Objects’ Properties

In nanoCAD, graphic drawing objects have properties, such as color, type and weight (width) of lines, transparency and plot style, which can be changed.

When placing the cursor over any object on the screen, a tooltip with the object’s name, name or number of its color and layer where the object is placed, appears:

The display of a tooltip can be switched off in the Cursor section of the Options dialog box (Tools – Options):

Set different properties for objects for the document’s clarity. When creating new objects, their properties are inherited from the description of the layer where they were created.

”Properties” Bar

You can also open the Properties bar from the context menu or by double-clicking the left mouse button on any drawing object that is not assigned the double-click editing command.

To close the Properties bar, use the PROPERTIESCLOSE command.

The Properties bar is used to display information about selected objects, to change objects’ properties, to specify a selection mode and call up selection commands.

The list of properties is separated into groups. Manage the visibility of properties of any group by using the and buttons in the group name. The button shows the properties for the hidden group. When this button is selected the properties list of the group is shown and the button switches to the button. To simultaneously open/hide all groups of properties, click the or button while holding down the SHIFT key.

The different properties of objects are displayed in the left column in the Properties bar; their values are shown in the right column.

Information in the Properties bar depends on the current command and different parameters of the selected objects are shown.

If no object is selected, No selection is shown in the Object type field:

Current setting parameters for the properties of created objects of the document are shown in the General group. For example, the Line Weight has a «1.00» value, so new lines, arcs and circles will be created with this weight.

If several objects of one type are selected, their type and number (in brackets) are displayed in the right column:

If several objects of different types are selected, All (2) is displayed in the Objects type field:

The General group contains information about an object’s properties: color, layer, line type etc.

The Geometry group displays information about the geometric parameters of an object and its position in the document.

Properties that can be changed are shown in black in the left column.

You can specify new values for these properties in the corresponding fields. Values outside of the limits are not used automatically.

The grey color is used to display information about

properties which cannot be changed and for properties depending on other properties.

If several objects are selected, only properties common to all the objects are displayed.

If any property does not have a value (the field in the column is empty); two or more objects having the property among selected objects, but the values of the property are different, for example center coordinates for two non-concentric circles:

The value, entered in such a field, is one for this property for all objects selected, if it can be applied. In unlocked value input fields (for properties of REAL type) it is possible to calculate mathematical expressions (for more information, see the Math Processor section).

Layers and objects that have property overrides in viewports are highlighted in blue:

Some properties of objects, such as, color, line type, and line weight can be selected from the dropdown list:

To change the properties of objects in the Properties bar:

• 1. Select one or several objects.
• 2. Click in the left column of the property that you want to change.
• 3. Select the required value in the drop-down list to the right of the column or type a new value.
• 4. To apply a typed property value to the objects, press ENTER. Values, selected from a list, are applied to the selected objects immediately without pressing the ENTER button.
• 5. To deselect objects, click in the drawing area or press ESC.

There are mode and selection command buttons in the top part of the Properties bar:

Description of modes and selection commands, ways of selection for object see in the “Selection of objects using the Properties bar” section.

Change Object Properties Command

Command line: CHPROP

Changing objects properties using the command line.

Command options:

? Opening additional options to select objects.

Command prompts:

Plotstyle Changing properties of named plot styles.

Creation of Custom Properties Fields

The fields in the Properties bar display information about selected objects which can be dragged onto an existing or created toolbar, creating a custom properties field:

After dragging, only the right column with the values from the Properties panel is shown in the toolbar. Name of the property (left column is not displayed).

The value of a property is shown in the custom properties field after selection of the object, which property is shown in the field. The field remains empty if an object is not selected or if the selected object does not have properties contained in the field. If several objects are selected, the field is empty unless similar objects are selected, for example circles of one diameter.

One user properties field can contain several fields from the Properties panel.

If the user window contains several properties of one properties group or several properties of one object type, only one property (the top property in the Properties Setup) is shown when the object is selected:

In this case, when a circle is selected the radius value will be shown; if a line is selected, its length value will be shown; if a single line text is selected, its height will be shown.

The and buttons are used to move the selected property in the list.

To display the Geometry.Diameter property when a circle is selected, use the to move this property above the Geometry.Radius property:

The button deletes the selected property from the list.

To display two or more properties from one group or one object type, create several fields on the toolbar.

As an example, we will show how to create a toolbar with three custom properties fields, the first displays the circle diameter and text height, the second – circumference and text rotation and the third – circle area and text oblique.

To create custom properties’ fields:

1. Create a new toolbar (for more information how to create a new toolbar see in the Toolbars tab section (Tuning nanoCAD – Tuning the interface)):

• 2. Select a created circle.
• 3. Place the cursor over the Diameter field in the Properties panel.
• 4. Drag the Diameter field, using the left mouse button and ALT button, onto the created toolbar:

5. Drag the Circumference field to the right of the first field on the toolbar in the same way:

6. Drag the Area field to the right of the second field on the toolbar:

• 7. Press ESC to deselect the circle.
• 8. From the context menu of the first field select Setup:

9. In the drop-down list of the dialog box that appears, select the Text.Text height property:

• 10. Select OK to close the dialog.
• 11. From the context menu of the second field select Text.Rotation.
• 12. Select OK to close the dialog.
• 13. For the third field select the Text.Obliquing.
• 14. Select OK to close the dialog.
• 15. After selecting any circle on the drawing, the values for its diameter, circumference and area are shown:

16. After selecting any single line text on the drawing, the values of its height, rotation and oblique are shown:

To delete a field from a new toolbar:

1. Place the cursor over the field:

2. When the field is selected, press ALT and drag the field into the drawing area:

The Disable All switches off the display of properties’ values not only in the user fields, but in the fields of Properties and Styles standard toolbars.

Quick Properties Functional Bar

Command line: QUICKPROPERTIES

The Quick Properties command is also available in the context menu:

The command opens a floating Quick Properties mini-bar, designed for more convenient interaction with the interface.

Quick Properties Functional bar

When you click the Settings button, the Customize Properties List dialog box appears, where you can specify properties for each object type to display in the floating toolbar.

Properties List Customization Dialog

The display options for the Quick Properties functional bar can be flexibly configured in the Quick Properties section of the OPTIONS dialog box or using the QPMODE system variable.

The location of the Quick Properties functional bar is determined by the QPLOCATION system variable:

• 0 (default) the functional bar is displayed relative to the cursor location. Additional settings can be specified in the Quick Properties section of the OPTIONS dialog box;
• 1 the functional bar is displayed in a location independent of the cursor location. The display location of the bar can be selected; subsequent display of the bar will depend on its previous location.

Drawing Explorer Toolbar

Ribbon: Manage – Palettes > Drawing Tree Menu: Modify – Drawing Explorer

Menu: View – Toolbars > Functional > Drawing Explorer

Toolbar: Properties –

Command line: DRAWINGEXPLORER

Drawing Explorer provides full information about all objects in drawing:

• graphic objects;
• block references, external references, raster images;
• parameters of drawing settings.

All changes in drawing reflect in Drawing Explorer immediately. You can separately get the information in Explorer (and also in a drawing area) about new objects and about objects changed since last saving.

You can open dialogs for editing parameters and properties of objects directly from Drawing Explorer.

The name of the current document is displayed in the root section of the dialog hierarchical structure. Which, in turn, contains two subsections: Displayed and Drawing Settings.

At the top of the drawing explorer, there are buttons to control the display of objects in the explorer tree and in the drawing field. Initially, the tree of the drawing explorer contains a list of all objects:

Refresh tree Renew information. All opened sections will be closed.

Filters of displaying objects in the Explorer tree:

Show created objects Displays information about new objects in the current session of the drawing. In the Drawing Explorer such objects have a “plus” sign.

Show modified objects Displays information about objects changed in the current session of the drawing. In the Drawing Explorer such objects have a “load” sign.

Show resident objects Displays information about unchanged objects of the drawing. In the Drawing Explorer such objects have a “point” sign.

Show visible objects Displays objects visible in the drawing in the Explorer.

Show hidden objects Displays objects invisible in the drawing in the Explorer.

Variants of displaying on the screen:

Enable selection The mode in which selecting an object in the tree manager entails automatic selection of this object in the drawing

Enable zoom and selection

The mode in which selecting an object in the tree manager entails automatic selection of this object in the drawing with simultaneous scaling and positioning it in the center of the screen.

Double-clicking on an object in the tree manager also selects the object with scaling and positioning it in the center of the screen.

Synchronize filters with drawings

Synchronizes the display of objects in the drawing manager with their display in the drawing field. The button hides in the drawing field those objects that are hidden in the drawing tree by filters:

• Show new objects
• Show modified objects
• Show resident objects

You can display objects hidden in the drawing field back by disabling one of these filters.

Objects of the Current Document Space

The Displaying section contains a hierarchical list of all insertions and entities of the current document space – model or paper space. The number of insertions and entities in the current document space is given in parentheses.

The Insertions subsection displays all insertions of the current model space or paper space: insertions of regular, dynamic and 3D blocks, external references, insertions of raster images, underlays, point clouds, geopoints.

The Entities subsection displays objects of the current space grouped by type.

Proxy objects (with and without graphical representation) are displayed with the sign.

Annotative objects have the sign:

The context menu of insertions and drawing entities selected in the dialog structure contains object management commands. The list of available actions depends on the type of object or group of objects. You can select objects in the drawing, pan, apply editing commands, turn on and off display in the drawing, and delete.

Thus, for example, the following context menu commands are available for Insertions – Point Clouds:

The Explode the Cloud into Points (NG_EXPLODE_POINTCLOUD) command appears if you have a license for the Topoplan module.

Also, using the context menu, you can hide or make visible both an individual object and a group of objects. To make a previously hidden object visible again on the screen, select the Visibility item. For a group of objects – the Show item.

Named Objects of a Drawing

The Drawing Settings section displays the list of named objects of a drawing: layers, blocks, xrefs, etc. grouped by object type.

Objects of different types have a context menu with own set of actions.

Usually, an element can be made current in a document, deleted, renamed.

A double-click on a named object sets it current in the document.

Pictograms of current objects are marked with a colored dot.

Note

Please, remember that when you set the selected sheet current, there will be a transition to this paper space with automatic update of the entire contents of the drawing explorer.

The context menu of the Layers group opens the Layers dialog:

You can enable/disable, freeze/unfreeze and lock/unlock a layer in the Drawing Explorer by clicking on the corresponding icon while holding down the CTRL key. Changes will be immediately reflected in the drawing. Double clicking on a layer sets it as current.

