cannot delete layer !?!

[camptech]

I am refining my drawing template -- trying to simplify my workflow (and hopefully my drafting life.)

Previously I had sorted all my various points via Description Keys into separate Node layers:  v-node-this, v-node-that etc.  I am going to put all my survey data points onto just v-node (well, maybe I'll keep v-node-control and v-node-boundary).  But when I tried to delete a bunch of layers, I got an error, and continue to get a "cannot delete layer" message dialogue:

Cannot delete layer

Can someone explain what is going on, what I need to do?  This is a blank drawing, C3D 2018, created from my previous template.  I have not drawn anything, nor imported any data.

Is this a style issue?  Have I some styles that reference these layers, thus Civil3D refuses to delete those layers?

There are a bazillion styles in C3D, and I'll be challenged to recall everything I have created.  Is there a way to audit or query a (style-)database and get a list of objects that refer to these "non-deletable" layers?

Thx.

[chriscowgill7373]

you could use the LAYDEL command which will delete the layer even if it is referenced.  As for determining what styles utilize which layers, I'm not sure that there is a way to do that.

Is it possible that you have a block in your drawing that utilizes that layer? 

[camptech]

"Is it possible that you have a block in your drawing that utilizes that layer? "

Yes, anything is possible.  However, this is a brand new, virgin drawing from a blank template.  As best I know / recall / remember / blah blah blah, I had not inserted any blocks into the drawing when I created (saved) the template.

Is it possible a block definition references some of these layers?  Possible?  I suppose.  Likely?  I'm not sure.  The layers in question do not appear to be ones that I had used regularly.  So, I am pretty sure there are no "blocks" in the drawing, though there could exist block "definitions."  Is there a way to ask the drawing, "Hey, Mr. Drawing, do you have any block references or block definitions that refer to layer X?"  Or is there a way to dump ALL layers referenced by ALL block definitions?

I will try the LAYDEL command and see if that works.

[ralphsanchezATX]

I just typed a reply and then I closed my browser before I closed it, so let's see how quickly I can recreate it.

Something references those layers.  It could be a block (purge), it could be a Civil 3D style (purgestyles), or it could even be a frameless wipeout drawn out in space (list <enter> all <enter> to weed out stray entities). Without seeing the file, it's too hard to tell precisely what it is.  

If you really need to get rid of those layers and you don't want to potentially harm whatever it is that refers to them, try using LAYMRG.  Simply select your V- layers as the source and then layer 0 as the destination and then anything within any object that once referred to your unwanted layers will now refer to 0.  While drawing on layer 0 is bad, styles and blocks which refer to that special layer aren't inherently evil.

[Anonymous]

I'd agree. use LAYMRG over LAYDEL... if possible. 

[cwr-pae]

CAD Masters has a utility to find and replace things in styles. Specifically layers, text styles and line types .among others. Available here on the appstore. 

[Anonymous]

is this for C3D 2019? 

[rl_jackson]

Do yourself a favor, don't convolute the issue.. Start with a blank template. If you truly need all the V's and C's so be it...

[M_c3d]

I agree with @cwr-pae the cad masters utility is the best way to go.

I redeveloped our civil 3d templates when implementing new cad standards and it was a major tool to clean up the non required text styles that civil 3d came with so that I now only have two text styles, standard and civil 3d annotative text.

Will be using it again when it comes to setting up our 2019 template

[cwr-pae]

I started using it under 2015, I'm currently on 2018.2 and still use it. I probably should get an updated version, maybe when I step up to 2019 I will.

[jeff_rivers]

Two more commands from the right-click context menu may help you: 

* Find References

* Replace With

In your prospector, go through your styles, and for any style that you suspect is not truly being used, but that also shows the yellow 'in use' icon, right-click, select Find References, and it will tell you what C3D objects are using that style.  Then you can select 'Replace With' and select a different style.

So for example, if you have a point style that shows the 'in use' icon, right-click it, and if it's a style that you do not need, select 'Replace With' and select some other style that you want to keep (such as Standard).  

Now you can delete that unused style, which will then free up any layers that it references so that those layers can be purged.  

It's a somewhat painful and time-consuming process but it lets you really drill into your styles and see how many unused styles are generating extra layers.