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Manual / Layer & Properties

PROPERTIES, MATCHPROP and CHPROP

View and edit object properties in the Properties palette, copy properties (MATCHPROP), and change Layer/color with CHPROP.

What it does

Command Alias Shortcut Meaning
PROPERTIES CH, MO, PR, DDMODIFY Ctrl+1 Opens the Properties palette and summarizes the selection
MATCHPROP MA – Click a source object, then click target objects to give them the same properties (Layer, color, Linetype, Lineweight)
CHPROP CHANGE – CHPROP layer=<name> color=<#RRGGBB or ACI number>

Where to find it

  • Ribbon: Draw › Properties › Properties ▾ (Properties Palette, Match Properties)
  • Properties bar under the Ribbon: Layer, Color, Linetype, and Lineweight of the selected objects (or of new objects if nothing is selected)
  • Right-click an object › Properties

Properties palette for the selected circle (left)
Properties palette for the selected circle (left)

Properties palette

Section Information
General Type, Layer, Color, Linetype, Lineweight
Geometry Coordinates and size, such as Center X/Y, Radius, Diameter (editable)
Measured Area and Perimeter of closed objects

MATCHPROP steps

  1. Type MA and press Enter.
  2. Click the source object.
  3. Click each object you want to change. Press Esc to finish.

CHPROP steps

  1. Select the objects.
  2. Type CHPROP layer=CENTER color=#FF0000 and press Enter.

Try it: Leaf earrings, cut and engraved

A pair of 50 mm leaf earrings in thin plywood: the outline and hook hole are cut, the veins are engraved. Style one earring, then MATCHPROP copies the look onto the other.

  1. Leaf outline: ARC, then 0,0 12,25 0,50, Esc. Then ARC, 0,0 -12,25 0,50, Esc.
  2. Veins: L 0,3 0,40, Esc. L 0,15 @6,8, Esc. L 0,25 @-6,8, Esc. Hook hole: C, 0,45, 1.5, Esc.
  3. Drag a window around the leaf, type CO and press Enter. Base point 0,0, destination @40,0, then press Enter. That is the second earring.
  4. Style the first earring: click one arc, Ctrl+click the other arc and the hole, and type CHPROP layer=CUT color=#FF3030. Then select its 3 veins the same way and type CHPROP layer=ENGRAVE color=#3399FF.
  5. Type MA and press Enter. Click an outline arc of the first leaf, then click both arcs and the hole of the second leaf. Press Esc.
  6. Type MA again. Click a vein of the first leaf, then the 3 veins of the second leaf. Press Esc.
  7. Select a vein of the second leaf and press Ctrl+1. General shows layer ENGRAVE.

Two leaf earrings with red cut outlines and blue engraved veins
Two leaf earrings with red cut outlines and blue engraved veins

Challenge: Select everything and type CHPROP with nothing after it. It reports which layers the selection is on, which is a quick check before you send the job to the laser.

See also