Sorting layers COMBINATIONS by custom format TIP

[iggiv]

In AC26, I used a coding system for my layers and layer combinations, such as “A |” for architecture, which made it easier to sort them. However, standard layers like SHOW ALL or HIDE ALL couldn’t be placed at the top of the list, so I added spaces before the layer or layer combination to achieve this.

Unfortunately, in AC27, any added spaces were automatically removed, so this sorting method no longer worked.

TIP:

In AC28, I’m using emojis to bring these layers to the top without needing to use spaces. I’ve been using emojis and haven’t encountered any issues, so it seems to be working fine.

Hopping this TIP helps someone!!

[Francois_MCD]

👉👆👈👇👏

😎 😋 😆

[Franz Sdoutz]

Pet peeve:

If all schedules are basically just a "search result", and graphic overrides are also "search results" - WHY can't Layer combinations also be dynamic "search results" ? 

" visible+unlocked " -- group all layers visible AND unlocked

" *new*+ 3 " -- group all layers with "new" in their name AND Layer Intersection Group  3

Is this a patent law issue? Some Autocad features are worth copying.

Admittedly since layer search has been implemented, I'm less infuriated by this lack of functionality.

[Francois_MCD]

@Franz Sdoutz I'm not sure if you are aware of this but it may help you get closer to what you want:

The Archicad Layer sorting & search is very flexible to group & isolate any group of layers by:

• name / part of name
• visible / hidden
• extension
• locked / unlocked
• solid / wireframe
• connection no (priority)

In both the Folder & List view you can search for any name / part of name and still sort the results by clicking (once / twice = ascending / descending) on the column heading. This way you can find, isolate & control the settings for any combination of layers.

Does this help?

[Francois_MCD]

Yes @iggiv the "space" either before or behind being removed is consistent in almost any software and is driven by both operating systems & the software itself or a combination of the two.

I use "_" underscore or "*" star and sometimes with combinations of numbers to pull certain Layer Combinations (+ other Attributes) to the top when sorting Alphabetical-Numeric. This helps with consistently finding & selecting the attribute / view setting faster that I continuously work with all the time.

But I never tried emojis 😆 it's a fun idea, thanks for sharing.

[iggiv]

Yes, it helps me visually locate the layers rather than having to type or add more characters to the layer or combination. So far, I haven’t had any issues with this method. I’m even using emojis in keynotes and folders, though I haven’t tried them on the “Favorites Palette” yet. The folders do the sorting I need.

Is as you said a fun way to organize and visualization

[Franz Sdoutz]

Thank you  @Francois_MCD I'm aware of those (arguably great features, compared to before).

But I still have to edit my Layer Combinations manually. For each new Layer I create, I have to go through all existing Combinations deciding on their "status". And I'm the guy, who will notate a layers intersection group in the extension, fixing it conceptually for all combinations. I cannot imagine colleagues, who assign different intersection groups for different combinations individually ...

With only a few Layers and Combinations one can do this the OLD way:

But there is a reason Archicad has introduced those folders in order to sort through oodles Layers.

Now imagine me with hundred combinations to perhaps thousand (imported) layers with a complex nomenclature. Introducing a NEW Layer is tricky and prone to errors.

"Duplicate Layer" is a great feature when simply differentiating existing conceptual structures.

And YES the search does work well with extensions.

But why remember cumbersome search criteria, when those Layer FOLDERS could also be saved search queries:

Contain all Layers with layer names "20*" AND Layer extensions "*3*" AND visible in all Combinations "*Entwurf*". 

Thus creating a concise simple overview of what I need to now/check.

Off topic: "Layer" is accessible to expressions and thus to IFC. (Top feature, totally underappreciated)

Why not also grant access to Layer Combination names?

[Marc H]

This topic probably belongs in the regular forum, rather than the AC28 TP.  In any case, a couple of notes:

On the topic of creating new layers, there is an option to create 'New based on Selected'.  Very helpful as it will carry forward the same LC status' to the new layer, avoiding most of the tedious work noted to update status for each LC.

On the topic of quickly finding LCs, you can pre-fix modeling LCs with "-" and they will show at the top and/or a implement a number code pre-fix.  I use both methods and it really helps to quickly choose the LC I need in a given moment.  (At one time, someone made a Wish to have an index field in LCs and Layers, which could make it much easier.)

Hope this helps.

[iggiv · Accepted solution]

Marc:

Thank you for your input. You might be right about not posting this on the AC28 TP chart and using another chat instead. Is there a way to relocate my comments?

The reason I posted on the AC28 TP was that I had reported a similar issue back in AC27, either to Graphisoft or CADImage Tools, and received a response suggesting that this might have been the cause of the problem I was facing at the time. I was advised to remove the emojis, but that didn’t resolve the issue. Now, in AC28, everything seems to work fine since I used them again.

Therefore, I thought that by sharing this as a TIP in AC28 TP, Graphisoft could take a look and perhaps confirm it before someone else encounters compatibility problems. It’s not an essential improvement to the software, but I find it very useful when visualizing the layer palette. I’m using a Mac, and I can also use this method to classify folders on my computer with no issues.

I will accept this as a solution, as there’s no need to make a chart out of it, but perhaps it can help someone else as it does for me.

[Laszlo Nagy]

I don't see these emojis on Windows, so this wish may be more useful to Mac users. On Windows, I could use other special characters in Layer Combination names, they are just not colored.

(The topic was moved to a regular forum from the TP forum.)