Copy layouts with layers with Design Center

[sfischer]

In Acad 2012 I am trying to copy layouts across multiple files using design center. I know I have done this many times in the past but its not working now. In the past I could copy a ps layout over multiple files and the layers that were on or off in the individual layouts would copy across the different files. Trying it this morning it would not work whenever I copied all layers were on. Very very frustrating!
Any thing I can do to get this basic functionality back?
Thanks

[cadtag]

layers will only come across with a layout if there are objects in the layout space on those layers. if there's nothing on the layer (in PS of the layout) there's nothing to bring the layer across.

[sfischer]

Thanks Cadtag - there are the same objects in model space in both files.

[cadtag]

model space doesn't matter -- layouts only exist in paper space

Remember that you can import some/all of the layers in drawing B to the active drawing using Design Center, just not as part of importing a layout.

[sfischer]

I am not sure you understand what I am trying to do. Not copy over layers but to be able to copy layouts that have the same layers turned on and off in the layout.

[irneb]

The copy doesn't always do that. You tend to loose the VPFreeze & VP Overrides if you import layouts (either through DC or through right-click-on-tab). Even copy-n-pasteing the VP's between dwgs seldom do the layer thing. The only way I know of to import VPFreeze & VP Overrides "properly" is to use Layer States, you can either export them to a LAS file then import ... or directly import from the source DWG.

Sorry, long time since I worked much in ACad. Can't remember if the Layer States import can be done through command-line-only. If it can, then you can write a script to import across multiple DWGS. You can search for some Lisp to include in that script so you can set the state to each VP as well.

For importing layouts into multiple DWGs I actually went the Lisp route (DC just don't cut it if large quantities of DWGs to go through): http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?80461-Page-Setup-Manager

[Opie]

Irneb, you can use the command line of the layer command to export / import / restore layer states.