Opens the Layers panel, for editing layer names and properties in the current drawing, as well as create, edit, and apply layers, layer states, and layer filters.
Note: This panel can remain open at all times, unlike the Drawing Explorer displayed by the Layer command.
Accessing the Command
command bar: layerspanelopen
context menu: right-click the ribbon or any toolbar, and then choose Layers
: LayersPanelOpen
The Layers panel displayed when the drawing is in Model space:
The Layers panel displayed additional VP layer properties when the drawing is in a layout tab, which apply to the current paper space layout or a viewport in the current layout.
Command Options
Option |
Description |
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Creates new layers with the generic name "NewLayer1". The new layer that is created copies the properties of the currently selected layer. |
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Deletes layers, except for the following, which cannot be deleted:
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Purges layers from the current drawing, except for the following ones, which cannot be purged:
See the Purge command. |
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Displays the Layers Settings dialog box:
Toolbar Controls toggles the display of controls in the toolbar:
OK - applies the changes and exit the dialog box Cancel - exits the dialog box without applying the changes |
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Filters the names of layers to shorten longer lists of layers. As you type characters, the program displays the layer names containing the text. Any layers containing the sequence of characters are listed, no matter where in the layer name the sequence is located. For example, entering "do" returns layers named DOOR and WINDOW. |
Layer States Explorer |
Displays the Layer States section of the Drawing Explorer. See the LayerState command. |
Layer States Used |
Lists the layer states available in the drawing. Choose one from the droplist. See the LayerState command. |
Layer Explorer |
Displays the Layer section of the Drawing Explorer. See the Layer command. |
Filter Used |
Displays the current layer filter, if any are defined in the current drawing. Click the down-arrow button to choose a different layer filter The program creates the following layer filters automatically:
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Inverts the content of current filter, so that the dialog box displays all layers not included in the filter. For example, to see all layers not in an xref'ed drawing, choose the Xref filter, and then click Invert Filter. |
Header Options |
Description |
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Specifies the current working layer. Only one layer can be current at a time. When the Indicate Layers In Use option is turned on, then these additional icons are displayed:
In paper space layouts or viewports (model space with floating viewports), the following icons indicate that viewport overrides exist:
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Layer Name |
Specifies the name of the layer. In long lists of layers, you can type a character to jump to the first layer starting with that character, such as 'd' for DOORS. To sort the layer names from A to Z, click the Layer Name header; to reverse the order from Z to A, click the header a second time. To rename a layer:
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Description |
(optional) Describes the content of the layer. Click the field, and then type. |
On/Off |
Toggles the selected layers between on and off. To change the status, select one or more layers, and then click a lightbulb icon:
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Freeze |
Toggles the selected layers between frozen and thawed. To change the status, select one or more layers, and then click a sun/snowflake icon:
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Locked |
Toggles the selected layers between locked and unlocked. To change the status, select one or more layers, and then click a padlock icon:
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Color |
Specifies the color of the layer. The default color is white (black). To change the color:
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Linetype |
Specifies the linetype of selected layers. The default linetype is "Continuous." To change the linetype:
To load additional linetype definitions:
See Linetype command. |
Lineweight |
Specifies the linetype of selected layers. Default is "Default." To change the lineweight:
See the LWeight command. |
Transparency |
Sets the transparency of entities on the selected layer(s) between 0 (fully opaque) and 90 (fully transparent); the default is 0. To change the transparency:
The 2DWireframe visual style ignores this setting; instead, use the TRANSPARENCYDISPLAY variable to control the level of transparency. |
Plot Style |
Specifies the plot style of selected layers, if plot styles are enabled in the current drawing. The default is "Color_7." To change the plot style"
By default, plot styles are not enabled in drawings. To add plot styles to the drawing, see the PlotStyle command. |
Plot |
Toggles selected layers between being printed and not printed. To change the status, select one or more layers, and then click the printer icon:
Some layers created by the program also do not print by default, such as DefPoints. |
New VP |
Specifies whether the layer is visible (thawed) or invisible (frozen) when you make a new viewport (VP) in a layout tab. To change the status, select one or more layers, and then click a sun/snowflake icon:
See the MView command. |
Material |
Specifies the material of selected layers. The default is material is name "Global." To change the material assigned to one or more layers:
When you need to add more materials to the drawing, see the Materials command. |
Viewport Headers
The following headers appear when you switch from model tab to a layout tab:
Header Option |
Description |
VP Freeze |
Freezes the layer in the current layout; overrides the freeze/thaw setting in model space |
VP Color |
Specifies the color of entities on this layer in the current layout; overrides the color setting in model space |
VP Linetype |
Specifies the linetype for entities in the current layout; overrides the linetype setting in model space |
VP Lineweight |
Specifies the lightweight in the current layout; overrides the lightweight setting in model space |
VP Transparency |
Specifies the transparency of entities on this layer in the current layout; overrides the transparency setting in model space |
VP Plotstyle |
Specifies the plot style name in the current layout; overrides the plot style setting in model space |
Procedures
- To open or close a panel
- To dock a panel
- To dock a panel with respect to another docked panel
- To stack panels in a tabbed panel
Related Commands
-Layer - creates layers and changes their properties in the command bar.
Layer - creates layers and changes their properties in the Drawing Explorer.
LayersPanelClose - closes the Layers panel.
LayerState - saves and restores layer states.
LayMCur - changes the working layer to that of a selected entity
LayFrz - freezes layers associated with selected entities.
LayThw - thaws all frozen layers.
LayIso - isolates layers associated with selected entities.
LayLck - locks layers associated with selected entities.
LayUlk - unlocks layers associated with selected entities.
LayOff - turns off layers associated with selected entities.
LayOn - turns on all layers that have been turned off.
Materials - Creates materials and edits their properties through the Drawing Explorer.
-ToolPanel - allows to control the display of tool panels, such as the Properties Bar, the Ribbon or the Sheet Sets panel from the command line.
VpLayer - changes the properties of layers in the current paperspace viewport.
Explorer - Opens the Drawing Explorer dialog box.