LISP routine to load layers

[rbhazie]

Is it better to load layers Via a lisp routine or can I use a block insert to do the same thing? And what would the lisp look like?

[Opie]

It would be more manageable to insert a drawing with the necessary layers. You could also open said drawing through Design Center and insert only the layers you need.

[tedg]

Is it better to load layers Via a lisp routine or can I use a block insert to do the same thing? And what would the lisp look like?

Opie is correct, it's a little easier to control when you insert an up to date drawing file with the layers you want, or drag them from design center, or insert a block with the desired layers.

I used to use a lisp routine to load layers all the time, but not so much anymore.
Instead I have a template set up with the layers I use all the time.

But a lisp routine I wrote to make layers (which also includes line weights) looked like this:
(this is a watered down version to show as an example only, the original was much bigger)

;;;;;MAKE STANDARD LAYERS BASED ON NCS 3.1 LAYER NAMES WITH OBJECT LINE WEIGHTS
(DEFUN C:NCSLYRS (/ CME LYR RGM)     
	(SETQ CME (GETVAR "CMDECHO"))   
	(SETQ LYR (GETVAR "CLAYER"))
	(SETQ RGM (GETVAR "REGENMODE"))   
	(SETVAR "CMDECHO" 0)
	(SETVAR "REGENMODE" 0)   
;;;;***************************************************************************************
;;;;ARCHITECTURAL LAYERS     
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-DIMS" "COLOR" "1" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-FUTR" "COLOR" "202" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-STRS-E" "COLOR" "20" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-STRS" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-SYMB" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-TEXT" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-TEXT-D" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-TITL" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-MTCH" "COLOR" "5" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-AREA" "COLOR" "5" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-AREA-PATT" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-AREA-IDEN" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-CLNG-D" "COLOR" "122" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "LT" "HIDDEN2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-CLNG-EQPM-E" "COLOR" "50" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-CLNG-EQPM" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-CLNG-GRID-E" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-CLNG-GRID" "COLOR" "11" "" "LW" "0.25" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-COLS-E" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-ANNO-COLS" "COLOR" "5" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-COLS-E" "COLOR" "1" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-COLS" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-GRID-E" "COLOR" "250" "" "LW" "0.25" "" "LT" "CENTER2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-GRID" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "LT" "CENTER2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-PLAN-D" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "LT" "HIDDEN2" "" "")   
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-DOOR-E" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-DOOR-IDEN" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "A-DOOR" "COLOR" "192" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
;;;;***************************************************************************************
;;;;GENERAL LAYERS  
   	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-ANNO-TEXT" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-ANNO-TITL" "COLOR" "14" "" "LW" "0.7" "" "") 
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-ANNO-REFR" "COLOR" "7" "" "LW" "1.4" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-ANNO-SYMB" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")       
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-ANNO-MISC" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-ANNO-ELEV" "COLOR" "4""" "LT" "PHANTOM" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-ANNO-NPLT" "COLOR" "140" "PLOT" "N" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-AREA" "COLOR" "2" "" "LW" "0.25" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-SITE-PLAN" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-SITE-VCTY" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")  
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-DETL-HDLN" "COLOR" "10""" "LT" "HIDDEN" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-DETL-PHTM" "COLOR" "5""" "LT" "PHANTOM" "" "LW" "0.50" "" "") 
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-DETL-PATT" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")   
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "G-DETL-CNTR" "COLOR" "10""" "LT" "CENTER" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
;;;;***************************************************************************************
;;;;MECHANICAL LAYERS   
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "M-EQIP-E" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "M-DUCT" "COLOR" "7" "" "LW" "1.4" "" "")   
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "M-PLMB-E" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "M-PLMB" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "M-PLMB-FLOR-DRAN" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
;;;;***************************************************************************************
;;;;STRUCTURAL LAYERS
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-DIMS" "COLOR" "1" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-SYMB" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-IDEN" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-KEYN" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-LABL" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-LEGN" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-NOTE" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-NPLT" "COLOR" "112" "" "PLOT" "N" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-MARK" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-MATC" "COLOR" "14" "" "LW" "0.70" "" "LT" "PHANTOM2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-TEXT" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-COLS-E" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-COLS" "COLOR" "5" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-ANNO-WKPT" "COLOR" "6" "" "LW" "1.0" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-COLS" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-COLS-E" "COLOR" "20" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-COLS-ALUM" "COLOR" "12" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-COLS-CONC" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-COLS-WOOD" "COLOR" "22" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-COLS-STEL" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-STEL-BPLT" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")  
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-WALL-CMUW" "COLOR" "33" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-WALL-MSNW" "COLOR" "53" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")    
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-GRID-E" "COLOR" "251" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "LT" "CENTER2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-GRID" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "LT" "CENTER2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-CONC-E" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-CONC" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN-E" "COLOR" "150" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN" "COLOR" "5" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN-DOOR-OPNG" "COLOR" "1" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN-HEAD-ABOV" "COLOR" "30" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "LT" "HIDDEN2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FLOR-STRS" "COLOR" "30" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN-FTNG-E" "COLOR" "30" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "LT" "HIDDEN2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN-FTNG" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "LT" "HIDDEN2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN-PIER" "COLOR" "5" "" "LW" "0.5" "" "")  
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-FNDN-REBR" "COLOR" "14" "" "LW" "0.7" "" "")   
        (COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-BEAM-STEL-E" "COLOR" "10" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")   
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-BEAM-STEL" "COLOR" "5" "" "LW" "0.18" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-TRUS" "COLOR" "4" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-JOIS" "COLOR" "3" "" "LW" "0.35" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-JOIS-BRGX" "COLOR" "2" "" "LW" "0.25" "" "LT" "HIDDEN2" "" "")
	(COMMAND "LAYER" "MAKE" "S-SLAB-CJNT" "COLOR" "2" "" "LW" "0.25" "" "LT" "DASHDOT" "" "")       
;;;;****************************************************************************************
		(SETVAR "CMDECHO" CME)   
		(SETVAR "CLAYER" LYR)
		(SETVAR "REGENMODE" RGM)   
	(PRINC))     
(PRINC "\nCOMMAND: NCSLYRS")

