topic Re: Default Layers in Project data & BIM

Default Layers

Tom Krowka — Tue, 30 May 2023 11:04:28 GMT

How can I print out a copy of the default layers. Also, when inserting objects, some of them seem to automatically go to a default layer. Some of them don't. Is there a setting to have objects go to their default layer assignment, if there is one?

Re: Default Layers

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Mar 2005 20:27:19 GMT

Tom wrote:
How can I print out a copy of the default layers.

Tom,

You've got to start looking before you leap in with a question...

Options/Layers/Layer Settings... There's a Print button right at the bottom of the dialogue box.

If you mean is there a way to print default layers for objects, there really are no default layers for Objects... Just one more really compelling reason to use Favorites.

Cheers,

woodster

Re: Default Layers

TomWaltz — Mon, 21 Mar 2005 22:04:27 GMT

Tom

by objects, do you mean your Library Objects? Like you place a toilet, and it goes on one layer, and you place a cabinet and it goes on another? That is odd, since the Object Tool should remember what the last layer you placed a library object on.

Or do you mean different elements, like walls, lines, circles, and zones? If that's the case, then they each remember the last layer you drew that element type on, Walls will remember the last layer you drew a wall on, lines will remember the last layer you drew a line on, etc. UNLESS you eye-dropper something, then Archicad matches the layer of the item you eyedropper.

Re: Default Layers

Tom Krowka — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 12:27:14 GMT

That is odd, since the Object Tool should remember what the last layer you placed a library object on.

Does the tool remember sequentially, that is to say it will place the next object on the last layer used, or does it remember the layer you last placed each object on? If so, another new fact that will make life just a little easier.

Re: Default Layers

TomWaltz — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 13:46:21 GMT

Tom

The next item placed will be on the last layer used.

I though about creating an add-on a while back that could pre-set folders of objects to a certain layer, but never really got to it (still have to do SOME billable work, you know!)

Re: Default Layers

Tom Krowka — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 14:50:45 GMT

That would be a handy item.

I changed from Architectural Desktop, and that is one of the things I miss. One of the few. It would put a library object in it's default layer, no questions asked. Of course, you could change it if you wanted to, but you did not have to change layers manually.

Re: Default Layers

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:31:55 GMT

Tom wrote:
Does the tool remember sequentially, that is to say it will place the next object on the last layer used, or does it remember the layer you last placed each object on? If so, another new fact that will make life just a little easier.

Tom wrote:
The next item placed will be on the last layer used.

Like I said earlier... Just one more really compelling reason to use Favorites.

woodster

Re: Default Layers

TomWaltz — Tue, 22 Mar 2005 17:58:23 GMT

Like I said earlier... Just one more really compelling reason to use Favorites.

Favorites...... one for each of 2000 objects?

Re: Default Layers

Ben Cohen — Wed, 23 Mar 2005 01:34:51 GMT

Tom wrote:
That would be a handy item.

I changed from Architectural Desktop, and that is one of the things I miss. One of the few. It would put a library object in it's default layer, no questions asked. Of course, you could change it if you wanted to, but you did not have to change layers manually.

please check out the wish I posted for this a few days ago

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=6021

Re: Default Layers

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 02:36:06 GMT

TomWaltz wrote:
Favorites...... one for each of 2000 objects?

You need to take a look at Favorites Don't be so quick to right the idea off. If your Favorites are properly organized you could manage FAR MORE than 2000 Favorites with ABSOLUTE ease.

Take a look at the Tip of the Month.

woodster

Re: Default Layers

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 02:40:32 GMT

Ben wrote:
please check out the wish I posted for this a few days ago

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=6021

You REALLY need to look at Favorites. I'm really having aproblem here trying to understand what part of this VERY POWERFUL feature ArchiCAD users are having a problem with?

woodster

Re: Default Layers

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 04:31:01 GMT

woodster wrote:
Ben wrote:
please check out the wish I posted for this a few days ago

http://archicad-talk.graphisoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=6021
You REALLY need to look at Favorites. I'm really having aproblem here trying to understand what part of this VERY POWERFUL feature ArchiCAD users are having a problem with?

woodster

I loved having favorites.. right up until graphisoft issues a new library and all of my favorites are linked to a part that is not loaded. Actually with the new library structure, I could probably reset all of our office favorites, except for the lack of time.