Layers present on xrefs have the icon.

In the context menu of layers, you can turn on the layer walk mode. In this mode, only the objects of the layer currently selected in the manager will be displayed in the drawing field. Exit from the layer walk mode is also performed through the context menu of layers.

For Blocks, 3D Blocks, Dynamic blocks, and Rasters, you can open a preview in the Drawing Explorer (hidden by default). To do this, move the cursor over the bottom border of the bar and expand the preview area:

When you double-click on a block (raster) preview, the Insert Block (Insert Raster) dialog box opens. In order to create a preview of a group, select the Create preview list command in the context menu of Blocks, 3D blocks or Dynamic blocks:

When changing blocks, to update the display, select the Update preview list command in the context menu:

You can adjust the preview size and scale in the .ini file. The default size is 96x96, scale 1:1.

The context menu of the External References group allows you to:

• Insert external reference… (XATTACH) by specifying the .dwg file;
• Edit… reinsert references already existing in the drawing using the Drawing Explorer… toolbar (EXTERNALREFERENCES):

The external reference context menu allows you to open a file via the link in a separate tab or open the Insert external reference window to edit the insertion parameters:

To manage named views, the context menu of the Named Views group allows you to Create or Edit existing named views (VIEW, -VIEW command):

The named view’s context menu allows you to Set current, Remove and Rename a view:

You can also set a view by double-clicking on a named view, which will auto-pan the view and display its boundaries with a red frame:

Work with Groups is described in the Using Drawing Explorer Bar to Work with Groups section. Work with Geopoints is described in the Geopoints in the Drawing Explorer section.

Select Color Dialog Box

Command line: COLOUR, COLOR, COL

The Select Color dialog box allows you to set the desired color for editing element: drawing object, dimension style, layer etc.

The dialog opens also when editing the color of layer or object by clicking More Colors… in drop-down list of colors:

The dialog box contains three tabs: Index Color, True Color, Color Books**.**

Index Color Tab

The Index Color tab allows you to select the color from the nanoCAD color index palette.

When you hover over a color, the Index Color indicates the color number (index), while the RGB indicates the RGB (red, green, blue) color value.

You can select a color in the following ways:

• click the desired color in the Index Color palette, True Color palette, or Grayscale palette;
• select By Layer or By Block value by clicking the appropriate button;
• enter the color number, name either By Layer or By Block value in the Color box.

Selected color will be displayed in the New Color swatch (big square).

Parameters:

Color Index palette Displays colors 10 through 249 selectable. Named colors palette Displays colors 1 through 9; these colors have names as well as numbers. Grayscale palette Displays colors 250 (black) through 255 (white); these colors are shades of gray. The button sets the color to By Layer. This means that the

object color will be identical to the color of the layer on which it lies. The square of the new color sample will display the color of the layer on which the object lies.

The square of the new color sample will display the color of the layer on which the object lies. This button is not available when selecting a color for a layer.

The button sets the color to the By block value. Before being placed in a block, such an object will be black or white (depending on the settings). After being inserted into a block, the object color will be equivalent to the color of the block in which it is placed.

The color of the layer on which the object is located will be displayed in the square of the new color sample. This button is not available when selecting a color for a layer

Color field A text field that displays the number or name of the selected color, as well as the selected By Layer or By Block values. Allows you to enter a new color number value from the keyboard.

Old Color and New Color Swatch

The large square displays the color selected in the dialog, the small one displays the color being changed.

True Color Tab

The True Color tab allows to select the color using true color palette, over sixteen million colors are available.

Color model drop-down list determines the contents of the entire tab and allows to select the color in HSL, RGB or HSV color scheme.

HSL color model

The HSL color model allows to compose the color from hue, saturation and luminance (lightness) components. You can set the color using the color spectrum, by specifying the numerical values of the components in the corresponding fields or by using the eyedropper to specify a sample of any point on the screen.

Options:

Hue Sets the wavelength of light within the visible spectrum. Acceptable Hue values range from 0 to 360 degrees.

RGB Color Model

The RGB color model allows you to select a color by specifying its red, green, and blue components. The value of each component ranges from 0 to 255 and can be specified by entering a numeric value or moving the slider.

HSV color model

The HSV color model allows you to compose a color from its components such as hue, saturation and brightness (colors). You can set the color using the color spectrum, by specifying the numerical values of the components in the corresponding fields or by specifying an eyedropper on the sample of any point on the screen.

Color Books Tab

The Color Books tab allows you to select a color from custom color albums. The color album file is an xml file with the acb extension.

Connecting color books

• 1. In the OPTIONS dialog, in the Standard directories section, in the Color books files location subsection, specify the access paths to the folders in which the program should search for color books files. To do this:
  • click the Add button on the right side of the dialog;
  • click the Browse… button in the dialog that opens;
  • select or create a folder. Close dialogs.
• 2. Copy the *.acb color books files to the selected or created folder.
• 3. Books are available in the drop-down list on the Color Books tab:

Switching between book sections is done in the vertical scroll bar:

The left field displays the palette color and its name in the album. The right field displays the color value in the RGB color model and samples of the old and new color.

Distributing Objects by Layers

The main advantage of CAD is organizing a document by layers. Layers are used to separate, sort and edit drawing objects.

To explain the function of layers we will use an example with tracing paper. Layers in the drawing are like transparent tracing papers. One tracing paper (or layer) contains the floor plan, the second – water supply system, the third – heating, the fourth – electric power supply etc. By combining different layers (tracing papers), you can create the required sets of design documentation.

Placing different groups of objects on separate layers helps to order and simplify many of the operations of drawing management. For better organization and operation of data, drawing elements of one type are placed on the same layer. For example, auxiliary lines are placed on a separate layer to facilitate and accelerate their removal. Dimensions, text objects, hatches etc. can be placed on separate layers.

Every newly created object contains by default the 0 layer, which cannot be deleted or renamed. The drawing must contain at least one layer because any graphic object must be placed on a layer (it is often said that an object belongs to a layer).

It is not recommended to create all drawing objects on the 0 layer. It is recommended to create a new layer for the correct organization of graphic objects.

When the first dimension is set, the Defpoints utility layer is created; this is where the control points of dimensions are set. The display view of these points is not changed with the DDPTYPE command. The Defpoints layer is never printable.

When an object is created, its properties are taken from the layer where it is placed (if By layer is selected).

If you specify a particular color, type and line weight instead of the Bylayer parameter in the Color, Linetype and Line Weight drop down lists on the Properties panel, these values will be applied to all newly created objects on the layer.

To create a new object you do not need to specify its properties every time. You switch to the required layer and create the object.

Distributing objects by layers helps to edit objects’ properties separately. By blocking separate layers, you can prevent editing of objects placed on these layers if you do not want accidental changes. Layers can be switched on/off, visible/invisible. Every layer can be made printable or unprintable.

An active layer, selected for working with, is called current. By default, newly created objects are placed on the current layer.

Some frequently used parameters for managing layers and their properties are placed on the Properties toolbar:

in the Layers group (Home tab) of the Ribbon:

And in the General section of the Properties bar:

The Layer drop down list allows reassigning of the current layer, and also switch on/off, freeze/unfreeze and block/unblock a layer:

Color, Line type and Line weight drop down lists are used to change the properties of a selected layer quickly:

The Layer button on the Properties toolbar opens the Layers dialog box where you can create, delete, rename and do other operations with layers.

Layers

The Layers dialog box is used to manage layers and their properties:

The Layers dialog is modal, that is, while the dialog is displayed on the screen, all relevant information on layers is displayed in it (and not on the functional bars) and changes outside the dialog are not taken into account.

There is a window in the left part of the dialog box with a category tree. In general, a category tree consists of the following elements:

• All
• All Used Layers
• All Layers without xrefs;
• External references
• Filters
• Groups
• Configurations

The right part of the dialog box shows the list of layers for the selected element in the category tree. Below the dialog box title:

Below the layer list box there is information about the displayed layers, the total number of layers and the number of disabled, frozen and locked layers.

Parameters:

Tree categories window

Add group The button adds groups of layers.

Add filter The button adds a filter.

Add layer

state The button adds layer states.

Delete The button deletes the tree’s elements.

Remark: Short description of the layer’s configuration. The

parameter is displayed above the Invert filter when you select the layer’s configuration in the tree.

Invert filter The Inversion mode for the display of layers in the

layer’s list.

List of edited layers

Viewports

Buttons

Add The button adds a new layer.

Add Layer VP Frozen in All Adding a layer frozen in all viewports.

Delete The button deletes a selected layer

Edit filter The button edits selected filter.

Layer walk The button turns the single layer mode on.

Refresh Regeneration

Layer settings Controlling the display parameters in the Layers dialog box and

properties of layers included in xrefs.

Apply layer filter to layer toolbar – whether to consider or not the current filter when displaying the list of layers on the toolbar

Indicate layers in use – whether to mark or not the used layers in the layer manager. Recalculation occurs when you open the manager, add/remove a layer. If this option is enabled, opening the layer manager on large files may take longer than expected. In previous versions of the program, recalculation was always performed.

Retain/Don’t retain overrides to xref layer properties – whether to retain or not the changes in properties of xref layers.

Collapse Layer Filter Tree

Expand Layer Filter Tree

Buttons to control the display of layers filter tree.

Columns

Layer contains objects.

Layer contains no objects.

Xref layers.

Layer contains objects and properties override is enabled in the

viewport.

Name Column displays the layer’s name.

Column displays the icon for visibility of layers.

Column displays the icon for freezing of layers.

Column displays the icon for locking a layer.

Color Column displays an icon for the layer’s color.

Line Type Column displays the layer’s line type.

Line weight Column displays the layer’s line weight.

Transparency Displays the layer transparency.

Plot style Column displays the layer’s plot style.

Column displays the icon permitting printing.

Column displays frozen layers in the current viewport.

Description Short information about the layer.

Double-click by the left mouse button on the column header separator automatically changes the columns width.

Layers in paper space

When working in paper space, a message appears in the title of the Layers dialog box –

When there is a current layout VIEWPORT, the title will look like -

Columns with information about layers parameters in the viewport are added to the list of layers box.

Displays the icon of layer freeze in the current viewport.

Viewport Color Displays the layer color in the current viewport.

Viewport Linetype Displays the layer linetype in the current viewport.

Viewport Lineweight Displays the layer lineweight in the current viewport.

