Page Setup Manager- purpose of listing asterisk

[mattwaddington]

I've been using Autocad since R12,  but have meant to ask this question ever since it was introduced as a feature. Its very minor, but has always been an annoyance and I think  I am missing something. 

In Page Setup Manager I do not understand the function of use for listing the existing layouts (indicated with an asterisk). It seems like clutter to me, and I always have to take the quarter second to scroll down to the actual page setups- I would never edit an asterisked item, or select it as a setup for a new layout (why would I?).  My page setups are named things like "11x17" or whatever- very basic- and in general, as in a drawing set, apply to all layouts, or most.  

The asterisked layouts all use the parameters in the unasterisked ones.  Why list them?

So do other users use the asterisked line setups for something?  Why do they even show up? I'd love to turn them off- but don't think that's an option.

Again, minor- but I couldn't find any information on this question and I am curious.

Thanks!

[paullimapa]

The names surrounded by asterisks as you stated represent all your layout names

Those without are the actual page setups.

The reason for listing layouts also is so that you can select one of those layouts you can apply the page setup assigned to that layout to the current layout by just doing a doubleclick or select the Set Current button. This way as you say if you have a long list of layouts then you don't have to scroll all the way to the bottom to find the page setup you want to set current and apply to the current layout.

Of course it would be interesting to perhaps have a tab button up top where you can toggle to only see layouts vs page setups. Or better yet make it so that you can select a layout and actually set that current without have to close this Page Setup Manager window to click on the layout tab on the bottom before setting it current.

[cadffm]

Hi,

>"I would never edit an asterisked item"

YOU not, some other peoples does.

Some other peoples never used named pagesetups, you do.

And do you really never change them?

Very good for you, not everyone is in the same comfortable situation.

Changes In plotdialog.. Also if you select a named pagesetup, changes the Layout pagesetup (the asterisk ones).

>>", or select it as a setup for a new layout (why would I?)" 

The same reason why you select your named pagesetup, it is easy and save time and avoid mistakes.

The only difference in this moment is, you taken time to save your pagesetup with a name of your choice.

I have to handle with 1000 differently files from other people, often for just one time, just for few files with for me unusual setting.

It doesn't make sense to create a new named pagesetup for every of them.

The answer is: You have a kind of luxus to work like you do,

but out there, there are 1000 of other situations.

You can't disable it.

(Pagesetup manager is still the only place to toggle "Displaying Plotstyles", thats the only situation why someone whos not using named setups need to go to the  pagesetup manager)

IF it would works like you want, I wouldn' t be able to change a pagesetup for a specific layout, bause I would can select this Layout.

Why do YOU use this manager, instead to use the PLOT dialog?

[mattwaddington]

Thanks Paul and Sebastian for taking time to reply. Autodesk asked if my question had been answered- and I'd say no, neither response really suggested what the function of listing the layout tab as a separate page setup in the plot manager window is- or at least, I don't understand your explanation. 

Paul suggests that the reason for listing it is that you can assign one layout's setup to a new layout, and not have to scroll through all the layout tabs to get to the base layouts you've made. That makes no sense to me- if they weren't there, you wouldn't have to scroll through them- way easier!  And why would assign the settings of an asterisked layout- for which I have no information of what its settings by looking at the name- to a new layout?

I don't really understand Sebastian's response at all- that some cad users don't have the "luxury" to not use them, and there are 1000s of reason to do so "out there".  Great- what's one reason? Its quicker so you don't have to scroll through all the asterisked items that don't need to be there in the first place?  My question is really why a person would, not a judgement on them doing so, but wondering why they do.  If you edit an asterisked layout tab, say change the paper size, there's no way to know that you did so unless you also take the time to rename it.  

I don't recall when Adesk introduced this option- but I remember wondering what it is for when they did, and figured I understand eventually (30 years of doing this daily), but I don't . Thus the question.

[paullimapa]

I understand your line of questioning. This is why I proposed my wish list items in my reply post.

But here is my rebuttal to a couple of your responses:

1. You stated: "That makes no sense to me- if they weren't there, you wouldn't have to scroll through them- way easier! "

As @cadffm mentioned, this may be way easier for you. But first of all other users may prefer to see how other layouts are assigned with page setup as reference to make a decision on the current layout. Second of all if the layout listings are removed from the Page Setup Manager window then the only way for users to know what page setup is assigned to each layout is by first selecting that layout and launch either the PLOT window or your revised Page Setup Manager window. This would make reviewing pagesetup assignments more complicated than necessary.

2. You stated: "And why would assign the settings of an asterisked layout- for which I have no information of what its settings by looking at the name- to a new layout?"

When you select a layout that is assigned to a page setup you do see the same detail information as if you're selecting the page setup itself. So you do see the same needed information for you to make a decision on layout assignment.

[pendean]

---

@mattwaddington wrote:

...In Page Setup Manager I do not understand the function of use for listing the existing layouts (indicated with an asterisk)....

...Why do they even show up? I'd love to turn them off- but don't think that's an option.....

---

As a wise man once said to the consternation of everyone around him: it is what it is.

Do you get into using PAGESETUPIN command at all?

Are your many layouts using so unique a pagesetup that you might wish to apply one to another layout temporarily or permanently? Here is what you can do with that list if yes, if this snip from HELP makes no sense at all then see my first sentence above then it's a feature you have no use for but sadly you cannot hide

Nothing you can do about it to make it go away sadly. It's an always-on ability in the program. Not likely to change after 30-ish years either.

[cadffm]

I will reply another way.

I use them sometimes, for a quick overview  about settings and how the looks, for files that are foreign to me.

Layouts (view and pagesetup) are easy to access by this list. It's the best (fastest) option in Acad to do this.

And if I use named pagesetups,  I can see which layout use (or not use) my pagesetup - and which one.

-

What I am waiting for decades ( I miss the features, so I had to create my own for it):

 Idea: Don't remove layouts from list, but move them to the end (named pagesetups, on top)

1. I could be enormal useful, to have the ability to change layout pagesetup WITHOUT to activate this layout

   Out there are files which need 5,10 or 40seconds for one layout switch.

2. Multiple selections to change multiple layout/pagesetups in one step, instead to do it for each step by step

3. I like the idea that, if there are no named pagesetups,  Autocad could show me "anonymous" pagesetups the same way as named (pagesetup name is added to the layoutname),

    so I would see which layouts uses the same setting and I could change this "unnamed" pagesetup

   the same way as a named.

[mattwaddington]

Thanks all of you for the additional thought- and I'm satisfied. Paul's demonstration (and Sebastian's earlier comments) about being able to review the layouts by looking at the settings at the bottom is not something I even noticed. I can see that would be helpful to some people.  Paul's idea of having the option to turn them off seems like a good one, as does Sebastian's for reversing the order- that in fact, would do it for how I use them.

Thanks Pedean for the suggestion on PAGESETUPIN, I have not used this, but will look into it to see if its helpful. And yes- I get this is never going to change, but assume that about pretty much everything- I just wanted to know how others used it and why it was this way, which you have all helped me to understand.  Much appreciation, thank you all!