Topic Title

Hello DataCAD professionals,

How do I change between layers without opening the layer manager box every time.

Thanks,

Cadwk

Hi,

The Tab key scrolls forward through the layers that are on. Shift-Tab scrolls backward.

You can pull down the Status Menu.

Hit L to open the Layers menu and then F3 to select the Active Layer.

You can open the Layer Manager (if you have a second monitor) and have it set to be persistent, and use that.

....or add these lines to your dcadwin.mcr file

A^:f3^f1^
//layer on off

Q^:^F3^F4^
//LAYER ON ONLY

... and access the Layer Menu with Alt A or Alt Q

You could also do an Identify/Set All if you know that an entity is on a layer you want to be on.

As an aside, for those who are moving/have moved over from Acad - if you set up your layers with the color you want for each layer (and DON'T change the color), you will be able to use the Identify/Set All similar to Acad with the color being what you want to draw with on that layer. Of course, the key is to not change the color while you're on the layer!

Alan, not changing layer colours is a very simple and elegant thing often overlooked, but very effective in increasing drafting efficiency. Walls - Light Cyan, Windows - Brown, Notes - Green, 3D ROOFS - Red and so on makes life so much simpler to see which layer is active and which layers are turned on, without the need to constantly refer to Layer Menus or Layer Managers.

Very true, Rex - and it makes an Acad'rs transition to Dcad much simpler! I love the ability to change entity colors in Dcad within the same layer, but it does play havoc when I export my AEC file to DWG for an N'g'neer (am I sorry about that? Naaa!)

Alan makes the most important point - if you already have entities on the layer you want to go to - point the cursor at one of those and hit Alt-I to ID/Set All.

This is the Grandaddy of all keyboard shortcuts. And it is *by far* the quickest and best way to change layers, and be able to immediately just start drawing.