing a Group of Layers

To add or exclude layers from a group:

1.    Select the group in the categories tree.

2.    Select the Edit filter  button.

3.    In the  column for selecting layers for groups, select the layers to form the group. Layers of the parent group are always selected.

The Layers ribbon group and the Layers2 toolbar contain a drop-down box to select states to restore from the list of existing ones.

Creating and Editing Filters

A filter forms a list of layers that satisfy certain selection criteria. Selection in the filter is performed by one or several parameters of the layers; for example, selection of layers having a green color and line weight 0.50 which can be printed.

Creation of a New Filter

To create a layers filter for the whole document:

1.    Select All in the categories tree.

2.    Select the  Add filter button. The  Edit property button is automatically selected.

3.    Enter a filter name (a filter has a default name FilterN, where N is the number of the created filter).

4.    In the Editing of properties of the filter window, specify the selection criteria for the layers in the filter.

5.    Criteria, specified in one row are linked with the logical “AND”.

6.    Criteria, specified in different rows are linked with the logical “OR”.

7.    The  Add and  Delete buttons are used to add or delete rows of selection criteria.

8.    Select the  Edit property button to finish filter creation.

A layer’s name is often used as a selection criterion. Names can be specified as templates.

It is possible to use the following symbols in the template of a layer’s name:

If you select a group instead of the All element, a filter is created for the group.

Editing Layers Filter

To add to or exclude layers from a filter:

1.    Select the All in the categories tree (to create a filter for all layers in the document) or a group (to create a filter only for the group).

2.    Select the  Edit property button.

3.    In the Editing of properties of the filter window specify the selection criteria for layers in the filter.

4.    Criteria, specified in one row are linked with the logical “AND”.

5.    Criteria, specified in different rows are linked with the logical “OR”.

6.    The  Add and  Delete buttons are used to add or delete rows of selection criteria.

7.    Select the  Edit property button to finish filter creation.

Criteria symbols to select layers for a filter:

“All Used Layers” Filter

All nanoCAD documents contain a preset layers filter All used layers:

The filter shows all layers used in the current document. A filter does not show unused layers in a document. You cannot delete this filter.

All Layers without xrefs Filter

The preset layer filter All Layers without xrefs becomes available if a document contains layers with external references:

The filter selects all layers of the current document without external references. The filter does not display layers with external references. The filter cannot be deleted.

“Invert Layers” Checkbox

The Invert filter parameter below the categories tree can be used to display all the layers, which are not in the group, filter, external reference or configuration.

For example, to display all unused layers in a document, select the All used layers and select the Invert filter.

.

When you deselect the Invert filter the list of layers recovers.

It is often needed to display layers of a particular category.

You can use the Invert filter for this:

1.    Select a group or a filter in the categories tree.

2.    Select the Invert filter.

3.    Select all layers in the list and make them invisible.

Configurations of Layers

Configurations of layers are backup copies of layers’ parameters.

Configurations are placed in the separate Configurations folder in the categories tree.

A configuration is created for all layers in the document.

To create a configuration, select the  Add configuration button. A new configuration has a default name – Configuration N, where N is the number of created configurations.

A created configuration can be edited, e.g. to change the parameters of its layers.

Configurations can be restored, renamed and deleted.

A recovery of a configuration places a copy of the parameters of the layer with the same name into the document; it means recovering the parameters of the layers and returning them to the moment the configuration was created.

Restore state

To recover a state, select Restore from the context menu of the state:

The properties of layers to be restored are selected in the Restore layer properties dialog box:

Layers added in a drawing after creating a state of layers and not saved in it can be turned off when restoring a state by checking the Turn off layers not found in layer state box.

When restoring a layer state saved from the layout viewport, you can choose whether to use settings of such state as global properties of a drawing layers or as overrides for this viewport. The option Apply properties as viewport overrides is intended for this. Adding layers in a state

Adding layers in the configuration

Layers that appeared in a document after creating a state, can be added in the state.

1.    Select a state you need to add layers to.

2.    Click the  Add button or select Add in the context menu of the list of layers

3.    Select layers to be added in the Select Layers to Add to Layer State dialog box, click OK.

Layer State Manager

Saves, restores and manages named states of layers.

You can call Layers state dialog with the following commands:

    Ribbon: Home – Layers >  

    Menu: Format –  Layers state…

 Command line: LAYERSTATE

    Toolbar: Layers 2 –

A state can be exported to LAS file and imported from LAS file or *.dwg file (Import and Export commands of the context menu). When importing, you will be prompted to restore the layer settings from the imported states.

If you agree, the standard process of restoring the state will start, and the Restore Layer State dialog will appear, in which you should select the properties to be restored.

The Layers ribbon group and Layers 2 toolbar contain a window to select states to restore from the list of existing ones.

The command of the New layer state list allows for quick saving of layers settings in a new state without opening the Layers dialog box.

The Save Layer State list that opens allows for the possibility to save changes in already existing states: