Contents

• Selecting a layer to make current
• Selecting a single layer name from the pull-down
• Selecting multiple layer names from the pull-down
• Selecting a layer name or names from another layer scheme
• Viewing just the current layer scheme
• Changing layer schemes
• Loading a new layer scheme file
• Miscellaneous tips

Selecting a layer to make current

Selecting any one of the layers from the "Layers" pull-down will make the layer current. You may also configure it to start the line command. (See the Layer scheme control settings portion of the Layer Control section of the APS-CONFIG command) For many selecting a layer like this replaces the line command. It is a great way to make sure that you are using the correct layer when drawing lines. Just select the layer you would like to draw lines on from the pull-down and start drawing.

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Selecting a single layer name from the pull-down

Any of the APS-2008 commands that require the selection of a single layer may have the layer selected from the "Layers" pull-down. To give you an example we will use the CHLAYR command to change the layer of some objects.

Press the toolbar button, type in CL, or type in CHLAYR. This will start the CHLAYR command.

Select objects:

Select the objects you would like to change the layer of.

Select objects:

When done selecting objects press <Enter> or <Space>.

Type layer, select from the "Layers" pull-down, pick on an object, or <Enter> to CHANGE to current Layer <A-WALL-INTR-01>:

Select the layer that you would like the objects selected to go on from the "Layers" pull-down. The objects will be changed to the layer selected.

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Selecting multiple layer names from the pull-down

Any of the APS-2008 commands that allow the selection of multiple layers may have the layers selected from the "Layers" pull-down (along with the other layer selection methods). To give you an example we will use the LAYRON command.

Select the toolbar button or type LO, or LAYRON at the command prompt to start the LAYRON command. You will see the following prompt:

Select layers from the "Layers" pull-down or type layers to turn ON:
<Enter/Space> when done:

You may notice that the "Layers" pull-down changes, it is now in "layer selection mode". "V"s appear above each layer group (if you group layers). This change is to visually let you know that you are in the "layer selection mode" and will return to normal once the current command is finished.

Select the first layer that you would like to turn on. In this example it is the layer for text.

When a layer is selected from the "Layers" pull-down the layer name will appear at the command line to give you a running record of what layers have been selected. Also notice that there is an entry that begins with the characters " *| " along with the normal layer name. This is so that all of the objects in XREFerences that are on the chosen layer are also selected.

<Enter/Space> when done:

Select the next layer you would like to turn on from the "Layers" pull-down. For this example it will be the layer for dimensions.

Once again the layer name added is shown at the command line.

<Enter/Space> when done:

Now let us assume that we want to select all of the layers in one of the groups on the "Layers" pull-down (obviously this only applies if you are grouping your layers on the "Layers" pull-down). To add a group of layers select the "V" above the group that you would like. In the image to the left selecting the "V" shown would be the same as selecting  "RMNM", "EXT-WALL", "INT-WALL", "1/2-WALL", & "WALLPATT" individually.

 
All of the layer names in the layer group immediatly below the "V" selected are added to the list of layers.

Note: When selecting a group just the standard layer names are shown at the command line (as shown above) but the actual list passed to the command also includes the layer names with the " *| " in front for the selected layers in XREFerences.

Select as many of the layers in this manner as you would like. Sure beats typing them in! Although you can do that too.

When done selecting layers press <Enter> or <Space> and the layers selected will be turned on.

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Selecting a layer name or names from another layer scheme

Any of the APS-2008 commands that allow the selection of multiple layers may have the layers selected from the "Layers" pull-down (along with the other layer selection methods). We gave you an example above "Selecting multiple layer names from the "Layers" pull-down" that showed how to select the layers from the current layer scheme. Now we would like to show you that you are not limited to just the layers currently shown on your screen when selecting layers. Let us do this by once again using the LAYRON command (but any APS-2008 command that allows the selection of multiple layers will also do this).

Select the toolbar button or type LO, or LAYRON at the command prompt to start the LAYRON command. You will see the following prompt:

Select layers from the "Layers" pull-down or type layers to turn ON:
<Enter/Space> when done:

You may notice that the "Layers" pull-down changes, it is now in "layer selection mode". "V"s appear above each layer group (if you group layers). This change is to visually let you know that you are in the "layer selection mode" and will return to normal once the current command is finished.

As shown above (in Selecting multiple layer names from the pull-down) you may select any of the layers from the current layer scheme that you want. So for this example we will select the text layer from the current scheme.

<Enter/Space> when done:

The next layers that we want to select in this example are not a part of the current layers scheme. We would like to select some layers from the electrical layer scheme.

To do this select the layer scheme from the "Layer Schemes" pull-down.

The layers from the scheme selected (in this case electrical) will show on the "Layers" pull-down where you may select all the layers that you need. In the image to the left we are selecting one of the "V"s so the layers in the group immediately below the "V" will be selected. This is the same as selecting "E-TEXT", "E-SYMB", "E-DIMS", "E-PATT", and "E-NPLT" separately.

If you need layers from yet another layer scheme select the other layer scheme just like you did the electrical scheme above. You may select any or all of the layer schemes in the current layer scheme file and select as many layers from each scheme as is needed.

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Viewing just the current layer scheme

To isolate the current layer scheme's layers in a drawing press the layer scheme's name at the top of the "Layers" pull-down.

When the scheme's name is selected all of the layers in the drawing are turned off and then the layers from just the current layer scheme are turned back on.

Note: Any layers designated as "non plot" layers (set in the Plot Prep Config portion of the General section of the APS-CONFIG command) will not be turned back on.

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Changing layer schemes

To change between layer schemes select the layer scheme from the "Layer Schemes" pull-down.

The new layer scheme will show in the "Layers" pull-down, all the layers will be turned off, and just the new layer scheme's layers will be turned back on.

Note: Any layers designated as "non plot" layers (set in the Plot Prep Config portion of the General section of the APS-CONFIG command) will not be turned back on.

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Loading a new layer scheme file

To load a new layer scheme file select "Load new scheme file" from the "Layer Schemes" pull-down.

The following dialog will appear (or something very similar depending on your AutoCAD version):

Select the layer scheme file that you would like to load. Once you have selected the file the layer schemes from the file selected will be loaded and the first layer scheme from the file will be made current.

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Miscellaneous tips

The little up arrow allows you to scroll up in the list of layers (assuming you have scrolled down with the down arrow below) if you have more layers in your current layer scheme than will fit on your screen at one time.

Don't forget that the layer names shown on this pull-down are the abbreviations for the layer names and are not necessarily the actual layer names.

The little down arrow at the bottom allows you to scroll down if you have more layers in your layer scheme than can fit on your screen at one time.

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