Viewport Transparency Displays the layer transparency in the current viewport.

Viewport Plot style Displays the layer plat style in the current viewport.

PDF Underlay layers

If PDF underlays are present in the drawing, information about them will appear in the categories tree. If the selected PDF underlay contains layers, their list will be reflected in the dialog box. You can control visibility of underlay layers by turning the sign on or off.

Editing a Layer’s Parameters

To Select Layers in the Dialog Box

Click on a layer to select it.

You can edit the parameters of several selected layers at once.

With SHIFT pressed, select the first and the last layer in the list. These layers and any layers between them will be selected.

With CTRL pressed, you can select individual layers from the list.

All layers in the list are selected by the Select all context menu command. The Unselect all command cancels the selection of all layers selected in the list.

Search for Layers by Name

The Search for layer field in the top right part of the dialog box is designed for quick search for layers by name

To search for layers by name:

1. Enter text or part of the text in the field to search. You can use special symbols.

As you enter, only the elements the name of which contains the entered phrase remain in the list of layers.

The field button resets the search results.

To Sort Layers by Property

A list of layers can be sorted by any parameter. To sort a list of layers, click on the parameter column title.

For example, click on the Color title and all layers in the list are sorted by color. Clicking on the title again reverses the order of the sorted layers:

The sorting direction is indicated by the arrow in the header of the sorted parameter.

Specifying the Color, Type and Width of Lines in the Layer

In the Layers dialog it is possible to specify all the properties that can be inherited by the objects created on it. Ensure the By layer value is set in the corresponding boxes of the object properties.

Color, type and weight of lines can be specified for several layers at once:

• 1. Select a layer or several layers to change the properties.
• 2. Click on the required parameter in the column.
• 3. Select the value from the list.

Creation of a New Layer

A newly created layer has default properties. After a new layer is created, you can change its properties.

To create a layer:

1. Click button Add.

A new layer with the name New Layer (N) appears in the list. The default name for the new layer can be changed.

Renaming a Layer

To rename a layer:

• 1. Select layer in the dialog box.
• 2. Click name of the layer.
• 3. Enter the new name.
• 4. Press ENTER.

Removing a Layer

Only layers not used in the document can be deleted. The current layer, even if it is not used cannot be deleted.

To delete a layer:

• 1. Select layer in the dialog box.
• 2. Click the Delete button.
• 3. You can delete several unused layers at once.

To delete several layers:

• 1. Select All Used Layers in the categories tree.
• 2. Switch on the Invert filter parameter.

Select all sorted unused layers and select the Delete button or Delete command from the context menu.

Removing of Used Layers

• 1. Select layer(s) in layer list.
• 2. Click the Delete button.

Delete used layers dialog box appears when you delete used layers:

Delete layers and: Selects the action with objects from deleted layer.

Delete objects Deletes selected layer with all objects.

Change objects layer to: Moves objects of deleted layer. Objects may be moved to

new Layer№ or existing layer from the list.

Copy ByLayer property values from

layer

Sets ByLayer properties for moved objects.

Authorize the removal of used

layers:

Permits to delete Turned off, Frozen, Locked layers. Brackets show the number of selected layers with property. These options are available only if the layers being deleted

contain these properties. The number of selected layer with

this property is shown in brackets

Authorize the removal of current layer

Permits to delete the current layer.

Remove and make current Selects the current layer from the list, when removing a previously set.

3. click Delete.

If the selection for deletion contains layers that cannot be deleted, information on them is presented in the Delete Layers dialog:

Note

You can delete the Defpoints service layer using the LAYDEL command.

Making a Layer Active

To make a layer active:

• 1. Select a layer in the Layers dialog box.
• 2. Click in the column icon of the selected layer. The icon means that a layer is current.

Controlling Layer Visibility

Objects with visibility switched off are not displayed on layers and are unprintable, but are used in regeneration of a drawing. When layers are switched on/off, regeneration is not performed. It is recommended to switch on/off layers when you need to do it frequently and not for a long time. In other cases it is better to freeze them.

Visible layers are marked with icon. The icon means that visibility of the layer is switched off. Visibility can be switched off for several layers at once. Visibility of the current layer cannot be switched off.

To switch on/off visibility of a layer:

• 1. Select one or several layers in the list.
• 2. Click the icon of any selected layer to switch them off

Note

You can control visibility of drawing objects not only by switching visibility of the layer they lie on, but also directly by using the commands to hide and isolate objects.

Freezing a Layer

Objects placed on frozen layers are not displayed on the screen and are unprintable and not used in regeneration of the drawing. You can freeze unused layers to make display and regeneration operations faster. But freezing a layer causes regeneration of the drawing, which takes time. Freeze layers if you only do it occasionally or you want to freeze the layers for a long time. In other cases it is better to switch them off.

Frozen layers are marked with icon, while unfrozen layers are marked with .

You can freeze and unfreeze several layers at once. The current ( ) layer cannot be frozen.

Freezing or unfreezing a layer to edit it:

• 1. Select one or several layers in the list.
• 2. Click the icon of any selected layer to freeze them all.

Freezing Layers in the Viewports of a Layout

Layers can be frozen in separate viewports of a layout. You can get different displays of the same objects in different viewports without creating additional geometry. For example, you create two layout viewports for the same object and freeze the layer with design elements in the second viewport:

Frozen layers from the current viewport are marked with icon.

When the viewport is active, then icon is added to the Properties toolbar.

493

Viewport with unfrozen layers Viewport with frozen layer of design elements

To freeze layers in a layout viewport:

• 1. Switch to layout with required viewport.
• 2. Double click this viewport to make it active.
• 3. Open the Layers dialog box and select all layers that should be frozen.
• 4. Click the icon of any selected layer to freeze the selected layers.
• 5. Close the Layers dialog box.

The layer will be frozen in the current viewport, but will remain unfrozen in all other layout viewports. It will not be printed only in this viewport.

To freeze a layer in all VPs:

• 1. Open the Layers dialog and select all the layers that should be frozen on all viewports.
• 2. Open the context menu by right-click on the selected layers and select the VP Freeze Layer > In All Viewports command.
• 3. Close the Layers dialog.

Layers will be frozen and invisible in all viewports.

To freeze a layer in all VPs except the current one:

• 1. Activate the viewport by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.
• 2. Open the Layers dialog and select in it all the layers that should be frozen on all viewports except the current one.
• 3. Right-click on the selected layers to open the context menu and select the VP Freeze Layer > In All Viewports Except Current command.

4. Close the Layers dialog.

Layers will be frozen and invisible in all viewports except the current one.

You can also use the LAYVPI command to freeze a layer on all layout viewports except the current one.

To thaw a layer in all VPs:

• 1. Open the Layers dialog and select all the layers that should be thawed on all viewports.
• 2. Right-click on the selected layers to open the context menu and select the VP Thaw Layer in All Viewports command.
• 3. Close the Layers dialog.

The layers will be thawed and visible in all viewports of all layouts.

Command to manage frozen layers in individual viewports

Command line: VPLAYER

Command prompts and options:

Enter an option or [?/Freeze/Thaw/rEset/New_frozen_layers/Default visibility]:

? Shows the list of layers frozen in the selected viewport.

Freeze – freezes layers in one or more viewports.

Enter layer name(s) to freeze or

Enter names of layers or select layer objects in the current viewport.

Viewports [All/sElect/Current/Exclude current] :

Select viewports for freezing specified layers. sElect option allows you to specify viewports in the drawing.

Thaw – thaws one or more layers in one or more viewports.

Enter layer name(s) to thaw: ENTER names of layers.

Viewports [All/sElect/Current/Exclude current] :

Select viewports for thawing specified layers. sElect option allows you to specify viewports in the drawing.

rEset – sets visibility of one or more layers in selected viewports according to default visibility of layers.

Enter layer name(s) to reset or :

Enter names of layers or select layer objects in the current viewport.

Viewports [All/sElect/Current/Exclude current] :

Select viewports for resetting specified layers. sElect option allows you to specify viewports in the drawing.

New frozen layers – creates new layers frozen in all viewports.

Eneter names of new layers frozen in all viewports:

Enter names of layers.

Default visibility – freezes or thaws specified layers for all new viewports.

Enter layer name(s) to change new viewports visibility :

Enter names of layers or select layer objects in the current viewport.

Visibility state in new viewports [Frozen/Thawed] :

Select visibility state of selected layers in new viewports.

Only two options are available in VPLAYER command for model space: New frozen layers and Default visibility.

Redefinition of Layer’s Properties in Viewports

Redefinition of layer’s properties is a way to display objects in different viewports of layout with different properties (color, type and line weight) without changing properties with “ByLayer” or “ByBlock” values.

A color of axes lines is changed in the right viewport:

To redefine properties of a current viewport of a layout:

1. Double click this viewport to make it active.

• 2. Open the Layers dialog.
• 3. Select a layer from a list and change its parameters. You can redefine Color, Linetype, Lineweight and Transparency.

Parameters are changed only in the viewport of a layout. Other paper space viewports and the model space parameters are unchanged.

Layers with redefinitions of properties in viewports are highlighted in blue:

Removing redefinitions of properties of viewports layers

Remove Viewport Overrides for command in the context menu cancels redefinitions of layers’ properties in viewports

Command options:

Selected layers Cancels redefinitions of properties for layers selected in the

dialog.

Cancellation can be made:

In Current Viewport only

In all Viewports.

All layers Cancels redefinitions of properties in all layers.

Cancellation can be made:

In Current Viewport only

In all Viewports.

Lock a Layer

If a layer is ulocked, you can create a new object on it. Objects created before locking are visible and they can be selected to view their properties, but they cannot be edited. You can snap to the object on a locked layer with an object snap. You can change the color, line type, weight type, make printable or unprintable on a locked layer.

Locked layers are marked with icon.

You can lock or unlock several layers at once.

To lock/unblock layer:

• 1. Select one or several layers in the list.
• 2. Click on the lock column of the selected layer.

There is a mode to enable selection of objects on locked layers to view their properties and use object snap.

To select objects from locked layers:

In status bar click the Selection from locked layers button.

Controlling Layer Printability

The contour icon means that objects on the layer can be printed. Objects on the layers with icon will not be printed.

You can make several layers printable or unprintable at once.

To make layers printable or unprintable:

• 1. Select one or several layers in the list.
• 2. Click on the printability column of the selected layer.

