Tree Format for Layers

[autocad.wishlist1734]

Summary: Option to display layers in a tree format.

Description: In the Layer Manager, the option to list the layers in the "tree" format when dealing with Xrefs.

How Used: Combine the layer filters and layer list into one dialog box that way layer list box will appear in tree list view all the time. Then the list could be expanded or collapse as desired by the users to present the efficiently listing of Xrefs and what not. Also you can select the top layer to manipulate all the "child" layers under that top layer.

Feature Affinity: Layer

Submitted By: Ted Krush on July 5, 2007

[rkmcswain]

That is how it works now, unless I misunderstand you.

In the left pane, layer filters (including xref filters) are in a tree allowing you to manipulate the "child" layers in that branch.

[krushert]

It is close but it only applies to xrefs. what about the layers that reside in the drawing? What I am asking for is to roll up the layers in xrefs so as I do not see them and to save scrolling down to get to the layer(s) that I need and those layers typically reside in the drawing file.. For example I have 98 instances of 36 xrefs in one drawing file. Some of those xrefs (the title block for one example) I do not need to see the layers within the xrefs. So just roll them up to get them out of the way.

[rkmcswain]

It is close but it only applies to xrefs.

Not true. You can create layer filters for any set of layers, xref or not.

[krushert]

Not true. You can create layer filters for any set of layers, xref or not.

Now this is gonna get into a personal beef of mine and I am not whining or complaining, it is just how I work or how my thought process is setup.

I don't want tools that require huge time from me to manage and I feel that layer filters along with sheet set manager and layer states (just to name a couple) are just that. They require management time when I want to add and/or make changes to layers or add a sheet/file. Everyday, I am constantly adding and removing stuff from my project and when I activate one of these commands, the commands start giving me or not giving me .... (insert whatever here).

Back to subject;
By going with what I am suggesting, there is no need for layer filters. To me Layer filters are used for returning all the layers that have the word "door" in them or have a line weight of 5. Not to be used for the showing of the child layers in xref A, xref F and xref X but don't show the child layers of xrefs B, C, G, and Z.

To be fair, I have not look at (and tried) layer filters since ADT 2005, I will look to ACA 2008 to see if the features I am looking for are there.

[rkmcswain]

I don't want tools that require huge time from me to manage and I feel that layer filters along with sheet set manager and layer states (just to name a couple) are just that. They require management time when I want to add and/or make changes to layers or add a sheet/file.

All these things should be set up once and never messed with again. Layer filters and states - set them up once in your template drawing and you are done. SSM templates work the same way. I see these things as saving time, not adding work.

...Not to be used for the showing of the child layers in xref A, xref F and xref X but don't show the child layers of xrefs B, C, G, and Z.

Are you saying that layer filters cannot do this? They can.

[krushert]

All these things should be set up once and never messed with again. Layer filters and states - set them up once in your template drawing and you are done. SSM templates work the same way. I see these things as saving time, not adding work.

Not in my world they don't. As I progress detailing of floor plan from big to small layers are constantly being added and taken away. I find that abnormal is happens more than the norm. "to each thier own"
In order for me to uderstand the SSM and Project Navigator, I will have to stand over some ones shoulder to see how it is done. I tried SSM own two seperate projects at seperate times and found it cumbersome. "to each thier own" I am not saying I wont try it again just I need some show me the final end product to see if it is worth it. and that oppurintly I have yet to have

Are you saying that layer filters cannot do this? They can.

Like I said I will have to look into it. But I still argue that if Autocad should supply as a core feature and not something I have to create, update and fix when my users choose to be a Luddite.

[kepomoyoku]

That is how it works now, unless I misunderstand you.

No. The tree format only has a single level. It needs an arbitrary number of branches, and it need to enable thawing/freezing/overriding and entire branch (and sub branchs) at once.

[Tom Beauford]

Not in my world they don't. As I progress detailing of floor plan from big to small layers are constantly being added and taken away. I find that abnormal is happens more than the norm. "to each thier own"
In order for me to uderstand the SSM and Project Navigator, I will have to stand over some ones shoulder to see how it is done. I tried SSM own two seperate projects at seperate times and found it cumbersome. "to each thier own" I am not saying I wont try it again just I need some show me the final end product to see if it is worth it. and that oppurintly I have yet to have

Like I said I will have to look into it. But I still argue that if Autocad should supply as a core feature and not something I have to create, update and fix when my users choose to be a Luddite.

Please understand AutoCAD does not dictate a layer standard and is used by a great many industries, very few organisations doing exactly the same work use the same layer organisation. That's why more Layer Filters aren't included with AutoCAD. We have to organize those layers ourselves.
I've found using: https://www.nationalcadstandard.org/...s5_clg_lnf.pdf for naming layers makes creating Layer Filters much easier since each tree branch layers have part of their name in common.

I really can't think of anyway AutoCAD could make this any easier.

[cadtag]

I have to agree with Tom -- there's far to much flexibility in the current system for a one-size-fits-all hierarchical tree display system for layers to come from Autodesk, What works for me, would be an absolute hindrance for somebody in a different scope of work.

while i'd like to see an NCS based hierarchical system for civil work, even in that area there are multiple different way that a hierarchy could be built. Heck, the c3d 'ncs imperial' template from Autodesk has a terribly simplistic implementatiopn of NCS, i'd hat to see what they would try to implement as a layer hierarchy!!