Create a New Layout for Each Existing Layer

[LeoManu]

Hello, I have several DWG drawings that contain all the sheets of the document stacked on top of each other in model space. In layer 0, I have the title block, which is the same for all pages, and in layer 1, I have the information for page 1, in layer 2 for page 2, and so on. If I activate all the layers, all the sheets appear stacked on top of each other, making it impossible to distinguish them. What I want is to create a new layout for each page with the same viewport and activate the VP freeze 0 for the title block and for each specific page. Is it possible to create a routine to do this?

I've attached a sample DWG file. The LISP file should create Layouts 1, 2, 3, and 4, and so on, depending on the number of pages in the document.

Thank you.

[LeoManu]

This is what I can advance with the code; it can only create the layouts with the name of each layer. I still need to configure each viewport to activate and deactivate the corresponding VP freeze settings.

(defun c:CreateLayoutsFromLayers (/ doc layers layerName layoutName layObj)
  ;; Get the active document
  (setq doc (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))
  
  ;; Get the list of layers in the drawing
  (setq layers (vla-get-Layers doc))
  
  ;; Iterate over each layer to create a corresponding layout
  (vlax-for layer layers
    (setq layerName (vla-get-Name layer))  ; Get the name of the layer
    
    ;; Exclude special layers that we do not want to create as layouts
    (if (and (/= layerName "0") (/= layerName "Defpoints"))
      (progn
        (setq layoutName layerName)  ; Use the layer name as the layout name
        
        ;; Create the layout with the corresponding name
        (setq layObj (vla-Add (vla-get-Layouts doc) layoutName))
        
        ;; Here you can add more configurations for each layout if desired
        
      )
    )
  )
  
  ;; Completion message
  (princ "\nLayouts created successfully based on layer names!")
  (princ)
)

(princ "\nUse the command 'CreateLayoutsFromLayers' to create layouts for each layer.")
(princ)

[Sea-Haven]

I think need a rolling layer list every time a layout is made the list is reorganised so 1st now becomes last, 2nd becomes 1st as I called just a guess description name a rolling list.

(1 2 3 4)

(2 3 4 1)

(3 4 1 2)

(4 1 2 3)

Need time to think about it.

[LeoManu]

Thank you for your time. That is one possible solution that I can think of. Another could be to move all the sheets along the X-axis by a certain distance. For example, move layer 1 by 500mm, layer 2 by 2x(500mm), layer 3 by 3x(500mm), and so on. Then, see how to create the layouts. I'm not sure; I'm actually looking for a way to make the plans functional. Thank you very much.

[paullimapa]

What if you wblocked each layer out as a separate dwg and each will also contain the title block layer?

[LeoManu]

That would be inconvenient; I have files with more than 200 pages. I am trying to organize them within a single DWG file.

[paullimapa]

Just not a good idea to vplayer freeze layer 0 in a vport. Because there may be other objects like blocks that may have been inserted on that layer. Then those would disappear.  Perhaps move the title block objects to a new layer and vplayer freeze that new layer instead.

[LeoManu]

I don't need to VPFREEZE layer 0; it should be on in all the viewports because it contains the title block, which is the same for all the sheets. I only need to VPFREEZE all the layers that do not contain information related to the current page.

In any case, I am currently trying to move the pages incide the model space. I think it might be better to move the pages incide the model space to avoid having to use VPFREEZE.

thanks for the advice!

[paullimapa]

Your OP:

”…and activate the VP freeze 0 for the title block…”

was that 0 a typo?

[LeoManu]

Apologies for my mistake; what I meant to say is that I need to VPFREEZE all the layers except for layer 0 and the layer corresponding to the page.

In the example I attached, the layouts are created as they should look after executing the LISP.

[ec-cad]

Had a Customer that demanded that each sheet be on a Sheet#x Layer.

They had in one case about 190 sheets for a Controls Electrical set. I cannot share

the Customer's name, but what happened, is that by /zipping the final single drawing,

and /unzipping at the Customer's site, all H*ll broke out. Could not 'recover', couldn't Open it.

So, I hand carried the final .dwg to them, it took 15 minutes to 'Open' in R2012 Acad.

They then tried to 'plot' it to 11x17 for a panel folder for the shop floor. Never did get

a working copy after 3 days of effort.

So , my advice as an expert in the matter. Wblock all that stuff out to seperate files.

ECCAD

[paullimapa]

Yep that’s the risk of having all your eggs in one basket. It can be convenient when everything works. But one bit of corruption and then it’s game over. 

[Sea-Haven · Accepted solution]

Using this,

(setq layers (vla-get-Layers doc))

I get Count (RO) = 548 layers this is excessive so need to actually get a layer list of what actually does exist in terms of used layers so a Purge Layers should be done 1st. brings the list way down. 1 purge = 100. As this is a civ3D dwg you need to run purgestyleandsettings to remove layers that are linked to the CIV3D database, then run purge again.

So easiest way is maybe get a selection set of Model only all objects and then make a layer list. Note you must have a predefined layout with your title block etc change the "D01".

(defun c:wow ( / laylst lay )

; By Gile
(defun remove_doubles (lst)
  (if lst
    (cons (car lst) (remove_doubles (vl-remove (car lst) lst)))
  )
)

(setq ss (ssget "X" '((410 . "Model"))))

(setq laylst '())
(repeat (setq x (sslength ss))
(setq lay (cdr (assoc 8 (entget (ssname ss (setq x (1- x)))))))
(setq laylst (cons lay laylst))
)

(setq laylst (mapcar 'cdr (vl-sort (mapcar '(lambda (x) (cons 1 x)) laylst) '(lambda (y z) (< (cdr y) (cdr z))))))

(setq laylst (remove_doubles laylst))

(if (member "0" laylst)
(setq laylst (vl-remove "0" laylst))
)

(if (member "Defpoints" laylst)
(setq laylst (vl-remove "Defpoints" laylst))
)


(setvar 'clayer "0")
(foreach lay laylst
(command "layout" "Copy" "D01" lay)
(setvar 'ctab lay)
(command "mspace")
(command "zoom" "e")
(command "vplayer" "F" "*" "" "T" lay "" "")
)

(princ)
)
(c:wow)

[LeoManu]

Thank you for the code; it worked with my example. However, should I create manually each of the layouts before running the LISP?

[LeoManu]

I was testing the code more thoroughly and it was very helpful, thank you so much, really "wow". Would it be possible to activate layer 0 in all views? Since that layer has the title block. Thank you very much.

EDIT:

(command "vplayer" "T" "0" "" "") ;activate layer 0 in all viewports if needed

Thanks for your help!

[Sea-Haven]

Glad to have helped, change wow to something else, same with "D01" just make sure you have 1 correct layout before starting as it copies that layout so just need title block in that layout in Paper space.