View Mode of Selected Layers

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Layer walk

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Layer walk

Toolbar: Properties –

Command line: LAYWALK

There is a mode to view only the selected layers in nanoCAD. Visibility of all layers in this mode, except the selected, are switched off automatically; visibility is restored when you close this mode. This mode is a quick alternative to switching off the visibility of all layers to display the content of one layer; it is very convenient if there are a lot of layers in the drawing.

To switch on single layer or several layers view mode:

• 1. Click a layer to view in the dialog.
• 2. Select the Layer walk button, visibility of all layers, except the one selected, are temporarily turned off. Near the selected layer in the column the icon is displayed. It means that this layer is visible.
• 3. Click other layers to view. Near the selected layers in the column the icon is displayed. It means that this layers are visible. Visibility of all layers, except the selected, is temporarily switched off.
• 4. Click on a visible layer (which marked with the icon) turns off its visibility.

With the Layers dialog box opened you can zoom and pan the drawing using the corresponding commands.

To restore visibility of all the layers, switch off the Layer walk button or close the Layers dialog box.

This mode is a quick alternative to switching off the visibility of all layers to edit the content of one layer. After selecting the mode, select any command and the Layers dialog box closes and the selected layer will be displayed. To restore the visibility of all layers after editing, open the Layers dialog box and the visibility of all layers is restored automatically.

Creating and Editing Group of Layers

The Layers dialog box allows merging of layers into groups. Grouping of layers is recommended when a document contains a lot of layers and you often need to change the settings of several layers; for example, to quickly block/unblock them or to control their printability.

One layer can belong to different groups.

Creation of a New Group of Layers

To create a group of layers for the entire document:

• 1. Select All in the categories tree.
• 2. Select the button Add group and the button Show all layers (for group). To the left of the current layer icon column, the column for selecting layers for the groups is shown.
• 3. Enter a group name (the default name is Group…N, where N is the number of the created group).
• 4. Select layers to make a group.
• 5. Select the Edit filter button to complete creating the group.

To add a subgroup of layers, select the existing group, in the context menu select the command Add > Group.

When adding new layers to a subgroup they are automatically added to all parent groups.

You cannot create a subgroup of layers for a filter.

Editing a Group of Layers

To add or exclude layers from a group:

• 1. Select the group in the categories tree.
• 2. Select the Edit filter button.
• 3. In the column for selecting layers for groups, select the layers to form the group. Layers of the parent group are always selected.

The Layers ribbon group and the Layers2 toolbar contain a drop-down box to select states to restore from the list of existing ones.

Creating and Editing Filters

A filter forms a list of layers that satisfy certain selection criteria. Selection in the filter is performed by one or several parameters of the layers; for example, selection of layers having a green color and line weight 0.50 which can be printed.

Creation of a New Filter

To create a layers filter for the whole document:

• 1. Select All in the categories tree.
• 2. Select the Add filter button. The Edit property button is automatically selected.
• 3. Enter a filter name (a filter has a default name FilterN, where N is the number of the created filter).
• 4. In the Editing of properties of the filter window, specify the selection criteria for the layers in the filter.
• 5. Criteria, specified in one row are linked with the logical “AND”.
• 6. Criteria, specified in different rows are linked with the logical “OR”.
• 7. The Add and Delete buttons are used to add or delete rows of selection criteria.
• 8. Select the Edit property button to finish filter creation.

A layer’s name is often used as a selection criterion. Names can be specified as templates.

It is possible to use the following symbols in the template of a layer’s name:

If you select a group instead of the All element, a filter is created for the group.

Editing Layers Filter

To add to or exclude layers from a filter:

• 1. Select the All in the categories tree (to create a filter for all layers in the document) or a group (to create a filter only for the group).
• 2. Select the Edit property button.
• 3. In the Editing of properties of the filter window specify the selection criteria for layers in the filter.
• 4. Criteria, specified in one row are linked with the logical “AND”.
• 5. Criteria, specified in different rows are linked with the logical “OR”.
• 6. The Add and Delete buttons are used to add or delete rows of selection criteria.
• 7. Select the Edit property button to finish filter creation.

Criteria symbols to select layers for a filter:

“All Used Layers” Filter

All nanoCAD documents contain a preset layers filter All used layers:

The filter shows all layers used in the current document. A filter does not show unused layers in a document. You cannot delete this filter.

All Layers without xrefs Filter

The preset layer filter All Layers without xrefs becomes available if a document contains layers with external references:

The filter selects all layers of the current document without external references. The filter does not display layers with external references. The filter cannot be deleted.

”Invert Layers” Checkbox

The Invert filter parameter below the categories tree can be used to display all the layers, which are not in the group, filter, external reference or configuration.

For example, to display all unused layers in a document, select the All used layers and select the Invert filter.

When you deselect the Invert filter the list of layers recovers.

It is often needed to display layers of a particular category.

You can use the Invert filter for this:

• 1. Select a group or a filter in the categories tree.
• 2. Select the Invert filter.
• 3. Select all layers in the list and make them invisible.

Configurations of Layers

Configurations of layers are backup copies of layers’ parameters.

Configurations are placed in the separate Configurations folder in the categories tree.

A configuration is created for all layers in the document.

To create a configuration, select the Add configuration button. A new configuration has a default name – Configuration N, where N is the number of created configurations.

A created configuration can be edited, e.g. to change the parameters of its layers.

Configurations can be restored, renamed and deleted.

A recovery of a configuration places a copy of the parameters of the layer with the same name into the document; it means recovering the parameters of the layers and returning them to the moment the configuration was created.

Restore state

To recover a state, select Restore from the context menu of the state:

The properties of layers to be restored are selected in the Restore layer properties dialog box:

Layers added in a drawing after creating a state of layers and not saved in it can be turned off when restoring a state by checking the Turn off layers not found in layer state box.

When restoring a layer state saved from the layout viewport, you can choose whether to use settings of such state as global properties of a drawing layers or as overrides for this viewport. The option Apply properties as viewport overrides is intended for this. Adding layers in a state

Adding layers in the configuration

Layers that appeared in a document after creating a state, can be added in the state.

• 1. Select a state you need to add layers to.
• 2. Click the Add button or select Add in the context menu of the list of layers
• 3. Select layers to be added in the Select Layers to Add to Layer State dialog box, click OK.

Layer State Manager

Saves, restores and manages named states of layers.

You can call Layers state dialog with the following commands:

A state can be exported to LAS file and imported from LAS file or *.dwg file (Import and Export commands of the context menu). When importing, you will be prompted to restore the layer settings from the imported states.

If you agree, the standard process of restoring the state will start, and the Restore Layer State dialog will appear, in which you should select the properties to be restored.

The Layers ribbon group and Layers 2 toolbar contain a window to select states to restore from the list of existing ones.

The command of the New layer state list allows for quick saving of layers settings in a new state without opening the Layers dialog box.

The Save Layer State list that opens allows for the possibility to save changes in already existing states:

Layers Functional Bar

The Layers functional bar is designed to manage layers and their properties:

At the top of the toolbar, immediately under the title, the name of the current layer and the Search for layer field are displayed (the search is carried out by the layer name):

The field’s Clear button resets the search results.

The bottom part of the toolbar contains information about the displayed layers, the total number of layers, the number of turned off, frozen and locked layers:

Below the name of the current layer there are buttons:

Add Adds a new layer.

The list of layers can be presented in a tree or table view. By default, the display mode is set to a tree view.

Table view of the list of layers

The table view displays layer properties as a table with columns:

Name Displays the layer name.

On Displays the layer’s visibility icon.

Freeze Displays the layer’s freeze icon.

Lock Displays the layer’s lock icon.

Color Displays the layer’s color.

Linetype Displays the layer’s linetype.

Lineweight Displays the layer’s lineweight.

Transparency Displays layer’s transparency.

Plot Style Displays the layer’s plot style.

Plot Displays the plot resolution for the layer.

New VP Displays the icon of the layer freeze in a new viewport.

Freeze

Description Brief information about the layer.

Covering Displays the layer covering.

When working in paper space and with a current paper viewport, columns with information about the parameters of layers in the current viewport are added to the layer list table:

VP Freeze Displays the icon of the layer freeze in the current viewport.

VP Color Displays the layer’s color in the current viewport.

VP Line Type Displays the layer’s linetype in the current viewport.

VP Line Weight Displays the layer’s line weight in the current viewport.

VP Transparency Displays the layer’s transparency in the current viewport.

VP Plot Style Displays the layer’s plot style in the current viewport.

Double-clicking the left mouse button on the column title separator automatically changes the width of columns:

Tree view of the list of layers

In the tree view, the left column displays the names of the layers, and the right one displays the properties.

The Properties column displays the following options: Status, Color (VP Color), Layer Visibility, Frozen, Locked, Plot, New VP Freeze, VP Freeze.

The remaining parameters are expanded as a list under the layer name when you left-click on the arrow to the left of the layer name:

Search for Layers by Name

To quickly search for layers by name, use the Search for layer field in the upper right part of the dialog.

To search for layers by name:

4. Enter the layer’s name or part of the name in the field to search.

As you type, only those elements whose names contain the entered expression remain in the list of layers. You can use special characters in the field, as described in the Search Field section.

Creating a New Layer

A newly created layer has properties set by default (the same as layer 0). If you select a layer before clicking the button, the properties of that layer will be used by default for the new layer. After creating a new layer, its properties can be modified.

To create a new layer:

5. Click the Add button.

To create a new layer frozen in all viewports:

6. Click the Add Layer VP Frozen in All Viewports button. A layer frozen in all viewports will have the icon next to its name in the VP Freeze column.

A new layer is added to the list of layers with the default name LayerN, where N is the sequential number of the created layer, starting from 1. The name assigned to the created layer by default can be changed. The name should contain at least one character. Layer names should not be duplicated. Invalid characters for a layer name: < > / \ ” ” : ; ? * | , = ` tab character.

A new layer can be also created by the context menu command Add or Add Layer VP Frozen in All Viewports.

Deleting a Layer

Layers that are not used in the document can be deleted. The current layer, even if it is not used in the document, cannot be deleted. You can remove several layers at once.

513

To delete a layer:

• 7. Select one or more layers in the list.
• 8. Click the Delete dialog button

A layer can also be deleted using the Delete context menu command.

When deleting used layers that contain objects, the Delete command opens the Delete Used Layers dialog box to select deletion options:

Delete layers and:

Selects an action with objects of the layer to be deleted.

Delete objects Deletes the selected layer with all objects on it.

Change objects layer to Moves objects of the layer being deleted. You can move objects to an automatically created new layer LayerN or select an existing layer from the list.

