Explore Layers

Toolbar: Settings > Explore Layers ()

Menu: Settings > Explore Layers

Keyboard: EXPLAYERS

Alias: LA, REN, DDLMODES, DDRENAME

Experience Level: Intermediate

Displays the IntelliCAD Explorer with the Layer Name list displayed. You can view, create, copy, or edit layers in the IntelliCAD Explorer. You can also control visibility for the current viewport, all viewports, or new viewports. You can easily freeze or thaw entities on a layer by single-clicking the entity you want to freeze or thaw.

Layers in IntelliCAD® 2001 are like the transparent overlays you use in manual drafting. You use layers to organize different types of drawing information. In IntelliCAD, each entity in a drawing exists on a layer. When you draw an entity, it is created on the current layer.

You can control the visibility of layers. When you turn a layer off, entities drawn on that layer are no longer visible and they do not print. Although a layer may be invisible, you can still select it as the current layer, in which case new entities are also invisible until you turn the layer back on. Entities on invisible layers can also affect the display and printing of entities on other layers. For example, entities on invisible layers can hide other entities when you use the Hide command to remove hidden lines.

You can also freeze and thaw layers. Entities drawn on frozen layers do not display, do not print, and do not regenerate. When you freeze a layer, its entities do not affect the display or printing of other entities. For example, entities on frozen layers do not hide other entities when you use the Hide command to remove hidden lines. In addition, you cannot draw on a frozen layer until you thaw it, and you cannot make a frozen layer current.

Similarly, you cannot freeze the current layer. If you attempt to freeze the current layer, a dialog box appears asking you to specify a different layer. You also cannot freeze a viewport layer. To set this property, you need to set TILEMODE to off.

You can lock or unlock layers. The entities on a locked layer are still visible and will print, but you cannot edit them. Locking a layer prevents you from accidentally modifying entities.

You can rename a layer by right-clicking the layer name, and then from the shortcut menu, selecting Rename. You cannot rename layer 0. If you attempt to rename layer 0, a dialog box appears asking you to specify a different layer.

Each layer has its own color and linetype. Entities you draw on a particular layer are displayed in the color and linetype associated with that layer unless you override these settings. A color swatch next to the layer name displays the color of each layer.

Layers from externally referenced drawings appear in the right pane. To differentiate them from other layers, externally referenced layers include both the drawing name and the layer name separated by the "|" character. For example, BUNGALOW|WINDOWS indicates the drawing name (BUNGALOW) and the layer name (WINDOWS). You control all of the associated settings for layers using the Layers elements in the IntelliCAD Explorer.

Tell me about...

Exploring Blocks

Exploring Coordinate Systems

Exploring Dimension Styles

Exploring Linetypes

Exploring Text Styles

Exploring Views

Explorer

Layers

How do I...

Control layer visibility

Copy settings

Create and naming layers

Delete settings

Lock and unlocking layers

Set a layer’s linetype

Set the layer color