topic Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard in AutoCAD Forum

AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

jdfnnl — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 09:40:12 GMT

Is there a way to access and scroll through the drop-down menu in the layers toolbar using the keyboard. Welcome is any chance to lessen the strain of hand-eye coordination for an otherwise simple maneuver.

[ The subject line of this post has been edited to include the product name by @handjonathan ]

Re: layer drop down with keyboard

jdfnnl — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 07:12:17 GMT

alternatively could there possibly be command-line layer selection?

Re: layer drop down with keyboard

vinodkl — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 07:18:52 GMT

Hi @jdfnnl

How about using the command "-LAYER" ? Or create a simple lisp or macro to make the layer as current, freeze or lock 🙂

Re: layer drop down with keyboard

jdfnnl — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 08:04:50 GMT

-layer > set > 'name of layer'

is a layer change method with the keyboard,

though it would seem more intuitive being able to access and navigate the graphical menu with a hotkey followed by the up / down arrows before pressing <enter> with one's selection .. is within reach with of a lisp or macro?

Re: layer drop down with keyboard

ВeekeeCZ — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 09:15:27 GMT

By (English) default, it's ALT H LA (no spaces).

It could be customized in CUI, say if you want to shorten LA to a single letter.

If your goal is to set the layer current, you can use the command line to type in the layername, see THIS

Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

jdfnnl — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 01:52:38 GMT

is it possible to select toolbar elements with the keyboard as in pressing tab on a website?

Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

pendean — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 15:42:25 GMT

@jdfnnl wrote:

is it possible to select toolbar elements with the keyboard as in pressing tab on a website?

You could just learn the names of the commands you wish to activate, so you spend less time hunting toolbar elements and more time launching commands.

Have you ever studied the command abbreviations list to help you quickly launch your favorite command? It's in HELP in the program, I'll get you started here https://www.autodesk.com/shortcuts/autocad

Bookmark that page and reference it often.

Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

jdfnnl — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 17:30:41 GMT

rather accessing a menu such as this is not something I believe is possible with a command

Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

pendean — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 18:32:06 GMT

@jdfnnl wrote:

rather accessing a menu such as this is not something I believe is possible with a command

Correct, that is a pointless option for any user that wishes to be productive in AutoCAD.

Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

jdfnnl — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 18:54:59 GMT

@pendean wrote:
Correct, that is a pointless option for any user that wishes to be productive in AutoCAD.

Not sure how this statement is valid with so many different styles of using AutoCAD, exemplified by the extensive customizability of the user interface.

The only other way of changing the active layer with the keyboard I know of involves specifying the complete layer name (-la > s > 'layer name'), which seems more involved that a simple hotkey to the layer control drop-down before using the arrow keys to select, then <enter>. Macros may be a workaround, but this would need be an external script as AutoCAD CUI doesn't natively support macros for control entries.

This Autodesk help entry shows a button from the Mechanical Toolset pointing to a command with this functionality. Also read of a right click menu entry for 'move to layer' that brings up a window, but was this possibly implemented in a recent version of AutoCAD? Does anyone have a preferred method of changing the active layer with the keyboard?

Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

ВeekeeCZ — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 07:31:39 GMT

@jdfnnl wrote:

... This Autodesk help entry shows a button from the Mechanical Toolset pointing to a command with this functionality. Also read of a right click menu entry for 'move to layer' that brings up a window, but was this possibly implemented in a recent version of AutoCAD?

Isn't it what LAYMCH does?

Re: AutoCAD - Layer drop down with keyboard

ВeekeeCZ — Mon, 17 Oct 2022 07:31:03 GMT

@jdfnnl wrote:
...Does anyone have a preferred method of changing the active layer with the keyboard?

I gave you one great tip already but have been ignored.

There is a built-in tool already, all you need to do is start typing the layer name. See THIS