Layers - Overview

See also Preferences-Layers How to use Layers

Each new plan has a default layer called "Base Layer". "Base Layer" is active when you start a new plan. 

Each drawing element is assigned to the active layer when it is drawn. If you draw your entire plan without adding additional layers, you don't need to be concerned about layers.

If you want to use the power of layers, here's how it works:

You can create new layers and make them active. When you draw new drawing elements, they will be assigned to these new layers. When those layers are made visible or invisible, so are all the drawing elements assigned to them.

This allows you to view and print only the parts of the plan that you want to see. For instance, you might hide the electrical and plumbing.

• Choose Add a Layer from Layers on the main menu.
• Enter a name for the new layer
• Be sure the new layer is checked as  Active
• Draw the things you want to be assigned to the new layer.

Checking / unchecking the visible box hides and shows all drawing elements assigned to that layer.

The Layer menu has items to facilitate using layers:

• Select drawing elements and move them to a different layer
• Change the name of the active layer
• Delete the active layer and all drawing elements in it
• Select all drawing elements in the active layer (maybe to copy them to a new plan)
• Make all layers visible or invisible

Note: If you create a new layer, and do not draw anything in it, the empty layer will not be saved.

Note: Layer names can be a maximum of ten characters in length. The Layer Name entry box will only allow ten characters. 

Note: As new Layer names are added, they are arranged in alphabetical order in the Layer Dialog. You can determine the order that your layers appear by the spelling of the names you assign to each layer.

Note: To edit any layer name, right click on it. 

Note: To make a layer active and make all other layers invisible, hold down the Control Key while clicking on the layer name,

Note: There should be a "layerDemo.pln" in the sample plans shipped with the program. View the Layer Dialog with "layerDemo.pln" loaded to see some uses of layers.