topic Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken in Documentation

Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Patrick M — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 23:34:17 GMT

Layer combinations will randomly vary from one layout to the next. This is broken. I wish this would work consistently and correctly.
I'll add for those who would claim this is user error, I watched a user create a "Annotation - layout book" layer combination, set it as the layer combo for the layout book, then switch to a different layout and it switched to "A2 - Clerestory Plan" layer combo... this is broken and has been a HUGE problem for quite a while.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

NateLumen — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 17:16:56 GMT

I have never understood the purpose of layer combinations for layout books. How does one apply a layer combination to a layout book so that it sticks? My issue is that layers will turn on and off randomly in a layout - I would rather just have no layers for layouts.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

DGSketcher — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 18:55:22 GMT

In theory you pick a Layer Combo and it is applied to ALL Layouts so you can't assign different Combos, BUT the big issue is the bug that will transfer View Combo Layers to an individual Layout. Unless your Layout only uses the Archicad layer then there is a risk that Master and placed drawing layers may be turned off. Things have improved, but the bug is still there.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Karl Ottenstein — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 22:39:20 GMT

Can you narrow this down at all? For example, is this only in AC 26? Does it only happen if you switch to a Layout using open tabs, or does it happen when you open a layout from Navigator? Etc. Have you reported this? E.g., why is this a "wish" and not a bug report? In older versions (pre tabs) this worked without fail.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

DGSketcher — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:07:17 GMT

It was bad in AC25 and was reported. I still see it in AC26 usually when switching from Schedules to Layouts. I am, like many people, busy trying to survive, I shouldn’t have to repeatedly allocate my resources trying to research & track down a fault in something I have paid for & reported. GS really need to upgrade their QA and bug testing.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Barry Kelly — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 09:22:27 GMT

As far as I know there is only one layer set in the entire layout book.

Whether that be custom layers you choose or an actual layer combination.

It should remain the same no matter which layout page you open.

There is no way to save particular layers with a layout page, there never has been.

So yes you can set the layers you want to see (remember each view (drawing) you place can remember its own layer combination), but don't expect the layout book layers to change to a different set when you change layout pages.

Barry.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Patrick M — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:36:12 GMT

layers are useful for different deliverables of the same sheets, for showing/hiding revision markers/comments, for template issues managing the same template for multiple jurisdictions... Definitely need a layout book layer combo; but it needs to be consistent, and more difficult to accidentally change. Even in a t/w file, you don't actually need to reserve teh layer combos or the layout book to change the layoutbooks layer combo.
would rather it were handled closer to the view map, OR that it was centrally stored in the layout book or layout subset settings

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Patrick M — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:38:19 GMT

yes, 90% of what goes onto a layout should be on the AC layer anyway. The other 10% is not there just for $h!7$ and giggles though... when we issue a set and an ASK sketch or revision cloud is missing, or worse, old revision clouds start populating, it makes the architect look really bad!
If I have one gripe about AC lately, its bugs like this that either make us second guess our documents every time we publish or spend unnecessary hours checking the work already done after publishing.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Patrick M — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:44:51 GMT

Hi Karl,
this has been happening for years. It has been reported as a bug, for years. Just thought I'd throw it somewhere else for a change... see if the squeaky wheel gets more attention in this venue instead.
As for possible triggers... I don't know. I've been told the exact workflow to keep it from happening; which is so formulaic and specific, it only takes one slip to mess it up. Most recently, I was on a screen share with a client. I noticed their layout book had CUSTOM set as the layer combo. I told them we should create a layer combo for their layout book. We did. Called it "A0 - Layout Book", then double clicked to open a different layout, having already estabilished "A0 - Layout Book" as the layer combo for the entire book. The second layout we opened switched to using the "A2 - Clerestory Plan" layer combo. As I understand it, it shouldn't be possible for different layouts to have different layer combos... but it is.
As a wish list item, I'm suggesting a new GS maybe explore a new way to manage layer combos for the layout book that:
A) cements the layer combo to the layout book
B) avoids accidental changes to the layout book layer combo by the very common user error of editing layer combos while in the layout book
C) prevents users in t/w files from changing the layout book layer combo without reserving layer combos and/or layout book settings first

summary: wish list item - move layout book layer combination settings to the layout book or book subset settings instead of in the layer manager. (this would also need to be consistently applied to the pen sets as well, but thats another can of worms)

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Patrick M — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 15:47:30 GMT

you are correct; we shouldn't expect layer combos to change from one layout to another... but they do.

it is a long-standing bug, that has been repeatedly reported. Just putting it as a wish list item in hopes that it someday gets fixed

In the meantime, if we expect layout book layers to work, we will be repeatedly delivering documents with missing info. We need to expect them to NOT work in order to be on top of this as architects and designers...

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

DGSketcher — Thu, 31 Aug 2023 16:13:09 GMT

@Patrick M wrote:

If I have one gripe about AC lately, its bugs like this that either make us second guess our documents every time we publish or spend unnecessary hours checking the work already done after publishing.

Nailed it. 👍

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Barry Kelly — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 01:10:34 GMT

If layers are switching between pages, that is an issue.

But not a big issue, as we supposedly only have one layer set in the entire layout book.

Change a layer in any layout page and it should affect all other pages.

So to me it is pointless putting things in different layers.

I am sure you have heard this before.

Put everything in the layout book in the Archicad layer.

That way it can never be turned off accidentally.

Don't annotate or add anything else in the layouts unless it is in the Archicad layer.

If you want to hide something but not delete it, move it to the side of the layout page.

Barry.

Re: Layout Book Layer Combos are Broken

Karl Ottenstein — Fri, 01 Sep 2023 01:48:12 GMT

An exception to using only the Archicad layer that I've historically used is for info primarily in the master layouts and title blocks where I have watermarks for "Preliminary - Not for Construction" and similar stamps that I turn on and off via special Layout Book combinations.