ADD LAYER WILL COPY A CURRENT LAYER NAME

[Wish List System]

Summary: ADD LAYER COMMEND COPY A SELECTED LAYER NAME. THE ADDED LAYER NAME WILL BE A COPY OF SELECTED LAYER NAME WHICH CAN BE EDITED. THIS IS INSTEAD OF "LAYER1" AS A NAME

Description: Copy layer command when an existing layer is selected. Added layer will be a copy of a current layer name. It would work like "copy file" in Windows where a (1) is added to the name. The layer name could then be edited instead of retyping a long layer name to add text.

Product and Feature: AutoCAD - Layer

Submitted By: Debra H on 10/23/2020

[Tom Beauford]

No two layers can have the same name! I often copy a portion of a layer name before copying the layer then pasting and modifying the new layer name as needed.
As Ctrl+C or Right-Click Copy is used by everyone in every software I'm aware of adding another button to the Layer Manager to do the same thing seems a little much.

I'd forgotten when adding a layer from a sleeted layer while using filters the new Layer1 would not show. For that reason I added Layer* to each of my Layer Filters years ago. Users shouldn't have to make workarounds for such a simple procedure, changed my mind I'm voting for this wish now.

[tedg]

No two layers can have the same name! I often copy a portion of a layer name before copying the layer then pasting and modifying the new layer name as needed.
As Ctrl+C or Right-Click Copy is used by everyone in every software I'm aware of adding another button to the Layer Manager to do the same thing seems a little much.

Yes that's probably the easiest way to do what the OP was suggesting with what we have now.
I think what the OP wants is, when in the layer manager with a desired layer name that you want to copy selected, selecting "new layer" for it to copy the layer name (as it does with all the other properties) and place a number behind it, instead of "Layer 1", "Layer 2" etc.

There are a thousand ways to make or bring in layers to a drawing.
I wrote this routine a while ago to make layers on the fly just on the command line, I use it more often than I thought I would.

;;Makes a layer and asks for user input for information

(defun c:mlyr (/ lyrname lyrcol lyrlin lyrwgt)
(setq lyrname (getstring  (prompt"Layer Name?")))
(setq lyrcol (getstring  (prompt"Layer Color?")))
(setq lyrlin (getstring  (prompt"Linetype?")))
(setq lyrwgt (getstring  (prompt"Line Weight?")))
(command "_layer" "make" lyrname "color" lyrcol "" "ltype" lyrlin "" "lweight" lyrwgt "" "" "" "")
(princ)
)
(princ)

[cadtag]

Where this would be useful is when looking at a filtered view of layers in the dialog. Say I'm filtering for C-TOPO-*, and decide that the one I need to use is not there. Highlighting one of the layers and creating a new one gives me LAYER1, which is not displayed because it does not match the pattern.

My workaround is to use the commandline to create the new layer, using either New of Make, and then edit the settings in the dialog. Kind of a (trivial) pain point that doesn't need to be there.

[Tom Beauford]

Where this would be useful is when looking at a filtered view of layers in the dialog. Say I'm filtering for C-TOPO-*, and decide that the one I need to use is not there. Highlighting one of the layers and creating a new one gives me LAYER1, which is not displayed because it does not match the pattern.

My workaround is to use the commandline to create the new layer, using either New of Make, and then edit the settings in the dialog. Kind of a (trivial) pain point that doesn't need to be there.

I can see where that makes sense. For that reason I added Layer* to each of my Layer Filters years ago for that reason. Users shouldn't have to make workarounds for such a simple procedure, changed my mind I'm voting for this wish now.

[tedg]

I can see where that makes sense. For that reason I added Layer* to each of my Layer Filters years ago for that reason. Users shouldn't have to make workarounds for such a simple procedure, changed my mind I'm voting for this wish now.

I agree too, this is a great wish that should have been there already.
Like the OP mentioned, when copying anything else out in the computer world, you get the same name with a number or "copy1" added to it, much easier to fix the name vs type it all over.
Maybe even have a "copy" vs "new" layer option?