Create Layer Standard From Layers In a particular drawing

[payingtoomuch]

Not sure I understand layer standards per se but this is what I would like to do.

We are battling layers project to project so would like to have a "standard" that gets imported into a template that is always evolving.

The thinking goes, create a stand alone "layer standard".... not unlike the out of the box standards but more in keeping with our current office standards. Then everytime we start a new project (or want to apply an updated layer standard to an older file) we just click on a button (haha) and wala, all layers are updated to the current standard! Easy right?

Well why does it appear to be so difficult then?

All I want to do is take my current layers from my most current version of layers contained within a dwg file and turn that into a layer standard. This standard has all of our default colors, lineweights, transparancies, linetypes etc assigned to layers. Can I just not copy the layers into something (other than a drawing template) and convert that into a layer standard?

Not really interested in retyping all this info into a field etc.

Anyone have any guidance here?

Yes, I'm new to layer standards (not cad) just have never gotten around to implementing any of this over the years.

All help apprecieated!

[payingtoomuch]

Ok. So after digging around a little looks like "layer standards" perse is not what I'm after.

Anyone have any insight into a method to approach this?

Only way I can come up with is to have a template file set up with correct layers..... but would need to start a project with the template.

Could possibly have a dwg file that is used only for layers with lines drawn in model space for each layer then just copy paste the layers into the drawing working in. Problem with that is that all the layers that are already in the project redundant to the layers copied in will overwrite the properties of the layers copied in.

Just brainstorming. For some reason I think I want to get layers OUT of my template and have a file that I only keep up with layers in.... then import those layers into whatever file I'm working on.

[payingtoomuch]

Talking to myself but oh well.

Thinking I might be able to use exported/ imported layer states.

Anyone see issues with that? Not quite sure how to approach..... but definitely gives me something that only has layers in it.

[paullimapa]

yep, just erase everything and keep the layers then save that as a dwt or dwg.

dwt can be used as a template to start a new project

dwg can be used for inserting into existing dwg.

but if existing dwg already have matching layer names assigned with color/linetype properties then those won't change

[payingtoomuch]

Thanks for the response. Yes, that is the way I would typically think about handling it but it's bugging me. In part because there is no way to technically "load" the file and as you mention wouldn't technically be a "standard" that way becuase when loaded into an existing project the standard is over ridden. Not sure there is some way to eliminate that overriding. See next post this thread.....

[payingtoomuch]

Here's another something to consider....

Maybe use filter groups instead of layer state las files..... or maybe both.

Was wondering how I could copy my various filter groups to a different project and the "button" has been there all along.

Turns out looks like if i save filter groups not only do I save the varous filter groups in the template but I can quite possibly use this to create a file that also has all my layers, save then import into a new or existing drawing.... And call this the "layer template"

Maybe I have a template file with only the layers and various filter groups that I keep updating..... also keeping a current filter group file that I export from that drawing. Then whenever I'm working on a new or existing project I load the template filter group and wala, I have all my layers AND filter groups. "Only" problem with this is that it still doesn't solve the loaded layers from being overridden by any existing layers named the same in the file I'm working on.... right?

[paullimapa]

let's throw layer name standard tool into the mix:

How to change the Layer Standard in AutoCAD Architecture or AutoCAD MEP (autodesk.com)

[payingtoomuch]

Yeah, if i'm understanding you correctly, that's where I started the thread.... thinking that was the purpose. As best I can tell it's not and only would help with naming conventions.... which is not what I'm after. Unless of course I'm missing something.

[paullimapa]

last resort may have to go with lisp code to create the layers with the standard assigned properties which will override even existing layers

[payingtoomuch]

Yeah not what I'm after right now but thanks for the help.

Might already be overcomplicating this but would like to get a solution sorted out.

[RobDraw · Accepted solution]

LAYERTRANSLATOR

[payingtoomuch]

Hey Rob. That will definitely help. Will experiment some this morning.

[payingtoomuch]

Some promise here after getting through learning curve.

[Ed__Jobe]

Have you tried Cad Standards? Instead of a dwt, you create a dws standards file. Then you set that as the baseline for the standards checker plugin. When you open a dwg that doesn’t match the standard, you get notified. Then you run a command to reconcile the differences. 

[payingtoomuch]

Hey Ed. Just started looking into that following Rob Draws post regarding layer translator.

Looks like it could do what I'm after- especially since it also has ability to have standards for dimstyles text etc which is huge! But I'm having a little trouble understanding how it all works.

-I've been able to create a dws file for a fictitious template I want to use that has a lot of our standards contained in it.

-I've also been able to load that dws file into a very old drawing to look for conflicts.

-But the only conflicts that are showing are for dimension styles and right now I can't make any rhyme or reason as to why it picked those.

So, to help me get rolling with this here are a few questions/ comments.

-If I load the dws into an existing or new drawing is it like copying in a dwg file? Meaning, after I load the dws will I have ALL the layers (with their original settings), dimstyles, text styles, linetypes etc that were in the template file?

Let's start there....

Thanks!

[Ed__Jobe]

No. The batch standards checker checks a dwg for violations and notifies you. Then it provides an interface for fixing them. It checks the standards stored in the dws. You only need to touch the dws when your standard changes. Read this article. 

[payingtoomuch]

Sorry but still not following this. I read the link to the article you provided and most of the related articles....

-One of the things that's adding to the confusion is that when I loaded dws file the only conflicts that showed up were dimstyle conflicts. Drawing I loaded the dws in had very minimal layers and parent file I loaded into it had over 100. Still no conflicts showed up and and absolutely nothing related to layers was available in the correction dialog.... so has me confused. Seems like based on the above that some sort of conflict for layers should have reared its head.

[Ed__Jobe]

When have opened a dwg you want to check, you run the STANDARDS command. Open the the options and select one or more dws files to compare to, then run the check. I’m just going off of memory. I’m at he Grand Canyon. 

[payingtoomuch]

Grand Canyon sounds like a good place to be!

I experimented with the check standards command today and have a pretty good handle on how it works now.

Bottom line is I think there is a better solution out there somewhere.

What keeps jumping in my head is "well, why don't you just stay the old course, start with a template, then just make sure that whenever you start a new project or want to work on a new project just make sure you copy everything INTO the template crazy man? That way you have all the layers you want, dim styles, text styles layer filters, page layout setups etc..... and anything you bring in will automatically be updated if it has the same name anyway. So now all you're left with is merging any layers that don't match the template. Yes you still have to manually deal with all the text styles being converted but in the grand scheme of things that's probably minor.... though absolutely cumbersome.

Still thinking this through but really seems like the simplest approach all in all.

Anyone have thoughts?

[RobDraw]

There's at least one LISP out there for merging text styles.