Put all Xrefs on a locked layer "C-XREF"

[kstapleton]

Hi there, 

I'd like for the following lisp to include a layer lock function.

Currently, the lisp creates the layer C-XREF and puts all xrefs in the drawing in that layer. I would like it to also lock the C-XREF layer. Thanks in advance.

(defun c:xrlayer ( / a b c d layer )

   (setq layer "C-XREF")

   (while (setq a (tblnext "BLOCK" (null a)))

       (if (= 4 (logand 4 (cdr (assoc 70 a))))

           (setq b (cons "," (cons (cdr (assoc 2 a)) b)))

       )

   )

   (if (setq c

           (ssget "_X"

               (list

                   (cons 0 "INSERT")

                   (cons 2 (apply 'strcat (cdr b)))

                   (cons 8 (strcat "~" layer))

               )

           )

       )

       (repeat (setq d (sslength c))

           (entmod (list (cons -1 (ssname c (setq d (1- d)))) (cons 8 layer)))

       )

   )

   (princ)

   (command "_.layer"

"_color" 6 "C-XREF"

""

   )

   (princ)

)

[jayhar]

```lisp
(defun c:xrlayer ( / a b c d layer)
(setq layer "C-XREF")

;; Lock the layer
(command "_.-layer" "_Lock" layer "")

(while (setq a (tblnext "BLOCK" (null a)))
(if (= 4 (logand 4 (cdr (assoc 70 a))))
(setq b (cons "," (cons (cdr (assoc 2 a)) b)))
)
)

(if (setq c
(ssget "_X"
(list
(cons 0 "INSERT")
(cons 2 (apply 'strcat (cdr b)))
(cons 8 (strcat "~" layer))
)
)
)
(repeat (setq d (sslength c))
(entmod (list (cons -1 (ssname c (setq d (1- d)))) (cons 8 layer)))
)
)

(princ)

;; Set the layer color to 6
(command "_.layer" "_color" 6 "C-XREF" "")

(princ)
)
```

In this modified version, I added the following line to lock the "C-XREF" layer:
```lisp
(command "_.-layer" "_Lock" layer "")
```

Now, when you run the `c:xrlayer` command, it will not only create the "C-XREF" layer and assign all xrefs to it but also lock the layer. Additionally, I noticed that you were using the `command` function to set the layer color to 6. I have retained that line in the modified code.

Please let me know if you have any further questions or if there's anything else I can assist you with!

[kstapleton]

Hi Jayhar, Thanks for the quick response. unfortunately the lisp isn't locking layer C-XREF for me.

[jayhar]

Here's the updated Lisp code that includes the layer lock functionality for the "C-XREF" layer:

```lisp
(defun c:xrlayer (/ a b c d layer doc acadLayers)
(setq layer "C-XREF")

(setq doc (vla-get-activedocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))
(setq acadLayers (vla-get-layers doc))

;; Create the "C-XREF" layer if it doesn't exist
(if (not (vla-item acadLayers layer))
(vla-add acadLayers layer)
)

;; Set the layer color to 6
(vla-put-color (vla-item acadLayers layer) 6)

;; Lock the "C-XREF" layer
(vla-put-lock (vla-item acadLayers layer) :vlax-true)

(while (setq a (tblnext "BLOCK" (null a)))
(if (= 4 (logand 4 (cdr (assoc 70 a))))
(setq b (cons "," (cons (cdr (assoc 2 a)) b)))
)
)

(if (setq c
(ssget "_X"
(list
(cons 0 "INSERT")
(cons 2 (apply 'strcat (cdr b)))
(cons 8 (strcat "~" layer))
)
)
)
(repeat (setq d (sslength c))
(entmod (list (cons -1 (ssname c (setq d (1- d)))) (cons 8 layer)))
)
)

(princ)
)

(princ)
```

This updated code uses the `vla-put-lock` method to lock the "C-XREF" layer. It retrieves the Active Document and Layers objects from AutoCAD's ActiveX interface using the Visual LISP functions. Then, it creates the "C-XREF" layer if it doesn't exist, sets its color to 6, and locks it.

[kstapleton]

Hi Jayhar, when I run the lisp I get this error message.

[jayhar]

if possible, provide any additional information or context that may help in identifying the issue.

[paullimapa]

***modified response below***

this is the section of the code that causes that error.

;; Create the "C-XREF" layer if it doesn't exist
(if (not (vla-item acadLayers layer))
(vla-add acadLayers layer)
)

unfortunately, if the layer doesn't exist, the vla-item function will fail and crash the program.

here's another way to check if the layer exists:

;; Create the "C-XREF" layer if it doesn't exist
(if (not (tblsearch "LAYER" layer))
(vla-add acadLayers layer)
)

or just go ahead & create the layer without checking because the vla-add function executes regardless:

;; Create the "C-XREF" layer regardless if it already exists
(vla-add acadLayers layer)

***modified here***

@jayhar original code did not lock the layer because the following line was placed at the beginning of the code:

(command "_.-layer" "_Lock" layer "")

instead the above should be placed right after changing the layer's color to 6, 

;; Set the layer color to 6
(command "_.layer" "_color" 6 "C-XREF" "")
;; Lock the layer
(command "_.-layer" "_Lock" layer "")
;; or the following works also
(command "_.-layer" "_Lock" "C-XREF" "")

[kstapleton]

Hi Paullimapa, your modification did the trick. Works perfectly!

Thank you both for your time and efforts. Much appreciated.

[paullimapa]

Glad to have helped…cheers !!!

[autocadet01liams]

@jayhar if you're going to use Chat GPT to write your code, at least test it to make sure it works and makes sense before positing it 😜