Layers are gone!!!

[Anonymous]

I'm using Auto Cad 2012, I had a drawing file where I created .pdf's of all of my layers, then closed out of that drawing, and went back in maybe 10 mins. later and the only layer was my floor plan layer. none of my other layers had anything on them. I went and turned each layer on that was shut off, and there was nothing but the floor plan layer showing. Any advice?

[Patchy]

Find the .BAK file of this drawing, rename to different name with .DWG extension and open it.

Maybe it still has layers.

[Anonymous]

I tried that and no luck.

[dmfrazier]

"I had a drawing file where I created .pdf's of all of my layers, then closed out of that drawing..."

Please clarify: When you "closed out of that drawing", did you neglect to save the file? (Is that the main issue here?)

If so, do you have Autosave turned on?  Do you know where your Autosave files are saved?

What do you mean, exactly, by "created .pdf's of all my layers"?  If you think this detail is somehow relevant to or responsible for your issue, please describe the steps you went through.  Did you isolate layers, one by one, and run a plot to PDF of each isolated layer?  Did the DWG get saved with one layer isolated?

[Anonymous]

I was done making all the changes to my drawing, so I saved it. Then went to each layer (ex. floor plan layer) went file -plot- plot to .pdf. it created the .pdf of my floor plan layer just fine. everything worked correctly there. Then I went to my Elevations did the same thing, created my .pdf of the elevations just fine. so on and so forth. After I was done I closed out of that drawing, and made changes on a different drawing. I went back in to that same file to print large copies of the drawings. Same file I created the .pdf's just fine with and the only thing on there was the floor plan layer. I tried to turn on the other layers that were off (ex. my elevation layer) and there wasn't anything on any of the other layers. It was just wierd I've never had this happen before.

[dmfrazier]

"Then went to each layer (ex. floor plan layer)..."

Are you using the word "layer" to mean "layout"?

Are you plotting layout(s) or the model space?

Can you post a copy of the DWG?

[Anonymous]

we are plotting the model space, and we have each page on a different layer.

[Anonymous]

did it attach the file I don't see it?

[dmfrazier]

No, the file did not attach.  This is not unusual.  Try putting it in a ZIP and attach that.

"...plotting the model space, and we have each page on a different layer."

Interesting (and unusual) methodology.

So, what do you do to "isolate" a "layer" (which represents a "page") before you plot it? 

[Anonymous]

we just turn on and off each layer.

[Anonymous]

still doesn't look like anything attached.

[dmfrazier]

You might get better results attaching a file if you use FireFox instead of IE.

[Anonymous]

Here is the drawing file, along with two other .pdf's of other pages that were on the the EL layer and the garage layer.

[Patchy]

Go to adcenter and look thru all of your blocks, there are many, maybe one of them is what you're looking for.

[dmfrazier]

Earlier you indicate:

"I was done making all the changes to my drawing, so I saved it."

Does the condition of the DWG you posted reflect the condition of the DWG before you started making the changes?  In other words, does it appear as though none of your changes were saved?

"Then went to each layer (ex. floor plan layer) went file -plot- plot to .pdf. it created the .pdf of my floor plan layer just fine. everything worked correctly there. Then I went to my Elevations did the same thing, created my .pdf of the elevations just fine. so on and so forth. After I was done I closed out of that drawing, and made changes on a different drawing. I went back in to that same file to print large copies of the drawings. Same file I created the .pdf's just fine with and the only thing on there was the floor plan layer. I tried to turn on the other layers that were off (ex. my elevation layer) and there wasn't anything on any of the other layers. It was just wierd I've never had this happen before."

When I open your DWG, layer "P" is current, and layers "GARAGE", "EL", and "DETAIL" are turned off.

Turning on those layers reveals that there is indeed nothing drawn on them.  Unfortunately at this point there is no way to know how the DWG got this way. 

So, to repeat my previous question: what do you do to "isolate" a "layer" (which represents a "page") before you plot it?  What procedure do you use to turn off the layers you do not want plotted (or to turn on only the layer(s) you want plotted)?  Is this done using ordinary AutoCAD commands, or do you use some customized process?

Same question regarding plotting: is this done with ordinary commands or some custom process?

Are you using any sort of document management or "vault" software?

[Anonymous]

No blocks were the layers I was missing. Sometimes when we make changes we will copy the floor plan and paste it as a block and then for example draw verticle construction lines where the windows and doors are suppose to go. We change the layers by turning the floor plan layer on and off or the elevation layer on and off, when we make changes to that specific page. It had been saved, many times before with all the pages on them, and we just edit each page. For some reason, this time when I went back to print off big copies of that plan, elevation, ect. there was nothing on those other layers like it shows on the file I sent you. I'm not sure what vault software is can you give me an example? No we arent' using document management.

[dmfrazier]

"I'm not sure what vault software is can you give me an example? No we arent' using document management."

If you were using vault software you would know.  It may not be appropriate in your line of work.  Here's info on Autodesk's: http://www.autodesk.com/products/autodesk-vault-family/overview 

I have no other suggestions about what may have happened to your file or how to get it back.  If it happens again, and you figure out what it was, be sure to post back with your findings.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all your time and help on this, I'm not sure, why this happened either, but it's was strange. Never had an issue like this before. I guess just end up redrawing what we are missing.

Thanks again.

[Patchy]

The garage plan is in there, missing the elevation

[Anonymous]

there was a block of the garage that I think was close, that I could use, and just update it.