Exercise 3: Use display layers to assign object properties

You can create display layers for each drawing layer in your new drawing. In addition, you can create separate display layers for each waterline size. By displaying a single display layer at a time, you can select the various sets of objects and assign the proper colors to them.

Note:

This exercise uses the map you created with the DWGImportTemplate.dwt template and the SDF file you modified in Exercise 2: Import the SDF layers.

To use display layers to assign object properties

1. Create a display layer for the Parcels layer.
   • In the Task Pane, switch to Display Manager. Click DataAdd Drawing DataQuery Current Drawing.
   • In the Define Query Of Current Drawing dialog box, click Property.
   • In the Property Condition dialog box, select Layer and set the Value equal to Parcels.
   • Click OK to close each dialog box.
   • In Display Manager, select the default display layer name (Current Drawing Element) and change it to Parcels.
2. Repeat the procedures in step 1 to create a display layer for Roads.

   Select the new display layer name (Current Drawing Element) and name it Roads.

3. Repeat the procedures in step 1 to create a display layer for Waterlines.

   Select the new display layer name (Current Drawing Element) and name it Waterlines.

4. Create a display layer for waterlines whose Size property is set to Large.
   • In Display Manager, click DataAdd Drawing DataQuery Current Drawing.
   • In the Define Query Of Current Drawing dialog box, click Data.
   • In the Data Condition dialog box, select Object Data.
   • For Tables, select Waterlines.
   • Select Size.
   • For Value, enter Large.
   • Click OK to close each dialog box.
   • In Display Manager, select the new display layer name (Current Drawing Element) and change it to Large Waterlines.
5. Repeat step 4 for the remaining sizes (Medium and Small).
6. Change the color of the Large Waterlines objects.
   • Turn off all the display layers except for Large Waterlines.

     To turn off a display layer, clear its check box.

   • Click View tabNavigate panelZoom drop-downExtents. Find
   • Drag a selection box around all the objects that are displayed.
   • Right-click a selected waterline and click Properties.
   • Change the Color from ByLayer to Red.
   • Press Esc to deselect the objects.
7. Repeat step 6 for the Medium and Small layers. Make Medium objects green and Small objects blue.
8. Turn on all the display elements to see the results.

   AutoCAD users cannot see the display layers (because AutoCAD does not have Display Manager). However, the layer and object properties are stored with the AutoCAD layers and objects, so the colors are visible.

Where you are now

You imported an SDF file as drawing objects, styling the imported drawing objects as they appeared in the original drawing.