Layouts

In BricsCAD, there is no limited number of layouts that can be created in a single drawing. Each layout represents a sheet of paper. For each layout you can specify the paper size, print area, print scale, lineweight scale, pen mappings, and add viewports, dimensions, a title block, and other geometry specific to the layout. The entities you add to a layout in paper space do not appear in model space.

Each layout requires at least one layout viewport. If the CREATEVIEWPORTS system variable is ON, a viewport is added automatically in a new layout. If this variable is OFF, newly created viewports are empty. To add new layouts, you can either define them yourself or you can import layouts from another drawing: template file (DWT), drawing file (DWG) or drawing interchange file (DXF).

Viewports can display all or part of the drawing’s model space entities.

The CACHELAYOUT system variable controls whether the content of layouts is cached. The extra memory required for caching is made up for by improvements to the memory requirements for displaying entities, the net result being that the memory needed to display drawings has been reduced.

Creating a new layout

  1. Launch the LAYOUT command, then select the New option.
  2. You are prompted: Enter a layout name. <Layout1>:
  3. Type a unique name for the layout, then press Enter.

    The name can be up to 255 characters in length and can contain letters, numbers, the dollar sign ($), hyphen (-), and underscore (_), or any combination.

  4. Right-click or press Enter to accept the default name (for example, Layout1).
  5. The new layout tab is added.
Note: Right-click a layout tab, then choose New in the context menu or click the plus (+) button after the last layout tab to add a new layout using a default name.

Copying layouts

  1. Right-click the layout tab you want to copy.

    A context menu appears.

  2. Choose Copy in the context menu.

    You are prompted: Enter new layout name:

  3. Type a new unique name in the Command line, then press Enter.

    A copy of the selected layout is added.

Arranging the layout tabs

Do one of the following:

  • Drag the layout tab to the desired position.
  • Right-click the layout tab, then choose a Move option in the context menu.

Importing layouts

  1. Right-click the Model tab or one of the layout tabs.

    A context menu appears.

  2. Choose From Template... in the context menu.

    The Select Template From File window opens.

  3. Browse to the drawing that you want to import layouts from.
  4. Click the Open button on the Select Template From File window.

    The Insert Layout(s) window opens.

  5. Select the layout(s) you want to import.

    Hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple layouts.

  6. Click the OK button.

    The selected layouts are imported.

Renaming a layout

  1. Double-click the layout tab you want to rename.

    The Rename Layout dialog box opens.

  2. Type a new unique name in the Name field.
  3. Click the OK button.

Deleting a layout

  1. Right-click the layout tab you want to delete.

    A context menu appears.

  2. Choose Delete in the context menu.
  3. An Alert box appears.
  4. Click the OK button to confirm.

Using the Layout Manager

  1. Do one of the following:
    • Launch the LAYOUTMANAGER command.
    • Click the button between the navigation buttons and the Model tab.
  2. In the Layout Manager dialog box you can:
    • Create layouts.
    • Copy layouts.
    • Delete layouts.
    • Change the order of the layout tabs.
    • Publish layouts.