Is there an efficient way to update layer combination?

[R Muller]

I go to my layer combinations and select one (say, "Presentation Floorplans"). I then go back to my model and realize that some information is showing that I do not want to see, so I turn off some layers, and maybe I turn some on. Now I have the combination that I want, and am ready to update my layer combination definition.

So, I go back to the layers dialog box and click on "Presentation Floorplans". Immediately all the layer changes that I just made are undone, and I go back to the original combination. This is not what I want, so I cancel out of the operation.

If I haven't kept track of the layers I turned on/off, is there a way to update my layer combination? Or is the only way to define "Presentation Floorplans 2" and then later go back and delete the original "Presentation Floorplan" combination?

There must be some simple way to do this that I am missing. I am using ArchiCAD 9.

[Anonymous]

This may be a little off topic, but another improvement desperately needed is the ability to control the intersection number of a particular layer across multiple layer combinations, so I don't need to go through and change the intersection number in each and every layer combination I have.

[Anonymous]

Being able to reset layer combinations rapidly in ArchiCAD would be good. Another very useful improvement would be the ability to "purge empty layers" in one go, rather than one by one.

[James Murray]

Iain wrote:
the ability to "purge empty layers" in one go, rather than one by one.

Attribute Manager.

[Anonymous]

Merci beaucoup, James!
Sure enough right under my nose in "Gestionnaire d'attributs" was "supprimer non-utilisés" just as you hinted. Which makes me regret that I hadn't simply asked if the "purge" possibility existed, instead of assuming it didn't, simply because I hadn't found it in the layers window. Now I wonder if there is a "remove duplicate objects" button somewhere, if I look hard enough and can guess the French equivalent. Translators use the expression "taux de foisonnement" to describe the ratio of a text's length from one language to another. French seems to be 25% longer than English, which makes a big screen essential just to read the menus here.

[James Murray]

Iain wrote:
Now I wonder if there is a "remove duplicate objects" button somewhere,

There is a 'Check Duplicates' (Contrôlez Les Doubles? Dashboard translation, hope it isn't rude ) add-on in the Goodies (not even going to try) folder. Move it to the Add-ons folder and it will appear on the Tools menu.

[Link]

Or is the only way to define "Presentation Floorplans 2" and then later go back and delete the original "Presentation Floorplan" combination?

You can actually do it all at the same time if you want to do it quickly. This is the best method IMHO - only takes a couple of seconds. Either way, viewsets remember the layer combination assigned to them by name, not ID, so it doesn't really matter when you do it, as long as the new name is identical to the old one.

Attribute Manager.

It's worth noting that purging layers in the Attribute Manager does not necessarily delete all empty layers. Purging layers this way will delete all empty layers (layers with no content in them in the drawing area, including floor plans, S/E's 3D window, Detail windows), *but* it will keep all default tool layers - layers that are being used in each and every tool's default settings. This doesn't just mean tools in the Toolbox, but in the Extras Menu (eg. Roof Accessories), but oddly enough, not the Tools Menu (eg. Structural Grid, Profiler, etc).

A very effective way of purging all layers (if you don't have any S/E's or detail windows - or at least additional 2D info in them), is to place a thick marquee around your entire model and cut it to the clipboard. Then delete all layers, either via the Layer Settings dialog or the Attribute Manager, then paste the entire model back in. Only the layers that are actually being used inthe model will return. Care should be taken and back ups made before trying this though, and if you do have S/E and/or detail windows then be extra careful.

Cheers,
Link.

[James Murray]

Link wrote:
It's worth noting that purging layers in the Attribute Manager does not necessarily delete all empty layers. Purging layers this way will delete all empty layers (layers with no content in them in the drawing area, including floor plans, S/E's 3D window, Detail windows), *but* it will keep all default tool layers

Tip: Before purging, use the Active Layer palette switch to set all the tools to the ArchiCAD layer.

After purging, set Active Layer back to 'Individually set Layers'. Any tools that had deleted layers as their defaults will now show 'missing'; if you try to use the tool before changing the layer, you'll get the 'layer has been cleared' warning, and you change it then.

[Link]

Tip: Before purging, use the Active Layer palette switch to set all the tools to the ArchiCAD layer.

Touche James!!

Although, mine stayed on the active layer, even when set to individual.

Guess that's a good thing, but it shows how much I use the Active Layer!

Cheers,
Link.

[James Murray]

Link wrote:
it shows how much I use the Active Layer!

Sounds like you use it about as much as I do. I use it to, well, purge layers. That's about it. I don't have many occasions to want everything on one layer. I could imagine using it to develop schematic alternates, where everything is either on the Option1 layer or the Option2 layer; never done it in practice though.

Hey look I'm off topic.

[Anonymous]

Merci encore, James.
I had never spotted "vérifier doublons" hiding in the goodies (no translation!) folder. Oddly enough it picks up symmetrical copies as duplicates, even if they are outside the selection window.