AUTO CAD TRAINING MODULE FOR BEGINNERS

TOPIC: CREATING & EXPLORING LAYER

Objectives:
The objective of this course is to be able the new user of Auto Cad software explore on
layering which is very vital and essential on the day to day work. This basic tool is very
significant for the professional 2D drawings.

Overview:
Layers are one of the most fundamentally important parts of a CAD and design
drawings. All drawings are composed of layers where we place objects on so we can
manage and organize our data. All drawings come with a default layer, called layer 0
(zero). Its color is black/white depending on your background color and its linetype is
continuous.

You can also save, restore, and import a group of layers and their settings using layer
states. Layer states can be very helpful when working on different disciplines within a
drawing file. You can have a layer state for all of your architectural, structural,
civil information, mechanical piping, electrical and or site features. Layer states can then
be restored, edited, imported, and exported for use in other drawings.

INDENTIFICATION OF LAYER’S PROPERTIES

Icon Layer state Description

value
On Objects on the layer are displayed, plotted, and regenerated and hide
other objects when you use HIDE.
Off Objects on the layer are not displayed and not plotted but do hide
other objects when you use HIDE. The drawing is not regenerated
when you turn the layer on.
Thawed Objects on the layer are displayed and plotted and hide other objects
when you use HIDE.
Frozen Objects on the layer are not displayed and not plotted but do hide
other objects when you use HIDE. The drawing is regenerated when
you thaw the layer.
Unlocked Objects on the layer can be modified.
Locked Objects on the layer cannot be modified. You can still apply object
snaps to objects on a locked layer and perform other operations that

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Icon Layer state Description
value
do not modify those objects.
Plot The selected layer is plotted.
Non Plot The selected layer is not plotted. If you turn off plotting for a layer, the
objects on that layer are still displayed. Layers that are off or frozen
are not plotted, regardless of the Plot/Non Plot setting.
New Viewport Thaws the selected layer in new layout viewports.
Thawed
New Viewport Freezes selected layers in new layout viewports. For example,
Freeze (New freezing the DIMENSIONS layer in all new viewports restricts the
VP Freeze) display of dimensions on that layer in any newly created layout
viewports but does not affect the DIMENSIONS layer in existing
viewports. If you later create a viewport that requires dimensions, you
can override the default setting by changing the Current Viewport
Freeze/Thaw setting.
Current Thaws the selected layer in the current layout viewport.
Viewport
Thawed
Current Freezes selected layers in the current layout viewport. You can
Viewport freeze or thaw layers in the current viewport without affecting layer
Freeze (VP visibility in other viewports. Current Viewport Freeze is an override to
Freeze) the Thaw setting in the overall drawing. You can freeze a layer in the
current viewport if it is thawed in the drawing, but you cannot thaw a
layer in the current viewport if it is frozen or off in the drawing. A layer
is not visible when it is set to Off or Frozen in the drawing.

 To start the Layer command Open/Launch the Auto Cad or Open the Drawing in
Auto Cad format;

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 Type LA short cut for Layer or Go to the main Menu Bar click format+click layer to
open the window or layer properties manager.

 To create new Layer from the layer window click New Layer please note that the
default is 0 you can rename right away the new layer created next to 0 or you can
rename it later.

 Color: Changes the color of objects on the layer. Clicking the color name displays
the Select Color dialog box. Or by selecting the object and go to the scroll down
menu in the drawing and change directly the color.

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 Linetype: Changes the linetype of objects on the layer. Clicking the linetype name
displays the Select Linetype dialog box. Or go to the scroll down menu in the
drawing and change directly the line type.

 Lineweight: Changes the lineweight of objects on the layer. Clicking the lineweight
name displays the Lineweight dialog box. Or go to the scroll down menu in the
drawing and change directly the line type.

 Plot style: If you are working with color-dependent plot styles (PSTYLEPOLICY =
1), you cannot change the plot style associated with a layer. Clicking the plot style
displays the Select Plot Style dialog box.

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 Non Plot: If you are decided not to show or include in the print out the
object/component that correspond to the layers, you can click it to show the red
circle with x sign (Non Plot) as shown in the figure below.

 New Viewport Freeze (New VP Freeze): This is very important in the 2D drawings
plotting and editing at View Port window in your layout. If you wish not to appear in
the layout or in the print out the object/ component/ layers but still in your model
drawings you can easily click the icon under New VP Freeze to show the dim light
on the icon as shown in the illustration below or you get in the VP in the layout and
click the object/component, scroll down the layer and click New VP Freeze.

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 Description: You can add a description to the layer. If your layers are created with a
layer standard, the description is filled in automatically. In that case, it is
recommended to not overwrite it.
Note: You can override layer properties for individual viewports.

 After editing the corresponding properties, Check the green  to make current.

Note: If you are making Building Plans or House Plans and you are started from
scratch it is better that you will make Layer for each component of your house like
for example: Door, Window, Wall, Floor, Beam, Column, Roof, Furniture, MEP
fixture and Equipment Etc. so that when you Plot it you can easily assign the line
weight in the plot style. Moreover you can easily edit the drawings using the layer by
Isolate and Unisolate.

 Turns Layer On or Off: Objects/Components cannot be displayed in drawings

when click to off the layer, and this is best practice when editing the very populated
drawings or large file drawings, also this is best practice when the object layered

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 chosen not to be shown in the printing. The two illustrations below has the same
functions, the first one can be done through the Layer Properties Manager dialog
box and the second one can be done directly on the Layer drop down of the layer
control browser. If you wish to unhide the object on the drawing you can click again
to turn on and restore the layer object/component.

 Frozen: Freeze or Thaw drawing for entire drawings, Objects/Components cannot

be displayed in drawings when click to Freeze the layer, and this is best practice
when editing the very populated drawings or large file drawings, also this is best
practice when the object layered chosen not to be shown in the printing. The two
illustrations below has the same functions, the first one can be done through the
Layer Properties Manager dialog box and the second one can be done directly on
the Layer drop down of the layer control browser. If you wish to unhide the object
on the drawing you can click again to Thaw and restore the layer object/component.

 Locked & Unlocked: When locking the Layer, objects with in this layer cannot be
modified, this command is so useful if you want your drawings to be safe and well
protected from person who are not well verse in Auto Cad software, because your
drawings cannot be modified and if the person do not know this command they
cannot make any changes. Also, this will give you more comfort in managing your
drawings especially when you are making editing. You can select also all layers and

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 lock all. Or select the object and go to the scroll down menu in the drawing and click
the lock icon so that objects on the layer cannot be modified. And then click back if
you wish to unlock the object.

Module Course Recipient:

Prepared By:

Jonathan S. Urbano
Architect
Hill International Middle East Limited
Al Oula Building - Suite 208
King Fahad Road, P.O. 90362
Riyadh 11613
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia SCE Technical Team
Tel: +966 11 2059911 ext 458 Nov. 06, 2011
Mobile: +966-531522545
Website: www.hillintl.com
Email: jonathanurbano@hillintl.com

SCE Technical Team

Nov. 06, 2011