Copy Layer Sets

[Anonymous]

If I make a layer combination set in one drawing that has what I need turned on and off locked and unlocked.....how can I copy that layer set into another drawing??? Not a new drawing, and existing drawing.

[Chazz]

I don't think it's possible. Attribute Manager won't do it, anyway, and I lament that every time I use it. I'd love to be proved wrong but I think you need to just synchronize them manually (the print button might help here).

Any better ideas out there?

[Anonymous]

Well phooey.

I told a reluctant new ArchiCAD user that the board would help. They are "one of those" that fights it every step of the way kind of people. Lots of moans and groans, lol

[Chazz]

other thoughts......

• a) If the document set is not so far along (limited section/elevation annotation, and few layouts) it may be easier to just duplicate the PLN file with the correct layers, then wipe out the old model data and copy/paste it in the model data from the PLN with the deficient layer combo's. But Gawd, is this what we've been reduced to?
  
  b) If you have elements in plan on all the new layers you need, you could just turn everything on (visible and unlocked) and copy paste all elements into the file where you need the layers. Once done, delete it all. That will at least create the new layers and save you the chore of typing in all their names. The layer set assignments must still be done manually.

The more I think about this the more glaring this deficiency becomes. Maybe this should be rephrased as a poll.

Another related annoying thing is that if you change the name of the layer set, the view map can't find it anymore. That is truly lame.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I will tell them that and see if they want to go that route.

anyone else have any suggestions?

[TomWaltz]

Chazz wrote:
I don't think it's possible. Attribute Manager won't do it, anyway, and I lament that every time I use it.

Attribute Manager DOES do that, actually.

[Richard Morrison]

Chazz wrote:
I don't think it's possible. Attribute Manager won't do it, anyway, and I lament that every time I use it. <snip>

Any better ideas out there?

Well, I just tried it in AC12, and it seems to work fine. If you start with a bunch of layer names that are not in the source file, it does become quite a mess to clean up.

[Anonymous]

TomWaltz wrote:

Chazz wrote:
I don't think it's possible. Attribute Manager won't do it, anyway, and I lament that every time I use it.

Attribute Manager DOES do that, actually.

Well...

It does work to the extent that the layer names and index numbers match between the files. If there is not a perfect match there will be some clean up required on the incoming combos. If there are substantial differences the import accomplishes little more than bringing in the names.

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys, I will pass that on and tell them to give it a whirl.

[Chazz]

TomWaltz wrote:
Attribute Manager DOES do that, actually.

A.M. brings in the names of the layers and the names of the layer sets but does not bring in the crucial relationships betwixt the two. To my mind a stunning shortcoming. If attributes like this could be moved easily from project to project it would make template maintenance much easier.