[Coloradomrg]

I prefer the lisp method, as it will update any layers that have gotten tweaked by a user and not returned to their "correct" state. Though if your company allows for such tweaking, then the lisp could have enough unintended consequences to make it a bad idea.

[dgorsman]

"Better" is quite subjective; I use LISP and data files. Easier to manage with multiple drawing types, client standards, and applications.

[Tom Beauford]

I've created a handful of Layer States and Exported them to My Documents which is the default folder so I don't need to look for them later. Importing one of those Layer States gives me that group of layers set just how I want them overriding the existing settings if any layers were already there.

Like tedg I've found having good templates is the key to keeping AutoCAD simple. For the most part the only time I use the method above is when I need to import a group of layers from ArcGIS.

I use the Layer Manager all the time though. When I Import Survey Data into Civil 3D the Layer State is set to display all Breaklines (as continuous) and Surface Points so I can check for issues. Once it looks OK I set the Layer State to Plan which displays only what should be on the final drawing with their proper linetypes. One of the more underused features in AutoCAD I think.

[BlackBox]

Just be mindful, that inserting a drawing with specific Layers will inherit the the properties of those Layers which already exist in a given drawing, and will not overwrite, or 'correct' said Layer's properties... Only new Layers are actually inserted as-is from the source drawing.

This, one of the many reasons that the STANDARDS Command exists, despite it too not accounting for all potentialities.

You might hard-code a specific Layer's properties into a Command Reactor, depending on how critical it is that it be consistent throughout myriad drawings... Use an approach that best meets your (or your employer's) requirements.

Cheers

[Tom Beauford]

Just be mindful, that inserting a drawing with specific Layers will inherit the the properties of those Layers which already exist in a given drawing, and will not overwrite, or 'correct' said Layer's properties... Only new Layers are actually inserted as-is from the source drawing.

This, one of the many reasons that the STANDARDS Command exists, despite it too not accounting for all potentialities.

You might hard-code a specific Layer's properties into a Command Reactor, depending on how critical it is that it be consistent throughout myriad drawings... Use an approach that best meets your (or your employer's) requirements.

Cheers

That's why I recommend Importing Layer States rather than inserting a drawing. I also have a lisp that I use as well that only modifies the existing layers when I don't want layers added I don't need. The drawings I use ArcGIS data for are for many different purposes, the layers imported are different for each one.

[BlackBox]

Sorry, Tom - I wasn't responding directly to your post, just more of an FYI to something I read earlier in the thread.

Cheers

[tedg]

Just be mindful, that inserting a drawing with specific Layers will inherit the the properties of those Layers which already exist in a given drawing, and will not overwrite, or 'correct' said Layer's properties... Only new Layers are actually inserted as-is from the source drawing.
....
Cheers

This is another good use of a lisp routine,
If a layer exists in the drawing but has been altered to non-standard properties, the routine will re-make it to it's correct standards as long as it's written that way.