topic Re: Copy Layers From a Drawing to Another Using Query in Civil 3D Forum

Copy Layers from a drawing to another

bnagel — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 18:51:16 GMT

Is there a way to copy layers and their objects from one drawing to another?

TIA

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

rkmcswain — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 19:15:25 GMT

You could copy an object (line, text, etc) from one drawing to another and the source layer will go with it.

Or you could use DesignCenter to copy the layer only.

First method is fast if you have an object handy, but sometimes copy+paste carries along unwanted baggage too.

Second method is clean, but if you don't have ADC open, then it takes a moment or two to get it configured to do so.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

Anonymous — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 20:11:01 GMT

You can also use "Copy Nested Object" (NCOPY).

This brings objects from XREFs into the current drawing along with their layer

(On my wish list is the way it used to work, which didn't bring the layer. At least an option to leave the layer behind and put the object on the current layer)

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

bnagel — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 20:28:31 GMT

Problem I have is there are several objects/PDF's on different layers in an older drawing that has now been updated with revisions. I need them all to move over to the revised dwg.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

rl_jackson — Tue, 10 Apr 2018 23:02:23 GMT

Easist way is to use Design Center.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

jmayo-EE — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 13:10:36 GMT

You could also insert the entire dwg as a block but this may also bring unwanted baggage.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

_Hathaway — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 19:56:33 GMT

Design Center is by far the easiest way to make this happen. I have it pinned to the right of my screen for this very reason. With a little bit of setup (pointing to the drawing you want to copy data from) it works great for your issue. I

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

bnagel — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 12:47:30 GMT

I have not used design center. Not sure how to go about it.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

rkmcswain — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 12:49:24 GMT

Watch this.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

bnagel — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 15:08:37 GMT

I don't see that option in CIVIL 3d 2018

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

jmayo-EE — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 15:23:45 GMT

Unless Design Center has been updated and I am unaware, this method will not import the objects on the layers from the source file. It will only bring in empty preconfigured layers.

Re: Copy Layers From a Drawing to Another Using Query

ChicagoLooper — Thu, 12 Apr 2018 18:14:43 GMT

Bring new layers into your current drawing from existing layers in another drawing. The objects and the layers in the host drawing will be identified using a QUERY. In this example, the QUERY is defined by 'ALL' and 'LAYERS.'

To keep this demonstration simple, there's only one layer in the current drawing, the 0 layer, and there are no objects contained in model space. After the query is executed, the current drawing will have three new layers and pull-in any objects that reside on those layers. This is in contrast to using the Design Center, which is capable of bringing in new layers but unable to bring in the targeted layer's objects.

The new layers will retain their names and the objects will retain their properties, object data and geospatial position. If the new layer already exists, the query will merely add-on to the layer. Existing objects on an existing layer will not be deleted.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

renr — Tue, 24 Apr 2018 04:08:55 GMT

there are many good suggestions in above reply. I 'd like to nominate one:

LAYISO command to isolate the objects, then copy/paste to the new drawing , you will find the objects were copied with the right layer information.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

Coffee_Aided_Design — Thu, 30 May 2019 21:48:12 GMT

This worked for me when I used the cursor to select objects. Strangely enough Ctrl-A doesn't respect the layer isolation and selects all objects.

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

andrew_milford — Mon, 01 Nov 2021 19:36:53 GMT

I find this lisp routine from Lee Mac is awesome for copying elements between drawings

https://apps.autodesk.com/ACD/en/Detail/Index?id=4083540461254954651&appLang=en&os=Win32_64

Re: Copy Layers from a drawing to another

duffycad — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 19:27:17 GMT

Right click on dwg file, copy.. then paste command to current drawing.