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Manual / Layer & Properties

LAYER - Layer Manager

Turn layers on and off, freeze and lock them with the Layer Manager, set the current layer, rename layers and save layer states.

What it does

The Layer Manager lists every layer in the drawing and controls how each layer is displayed and edited.

Where to find it

  • Ribbon: Draw › Layers › Layers (the submenu has the full set of LAY* commands) or Manage › CAD Standards › Layers
  • Command line: LAYER (alias LA)
  • The Layer box on the Ribbon (Layers group) and the Properties bar below the Ribbon set the current layer.
  • Menu: View › Layers Palette

Layer Manager window
Layer Manager window

Options

Option Meaning
Vis Show (ticked) / hide.
Freeze Hides the layer and skips it in processing. LAYON does not turn it back on. You must thaw it.
Lock The layer is visible, but you cannot select or edit its objects.
Layer The layer name.
Show All / Hide All Shows / hides every layer.
Close Closes the window.

Set the current layer

  • Choose from the Layer box on the Ribbon. New objects go on that layer.
  • Or click an object and type LAYMCUR (makes the object's layer current).

Create a new layer

A new layer is created when you give an object a layer name:

  1. Select the objects.
  2. Type CHPROP layer=HOLES and press Enter.
  3. Click that object and type LAYMCUR to make HOLES the current layer.

Note: All layers in an opened DWG/DXF file appear automatically in the Layer Manager and in the Layer box.

Command Alias Syntax Meaning
RENAME REN RENAME <old name> <new name> Renames a layer and moves all its objects.
LAYERSTATE LAS, LMAN LAYERSTATE <Save|Restore|List|Delete> [name] Saves or restores the Off/Freeze/Lock state of every layer.

Steps: save a layer state for drawing review

  1. Turn off or freeze the layers you do not want to see.
  2. Type LAYERSTATE SAVE review.
  3. Later, type LAYERSTATE RESTORE review to bring back the state of every layer.

Try it: Pocket checkers board with CUT and ENGRAVE layers

A 180 mm plywood checkers board. The laser cuts the outline and engraves the 32 dark squares. Put each job on its own layer, then use the Layer Manager to check the cut path on its own.

  1. Board: REC, 0,0, @180,180, Esc. Click it and type CHPROP layer=CUT color=#FF3030. The new CUT layer appears in the Layer box.
  2. Dark squares: REC 10,10 @20,20, Esc, and REC 30,30 @20,20, Esc.
  3. Drag a window around both squares and type ARRAYRECT 4 40 0. Drag a window around the 8 squares (from 5,5 to 175,55) and type ARRAYRECT 4 0 40. That makes 32 squares.
  4. Type QSELECT rect 0. It selects the 32 squares that are still on layer 0. Then type CHPROP layer=ENGRAVE color=#3399FF.
  5. Type LA to open the Layer Manager and untick Vis for ENGRAVE. Only the cut path is left. Type LAYERSTATE SAVE cutcheck. The result reads LAYERSTATE: saved 'cutcheck' - 1 off, 0 frozen, 0 locked.
  6. Tick ENGRAVE back on. From now on, LAYERSTATE RESTORE cutcheck gives you the cut-only view in one command.

Checkers board with a red CUT outline and 32 blue ENGRAVE squares
Checkers board with a red CUT outline and 32 blue ENGRAVE squares

Challenge: Add a layer called SCORE for a light line around the playing area with REC 8,8 @164,164 and CHPROP layer=SCORE color=#00C000.

See also