& Construction
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Integrated BIM tools, including Revit, AutoCAD, and Civil 3D
& Manufacturing
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Professional CAD/CAM tools built on Inventor and AutoCAD
Organization is the ultimate key to success. Get and stay organized with layers.
Transcript
00:03
In AutoCAD, layers organize objects in a drawing.
00:07
You can organize objects by function or purpose.
00:10
Layers also reduce the visual complexity of a drawing by hiding information you don’t need to view.
00:16
This also improves display performance.
00:18
While you can have as many layers as you wish in AutoCAD, only one layer can act as the current layer.
00:24
All new objects are drawn on the current layer by default.
00:29
In the ribbon, Layers panel, the name of the current layer displays.
00:34
In this case, the layer is titled, “0”.
00:38
Layer 0 is the default base layer of all AutoCAD drawings, and it cannot be renamed or deleted.
00:45
Typical industry practice is to create multiple layers before you begin drawing, rather than creating all drawing objects on Layer 0.
00:54
With a drawing open that has multiple layers, from the ribbon, Layers panel, expand the Layers drop-down.
01:02
Select a layer.
01:04
In this case, a layer titled “Furniture” is selected.
01:07
Notice that the current layer name updates accordingly.
01:11
Anything you create will be placed on the current layer.
01:14
Back on the ribbon, Draw tool, select Circle.
01:18
In the drawing area, create a circle to represent a table.
01:23
To verify the layer of any object, just hover the cursor over the object and a tooltip displays, indicating the object properties.
01:32
These include the object’s type, color, layer, and linetype.
01:37
Double-click the object to display the Quick Properties palette.
01:41
The properties displayed here include the same as the tooltip, plus other information.
01:46
However, you can use this palette to change the layer of the object.
01:50
From the palette, expand the Layer drop-down.
01:53
A list of all drawing layers displays.
01:56
From here, you can select another layer to assign the object.
02:01
On your keyboard, press ESC twice to close the drop-down and then the palette.
02:06
Double-click another object in the drawing to review its properties, including its assigned layer.
02:13
When you’re finished, press ESC.
02:16
Locate an object that is not on the current layer and click it once.
02:21
In this case, a door is selected.
02:23
Notice in the ribbon, Layers panel, that the current layer updates to be the layer that the door is placed on.
02:31
In this example, the layer is titled “DOORS”.
02:34
Now, with the same object still selected, press CTRL and click an object that is on a different layer.
02:41
This time, the current layer is not listed in the ribbon, because both objects are on different layers.
02:48
Press ESC to deselect the objects.
02:51
Expand the Layers drop-down again and select another layer.
02:55
Hover your cursor over the circle you just drew.
02:59
The properties tooltip now indicates the layer that the object was created on,
03:04
while the current layer remains set to the one you selected.
03:08
Knowing how to switch between layers and how to determine which layers that objects are placed on
03:13
can provide much-needed organization to your drawings and streamline your workflows.
00:03
In AutoCAD, layers organize objects in a drawing.
00:07
You can organize objects by function or purpose.
00:10
Layers also reduce the visual complexity of a drawing by hiding information you don’t need to view.
00:16
This also improves display performance.
00:18
While you can have as many layers as you wish in AutoCAD, only one layer can act as the current layer.
00:24
All new objects are drawn on the current layer by default.
00:29
In the ribbon, Layers panel, the name of the current layer displays.
00:34
In this case, the layer is titled, “0”.
00:38
Layer 0 is the default base layer of all AutoCAD drawings, and it cannot be renamed or deleted.
00:45
Typical industry practice is to create multiple layers before you begin drawing, rather than creating all drawing objects on Layer 0.
00:54
With a drawing open that has multiple layers, from the ribbon, Layers panel, expand the Layers drop-down.
01:02
Select a layer.
01:04
In this case, a layer titled “Furniture” is selected.
01:07
Notice that the current layer name updates accordingly.
01:11
Anything you create will be placed on the current layer.
01:14
Back on the ribbon, Draw tool, select Circle.
01:18
In the drawing area, create a circle to represent a table.
01:23
To verify the layer of any object, just hover the cursor over the object and a tooltip displays, indicating the object properties.
01:32
These include the object’s type, color, layer, and linetype.
01:37
Double-click the object to display the Quick Properties palette.
01:41
The properties displayed here include the same as the tooltip, plus other information.
01:46
However, you can use this palette to change the layer of the object.
01:50
From the palette, expand the Layer drop-down.
01:53
A list of all drawing layers displays.
01:56
From here, you can select another layer to assign the object.
02:01
On your keyboard, press ESC twice to close the drop-down and then the palette.
02:06
Double-click another object in the drawing to review its properties, including its assigned layer.
02:13
When you’re finished, press ESC.
02:16
Locate an object that is not on the current layer and click it once.
02:21
In this case, a door is selected.
02:23
Notice in the ribbon, Layers panel, that the current layer updates to be the layer that the door is placed on.
02:31
In this example, the layer is titled “DOORS”.
02:34
Now, with the same object still selected, press CTRL and click an object that is on a different layer.
02:41
This time, the current layer is not listed in the ribbon, because both objects are on different layers.
02:48
Press ESC to deselect the objects.
02:51
Expand the Layers drop-down again and select another layer.
02:55
Hover your cursor over the circle you just drew.
02:59
The properties tooltip now indicates the layer that the object was created on,
03:04
while the current layer remains set to the one you selected.
03:08
Knowing how to switch between layers and how to determine which layers that objects are placed on
03:13
can provide much-needed organization to your drawings and streamline your workflows.