topic Re: Unable to delete layers in Project data & BIM

Unable to delete layers

KeesW — Tue, 30 May 2023 10:43:13 GMT

I have a large project containing layers created from a surveyor's autocad drawing. This drawing was imported into my AC14 drawing because I used the survey for creating my site contours. I am now unable delete any of these layers.

Any suggestions?

Re: Unable to delete layers

Anonymous — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:43:08 GMT

from the image it looks like the layers are associated with an Xref - there's a separator between them and your project layers. you have 2 options here - hide the layers using the layer filter (blue funnel shaped button at the top of the layer dialog) or detach the Xref in the Xref manager - File>External Content> Xref Manager. Detaching the Xref will remove it from the project. you could also open the DWG in a separate archicad and change all the layers to a single layer that works with your layer setup, then save it as a DWG and attach that to your drawing. or detach the Xref and place the drawing a a 2D External Drawing - File>External Content>Place External Drawing.

hope that helps..

Re: Unable to delete layers

KeesW — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:38:57 GMT

Thank you Mark. Unfortunately, I am unable to access the Xref Manager - it is greyed out. I must have something missing in my Add-Ons or in my AC's work environment configuration. I've looked once but will try harder to find the correct configuration to enable the Xref Manager.

Re: Unable to delete layers

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:32:50 GMT

it's greyed out when you're in 3D window, not sure why it would be greyed out otherwise

Re: Unable to delete layers

vfrontiers — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:11:04 GMT

Just a follow up here... I am having the same issue, but in Xref Manager there are NO x-refs attached. An it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to delete the layers....

Re: Unable to delete layers

vfrontiers — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:21:23 GMT

And a follow up to the follow up...

These layers can be deleted in ATTRIBUTE MANAGER...

(it was TOO easy)

Re: Unable to delete layers

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:00:04 GMT

Yes, that's it , delete the layers in Atribute manager.

This happens, if you attach an Xref, en afterwards, you select it in plan, and delete it.
If you want to delete an Xref, you must 'detach' it in Xref manager.

Normaly, if this happens (layers from Xrefs you can't delete, while there's no Xref anymore), you can also RE-atach the same Xref, and then, Detach it again from the Xrefmanager. Than these layers must be gone too.

Re: Unable to delete layers

Anonymous — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 14:43:14 GMT

Having the same problem, and don't see the layers in my attribute manager. These layers are not accessible anywhere but in the Layer manager, and like the first post, the delete button is not an option.

They are like ghost xref layers, with no ability to manage them.

Re: Unable to delete layers

Da3dalus — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 21:31:06 GMT

I think this may still be a bug. I had several DWGs imported as Drawings, not XRefs. I Exploded one, and told it to use the elements' original layers. Instead of adding the new layers to the layer list to be edited, it simply added them as uneditable Xref layers. I checked the Xref Manager, and there are not, nor were there ever, any Xrefs. It is not behaving the way I expect, and I need to keep all of these new lines on separate layers. My intent was to Delete and Replace each AutoCAD layer with my standard ArchiCAD layers, but I can't do that, even in the Attribute Manager, which only deletes the layer and all of it's elements!

One theory... The embedded AutoCAD layers appear to have been Bound from a previous Xref, so they read like "Filename|A-Door". I wonder if that character is confusing ArchiCAD? Has anyone seen this behavior? I will go back to AutoCAD and see if I can fix that.

Re: Unable to delete layers

Da3dalus — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 23:01:39 GMT

OK, I answered my own questions. Upon looking at the drawing in AutoCAD, I discovered that I had actually linked a DWG that contained a real Xref. Since ArchiCAD didn't complain, I assumed the DWG was self-contained.

The part that I was trying to Explode was indeed an embedded Xref, and though it did seem to Explode, it created uneditable layers. THis is still a bug, but it has a work-around. The solution was to delete everything by deleting the layers in the Attribute Manager, and then bring in the ACTUAL DWG file that I wanted (which had been Xreffed) as a Drawings, and Explode that. It worked as expected.

So the moral is, beware of AutoCAD files with embedded Xrefs!

Re: Unable to delete layers

Csaba Kezer — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 14:18:24 GMT

Hello guys,
We examined your problems. Unfortunately the program has been designed this way to separate the Xref from the project which results in a few difficulties when managing this.
We issued a report about this problem to the developer team.

The main principle to avoid these issues is to manage (detach) the xrefs through the xref manager before deleting or manipulating anything.

Regards,
Csaba

Re: Unable to delete layers

Da3dalus — Wed, 12 Feb 2014 17:16:10 GMT

Thank you, Csaba. It makes sense.

However, one thing I would be concerned about is people who only use ArchiCAD. We are fortunate to have a station of AutoCAD in our office, and I have lots of experience. However, some may not have access to AutoCAD, and may not even understand how Xrefs work. Based on this, it would be helpful for ArchiCAD to provide more information in linked DWGs, such as a warning about embedded Xrefs.

For these issues, I would recommend to anyone that works with DWG files regularly that they should get a DWG-native CAD program. AutoCAD is about $4000, and even AutoCAD LT is about $1000, so that's not always an option. I generally use Draftsight for editing and eDrawings for quick viewing (both from Dassault, maker of Catia and Solidworks), especially since I use a Mac… and they're FREE! That's quicker for me most of the time than tracking down AutoCAD.

I'd be curious to see what other programs people might use for checking DWGs.

Re: Unable to delete layers

Csaba Kezer — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 18:14:16 GMT

Here is a detailed article about the use of Xref DWG-s in ArchiCAD what you might haven't come across: www.archicadwiki.com/DWG/Import/Xref