Re: Default Layers

TomWaltz — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 16:15:21 GMT

I'm really having aproblem here trying to understand what part of this VERY POWERFUL feature ArchiCAD users are having a problem with?

Maybe I'm just blind, but I don't see how having dozens of palettes full of favorites actually helps. You still have to hunt down the item you are looking for. At least the library is searchable.

Our office has a Module of common parts off to the side of the drawing area, which has most common elements clustered together by type (windows, doors, etc), which provides a visual cue and requires about 2 seconds of user training. As a module, it can even be globally updated, to send out new items and changes to existing settings.

Favorites really don't provide any of that when it comes to real-world usability.

Re: Default Layers

Tom Krowka — Thu, 24 Mar 2005 19:03:10 GMT

In my opinion, all these methods under discussion are work arounds to take care of something that should be function of placing the objects.

Otherwise, what purpose do the default layers serve in Archicad except to give the user a convenient list of layers to use?

I'm sure not going to spend a bunch of time to assign layers to objects one at a time and put them in favorites as decribed in the tip of the month. Unless I can figure out how to do them a whole object folder at a time.

Then you have to redo them every library change.

Is it impossible for AC to program this function?

Re: Default Layers

Barry Kelly — Tue, 29 Mar 2005 02:43:07 GMT

Tom wrote:
In my opinion, all these methods under discussion are work arounds to take care of something that should be function of placing the objects.

Otherwise, what purpose do the default layers serve in Archicad except to give the user a convenient list of layers to use?

I'm sure not going to spend a bunch of time to assign layers to objects one at a time and put them in favorites as decribed in the tip of the month. Unless I can figure out how to do them a whole object folder at a time.

Then you have to redo them every library change.

Is it impossible for AC to program this function?

What I have done is to set up a favourite to one object in each folder.
For example I have set up an ELECTRICAL favourite that just happens to select a light object in my electrical folder and set the layer to my electrical layer.
Then if I want a switch or a fan or a poewer point I just choose the appropriate object knowing that the layer is already set.

Of course these means organizing your library into folders where the objects are all in the same layer - otherwise you will still be hunting around your library.

The other alternative is to make a number of favourites to suit different layers for objects in the same folders.
For example :- PLUMBING-SITE, PLUMBING-GENERAL, etc.
These favourites may link to the same object but just in different layers.
If you want a different object just select it.

Another little thing we have done is to script into our objects a little warning that will pop up if you try to put it in the wrong layer.
Can be very annoying (as the default layer always seems to be the wrong one when selecting a new object - of course change the layer and the message goes away) but it is the best way we have found to get 70 users to all put the objects in the correct layers.

Barry.

Re: Default Layers

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Mar 2005 08:43:50 GMT

Tom wrote:
I'm sure not going to spend a bunch of time to assign layers to objects one at a time and put them in favorites as decribed in the tip of the month. Unless I can figure out how to do them a whole object folder at a time.

Tom,

Obviously you have not even tried using the Favorites as described in the tip of the month or you would know that one of the beauties of setting up Favorites is that you do not have to set all the parameters to all of the elements one at a time. If I'm doing Electrical Favorites for example and I'm adding Electrical symbols I set the layer once and keep adding symbols. Further, setting up the favorites once is certainly easier than messing around with layer assignments every time you place an element on every job,

And, for example, if you sometimes place lines in a Lines layer and sometimes on an Electrical layer and sometimes on a Construction layer, what would be the right layer to be set as the default? No problem if you use Favorites.

Tom wrote:
Then you have to redo them every library change.

With a very few caveats, I have moved all of my 8.1 Favorites into 9.0 without having to do anything to them. Wall favorites that were set up in 8.1 came cleanly into 9.0. Did not have to make any changes to them or update them in any way. The same is true with electrical symbols from the 9.0 library. When loaded Electrical Favorites that were created with 8.1 in a new 9.0 project, the right part was found and the right settings were applied to parts in the 9.0 library.

By the way, testing how Favorites behave in the process of responding to you, I did find what I believe to be a bug... there is a problem with Windows and Doors Favorites (updating 8.1 to 9.0) which I will report to GS.

woodster