LAYERDLGMODE

[simonaster]

Why on earth is it, in the CAD 2010 I have just been 'upgraded' to, that with LAYERRDLGMODE set to 1, if I select a load of layers with different colours, and turn them all grey, for instance, the Layer Manager turns them all back to their original colours ? What kind of productivity benefit is that ?

[BlackBox]

You are mistaken, LAYERDLGMODE has nothing to do with why your objects colors are changing back. It only determines how you access the layer manager.

See this snippet from the help file:

LAYERDLGMODE

Type:Integer
Saved in:Registry
Initial value:1

Sets the flavor of the Layer Properties Manager that is defined for the use of the LAYER command.

The LAYER command is mapped to execute either the CLASSICLAYER or LAYERPALETTE.

0 Maps the LAYER command to use the modal Layer Properties Manager

1 Maps LAYER command to use the modeless Layer Properties Manager

Source: http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/EN...mber=d0e349634

Sounds like either you have viewport overrides in use (scroll to the right inside the layer manager), or a reactor is being used for layer standards enforcement.

[Opie]

Need more information on the steps taken. Are these possibly xref layers?

[simonaster]

I was only upgraded to 2010 yesterday so its all 'straight out of the box' factory settings, meaning LAYERDLGMODE was set to '1' meaning I was using the modeless layer palatte.

When I set the LAYERDLGMODE to 'zero' and thereby use 'the ClassicLayer' modal layer Manager, this odd behaviour stopped occuring. This is why I thought there was a connection. So far as I know there are no reactors being used.
How can I use the modeless layerpalette that I access when LAYERDLGMODE is set to '1' to be able to select several layers with different colours and change them to the one colour, without them changing back to their original different colours ? I note this does not occur with linetypes. I can use the modeless palatte to set a load of layers with different linetypes to just one, and they don't jump back to their original different ones.
I ask because the help page says that that LAYERDLGMODE is going to be phased out. No they are not XREF layers.

[BlackBox]

Hmmm... that is very strange behavior.

I use the layer palette daily on multiple platforms (Civil 3D and Map) and have never experienced this behavior.

[Julesagain]

I noticed that the standard, out of the box layout for the layer manager has the viewport color list waay over on the right. Did you try to slide over and change those? Were you clicked 'through' paperspace to model space on your layout tab? And this might seem like a dumb answer, but I've done it so many times I have to mention it, are you closing the layer manager or escaping out of it? Escape will discard the changes. (by the way, if anyone knows a keyboard shortcut to close the layer manager a la Ctrl-Enter like in Mtext, I'd be grateful to know it). I'm not sure how it saves your input now that the layer manager can be a floating palette. I went from 2008 to 2010, so this might not apply to you.

[BlackBox]

Sounds like either you have viewport overrides in use (scroll to the right inside the layer manager) ...

I noticed that the standard, out of the box layout for the layer manager has the viewport color list waay over on the right. Did you try to slide over and change those?

Great minds, Jules.

[irneb]

...And this might seem like a dumb answer, but I've done it so many times I have to mention it, are you closing the layer manager or escaping out of it? Escape will discard the changes. (by the way, if anyone knows a keyboard shortcut to close the layer manager a la Ctrl-Enter like in Mtext, I'd be grateful to know it)....

Basically it should update your changes just after you've made them. Same as the Properties Palette does. Unfortunately this update only happens after you've moved away from the setting you've just changed. So you either need to click on something else inside the LM, or use arrow keys or Tab, only then use the Esc.

[simonaster]

Thank you all for your replies. I was not trying to change the viewport colour whilst in model space nor escaping instead of exiting and nor were there any over-rides on.

I think that this was occuring becuase of that old 'previous version' chesnut. The drawing this first occured in was a 2008 file that I had been working on before being upgraded to 2010.

This does not occur in a new 2010 file with the palatte, but it will happen in a new 2010 file with the layer palatte if I open an old format file first and try and change a number of layers of different colours first. They just ping back to their original colours even before the palatte closes and this behaviour transfers to the native 2010 file. I will stick to the 'classic view' because most of our drawings are 2008 or earlier format and I don't need that kind of aggravation from my software.