splash screens

[Anonymous]

Is there any way to choose which splash screens pop up in AC?

I spend way too much time every day, every week, every year telling the program that yes, I'm aware that I've just turned off the current layer, and yes, I want the program to do what I've just told it to do, etc.

A real time sink that I'd like to get in control of.

Thanks in advance for any advice you've got

[bgingerich]

Tried the EXPERT sys var?

(if ("mysolution"=answer) then (click "Accept As Solution"))

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I'll see if that helps.

The particular screen I commented on (When turning off the layer you're currently working on you get a splash screen that says "The current layer will be turned off. What do you want to do?) does not disappear all the way up to level 5 in Expert.

I can't imagine how many times a day I have to see that splash.

[hwalker]

Of course that splash screen will never disappear. You do not want to do any  work which you cannot see.

[Anonymous]

You could not be more wrong about that.

A whole category of my work involves drawing on top of PDFs and old Vectorworks files from an earlier era in the company I work for. Often I draw over the PDFs or VW files in red, turning off the layer frequently to see where I am. I probably turn that splash screen off a hundred times a day. A complete waste of time.

Fortunately, after 10 years with AutoCAD LT,  I'm working more and more in Rhino, a program which seems to be less committed to knowing more than I do about what I do or do not want.

[hwalker]

I suggest you lock the layer

And also use LAYLOCKFADECTL this controls the transparency of the locked layer. Experiment between 75 and 90.

[KateMorricalTowne]

Are you familiar with the "hide objects" command? You don't mention the version you're using, but the ability to hide/isolate objects independent of layer was introduced in AutoCAD LT 2011.

And just a note -- a "splash screen" is the image that displays while a program is loading. The message you're talking about would be an "alert box" or a "warning" or a "dialog". I don't mean to be picky, but using the proper terms will help other people who are searching for this issue.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that  info -

As I was typing my last post I realized I wasn't seeing the forest for the trees. I haven't tried to do this type of work in Rhino but it does seem to be the more appropriate application.

In AutoCAD to turn off a layer -

1. click the layers panel

2. turn off the layer

3. click the layer panel closed

4. turn off the warning screen

to turn the layer back on -

1. click the layers panel

2. turn the layer on

3. click the layer panel closed

In Rhino the layer panel is persistent on the screen (if you want it to be) so you don't need to open or close it. So it's On / Off - a great improvement from the 7 steps listed above.

re: Hide Objects, transparency, etc - all very useful commands but in the case that I mentioned above, where I simply need to turn a layer on and off, dozens of times a day with as few clicks as possible, these commands are overkill

Anyways, thanks for the advice. I think I've solved my problem.

[KateMorricalTowne · Accepted solution]

Whoa, way too complex! 🙂 To just turn layers on and off, you don't need the layer palette/dialog.

How about:

1. Access LAYOFF command (typing, ribbon, toolbar, shortcut of your choice)

2. Click object on layer to turn off

3. Dismiss warning (yes, it'll still be there)

Or:

1. From layer pull-down, click the lightbulb next to the layer name.

2. Dismiss warning.

Then:

1. Access LAYON or LAYERP (LAYERP may not be available, depending on version)

[hwalker]

In Autocad there is a toolbar called LAYERS II. At the right hand end of it you will find the LOCK and UNLOCK icons.

Select either the lock or unlock icon and select one of the objects on they layer you want locked/unlocked. Job done.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. That sequence of steps went a long way towards simplifying the process for me.

[Anonymous]

Try using "draworder", you can easily switch between having the picture on-top or under the stuff you are drawing. No extra fuss, only type "re" and enter if it doesn't show properly.