Copy ByLayer property values from layer

Saves the By Layer property values for objects being moved.

Authorize the removal of used layers:

Sets permission to delete layers with certain properties: Turned off, Frozen, Locked. These options are only available if the layers to be deleted contain these properties. The number of selected layers with this property is displayed in brackets.

Authorize the removal of current layer

Sets permission to delete the current layer.

Remove and make current Selects the current layer from the list when deleting a previously installed one.

9. After setting the parameters, click the Delete dialog button.

If there are layers in the selection for deletion that cannot be deleted, information about them (layer name and reason) is displayed in the Delete Layers dialog:

Note

You can delete the Defpoints standard system layer using the LAYDEL command.

View mode for selected layers (layer walk)

In the selected layers view mode, the visibility of all layers except the selected ones is turned off, and when exiting the mode, it is restored to its previous position. This mode is convenient to use when there are a large number of layers in the drawing.

To view one or more selected layers:

• 10. Select one or more layers in the list with the left mouse button.
• 11. Enable the Layer Walk button, in this case the visibility of all layers except the selected ones will be temporarily disabled. The icon is displayed next to the selected layers in the column, indicating that these layers are visible in the drawing.
• 12. You can add other layers for viewing by left-clicking on the icon in the column (the icon changes to ).
• 13. Left-clicking on the icon turns off the layer visibility (the icon changes to ).

To exit the view mode for selected layers:

14. Disable the Layer Walk button.

The visibility of all turned off layers will be restored.

Layer Settings

To manage the display parameters of layers and the layer properties included in external references, use the Layer Settings dialog, which is opened by clicking the button.

Dialog options:

Indicate layers in use Whether or not to mark unused layers in the list of layers.

The status of the used layers does not depend on the option.

The status of an unused layer when the option is enabled will look like this: , or ; with the option disabled – , or .

Xref Layer Settings:

Retain/Don’t retain overrides to xref layer properties

Whether or not changes to the parameters of layers included in external references are retained.

Sorting Layers

The list of layers can be sorted by any parameter. To sort the list of layers by any parameter, just leftclick on its column header.

The sorting direction is indicated by an arrow in the header of the sorted parameter.

Editing Layer Parameters

Selecting layers from the list

A layer is selected by clicking on it with the left mouse button.

You can edit the parameters of several selected layers at once.

Holding down the SHIFT key selects all layers located between the first and last mouse click.

By holding down the CTRL key, you can add any layer from the list to the existing selection of layers by clicking the mouse.

All layers in the list are selected using the Select All context menu command. The Unselect All command deselects all selected layers in the list.

Renaming a Layer

The following layers cannot be renamed: Layer 0 and layers that depend on xrefs.

To rename a layer:

• 15. Select a layer in the list.
• 16. Left-click on the layer name or press the F2 key.
• 17. Enter a new layer name.
• 18. Press ENTER.

A layer can also be renamed using the Rename context menu command.

Setting a Layer Current

To set a layer current:

19. Left-click in the icon display column opposite the name of the selected layer. The icon will be located opposite the selected layer, which indicates that this layer is the current one.

The current layer can also be selected using the Set Current context menu command.

Assigning Properties to a Layer

A layer can be assigned such properties as Color, Linetype, Lineweight, Transparency, Description and Covering, which will be inherited by all objects on that layer if these object properties are set to By Layer.

To assign Color, Linetype, Lineweight, Transparency, Description and Covering for one layer in a tree view of the list of layers:

• 20. Open the layer parameters by left-clicking on the arrow to the left of the layer name.
• 21. Left-click on the desired parameter.
• 22. Select the required parameter value from the drop-down list. For the Explanation property, in the Place for description… field, enter the explanatory text.

Color, Linetype, Lineweight, Transparency, Description and Covering can be set for several layers at once:

• 23. Change the presentation of layers to table view format using the button.
• 24. Select one or more layers in the list.
• 25. Left-click in the column of the desired property of one of the selected layers.
• 26. Select the required parameter value from the drop-down list. For the Explanation column, enter the explanatory text in the Place for description… field.

The description can also be changed using the Change Description context menu command.

Managing a Layer Visibility

Objects located on turned off layers are not displayed on the screen and are not printed, but take part in the drawing regeneration. However, when turning layers on/off, the drawing does not regenerate. In this regard, it is recommended to turn layers on/off in cases where this needs to be done frequently and when layers are turned off for a short time. Otherwise, it is better to freeze the layers.

Visible layers are indicated by the icon. The icon indicates that the visibility of this layer is turned off.

You can turn visibility on and off for several layers at once.

When you turn off the visibility of the current layer, a warning window appears.

To turn on/off a layer visibility:

• 27. Select one or more layers in the list.
• 28. Left-click in the column that displays the ( ) icon next to the name of one of the selected layers.

You can manage the visibility of drawing objects not only by switching the visibility of the layer they lie on, but also directly using the commands for hiding and isolating objects.

Freezing a Layer

Objects located on frozen layers are not displayed on the screen, are not printed, and do not participate in drawing regeneration. Freezing unnecessary layers in large drawings can accelerate displaying and regenerating operations. However, the operation of thawing one or more layers leads to the drawing regeneration, which takes quite a long time. In this regard, layers should be frozen in cases where it is rarely necessary and when layers are frozen for a long time. Otherwise, it is better to turn off the visibility of layers.

Frozen layers are indicated by the icon, and thawed ones by .

You can freeze and thaw several layers at once. You cannot freeze the current ( ) layer.

To freeze/thaw a layer:

29. Select one or more layers in the list.

30. Left-click in the column that displays the ( ) icon next to the name of one of the selected layers.

Freezing Layers in Layout Viewports

Layers can be frozen in individual layout viewports. This way, you can get different displays of the same objects in different viewports without creating additional (duplicate) geometry, for example, by creating two viewports for the same object and freezing the layer with design elements in the second viewport.

Layers frozen in the current viewport are indicated by the icon.

The section of Managing Frozen Layers in Individual Viewports describes the VPLAYER command in detail.

To freeze a layer in the current viewport:

• 31. Activate the viewport by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.
• 32. In the list of layers, select all layers to be frozen in the current viewport.
• 33. Freeze the selected layers by clicking on the icon for any selected layer.

The layer will be frozen only in this viewport and visible in all others. When printing a layout, the frozen layer will also not be plotted in just that one viewport.

To freeze a layer in all VPs:

• 1. In the list of layers, select all layers that should be frozen in all viewports.
• 2. Right-click on the selected layers to open the context menu and select the VP Freeze Layer > In All Viewports command.

The layers will be frozen and invisible in all viewports.

To freeze a layer on all VPs except the current one:

• 1. Activate the viewport by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.
• 2. In the list of layers, select all layers that should be frozen in all viewports except the current one.
• 3. Right-click on the selected layers to open the context menu and select the VP Freeze Layer > In All Viewports Except Current command.

The layers will be frozen and invisible in all viewports except the current one.

You can also use the LAYVPI command to freeze a layer in all layout viewports except the current one.

To thaw a layer in all VPs:

• 1. In the list of layers, select all layers to be thawed in all viewports.
• 2. Right-click on the selected layers to open the context menu and select the VP Thaw Layer in All Viewports command.

The layers will be thawed and visible in all viewports of all layouts.

Overriding Layer Properties in Viewports

Layer property override is a way to display objects in different layout viewports with different property values (color, linetype and lineweight, transparency) without changing the properties that are assigned with ByLayer or ByBlock values.

To override properties for the current layout viewport in a tree view of the list of layers:

• 3. Activate the viewport by double-clicking on it with the left mouse button.
• 4. Open the layer parameters by left-clicking on the arrow to the left of the layer name.
• 5. Left-click on the desired property: VP Color, VP Linetype, VP Lineweight or VP Transparency.
• 6. Select a value from the drop-down list.

To override properties for the current layout viewport for multiple layers:

• 7. Change the presentation of layers to table format using the button.
• 8. Select one or more layers in the list.
• 9. Left-click in the property column (VP Color, VP Linetype, VP Lineweight or VP Transparency) of one of the selected layers.
• 10. Select a value from the drop-down list.

The parameters will be changed only in that layout viewport. In other viewports and in Model space, these parameters will remain unchanged.

Layers that have property overrides in viewports are highlighted in blue and the status indicator for such layers has changed:

Removing Viewport Layer Property Overrides

To cancel overrides of layer properties in viewports, use the Remove Viewport Overrides for context menu command.

Command options:

Selected Layers Removes property overrides for selected layers.

Removal can be made:

In Current Viewport only

In All Viewports.

All Layers Removes property overrides in all layers.

Removal can be made:

In Current Viewport only

In All Viewports.

Locking a Layer to Make Changes

Objects located on locked layers are displayed on the screen, but they cannot be edited. You can create new objects on a locked layer. For a locked layer, you can change the color, linetype and lineweight, and allow or disallow its printing.

Locked layers are indicated by the icon, and unlocked layers are indicated by the icon. You can lock and unlock several layers at once.

To lock/unlock a layer:

• 11. Select one or more layers in the list.
• 12. Left-click in the column that displays the ( ) icon next to the name of one of the selected layers.

There is a mode for enabling the selection of objects on locked layers to view their properties and use object snap.

To be able to select objects on locked layers:

In the status bar, enable the Select objects on locked layers button.

Managing Layer Availability for Plotting

The icon displayed as an outline indicates that objects located on the layer will be plotted. Objects on layers marked with the icon will not be plotted.

You can enable or disable printing for several layers at once.

To prohibit/allow a layer to be plotted:

• 13. Select one or more layers in the list.
• 14. Left-click in the column that displays the ( ) icon next to the name of one of the selected layers.

Tools to Work with Layers

There are set of tools for quick organization of layers in nanoCAD.

You can find the commands to work with layers on the Home ribbon tab in the Layers group:

And in the menu Format – Layer tools:

• Create layer
• Make Object’s layer current
• Layer walk
• Match layer
• Change to current layer
• Copy objects to new layer
• Isolate
• Layer off
• Turn on all layers
• Layer freeze
• Thaw all layers
• Layer lock
• Layer unlock
• Merge layer
• Delete layer
• Layer previous.

Some of these commands are on the Layers 2 toolbar:

For your convenience the following commands are placed on the Properties toolbar:

• Create layer

• Make Object’s Layer Current

• Previous State of Layers

• Layer walk

• Isolate

Create Layer

The command to quickly create a layer with current properties.

