topic Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties in AutoCAD Forum

Copy Paste Viewport Properties

MikeKovacik4928 — Mon, 22 May 2017 10:37:17 GMT

I only seem to have found this problem lately since I have been using AutoCAD 2018. Unless it is caused by something else?

When I copy paste a viewport to another drawing, it seems to lose its "viewport freeze layer" properties. In other words,

the viewport In the drawing where I have copied it to, had everything visible, as opposed to the original drawing where I copied it

from, where there were some layers invisible inside the viewport, by virtue of themhaving been "viewport Frozen"

Anybody else encountered this, is there something special that has to be done to get these "viewport frozen" layers across?

I can't recall ever having this problem in AutoCAD 2017 & previous.

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

chriscowgill7373 — Mon, 22 May 2017 11:39:15 GMT

I just tested in 2017 and I'm seeing the same thing you are, when pasting the viewport into a new drawing, it looses the vpfreeze layers.

a way around it is to create a layerstate in the original drawing, and export it, then import it into the new drawing.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

Anonymous — Mon, 22 May 2017 12:43:49 GMT

AFAIK, it's always been that way. I've never known it to be otherwise, just checked in 2015 and 2013.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

pendean — Mon, 22 May 2017 12:55:01 GMT

I can confirm AutoCAD 2017 and 2016 behave the same exact way as you see in AutoCAD2018.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

MikeKovacik4928 — Fri, 26 May 2017 10:43:35 GMT

Thanks all

So you have never been able to do it in previous autocad's either.

I didn't realise

To answer someone else's suggestion

I am aware of using layer states in model space, and I do use them,

but they don't match up to my viewport Freeze layers which are usually

unique for each viewport.

I guess I will just have to refreeze the layers again in the viewport which has been copied

from one dwg to another.

Does anyone think this would be a useful thing to have?

I personally do, and would like to post it as an idea, however I won't do unless

others think it is useful too.

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

chriscowgill7373 — Fri, 26 May 2017 11:43:42 GMT

I may have not been clear on my original post, when I was referring to double-click into the viewport and save the layerstate, which then maintains viewport freeze property.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

john.vellek — Tue, 30 May 2017 14:22:55 GMT

HI Michael, Is copying an entire layout an option? You can do this with Design Center and If I remember correctly, the viewports that come over will retain their properties as well.

There are also a bunch of viewport related tools in the Autodesk App Store that might be worth investigating.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

MikeKovacik4928 — Fri, 26 May 2017 21:47:23 GMT

Thanks Chris

I now understand perfectly.

That is exactly what I am after!

Amazing, how after 20 years, one continues learning new

things about AutoCAD!

That is the beauty of these international forums!

Mike

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

MikeKovacik4928 — Fri, 26 May 2017 22:14:47 GMT

John

This is definitely an option.

I can't figure how to do it though.

I open design centre, and right clicking on the layout gives me the copy option,

but going to the new drawing and trying to add this layout, I can't find any paste option.

I tried to drag it from on drawing to another, that didn't seem to work either.

Mike

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

john.vellek — Tue, 30 May 2017 18:32:24 GMT

Hi @MikeKovacik4928,

To copy the layout, it has to have a unique name. If you can see the layout in DesignCenter, simply drag it onto your drawing file and it should show up.

And my memory of how the layers will come in is apparently wrong. Here is an article that indicates I must have been dreaming. It indicates steps similar to those suggested by @chriscowgill7373.

I apologize for any confusion.

I did find this app in the Autodesk App Store that might do the trick for you.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

Anonymous — Tue, 30 May 2017 14:59:41 GMT

I tried to add it to the AUGI wishlist list several years ago to no avail, and there isn't an IDEAS page for plain AutoCAD. You might be able to get it added to a vertical by using that verticals IDEA page.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

Anonymous — Wed, 16 May 2018 01:09:42 GMT

Another quick way to do what you are after, copy a viewport and retain its properties, is to first turn the viewport into a block. Then just copy/paste the block and explode it after inserting - All viewport properties, layers etc are retained.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

MikeKovacik4928 — Wed, 16 May 2018 10:22:17 GMT

Carl

Thanks for your input.

Yes that works for a new layout on the same drawing, but doesn't work if

you are copying the blocked viewport onto a new drawing which has the same layers.

On the same drawing you could just create a copy of the layout anyway and get the same effect,

without having to block the viewport.

You would still have to click inside the viewport and save it as a layer state, as stated by Chris.

A pity Robert's wishlist idea was not incorporated into the software, but Chris's method

is a good workaround and doesn't take too long to do anyway

Mike

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

cadffm — Wed, 16 May 2018 10:49:55 GMT

If you want the hole Layout, why not import the Layout? Thats the fine way

and for Standard Layouts (every time the same source file) you can use a one-click macro.

_layout Option template _t

For your Way you have only to copy your objects and after set, set the viewport properties (Layer overrides) new with command MATCHPROP (make sure you enabled the special viewport property in matchprop setting)

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

MikeKovacik4928 — Wed, 16 May 2018 21:20:34 GMT

Sebastian

Not too sure what you mean by importing the layout or how to do it

Copying my objects in model space to a new drawing.

Then copying the viewport in paper space to the new drawing

does not give the vpfreeze settings.

Using matchprop on the vp in the original drawing to the vp in the new drawing

does not bring across the vpfreeze settings. You have to redo the vpfreeze all over again.

So I am not too sure what you are talking about here either.

Can you give me a more detailed explanation please, or a screencapture

or a screencast.

Mike

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

cadffm — Wed, 16 May 2018 21:40:21 GMT

Hmm, now i am not sure what i should answer.

"Copying my objects in model space to a new drawing."
Why? And do you copy ALL objects or only a part of Modelspace?
Why do you not saveas to another filename?

"Then copying the viewport in paper space to the new drawing"
Why?
And why only the Viewport?

Help me to understand.
I do not know why you are using these steps and why not other ways.
Note: I dont say that is wrong, only that this is unusual (for my workflow) and i for better help i need to understand why you do that.

"does not give the vpfreeze settings. Using matchprop on the vp in the original drawing to the vp in the new drawing does not bring across the vpfreeze settings. "
It should, if you set your matchprop setting for the special viewport properties, thats i wrote above too.
Start matchprop and choose an object, take your viewport gor example.
then go to the options, make sure VIEWPORTS is enabled.
Which program version are using?

"Not too sure what you mean by importing the layout or how to do it"
Thats the way if you want the whole Layout (TAB) incl. the Layout objects, not only a viewport.
Command Layout, option template.

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

Anonymous — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 06:56:42 GMT

Thanks Chris,

I now have saved layer states for water, sewer, stormwater and pavement.

I copy viewports from one layout to the next so everything appears in the same location on each sheet.

loosing the frozen layers was very annoying!

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

nnorBZEC3 — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 08:15:37 GMT

Wow, really helps and it works..tq so much

Re: Copy Paste Viewport Properties

justin_zechmeister — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 17:22:46 GMT

Not sure about earlier versions of CAD, but this worked for me in 2026 CAD:

1. Click into MODEL space in the viewport that has the freeze settings you want to copy over

2. Type LAYERSTATE command to open the Layer States Manager

3. Click "New" to create a new layer state

4. Name the layer state and click OK

5. Close the Layer States Manager

6. Now click into MODEL space in the viewport you want to copy your freeze settings into

7. Type LAYERSTATE command to open the Layer States Manager

8. Select the layer state name you just created, then click "Update"

9. Your layer settings should now be copied into the new viewport.