Renaming Multiple Layers

[mde320]

I have inherted a lot of drawings that have no consistend CAD Standards (ex. National CAD Standard).  The layer names are so individual until they have no consistency what so ever.  I am somewhat familiar with the RENAME  command in AutoCAD.  However, this appears to only work when you are renaming a long list of layers that consistantly have the same naming schema.  

Is there a way I can globally rename a long list of layers with different schemas to have the same schema without totally loosing the drawing?

Thx Everyone

[h_s_walker]

How are the layers named and what do you want to rename them to?

I get drawings sent to us from clients and I consistently rename all the information in the client's drawing with CLIENT at the front.

To do this in the rename dialog box I use * in the OLD NAME box and CLIENT * in the RENAME TO box.

[Patchy]

Do you use LAYTRANS    ??

[mde320]

On Thu, Jan 8, 2015 at 9:21 AM, Autodesk Community <community-no-reply@autodesk.com> wrote:

Hi mde320,

hwalker (*Expert Elite*) posted a new Reply in AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 on 01-08-2015 06:21 AM:

Re: Renaming Multiple Layers

How are the layers named and what do you want to rename them to?

Existing Layer Names ex. 1:

• BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$A-ANNO-TEXT
• BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$A-AREA-SPCE
• BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$A-CLNG-LITE-N
• BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$A-DETL-FINE
• BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$A-DETL-MEDM
• BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$A-DOOR-N
• BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$A-FLOR-PATT-N

Existing Layer Names ex. 2:

• 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/A-EQMT-HVAC
• 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/A-EQPM
• 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/A-FLOR
• 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/A-FLOR-CASE
• 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/A-FLOR-PATT
• 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/A-FURN-CHAR
• 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/A-FURN-FILE

New Desired Layer Names which follow the National CAD Standards:

• A-ANNO-TEXT
• A-AREA-SPACE
• A-CLNG-LITE-N
• A-DETL-FINE
• A-DETL-MEDM
• A-DOOR-N
• A-FLOR-PATT-N

When using RENAME or LAYERTRANS I have one main concern.  My drawings are linked to Archibus by way of Polylines.  When I change a large set of layer names that are tied to drawing elements that are polylined, will my polylines get wiped from the Archibus database?

Thx

hwalker

[h_s_walker]

I've never heard of Archibus so cannot help there. As to renaming your layers it's simple

For the first set of layers in the OLD NAME BOX put BL-04__Arch/FP-04$0$FP-04$0$*

And in the RENAME BOX just put *

Similarly for the second set of layers in the OLD NAME BOX put 2014__Update_BL1-A-FP03/*

And in the RENAME BOX just put *

[Mistress0fTheDorkness]

As HWALKER said, find and replace is your friend in cases of bound x-refs causing those longer layer names. (I believe if you bind as a block instead of binding as insert, you won't get those.) 

I'm not entirely certain of the effect in Archibus. I think the layer names should only be an issue if they contain objects mapped to the archibus database (such as room polylines).

I don't think any of the currently posted questions will help you, but, just in the future if you want to post questions about it, you'll find more archibus users on the following forums than you will here: 

http://forums.augi.com/forumdisplay.php?519-Facilities-Management-In-Practice

http://www.archibus.com/forum/threads.cfm?forumid=3E4A42C7-FD46-373A-99851CB500FC237C

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

use wild card characters.

Example:

old names:

S-F-BLD-WALL

S-F-BLD-FDN

S-F-BLD-REINF

Rename to:

S-N-BLD-WALL

S-N-BLD-FDN

S-N-BLD-REINF

Type

RENAME

Old Name: S-F*

Rename To: S-N*

Click OK

[Ryan_JacksonYTJDJ]

This was exactly what I was looking for!

[RSomppi]

---

@mde320 wrote:

The layer names are so individual until they have no consistency what so ever. 

---

I see consistency. The long prefixes are from XREFs that have been bound to the drawing. Did you receive them that way? If you did the binding, you have an option to eliminate the prefixes.

[maryam_sarrami]

Perfect. 👌