By opening the Properties toolbar, you can immediately edit properties of a new layer.

Enter the layer name in the command line or use the dynamic input, press ENTER.

Make Object’s Layer Current

A layer of a selected object becomes current. You can select one or several objects belonging to one layer.

Command option:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Command prompts:

Select object whose layer will become current or [?]: Select an object or objects belonging to one layer.

Layer Walk

The Layer walk mode displays objects only on selected layers and hides objects on any other layers. Objects can be previously selected.

To display only a current layer:

1. Select the Layer walk button from the Properties toolbar. Visibility of all layers, except the one selected, are temporarily switched off. Near a current layer in the column the icon is displayed. It means that this layer is visible.

To display only selected layer:

You can do without the Layer walk command to display only one layer:

1. With the CTRL button pressed select a layer from a layers list on the Properties toolbar or Properties window.

A selected layer becomes visible and current, visibility of all layers, except the one selected, is temporarily switched off.

To display several selected layers:

• 1. Select the Layer walk button from the Properties toolbar. Visibility of all layers, except the one selected, is temporarily switched off.
• 2. Click in the drop-down list of the Properties toolbar or Properties window and select other layers to display. Near selected layers in the column the icon is displayed. It means that these layers are visible.
• 3. Click on a visible layer (which has marked with the icon) switches off its visibility.

To exit from display mode of several layers:

Switching the Layer walk button off on the Properties toolbar restores visibility of all layers.

1. Switch the Layer walk button off on the Properties toolbar.

The visibility of all layers is restored.

Match Layer

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Match layer

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Match layer

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYMCH

The command moves selected objects to another layer. It is possible to select objects beforehand.

Command options:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Name Opens the Change to Layer dialog for selection of destination layer from the list.

Command prompts:

Select an object to change its layer or [?]: Select objects. Select object on destination layer or [?/Name]: Select objects on a layer, where you want to move objects to. Select object on destination layer or [?/Name]: Select the Name option to specify a destination layer in the Change to Layer dialog.

Selection of commands to work with layers in the dialogs

The dialogs open when you select the Name option and shows list of layers, which you can select as a destination layer or layers for merging or removal.

• 1. In the command prompt Select object on destination layer or [?/Name]: select Name.
• 2. Select a layer from the list in the dialog.
• 3. Press OK.

To create a new layer:

• 1. Enter a layer’s name in the dialog field.
• 2. Press OK.
• 3. Accept a layer’s creation.

Multiple selections are acceptable when you merge or delete layers in the dialogs. With the SHIFT button pressed all layers are selected from the first to the last click. With the CTRL button pressed you can add any layer from a list to a selection.

Change to Current Layer

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Change to current layer

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Change to current layer

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYCUR

Replaces selected objects on a current layer. Objects can be previously selected.

Command option:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Command prompts:

Select objects to be changed to the current layer or [?]:

Select objects.

Select objects to be changed to the current layer or [?]:

Press ENTER to finish the command.

Copy Objects to New Layer

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Copy objects to new layer

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Copy objects to new layer

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: COPYTOLAYER

Creation of selected objects copies on the specified layer. For objects’ copies you can specify another location. It is possible to select objects beforehand.

Command options:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Name Starts the Copy to Layer dialog to specify a layer where objects’ copies are

placed.

Displacement A value of displacement of objects’ copies by specifying a relative distance

by entering coordinates. Coordinates specify a displacement value of

objects’ copies not a point location.

Exit Completes the command without objects’ replacement.

Command prompts when specifying a base point

Select an object to change its layer or [?]: Select objects.

Select object on destination layer or [?/Name]:

Select an object on a layer to place copies.

Select object on destination layer or [?/Name]:

Select Name option to specify a layer in the Copy to Layer dialog.

Specify base point or [Displacement/Exit] Specify a base point to replace the

copied objects.

Specify second point or displacement

Specify a second point for replacement.

Command prompts when you replace copies:

Specify base point or [Displacement/Exit] Select Displacement.

Specify displacement: Enter coordinates values, which specify relative distance and direction.

Isolate

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Isolate

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Isolate

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYISO

Switches all layers off, except layers of selected objects. Layers of selected objects remain visible and are called isolated.

The command allows freezing all layers except selected only in a current viewport (with the specified parameter Viewports = Vpfreeze).

Command options:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Settings Switches to a selection mode of parameters’ type. Selected parameters are saved for following program sessions.

The option starts the following prompt in the command line:

Options:

Off – Turns off all layers except for layers of selected objects.

Lock - Locks all layers except for layers of selected objects.

In paper space viewport use [Vpfreeze/Off]:

Options:

Vpfreeze - Freezes all layers except layers of selected objects only in a current viewport.

When objects are selected in model or paper space, layers are turned off in all spaces (in model, in layout and in viewports) , except layers of selected objects.

Off - Freezes all layers in all spaces (in model, in layout and in a

current viewport), except layers of selected objects only in a current viewport.

Command prompts when isolating layers:

Select objects on the layer(s) to be isolated or [?/Settings]:

Select objects of the layers, which need to be isolated in the drawing.

Press ENTER to finish the command.

Changing the command settings

Select objects on the layer (s) to be isolated or [?/Settings]:

Enter setting for layers not isolated [Off/Lock]

Select the Settings option

Select the option for not isolated layers:

Off – turn off all layers except for layers of selected objects;

Lock – lock all layers except for layers of selected objects.

Command prompts when isolating layers in a current viewport:

Select objects on the layer(s) to be isolated or [?/Settings]:

In paper space viewport use [Vpfreeze/Off] :

Select objects on the layer(s) to be isolated or [?/Settings]:

In paper space viewport use [Vpfreeze/Off] :

Select objects on the layer(s) to be isolated or [?/Settings]:

Select objects on the layer(s) to be isolated or [?/Settings]:

Select Settings option.

Select Vpfreeze option.

Select objects of the layers, which need to be isolated.

Select Off option to isolate layers in all spaces from a current viewport.

Select objects of the layers, which need to be isolated in all spaces.

Press ENTER to finish the command.

Layer Off

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Layer off

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Layer off

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYOFF

Turning the layers of selected objects off. It makes these objects invisible both in model and paper spaces.

The commands allows to freeze layers of selected objects only in a current viewport (if Viewports = Vpfreeze parameter is selected).

Command options:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Settings Switches to the selection parameters mode. Selected parameters are saved for the next session.

The option starts the following prompt in the command line:

Enter setting type for [Viewports]:

Options:

Viewports - Switches to the selection parameters mode for a current viewport. The option starts the following prompt in the command line:

In paper space viewport use [Vpfreeze/Off] :

Options:

Vpfreeze - Freezes layers of selected objects only in a current viewport.

If objects are selected in paper or model spaces, their layers are turned off in all spaces (model, paper, and viewports).

Off - turns layers of selected objects off. Layers are turned off in all spaces and it does not matter where objects of these layers are selected (model or paper spaces, in a current viewport).

Option:

Block selection -Displays options for block definition:

Block - If the selected object is nested in a block, the layer containing this block is turned off. If the selected object is nested in the external reference, the layer of this object is turned off.

Entity - Turns off the selected objects, even if they are nested in an external reference or in a block.

None - If a block or an external reference is selected, turns off the layer containing this block or this external reference

Undone Cancels selection of previous layer to be turned off (or frozen in a current viewport).

Command prompts when layers are turned off:

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings]:

Select objects of the layers which is needed to be turned off.

531

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select Undone option to cancel turning the previous layer off.

Press ENTER or ESC to finish the command.

Note

Command prompts are shown for Off option of Viewports parameter.

Command prompts when layers are turned off in a current viewport:

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings]:

Enter setting type for [Viewports]: Select Viewports option.

In paper space viewport use [Vpfreeze/Off] :

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings]:

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select Settings option.

Select Vpfreeze option.

In a viewport select objects of the layers which are needed to be turned off.

Select Undone option to cancel turning the previous layer off.

Press ENTER or ESC to finish the command.

Note

Command prompts are shown for Off option of Viewports parameter.

Command prompts when layers are turned off in the block selection:

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings]:

Enter setting type for [Viewports/Block selection]:

Enter Block Selection nesting level [Block/Entity/None/]

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings]:

Select an object on the layer to be turned off or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select the Settings option.

Select the Block selection option.

Select the option for the nesting level.

Specify in the drawing the objects of the layers to be turned off.

Press ENTER or ESC to complete the command.

Turn on All Layers

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Turn on all layers

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Turn on all layers

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYON

The command turns on all previously turned off layers. Objects created on these layers become visible if layers were not frozen.

Layer Freeze

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Layer freeze

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Layer freeze

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYFRZ

Freezing the layers of selected objects. It makes these objects frozen both in model and paper spaces.

The commands freeze layers of selected objects only in a current viewport (if Viewports=Vpfreeze parameter is selected).

Command options:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Settings Switches to the selection parameters mode. Selected parameters are saved for the next session.

The option starts the following prompt in the command line:

Enter setting type for [Viewports]:

Options:

Viewports - Switches to the selection parameters mode for a current viewport. The option starts the following prompt in the command line:

In paper space viewport use [Freeze/Vpfreeze] :

Options:

Freeze - Freezes layers of selected objects. Layers are frozen in all spaces and it does not matter where objects of these layers are selected (model or paper spaces, in a current viewport).

Vpfreeze - Freezes layers of selected objects only in a current viewport.

If objects are selected in paper or model spaces, their layers are frozen in all spaces (model, paper, in viewports).

Option:

Block selection -Displays options for block definition:

Block - If the selected object is nested in a block, the layer of this block is frozen. If the selected object is nested in the external reference, the layer of this object is frozen.

Entity - Freezes layers of the selected objects, even if they are nested in an external reference or in a block.

None - If a block or an external reference is selected, freezes the layer containing this block or this external reference

Undone Cancels selection of previous layer to be frozen.

Command prompts when layers are frozen:

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings]:

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select objects of the layers which is needed to be frozen.

Select Undone option to cancel freezing the previous layer.

Press ENTER or ESC to finish the command.

Note

Command prompts are shown for Freeze option of Viewports parameter.

Command prompts when layers are frozen in a current viewport

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings]:

In paper space viewport use [Freeze/Vpfreeze] :

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings]:

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Select Settings option

Enter setting type for [Viewports]: Select Viewports option.

Select Vpfreeze option.

In a viewport select objects of the layers which should be frozen.

Select Undone option to cancel freezing the previous layer.

