Set insertion layer?

[peterjwinberg]

Is there a way to change the layer that objects are automatically inserted on? For example, doors are inserted on layer "A-Door" and tags are inserted on layer "A-Door-Iden". I use different layer standards and don't want to have to deal with constantly deleting unused layers. Thanks!

[leothebuilder]

Right click the tool, properties and check out the layer key functions and settings.

[peterjwinberg]

My layers aren't in there. Is there a way to import them, or do I have to recreate them all if I was to use them when inserting objects?

[pendean]

Q: any reason you are fighting the defaults? Or do you need to set a specific default national standard that is not the default one?

[leothebuilder · Accepted solution]

All the layers are set to a layer key for AEC objects.

The layer key is set to a national standard.

You can copy the layer key or edit the layer to add layers.

See this article for more information:

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad-architecture/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2...

Also a google search on layer keys will produce a lot more helpful information and tutorials on the subject.

Very easy once you know how...........

Gets a little more difficult when you work in a multi-user environment.

[robincapperw]

Once you have set up your layer key there is a REMAPLAYERS command that will update existing drawings with content created on the wrong layer key. The only items it won't work with are MV Blocks as the layer key is not a component of the object definition (sadly, life would be much easier if it was!) and AutoCAD Content

[peterjwinberg]

We created our own layer group (17 layers) that, for how we produce drawings, makes more sense than the overwhelming amount of layers in the national standard.

[peterjwinberg]

Thanks Leo.

With each answer comes a new question, right?

If I insert a door tag from the Document Tool Palette, it is inserted on the correct layer that I want. However, if I insert a tag from the Annotate ribbon, it is inserted on the default standard layer, A-Door-Iden. Can the layer setting/key be updated for the Annotate ribbon as well? I can't seem to find a way to do this. I can avoid using it, but wonder if there's a setting anyways.

[leothebuilder]

There is no need to have ALL the layers from the national standard in a project.

I use the layers to are OOTB when inserting AEC objects plus some others that I have added to the layerkey.

[David_W_Koch]

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@peterjwinberg wrote:

Thanks Leo.

With each answer comes a new question, right?

If I insert a door tag from the Document Tool Palette, it is inserted on the correct layer that I want. However, if I insert a tag from the Annotate ribbon, it is inserted on the default standard layer, A-Door-Iden. Can the layer setting/key be updated for the Annotate ribbon as well? I can't seem to find a way to do this. I can avoid using it, but wonder if there's a setting anyways.

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What did you do to get the palette tool to use your layer?  Did you make a new Layer Key, or apply a layer override on the tool?

To get the ribbon tool to work the same way, you will have to edit the tool on the "super-secret" tool palette that the ribbon tool references.  An explanation of that palette (for the 2010 release; AEC ribbon tools continue to work the same way through the current release) can be found in this blog article:  http://architects-desktop.blogspot.com/2009/06/autocad-architecture-2010-ui-changes.html

My suggestion would be to make and use your own Layer Key Style, and to use the default Layer Keys as much as possible, redefining the assigned layer for each one to match the layer you want to use.  That will minimize the need to edit out-of-the-box content and is the reason that Layer Keys were introduced as a feature.

[peterjwinberg]

David,

To get the palette tool to use my layer...

I copied and renamed the layer standard DWG located in C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ACA 2018\enu\Layers (AecLayerStd.dwg) to create my own. In its Style Manager I deleted all the Layer Key Styles except the "AEC Title Case..." and then added my layers to that one. Then in my template/development DWG... Home tab, Layers panel, "Select Layer Standard", Layering tab (not sure how else to get to this "Drawing Setup" menu - AecDwgLayerSetup)... I changed the "Layer Standards/Key File to Auto-Import" to reference my new Layer Key DWG. I double checked that my layers were available in the Style Manager. Then, in the Design Tool Palette... I ran the Properties for any Tool I wanted to update (right click, Properties), selected "Layer key" in the General menu, and set the appropriate layer from the popup.

Not sure if it's the best way, but it worked! I'm working in 2018 in case that makes a difference to you.

[David_W_Koch]

That sounds pretty much right.

If you assigned your layer for the door tags to the DOORNO Layer Key, then the ribbon tool should be placing the tag on that layer.  That is the same Layer Key that the "regular" tool palette tools use.

[peterjwinberg]

After plugging back in today, I noticed it's not working as I thought. Although the new components are being added on the correct layer, the software is still creating a new, separate layer. For example, when I add a new wall, the actual wall is on the correct layer, but layer "A-Wall" is still being created. IS there a fix for this?

[peterjwinberg]

And "A-Wall" Isn't even in my Layer Key!

[David_W_Koch]

If you have remapped the WALL Layer Key to some other layer, and A-Wall is not found anywhere in your Layer Key Style, then ACA should not be generating an A-Wall layer when adding a Wall, unless there are Layer Key Overrides set (globally or in a tool palette tool) that are transforming whatever layer name you have specified to A-Wall.

Other possibilities (however unlikely):

1.  Your template file has a layer named A-Wall, and it was already in your file.

2.  Your Wall Styles are defined in such a way that one or more Wall Components are assigned to the A-Wall layer.

3.  Layer A-Wall exists in the source file, and when you use a Wall Tool (or Styles Browser) to import the definition, that layer comes along for the ride.  I do not recall actually seeing this, but it may be possible.

4.  Layer A-Wall is associated with some other content (block definition, for example) and is entering the drawing with that, but you do not notice until you create a Wall.

[peterjwinberg]

I'm sorry - I'm not sure what I was looking at, but the layers were indeed in the Key Style.

I have found that I need to modify the Layer Settings of the standard Layer Keys (e.g. WALL, DOOR, DOORNO, etc.) to have my desired layer name, color, lineweight, etc., in order to get it to stop creating the layers I don't want (e.g. A-Wall, A-Door), versus just adding my own Layer Key to the Key Style and setting them as I described before.

[David_W_Koch]

Yes, that will be the most efficient way to assure that your layers are used, as you will not have to modify any out-of-the-box content, which typically use the default layer keys.  You would only need to create a new layer key if you have a layer that does not map to one of the layer keys already there, and in that case you would need to have a custom tool palette tool that specifies the created layer key.

For example, way back when we were first starting to use AutoCAD Architecture, the then powers-that-be (which would have included me, in an advisory role) decided to add WALLDEMO and WALLEXISTING layer keys, so that we could have the Walls created by certain Wall Tools placed on A-Wall-D and A-Wall-E, respectively.

Shortly thereafter, we realized that if we were going to create a separate custom layer key for every object type for both existing-to-be-removed and existing-to-remain content, that we would have a boatload of layer keys to manage.  We decided to go with the alternate, which is to specify a Layer Key Override that changes the Status Field to "-D" or "-E").  This will generate the layer with "-N" layer properties, but we have routines that will restore our layer properties to the office standard, when needed.

Another approach would be to set up separate Layer Key Styles for new, existing-to-be-removed and existing-to-remain content,  using the out-of-the-box layer keys, but that would require that the user (or a routine) set the correct Layer Key Style current and would still triple the number of layer keys to be managed (just in three files), so we decided to go the override route.  Many users will load all of our "-D" and "-E" layers into their files first, in which case the override method works just fine.