If you’ve used AutoCAD, then you’ve probably used layers. Layers are fundamental to organizing and controlling the appearance of geometry and annotation in a drawing, and learning the basics of layers is usually an early step in one’s AutoCAD education. This article takes you through some “next steps,” highlighting certain commands and practices that can save you time when working with layers.
We’ll cover some tips for layer organization and management, including how to add the Layer Control to the Quick Access Toolbar, and how to receive and control automatic notifications for new layers. We’ll also highlight some commands for making quick changes to layers that will help you avoid the cumbersome task of scrolling through a bulky layer list.
To follow along with these exercises, you can use the Floor Plan Sample.DWG sample drawing, located in the C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 20XX\Sample\Database Connectivity folder. If you are using AutoCAD LT or want to use a different drawing, use your own drawing that contains objects on different layers.
Looking for another way to quickly access simple layer controls? You may want to add the Layer List control to the Quick Access toolbar. This can be particularly useful if you like to close the ribbon as a way to maximize your screen real estate, but you still need to switch the active layer or turn layers on or off.
To add the Layer List control to the Quick Access toolbar, simply click the Customize drop-down on the Quick Access toolbar and select Layer.
Some drawings may contain hundreds or, for particularly large drawings, thousands of layers. Scrolling through and finding a specific layer in an exceedingly lengthy layer list is often impractical. Make Current (LAYMCUR command) is a convenient way to change the current layer.
Suppose you want to make the FURNITURE layer current. Of course, you could simply open the layer list and scroll until you found the FURNITURE layer. But instead, let’s use Make Current to quickly change the current layer.
The FURNITURE layer is now the current layer.
Just as the name indicates, Change to Current Layer (LAYCUR command) changes an object from one layer to another.
Suppose you wanted to change these chairs from the CHAIR layer to the FURNITURE layer using Change to Current Layer.
The chairs are now on the FURNITURE layer.
Similar to Change to Current Layer, mentioned in the previous section, Match Layer (LAYMCH command) changes the layer of an object. Except with Match Layer, neither layer needs to be current.
Suppose you want to place the phones onto the CPU layer.
The phone is now on the CPU layer.
With the previous two commands, we changed the properties of objects already in the drawing. But suppose you want to copy objects and place those objects on a different layer. This can be done with Copy Objects to a New Layer (COPYTOLAYER command).
This time let’s say you want to copy this computer onto the FURNITURE layer.
Layer Previous (LAYERP command) is like an Undo command for just layers – it undoes the last change or set of changes made using either the Layer List control, Layer Properties Manager, or -LAYER command.
Let’s try a simple example. Suppose you want to erase the non-furniture objects inside cubicle 6124.
We’ll temporarily lock the layer for the cubicle panels and freeze the furniture layer so that we can erase the desired objects, then undo the layer actions.
Layer Previous does not undo the following changes:
You can have the program automatically notify you when any new layers are added to a drawing. New layers might be added when attaching external references or inserting blocks. Also, if you work with shared drawings, new layers might be added by other contributors.
When the Layer Notification feature is turned on, and a new layer is subsequently added, a balloon or dialog box message appears after specified operations that involve file operations, layer states, or plotting. The status bar also displays an icon that alerts you to new layers.
Let’s try setting up an automatic notification for new layers.
Each option indicates when the notification will display. So, if Open is selected and a new layer is present, a notification displays when you open the drawing. If Save is selected and there’s a new layer, a notification displays each time you save.
Working with layers is an integral part of working with drawings. Hopefully, these commands and tips will help you work faster and more efficiently!
Below is a list of the commands that are highlighted in this article.
Command | Description |
---|---|
LAYCUR | Changes the layer property of selected objects to the current layer. |
LAYMCH | Changes the layer of a selected object to match the destination layer. |
LAYMCUR | Sets the current layer to that of a selected object. |
LAYERP | Undoes the last change or set of changes made to layer settings. |
COPYTOLAYER | Copies one or more objects to another layer. |