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The main layer scheme dialog from the SCHEMEDIT command:

Either double click on a scheme name or select a scheme name and press the "EDIT Scheme" button to edit the layer scheme. The following dialog will appear:

The button saves your changes and closes this dialog.

The button discards any changes and closes this dialog.

The button brings you to this web page for help during the command (without canceling)

This is where you edit a layer scheme. 

For more information on a specific area above, click on the area in the dialog above or select one of the following:

Full layer scheme name

The full layer scheme name is shown when using the pull-downs to show the layer schemes. Edit the scheme name as needed in the box provided. 

8 character scheme abbreviation

The scheme abbreviation is used at the top of the screen menu bar and "Layers" pull-down to indicate which layer scheme is current.

Layer scheme display window

Double clicking an entry will edit it. See EDIT layer.

The "Full layer name" listed on the left is the actual layer name that will show in the list of layers for the drawing. 

The abbreviation is what is displayed in the screen menu bar and "Layers" pull-down and is restricted to eight characters.

We have an 8 character abbreviation because when the layers are displayed on either the screen menu or the pull-down they are limited to 8 characters. The abbreviations are what you will see and select from the screen menu or pull-down. They also serve as a way to make finding layers easier. With some layer schemes the layer names can get very long, complex and/or cryptic, the abbreviations allow a more "friendly" and simple way of displaying the layers and allow you to sort through them quickly when looking for the correct layer to select.

The color, lineweight, and linetype values are what is used if the layer is created. The lineweight values may be configured even if you are using AutoCAD releases 13 or 14. The values configured will have no effect in releases 13/14 but if you upgrade and decide to use lineweights for your pen thicknesses they will already be set up for you.

You may also configure the system to change the color, lineweight, and linetype of existing layers to the values shown here when this layer scheme becomes current. This is very useful when layers exist in more than one layer scheme but should appear differently in each of the layer schemes. See the Layer Scheme Control Settings portion of the Layer Control section of the APS-CONFIG command.

The lines shown between layers above indicate the configured grouping of layers. The default is groups of five layers. This can be changed in the Layer Scheme Control Settings portion of the Layer Control section of the APS-CONFIG command.

Add layers from current drawing

When you click on the

button you will see a screen that looks similar to the following:

This dialog allows you to select from the layers in the current drawing. Highlight a layer and use the arrow buttons in the center of the dialog to move layers from one side to the other. When you press the "OK" button all the layers from the right side list will be added to the current layer scheme This is a great way to get layers into a layer scheme without having to type them in manually. The name, color, linetype and lineweight for each layer are imported. The abbreviation that is used is the first 8 characters of the full layer name.

Add layers from an exported layer state

Some people use saved layer states to help manage their layers. This tool allows you to import layers from an exported layer state. When you click on the button you will be prompted to select a layer state file that has previously been saved (A layer state file ".LAS" is created in the AutoCAD layer state manager, see AutoCAD's help for more information). All the layers from the selected layer state file will be added to the current layer scheme's display window. This is a great way to get layers into a layer scheme without having to type them in manually. The name, color, linetype and lineweight for each layer are imported. The abbreviation that is used is the first 8 characters of the full layer name.

EDIT Layer

When either a line in the display window is double clicked or the the layer is selected and the button is pressed the entry selected is brought up in the following dialog:

This is where you edit the individual properties for each layer entry. 

Edit the full layer name and abbreviation as needed in the boxes provided. The linetypes available are from the defined linetypes set in the LType Cmd section of the APS-CONFIG command. Select the color for the layer (see Selecting Colors) and finally select the lineweight that you would like. The lineweights are selectable even in AutoCAD releases 13 & 14 to allow you to set up your layer schemes so that they are ready when (if) you upgrade.

ADD Layer

Select a layer in the list and press button and a new blank layer appears below the layer selected. You may either leave the layer blank (to use as a spacer) or double click on it to edit it's properties.

COPY Layer

Select a layer in the list and then press the button and the layer selected will be copied below itself.

DELETE Layer

Select a layer in the list and then press the button and the following dialog will appear:

If you would like to delete the layer shown press OK. If you would like to keep the layer press Cancel. 

Move UP

Select a layer in the list and then press the button and the layer will move up one space. Press the "Move UP" button again and it will move up another space. The layer you selected will stay selected so that you may continue to move it (up or down) without having to select it again.

Move DOWN

Select a layer in the list and then press the button and the layer will move down one space. Press the "Move DOWN" button again and it will move down another space. The layer you selected will stay selected so that you may continue to move it (up or down) without having to select it again.

Default current layer for scheme

This sets the layer that becomes current when you change to this layer scheme. If you typically have a specific layer current most of the time when using this layer scheme set this to that layer.

Active toolbar for this scheme

This is where you set the active toolbar for this layer scheme. Since this example is using a floor plan layer scheme we have selected the floor plan active toolbar which looks something like this . Whenever you make this layer scheme current the toolbar selected here will appear with commands that are specific to the type of work you will be doing when working with this layer scheme. This can help to reduce the clutter on your screen by only showing the toolbars that you need.

Select the toolbar from the list that you would like to have appear when this layer scheme is made current or select "*NONE*" and the active toolbar will not appear for the current scheme. See Active Toolbars for more information.

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