Layer Settings

Create and manage the layers in the drawing.

This function allows you to set up or manage the layers in a drawing using the Layer Settings. You can also sort the layers by name, in ascending or descending order.

You can also group layers into Layer Groups to display a subset of layers in the layer grid. For example, you could create a group than contains all the layers that hold the electrical layout in the drawing.

You can create Layer Filters to filter which layers are displayed in the layer grid, based on the properties of the individual layers

Take note of the following:

• Layer 0 cannot be deleted and will always appear at the top of the layer list.

• Removing a layer will delete all entities on that layer.

• Changes to the layer settings only take affect after you click OK.

The following operations can be performed on the drawing layers:

• Add a layer

• Delete a layer

• Set the active layer

• Set the layer properties

• Change to order of layers

• Sort layers

• Save the current layer visibility and property state

• Load a layer visibility and property state that was previously saved

To select multiple layers, press [Shift] to select all layers between first and last click; or press [Ctrl] to select individual layers.

Procedure

The Layer Settings display.

Add a Layer

To add a new layer:

1. Click Add. A new layer displays in the layer list. The new layer's name is highlighted for editing.

2. Type a unique name for the new layer and press [Enter].

The new layer is only added to the drawing when you click OK.  If you click Cancel, the new layer is discarded.

Delete a Layer

To remove a layer:

1. Select the layer by clicking it.

2. Click Remove.  

3. You are asked to confirm the removal of the layer, particularly because removing the layer means removing all the drawing entities that are on that layer.

4. Select Yes to remove the layer from the layer list.

The layer, and all the entities on it, are only deleted when you click OK.  If you click Cancel, the layer is not deleted.

Set the Current Layer

To set the current layer:

1. Select the layer you want to make the current layer in the layer list.

2. Click Make Current.  Alternatively, right-click and select the Make Current Layer option from the popup menu. The layer you have selected is highlighted using red text, indicating that it is the current layer.

The layer only actually becomes the current layer when you click OK. If you click Cancel, the changes are discarded.

Layer Properties

The properties of a layer are arranged to the right of the layer name, in the same row of the layers list.  The visibility, lock, select, magnification, colour, line style and line weight can all be edited.  

The visibility of the current layer cannot be edited. The following message displays if you try to switch off the visibility of the current layer.

Change a Layer's Visibility

To edit the visibility:

1. Click the icon in the Vis. column to switch the layer's visibility on or off.  

• • - Entities in the layer are displayed.

  • - Entities in the layer are not displayed.

Lock (Freeze) a Layer

1. Click the Lock icon to lock or unlock the layer. The padlock is closed when the layer is locked.

   • - Layer is unlocked and entities in the layer can be changed.

   • - Layer is locked and entities cannot be edited or deleted. However, you can still add entities to a locked layer.

2. The entities in a locked layer can not be modified.

Make Entities in a Layer Selectable/Not Selectable

1. Click the Select icon to make entities on the layer selectable or unselectable.

   • - Entities in the layer can be selected.

   • - Entities in the layer cannot be selected.

2. When this option is on, entities on the layer cannot be selected.

3. Click the column heading to reverse the status of all layers.

Change the Layer Colour

The layer colour setting is only applied to entities with a ByLayer colour setting.

1. Right-click the Colour cell to select a pen colour for the layer.

2. The Colour Selection palette displays and you can select the new colour.

3. Select the new colour and click OK.

Change the Layer Line Style

The layer line style setting is only applied to entities with a ByLayer line style.

1. Click the down arrow in the Line Style cell to select a line style for the layer from the dropdown list.  

2. Click the line style you would like to use in the layer.

Change the Layer Line Weight

The layer line weight setting is only applied to entities with a ByLayer line weight setting.

1. Click the down arrow in the line weight cell to select a line weight for the layer from the dropdown list.

2.  Click the line weight you would like to use in the layer.

3. Changes to the layer only take effect when you click OK. If you click Cancel the changes are discarded.

Change the Order of Layers

To change the position of a layer in the layer list:

1. Select the layer to move up or down.

2. Click the Up Arrow to move the layer up in the list; or click the Down Arrow to move the layer down in the list.

3. If it is not possible to move the selected layer up or down, the relevant Arrow is disabled (greyed out).

Sort Layers

1. To sort the layers in alphabetical order, click Ascending. The layer list is sorted in alphabetical or numerical order.

If you click Cancel to exit the Layer Settings, the new sort order is lost.

2. To sort the layers in reverse alphabetical order, click Descending. The layer list is sorted in reverse alphabetical order.

If you click Cancel to exit the Layer Settings, the new sort order is lost.

3. Click OK to close the Layer Settings and implement the changes.

Save the Layer Settings

To save the layers you have created so they can be loaded and used in another drawing:

1. Click Save.

2. The Save Layer Settings options display.

3. Type in the filename and click Save. The file extension for a layers file is (.ly4).

4. An information message lets you know the layer settings have been saved.

5. Click OK.

Load Layer Settings That Were Previously Saved

To load the layers you have saved:

1. Click Load.

2. The Load Layer Settings display.

3. Click the layers file you want loaded into the current drawing.

4. Click Open.

5. The layers are added to the Layer Settings.

Operate on the Current Layer Only

If the Operate on Current only checkbox is not selected, you can operate on all unlocked layers. By selecting the Operate on Current only checkbox, you can only work on the current layer.

Layer Groups

The Filter pane on the left edge of the Layer Settings shows the layer groups and filters hierarchy.

Layer groups and filters can be added or removed using the right-click context menu in the Filters pane.

The Filter pane can be folded away using the button, which allows for a wider view of the layer list.

The Search input allows you to quickly find layers by displaying only those layers whose names start with the characters you type.

Layer Filters

1. Right-click a layer group item to open the context menu.

2. Right-click a layer filter item to show a slightly different context menu.

Please note:

• When adding a layer group, the selected layers in the layer list are added to the layer group.

• Select the Invert filter checkbox to show all layers that fail the current filter, or that are not in the current group. This is reset when you select a different filter or group.

• Use the Search field to show only layers with names matching the characters you type. The search is case-insensitive, and works on all the layers in the drawing i.e. it ignores the current group or filter.

Editing a Layer Filter

1. Right-click on a layer filter item and then select Edit Property Filter from the context menu.
   
   

2. The Layer Filter options display.
   
   

3. You can edit the name of the layer property filter.

4. You can enable which properties will be filtered using the checkboxes on the left side of the Layer Filter Options.

5. You can then set the property filter options for the enabled properties.

6. Click OK to save your changes to the filter.

In the example above, when the layer filter “All green layers” is selected, only layers which are selectable, and whose pen colour is 5 (green), are displayed in the layers list.

All layer groups and layer property filters inherit the layers from their “parent” group or filter node i.e. the layers listed for a specific group or filter are the result of all filters in the branch being applied from the root node. This means that a layer can only exist in a group or filter if it is already in the parent group/filter.