Toggle between Model and Paperspace Layer States

David Winthrop

My previous CAD program, AutoCAD 2006 used Layer States (and Page Setup for plotting) in a very specific way, you could toggle Layer States in either Model OR Paperspace and layers would behave in the same manner.  Layers would turn on/off, lineweights adjustments, etc would occur indiscriminately if you were in Model or Paper space.

In BricsCA, I have to change layer states in Model space, THEN switch to Paperspace.  If I want to switch to a different sheet and change the layer state, I have to first go back to Model Space to change the layer state.

Is there anyway in BricsCAD to unify model and paper space layer states?

Also, with Page Setups, I had to create both a model space and a paper space Page Setup for my printers. 

Roy Klein Gebbinck

I don't fully understand what you are trying to say. But one thing that may be confusing you is the fact that there is a difference in behavior when restoring a layer state in MS and doing the same in an active PS viewport. In the last case viewport overrides can be created. I do not know about AutoCAD version 2006, but this behavior is compatible with later versions of AutoCAD.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

There are some Lisp functions available for working with layer states. Using these functions you can achieve what you seem to want: 'Restore layer states in modelspace only'. Note that BricsCAD uses two naming schemes for these functions 'vl-layerstates-*' and 'layerstate-*'. The last naming scheme is also used by AutoCAD. For information on the 'vl-layerstates-*' functions you can consult the Lisp Developer Support Package.

Example:
[code](vl-layerstates-restore "MyLayerState")[/code]

Bruce Fillmore

Sounds like David is referring to one of the autocad verticles that may have a reactor or some other method to automatically save a layerstate for a paperspace when the user goes to another paperspace tab or model space and restore the layerstate on the newly selected paperspace tab or model space.  That capability is achieveable with lisp but is not a built in function of Bricscad or vanilla Autocad.

David Winthrop

 Thanks for the replies, if I can word this differently, the behavior that occurs in MS when you switch beteen layerstates I am trying to replicate when in PS.  In either space, having the same layers turn on/off, lineweights adjust, etc, it seems that now when in PS, if I change to a different layerstate (created in MS), my lineweights adjust but the specific layers that I want to manipulate do not turn on off.

Example:

I work in residential architecture and have Architectural, Electrical and Structural layerstates.  Architectural has bold lines on walls with furniture and other items turned off, Electrical makes walls lighter in lineweight, turns on the reflected ceiling plan, etc.

While in MS, if I switch between layerstates everything turns on/off as intended, but in PS, going from Architectural to Electrical, the walls get lighter but the reflected ceiling layer doesn't turn on. 

Joe Dunfee

I have been trying to understand how a layer state is different if it is a MS or PS layer state. And am a little confused. Can you please clarify what you mean by "While in MS".  One can be in models space by either being on the Model Space tab, or by being inside a viewport of a paper space tab.

-Joe

Roy Klein Gebbinck

If you have not yet done this try looking at your layer states in tree view:
1. _LAYERSTATE command.
2. Click on the Tree View icon in the toolbar above the layer state panel.
3. Expand the main node for your layer state.
4. Then expand the 'Layer Properties to restore' node.
5. Make sure that all properties are checks including 'Current VP Frozen / Thawed'.

David Winthrop

 @ Joe: 

I can change the layerstate and see the intended changes while either in the Model tab or by double clicking nto the viewport while on a sheet.  If I haven't double clicked into a specific viewport while in PS then changing the layerstate does not reflect the appropriate changes.

@ Roy:

The Tree view icon is greyed out.  I have BricsCAD V15 (x64)

David Winthrop

 At least for now I found a keyboard shortcut to change layer states without opening the Layer State manager.

^C^C_-Layer;A;R;Architectural;;;    <---Keyboard Shortcut F5</div>

^C^C_-Layer;A;R;Electrical;;;    <---Keyboard Shortcut F6</div>

^C^C_-Layer;A;R;Structural;;;    <---Keyboard Shortcut F7</div>

Hans De Backer

For your information:
there is a LayerState combo control that can be added to any toolbar.
To do so, open the Customize dialog (e.g. by entering the CUI command) and click on the Toolbars tab.
In the pane on the right side, scroll down to the bottom to see the available Controls.
Drag and drop the LayerState combo onto a toolbar in the pane on the left side. Done.

David Winthrop

 @Hans

Thanks for that tip, it works great.  I also modified my keyboard shortcut for use while working in Paperspace.

With the previous keyboard shortcut (F5, F6, etc to change between my various layer states) I had to first double click into the viewport before changing the layer state.

-Layer;A;R;Name of Layer State;;;

Now, with ALT+F5

'.MSPACE;-Layer;A;R;Name of Layer State;;;'.PSPACE;

When I am in Paperspace, I can click Alt+F5, this automatically opens the viewport on that sheet, changes the layer state, then closes the viewport.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

When you say the Tree View icon is greyed out are you in the Layer States panel (as opposed to the Layers panel) of the Drawing Explorer?

David Winthrop

 Yes, while in both the Layers and Layer States panels of the Drawing Explorer.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

For the tree view I am referring to take a look at this section in the BricsCAD Online Help.

For information on the layer state behavior that has apparently been introduced after AutoCAD 2006, I have to point to AutoCAD documentation: Work with Layer States. I can't find these details in the BricsCAD Online Help. I think your problems are indeed caused by confusion about this 'new' behavior (see post #2).

The macro's you suggest will work just fine if your layouts always only have one viewport. In your shoes I would choose the solution that I have proposed in post #3. But for this solution to work you will first have to remove an VP freeze overrides that you may inadvertently applied.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

... In the last sentence of my previous post the word 'an' should be replaced by 'any'.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

... Plus the word 'have' is missing.