Hidden layers visible in linked CAD

[Anonymous]

I am working in Revit LT 2014.

I saved a DWG file with extraneous layers that I don't want to see either turned off or frozen. When I link or import the CAD file to Revit, I select "Visible" in the "Layers/Levels" dropdown menu. I would expect this to show the DWG with hidden/fozen layers invisible, but it is displaying in Revit with all the layers visible. 

Another quirk I've noticed recently, which may be related- when I use the query command and select "hide in view," it does nothing. When I select "delete," though, the layer does go away. 

[PrathapSekar]

Hi,

    You can hide unwanted layers from CAD inside revit as follows, Go to properties pallet (no need to select the CAD file, just open the view you want to work within) click on view template under identity data, Apply View Template popup will open, here select V/G overrides import, then VG popup will open, here select Import category tab. Under this tab you can find the layer which are available in the CAD file, check/Uncheck the layer you want.(Refer image below)

[Anonymous]

Prathap, thank you for your response! The method you described does work for me. The one downside is that if you have a file with 500 (or a million) layers, it's a bit time consuming to go through and pick the ones you want turned off. It especially seems silly if you already have the layer visibility you want set up in your AutoCAD file. 

Has anyone out there successfully used the "layers/levels: visible" option in the import menu? (see screenshot). Or is there a different way to instruct Revit to use the layer visibility settings that are in the AutoCAD file?

[kschicker]

I had the same issue with the "Hide In View" not working when Querying a CAD Link.  I found it was the fact that I had a View Template applied that was causing the problem.  First, apply the View Template you want, then change the View Template to "None", then Query layers and Hide In View.  Once you get it looking the way you want, you can go to the View Tab in your Ribbon, and under the View Templates drop-down, you can Create a View Template From Current View, and you will have a View Template that now works for you.

Hopefully this helps.

[Nik4_99]

And what to do if you already have 10+ View templates, and you link a new CAD file with 200+ layers, of which you want just 20 to be seen in REVIT model?

Do I have to go through all 10+ views, and manually deselect 180 layers? Approx. 1800 repetitions?

When I saw Query / delete layer, I was convinced that "delete" option deletes the selected layer (with the names that are NOT that intuitive) from the project, and from all Views where the CAD file is displayed. Just to find out that it "comes back" next time the Project is loaded... (see https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/revit-architecture-forum/using-query-delete-to-control-dwg-link-in-re...)

So - what is the best workflow in this case - how to permanently hide the unwanted layers (with the names that are NOT that intuitive) the most time effective way in all Views?

[Simon_Weel]

To my surprise, there's no easy way to export a dwg the WYSIWYG-way. I thought ExportLayout would do the trick, but nope. The only solution I can come up with, is to open the drawing, set the layers as needed, select all, copy to clipboard, open a new drawing and paste from clipboard. That will eliminate layers, but to what extent depends on how the drawing is set up. If the elements of a block are drawn on layer X, Y and Z and the block itself is placed on layer Z, then it won't show up as wanted. Exploding all block would tackle that problem. But probably cause other problems. Plotting to a HP/GL file and then importing that file back into AutoCAD would result in a WYSIWYG drawing - without any layers (besides layer 0) at all.

Maybe Dynamo?

[wisedrawing]

I also have tried many methods to simplify this and when I import my CAD survey files that have a lot of layers with my CAD template that has a lot of layers they add up.

I try the following methods when I am in ACAD dwg:

1. in ACAD purge command and get rid of anything that is not being used, this is pretty helpful when there are legacy layers that are not in use (this is fast and efficient but you are still left with blocks so I sometimes explode everything first, and or;

2. convert all your required layers into one line type on ACAD (keep the colours) delete the rest and purge - this works better if you are using the dwg file in Revit as a template and then copying over it and hiding or deleting the entire dwg file once done. its not so good if you want to turn lines on and off in VG.

purge wont remove everything but it does cut it down

Daz

[blank...]

In Autocad hide everything you don't need, then do WBLOCK and select everything. This should save just what is visible on screen.

It's possible to have blocks within blocks within blocks within blocks, but it should cut down on unwanted stuff.

[Nik4_99]

We collaborate with some old-school architects and technologists that have an incredible work experience, but has a very limited IT knowledge (gets around in AutoCAD ok, but has no experience with Revit. And at their age - it is not easy to start learning new software...)

We are working with 5+ "live" input DWGs, that are changed multiple times a day.

So - every time that the change is made to the linked DWGs, and we need to reload the links, we need to go through all the linked DWGs, and spend time to delete/manipulate the already set layers, blocks, settings...?

This is the best Autodesk's shot?

Even when we have:

Import instance / Layer/Level: Delete

Import CAD formats / Layers/Levels: Visible

(or even better)

Import CAD formats / Layers/Levels: Specify...

And to make things more interesting - every linked DWG has other DWGs XREFed (as OVERLAY, not ATTACH, but anyway) - ALL the reffed dwgs are also shown in REVIT, and ALL the layers are also visible, so we need to turn them off also. Every time we reload the linked DWGs.

Is it really that difficult/impossible to code "REMEMBER THE LAYER VISIBILITY" in Revit?

[kgatzke]

@Nik4_99 

I'm convinced they just don't care.  They've got us hooked and there are no alternatives so we all have to keep paying (subscriptions now) to use their garbage.

I found this thread because right now I'm stuck in a similar situation.  I have linked CAD files that were also produced by someone outside of our company, using different 3D software, and we use DWG / IFC as the cross platform coordination between teams.  I've got their tenant FF&E layouts linked into my plans and they're a complex mix of automatically generated and nested blocks, most of which I need to hide in my views.  I copied their work to clean DWGs where I can hide and purge as needed, but get this.  Even though I moved unwanted objects to layers and deleted those layers in Revit (I still need them in CAD) the contents of the blocks on other layers I can't delete ARE STILL VISIBLE!

I'm surprised a contributor with an 11 or above hasn't shown up yet to tell us how it's our workflow that's the problem or "Revit isn't CAD" but come on.  I 'deleted' the layer the blocks were on so why the hell do I still see them?