Press ENTER or ESC to finish the command.

Command prompts are shown for Freeze option of Viewports parameter.

Command prompts when freezing layers in the block selection:

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings]: Select the Settings option. Enter setting type for [Viewports/Block selection]: Select the Block selection option Enter block selection nesting level [Block/Entity/None/] Select the option for the nesting level. Select an object on the layer to be frozen

or [?/Settings]:

Select an object on the layer to be frozen or [?/Settings/Undone]:

Specify in the drawing the objects of the layers to be frozen.

Press ENTER or ESC to complete the command.

VP Freeze Layer in All Viewports Except Current

Command line: LAYVPI

The context menu on the Layers functional bar or in the Layers dialog: VP Freeze Layer > In All Viewports Except Current

Freezes a layer in all layout viewports except the current one. The command runs only in paper space for two or more viewports.

Command options:

Settings Switches to setting type selection mode. The selected settings are saved for

subsequent sessions of the program. The option initiates the following prompt in

the command line:

Enter setting type [Layouts/Block selection]:

Layouts Switches to the mode for selecting settings for layouts. When you select an option

in the command line, the following prompt is displayed:

Isolate layer in all viewports except current for [All layouts/Current layout] :

All layouts – freeze the layers of selected objects in all

viewports, except the current one, on all layouts;

Current layout – freeze the layers of selected objects in all VPs except the current one, only in the current layout.

Block selection

Switches to settings selection mode for block definitions. When you select an option, the following prompt is displayed in the command line:

Enter Block Selection nesting level [Block/Entity/None] :

Block – if the selected object is included in a block, then the block’s (not the object’s) layer is isolated in all VPs except the current one. If the selected object is included in an external reference, then the layer of the object (not of the external reference) is isolated in all VPs except the current one;

Entity – if the selected object is included in a block or external reference, then the layer of the object (not of the block/external reference) is isolated in all VPs except the current one;

None – if the selected object is included in a block or external reference, then the layer of the block/external reference (not of the object) is isolated in all VPs except the current one.

Undone Deselects the previous layer to freeze it.

Command prompts:

Current settings: Layouts=Current layout, Block nesting level=Block

Displays previous settings.

Select an object on the layer to be isolated in viewport or [Settings]: To change previous settings, select the Settings option.

Enter setting type [Layouts/Block selection]:

Change settings for Layouts and/or Block Selections as needed.

Select an object on the layer to be isolated in viewport or [Settings/Undone]:

Indicate in the viewport the objects of layers to be frozen in all VPs except the current one. Select the Undone option to cancel the previous freeze.

Press ENTER or ESC to complete the command.

Thaw All Layers

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Thaw all layers

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Thaw all layers

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYTHW

The command unfreezes all previously frozen layers. Objects created on those layers become visible if layers are not also turned off or were not frozen in separate viewports. You can successively unfrozen layers frozen in separate layout viewports one by one or use the VP Thaw Layer in All Viewports command of the layer context menu in the Layers dialog/functional bar.

Layer Lock

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Layer lock

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Layer lock

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYLCK

Locks layers of selected objects. The command allows forbidding accidental changing of any layer objects. Objects or an object can be previously selected.

Command option:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Command prompts:

Select an object on the layer to be locked or [?]: Select an object.

Layer Unlock

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Layer unlock

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Layer unlock

Toolbar: Layers 2 -

Command line: LAYULK

Unlocks layers of selected objects. Objects or an object can be previously selected.

Command option:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Command prompts:

Select an object on the layer to be unlocked or [?]: Select an object.

Merge Layer

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Merge layer

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Merge layer

Command line: LAYMRG

Merges selected layers into a specified layer. Objects on merged layers are moved to the specified layer and the initial layers are purged.

Command options:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Name Opens the Merge layers dialog to specify objects or layers to merge.

Command prompts:

Select object on layer to merge or [?/Name]: Select objects on merged layers. Select object on layer to merge or [?/Name]: Select Name option for selection of layers in the list of the Merge layers dialog. Select object on layer to merge or [?/Name]: Press ENTER to finish selection. Select object on target layer or [?/Name]: Select object on a layer where objects of merged layers are replaced. Select object on target layer or [?/Name]: Select Name option for selection of target layer in the list of the Merge to Layer dialog.

Delete Layer

Ribbon: Home – Layers > Delete layer

Menu: Format – Layer tools > Delete layer

Command line: LAYDEL

Removal of layers. Objects can be previously selected.

You cannot delete the following layers:

• system layer 0;
• layer set as current;
• locked layer;
• layer dependent on external references.

You can delete the Defpoints layer (a service layer containing anchor points), but when you continue working with the document, the layer will be created again when setting dimensions.

Command options:

? Starts other options to select objects.

Name Opens the Delete Layers dialog to specify layers to be deleted.

Command prompts:

Select object on layer to delete or [?/Name]:

Select objects of layers to be deleted.

Select object on layer to delete or [?/Name]:

Select Name option for selection of layers to be deleted in the list of the Delete layers dialog.

Selected layers:

Select object on layer to delete or [?/Name]:

Press ENTER to finish the command.

Previous State of Layers

Command line: LAYERP

Successively undoes the last changes of layer states and properties.

Line Types Toolbar

The Line Types toolbar is used to load, set, create and save line types in the current document. Using different line types to create different objects improves visual perception of graphic data and makes working with drawings more efficient.

Line type is a repeated sequence of lines, dots and spaces along a line or curve. Complex types of lines can contain built-in shapes which are stored in the (*.shx) shape file.

Line types are stored in files with a *.LIN extension. Every type has its own name; sequence of dashes, points, relative lengths of dashes and spaces and other characteristics are specified in a line’s description. One LIN-file can contain many line types.

nanoCAD supports line types created for AutoCAD.

Users can create their own line types by adding their descriptions to an existing LIN-file or creating their own new files. Edit an existing file or create a new file in any text editor or text processor. The Line Types toolbar is used to load, set, create and save line types in the current document.

User line types (*.lin) and shape files (*.shx), which are used in line types are stored in C:\ProgramData\Nanosoft AS\nanoCAD Int 25.0\SHX folder.

You can also use the Editor at the bottom of the toolbar to create custom line types and edit existing ones.

Before using a line type, you have to load it into the drawing.

Line types are saved with the document in a *.dwg file. They can also be saved for transfer to another computer in a template file (*.dwt).

Note

The Line Type drop-down list in the Properties dialog box contains only the line types loaded in the document and displayed in the Line Types dialog box.

Loaded line types can be renamed when you are working with the drawing. Renaming a line type only changes its description in the current drawing; the name of the line type stays the same in the LIN-file.

Note

By layer, By block and Solid line types cannot be renamed or deleted.

Line types can be assigned not only to layers, but also to objects. To change an object’s line type, replace it on the layer with another line type, change the line type of the layer where it is placed or specify another line type especially for the object.

Linetypes that are not used in a drawing can be deleted either in the Linetypes toolbar or using the PURGE (-PURGE) command.

The top of the toolbar displays the name of the current linetype, the linetype search field, and buttons:

The list of linetypes loaded in the current document is presented as a table with columns:

To perform operations with linetypes, commands are available in the context menu:

Linetype editor opens when clicking the sign.

The following buttons are located immediately below the title:

The left part of the editor displays the description of the linetype drawing elements.

The following sections are displayed on the right: Common, Shape, Geometry.

The Common section displays the line drawing element type. The following options are available in the drop-down list: Dash, Text, Shape.

In the next section, for the Text element type, select the style and enter the text; for the Shape element type, specify the file and shape name.

The Geometry section displays the value of the line drawing element.

In the last field of the editor, you can copy the linetype description for subsequent editing in a text editor.

The following parameters are configured at the bottom of the Linetypes toolbar:

Creating a Linetype

• 1. Select the line type on which the new one will be based.
• 2. Click the New button (or select Add in the context menu). A new row with the default name LineTypeN will appear in the list of linetypes, where N is the ordinal number of the created linetype, starting with 1.
• 3. To rename, click in the Name column (or select Rename in the context menu) and specify the name for the new linetype. The name should contain at least one character. Names should not be duplicated. Invalid characters for a layer name are: < > / \ ” ” : ; ? * | , = ` tab character.
• 4. Click in the Description column (or select Change Description in the context menu) and specify the description for the new linetype.
• 5. Make the necessary changes in the Editor.

Editing a Linetype

• 1. Select the linetype for editing by left-clicking on it. The lower field displays the description of the selected linetype.
• 2. Select the line drawing element in the left part of the editor by clicking on it.
• 3. For the Dash element type, the Common (Type), Geometry (Length) sections are available in the right part of the editor.

Enter a new value in the Length field.

Note

When a positive value is specified, a dash is constructed; when a negative value is specified, a space is constructed; when the length is zero, a dot is constructed.

Note

The length of the first line drawing element should be greater than or equal to zero, i.e., a dash or dot should be constructed first.

4. For the Text element type, the following sections are available in the right part of the editor: Common (Type), Text (Style, Text), Geometry (Length, Scale, Rotation, Absolute Rotation, Upright, Offset X, Offset Y).

In the Style field, select the text style from the drop-down list, and enter the characters in the Text field. In the Geometry section, set the required parameters.

5. For the Shape element type, the following sections are available in the right part of the editor: Common (Type), Shape (File, Name), Geometry (Length, Scale, Rotation, Absolute Rotation, Upright, Offset X, Offset Y).

In the File field, select the file with the shapes from the drop-down list, in the Name field, select the shape name from the drop-down list. In the Geometry section, set the required parameters.

• 6. To add a new line drawing element, click the Add row button. The new line drawing element is added at the end of the list, by default it is assigned the Dash type, length 0 (dot).
• 7. To delete a line drawing element, click the Delete row button.
• 8. To change the sequence of line elements, use the Move Up, Move Down buttons.

Deleting a Linetype

• 1. Select one or more linetypes in the dialog to delete. To select several linetypes, press and hold the SHIFT key; to add any element from the list to the selection, select with the CTRL key pressed.
• 2. Click the Delete button.

Note

The following linetypes cannot be deleted:

• By Layer;
• By Block;
• Continuous;
• linetype dependent on references;
• current linetype;
• linetype used by layers or objects.

Importing linetypes

• 1. Click the Load.
• 2. In the Open Line Type Import dialog box, specify the path to load the line type file (*.LIN), containing the descriptions of the line types.
• 3. In the Load Linetypes dialog box, select the line types for import. To select several line types, use the SHIFT or CTRL buttons. To select all linetypes at once, click Select All. To cancel the selection, click the Unselect All button.

