Layer Commands

About 2 min

Layer Commands

Layer commands are used to manage and control layers, including creating, modifying, and toggling layer visibility.

Layer Concepts

Layers are an important tool for organizing graphics in CAD:

Each entity resides on a layer
Layers control entity visibility, color, linetype, and other properties
The default layer is "0" and cannot be deleted

LAYER - Layer Management

Opens the layer management dialog.

Command: LAYER
Alias: LA

Usage

Command: LAYER
Layer management dialog

After execution, the layer management dialog opens. You can perform the following operations:

Feature	Description
Add Layer	Create a new layer
Delete Layer	Delete selected layers (unused only)
Purge Layers	Delete all unused layers
Sort	Sort layers by name
Move Up/Down	Adjust layer order
Set Current	Double-click the "Current" column to set as current
Show/Hide	Control layer visibility
Color	Set layer default color
Linetype	Set layer default linetype
Lineweight	Set layer default lineweight
Transparency	Set layer transparency
Plot	Control whether layer is plottable

LAYALLON - Turn On All Layers

Turns on visibility for all layers.

Command: LAYALLON

Usage

Command: LAYALLON
Display all layers

LAYALLOFF - Turn Off All Layers

Turns off all layers except the current layer.

Command: LAYALLOFF

Usage

Command: LAYALLOFF
Hide all layers except the current layer

LAYCUR - Set Current Layer

Sets the layer of the selected objects as the current layer.

Command: LAYCUR

Usage

Command: LAYCUR
Select objects: <Select objects>

LAYMCUR - Match Current Layer

Moves selected objects to the current layer.

Command: LAYMCUR

Usage

Command: LAYMCUR
Select objects: <Select objects to move>

LAYREV - Invert Layer States

Inverts the on/off state of all layers.

Command: LAYREV

Usage

Command: LAYREV

LAYPICKON - Pick to Turn On Layer

Turns on the layer of an object by picking it.

Command: LAYPICKON

Usage

Command: LAYPICKON
Select objects: <Pick objects>

LAYPICKOFF - Pick to Turn Off Layer

Turns off the layer of an object by picking it.

Command: LAYPICKOFF

Usage

Command: LAYPICKOFF
Select objects: <Pick objects>

LAYSSON - Turn On Selection Set Layers

Turns on all layers that contain objects in the current selection set.

Command: LAYSSON

Usage

Command: LAYSSON
Select objects: <Select multiple objects>

LAYSSOFF - Turn Off Selection Set Layers

Turns off all layers that contain objects in the current selection set.

Command: LAYSSOFF

Usage

Command: LAYSSOFF
Select objects: <Select multiple objects>

LAYDRAWBACK - Send Layer to Back

Sends the draw order of the layer containing the selected objects to the back.

Command: LAYDRAWBACK

Usage

Command: LAYDRAWBACK
Select objects: <Select objects>

LAYDRAWFRONT - Bring Layer to Front

Brings the draw order of the layer containing the selected objects to the front.

Command: LAYDRAWFRONT

Usage

Command: LAYDRAWFRONT
Select objects: <Select objects>

CLAYER - Current Layer Variable

Sets or queries the current layer.

Command: CLAYER

Usage

Command: CLAYER
CLAYER <current layer name>: <Enter new layer name>

MAKELAYER - New Layer

Quickly create a new layer in the layer dialog.

Layer Management Best Practices

Layer Naming Convention

It is recommended to name layers by function or type:

Layer Name	Purpose
`0`	Default layer
`Wall`	Building walls
`Door-Window`	Doors and windows
`Dimension`	Dimension annotations
`Text`	Text annotations
`Construction`	Construction lines, reference lines
`DEFPOINTS`	Dimension definition points (not plottable)

Layer Color Convention

Use different colors to distinguish layers:

Color Index	Color	Suggested Use
1	Red	Important lines
2	Yellow	Construction lines
3	Green	Landscaping, plants
4	Cyan	Water, pipelines
5	Blue	Furniture
6	Magenta	Electrical
7	White/Black	General purpose

Script Examples

; Set current layer
CLAYER
Wall

; Draw walls
LINE
0,0
1000,0

; Switch layer for dimensions
CLAYER
Dimension

DIMLINEAR
0,0
1000,0
0,-200

Next Steps

Block Commands - Block definition and management
Property Commands - Modify entity properties
Command Reference - View all commands