When attempting to add a linetype with the name of a linetype that already exists in the drawing, a warning message appears:

You can configure the message display options in the Show messages section of the OPTIONS dialog.

4. Click OK to start loading the selected line types. The selected linetypes will be displayed in the table of the Linetypes toolbar.

You can also load linetypes from the Properties bar by selecting the Load… item in the Linetype dropdown list:

Exporting Linetypes

• 1. Select one or more line types for export in the list (you can use the SHIFT and CTRL keys when selecting).
• 2. Click the Save button.
• 3. In the Save linetype file dialog that opens, specify the folder and give it a name.
• 4. Click the Save button.

Creating and Editing Linetypes in the Text Editor

You can view and, if necessary, edit the content of GOST 2.303-68.lin file in any text editor that saves data in ASCII format:

;;
;; linetypes by GOST 2.303-68
;; 
*GOST2.303 3,Solid wavy ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A,0.001,[WAVE,GOST 2.303-68.shx],-26
*GOST2.303 4,Dashed __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __
A,5,-2,0
*GOST2.303 5,Dash-dot thin ____ _ ____ _ ____ _ ____ _
A,20,-1.5,1,-1.5
*GOST2.303 6,Dash-dot theckened ___ _ ___ _ ___ _ ___ _ ___ _ ___
A,8,-1.5,1,-1.5
*GOST2.303 8,Solid thin kinks ---'\---'\---'\---'\---'\---
A,40,[BREAK,GOST 2.303-68.shx],-8

*GOST2.303 9,Dash-dot with two dots 
__..__..__..__..__..__..__..__.._
A,20,-1.5,1,-1.5,1,-1.5

Lines that start with a semicolon (;) character are comments.

Description of a linetype consists of 2 lines: the first line contains the linetype name and a short description, the second line specifies the linetype outline.

*GOST2.303 5,Dash-dot thin ____ _ ____ _ ____ _ ____ _
A,20,-1.5,1,-1.5

An asterisk is placed before the linetype name. The name should be unique.

*GOST2.303 5

The linetype name is separated from a short description by a comma.

*GOST2.303 5,Dash-dot thin ____ _ ____ _ ____ _ ____ _

A brief description consists of a text part explaining the purpose of the linetype (for example, the explanation Dash-dot can be changed to the following: To draw center lines). The description often includes a sequence of text characters (dashes, spaces, dots, etc.) that visually resembles this line. The description can be up to 47 characters long. The description is optional and can be omitted. If there is no description, no comma is placed after the linetype name.

The second line containing the linetype description begins with the character A, which defines the type of alignment.

Further, separated by commas (without spaces), write the linetype elements that specify the line style.

A,20,-1.5,1,-1.5

As elements of the linetype outline, the following can be used:

• zero specifies a dot construction;
• positive decimal numbers specify the construction of dashes (a number value determines the dash length in drawing units);
• negative decimal numbers specify the construction of spaces (a number value determines the space length in drawing units);
• text objects;
• embedded shapes stored in form files.

Linetypes described by dashes, dots and spaces are called simple. The complex linetypes include the ones described by text objects and embedded shapes. Linetypes that include text objects and embedded shapes are used in utility network signs, in topographic symbols, and so on.

In the GOST 2.303-68.lin file the linestypes *GOST2.303 4, *GOST2.303 5, *GOST2.303 6 and *GOST2.303 9 are simple, the linetypes *GOST2.303 3 and *GOST2.303 8 are complex, because their descriptions use the embedded shapes WAVE and BREAK.

Alignment type A determines the condition according to which lines should begin and end with dashes, i.e. the value that determines the length of the first segment of the line should be greater than or equal to zero.

In order to better understand what alignment is and how it works, consider an example of drawing a line segment from point 1 to point 2 using Dash-Dot linetype. The program will construct a segment in such a way that it starts at point 1 and ends at point 2 with dashes. If necessary, the first and last dashes can

be lengthened to meet the alignment condition. For a short segment, if it does not contain even one link long_dash-space-short_dash-space, the program will draw one dash (continuous line).

The linetype description line should not exceed 80 characters.

For each linetype it is possible to define no more than 12 elements.

In the linetype description, it is enough to specify one repeating fragment (link). For example, for the Dash-dot linetype such fragment is the link long_dash-space-short_dash-space.

The format for determining a simple linetype is:

A,Length1,Length2,Length2,…

Text objects are generally described in a complex linetype definition in the following format:

["Text",Style,Scale,Rotation_angle,Offset_X,Offset_Y]

The format for writing the embedded shape in the definition of a complex linetype:

[Name,File]

or

[Name,File,Scale,Rotation_angle,Absolute_rotation,Offset_X,Offset _Y]

Parameters:

552

Linetypes examples:

1. Definition of a simple linetype Dash-dot thin:

*GOST2.303 5,Dash-dot thin ____ _ ____ _ ____ _ ____ _
A,20,-1.5,1,-1.5

specifies the construction of a line that starts with a dash of 20 drawing units length followed by a space of 1.5 drawing units, then a dash of 1 drawing unit is built, then again a space of 1.5 units. This fragment (link) is repeated throughout the segment, ending at the end point with a dash of 20 drawing units:

2. Definition of a complex linetype Funny, containing text symbols 8 and ):

*Funny,Example of a custom linetype
A,10,-10,0.001,["8)",Standard,S=5,R=-90,X=-3,Y=3],-10

3. Definition of a complex linetype Arrow1 containing text symbols < and >:

*Arrow1,Single arrow
A,0.001,["<",Standard,S=5,Y=-2.5],25,[">",Standard,S=5,X=-2.5,Y=-
2.5],-20

4. Definition of a complex linetype Arrow2 containing text symbols < and >:

*Arrow2,Double arrow
A,0.001,["<",Standard,S=5,Y=-2.5],0,["<",Standard,S=5,X=3,Y=-
2.5],25,

[”>“,Standard,S=5,X=-2.5,Y=-2.5],0,[”>“,Standard,S=5,X=-5.5,Y=- 2.5],-20

5. Definition of a complex linetype GOST2.303 8 containing the embedded shape BREACK:

*GOST2.303 8,Continuous jogged line ---’---’---’---’---’--- A,40,[BREAK,GOST 2.303-68.shx],-8

6. Definition of a complex linetype A1 containing an embedded shape LEG_SIGN1:

*A1,Example of a custom linetype A,10,-20,0,[LEG_SIGN1,CS_Gost2304.shx,S=5,R=180,X=-5.5,Y=2.5]

7. Definition of a complex linetype Dashed 14-4 containing embedded shapes ARROWFILL, CIRCLEFILL_IN and CIRCLEFILL_OUT:

*Dashed 14-4,Dashed line. under linear object <|---O---|>
A,0.01,0,[ARROWFILL,styles.shx,S=0.1,R=180,X=0.7],7,0,[CIRCLEFILL
_IN,styles.shx,
S=0.1],0,[CIRCLEFILL_OUT,styles.shx,S=0.1],7,0,[ARROWFILL,styles.
shx,S=0.1,X=-0.7],-4

Linetypes Dialog

Command line: STYLEEDITCMDCLASSIC

The command opens the classic version of the Linetypes dialog, which is used for compatibility with previous versions of the program. The dialog displays information about all linetypes available in the document. The dialog allows you to load, delete and rename linetypes. The Line Type Editor ( Edit button) is used for editing.

Parameters:

Buttons

Details

555

To perform operations with linetypes, the Linetypes dialog also has a context menu:

To set the linetype as current:

• 1. In the dialog box, select the desired linetype by left-clicking.
• 2. Click in the leftmost field opposite the selected line type. Moving the check box to this field indicates that the line type is set as current.

To create a new linetype based on an existing one:

• 1. In the Linetypes dialog box, select the appropriate linetype by clicking.
• 2. Click the New button. A new row with the default name Linetype1 will appear in the list of linetypes.
• 3. Click Linetype1, specify the name for the new linetype.
• 4. In the Description column, enter information about the linetype.
• 5. Click the Edit button.
• 6. Make the necessary changes in the Linetype Editor that opens.
• 7. Click OK to close the Linetype Editor.
• 8. Click Close to exit the Linetypes dialog box.

Linetype Editor

In the Linetype Manager dialog box, you can edit the selected linetype or create a new one using the built-in Linetype Editor:

Options:

Buttons

The Common section displays the line drawing element type.

The drop-down list for the line drawing element type contains the following options: Dash, Text, Shape. The Geometry section displays the value of the line drawing element.

To edit a linetype:

• 1. Select a linetype for editing in the Linetypes dialog by left-clicking on it.
• 2. Click the Edit button to launch the built-in Linetype Editor. The Linetype Description field of the Edit Linetype dialog box that opens displays a description of the linetype selected for editing:

• 3. Select the drawing element for editing by clicking on it and enter its new value in the Length field of the Geometry section.
• 4. To display the new value in the Linetype Description field, press ENTER or left-click in the Linetype Description field.
• 5. To add a new drawing element, click the Add row button. The new drawing element is added at the end of the list; by default, it is assigned the value 0 (dot).
• 6. Set a new value for the added element in the Length field of the Geometry section. To display the entered value in the Linetype Description field, press ENTER.
• 7. Click OK to close the Linetype Editor.

To include text symbols in the linetype description:

1. In the Type field, select the Text option from the drop-down list:

2. In the Text section, in the Style field, select the text style from the drop-down list, enter the symbols in the Text field; in the Geometry section, set the required parameters:

3. Click OK to close the Linetype Editor.

To include a shape in the linetype description:

1. In the Type field, select the Shape option from the drop-down list:

2. In the Shape section, in the File field, select the file with shapes from the drop-down list, in the Name field, select the shape name from the drop-down list, in the Geometry section, set the required parameters:

3. Click OK to close the Linetype Editor.

Managing the Transparency of Objects

Objects in nanoCAD have transparency properties. The transparency is used to reduce the visibility of objects or drawing fragments on the screen to increase the readability of the drawing.

The Transparency parameter is displayed in the Properties panel (General section) when one or several objects are selected and can have values from 0 to 100:

If a value is 100, the selected object becomes invisible. Totally opaque objects have values of 0. The transparency of objects is not shown when printing or previewing the document.

To set the transparency for an object:

• 1. Select an object.
• 2. In the Transparency field of the General section in the Properties bar, specify the required value.