Layer Manager¶

The Layer Manager organizes your drawing by grouping entities under named layers. Each layer controls visibility, editability, color, thickness, and stroke type for all entities assigned to it.

Why use layers?

Separate structural, electrical, plumbing, and annotation elements
Toggle visibility to focus on specific parts of a drawing
Lock layers to prevent accidental edits
Apply consistent color and line style to groups of entities
Control print/export output by layer

Layer Properties¶

Each layer has the following configurable properties:

Property	Description	Default
Name	Unique identifier for the layer	`Layer 1`, `Layer 2`, etc.
Visible	Show or hide all entities on this layer	On
Locked	Prevent editing (entities visible but not selectable)	Off
Color	Default color for entities set to ByLayer	Black
Thickness	Default line thickness for ByLayer entities	0.25 mm
Stroke Type	Default line style (solid, dashed, dotted, etc.)	Solid

Tip

Set entity color, thickness, and stroke to ByLayer in the Format Panel so they automatically inherit from the layer. This makes bulk style changes easy -- just edit the layer.

Add Layer¶

Create a new layer to organize entities:

Click the Add button in the Layer Manager
Enter a layer name (e.g., Walls, Dimensions, Electrical)
Set the layer properties (color, thickness, stroke type)
The new layer becomes available in the Format Panel layer dropdown

Naming conventions

Use descriptive names that reflect content: Floor Plan, Annotations, Hidden Lines, Center Lines. This makes layers easy to identify in complex drawings.

Edit Layer¶

Edit the selected layer's properties:

Property	How to change
Name	Click the name field and type a new name
Visible	Toggle the visibility icon (eye)
Locked	Toggle the lock icon
Color	Click the color swatch to open the color picker
Thickness	Select from the thickness dropdown
Stroke Type	Select from the stroke dropdown (solid, dashed, etc.)

Note

Changes to layer properties apply immediately to all entities on that layer that use ByLayer settings. Entities with explicit (override) properties are not affected.

Delete Layer¶

Remove the selected layer from the drawing.

Warning

Entities on the deleted layer must be reassigned to another layer or deleted first
The default layer (Layer 0 or the first layer) cannot be deleted
The currently active layer cannot be deleted -- switch to another layer first

Working with Layers¶

Setting the Active Layer¶

The active layer is where new entities are created. Set it from:

The Format Panel layer dropdown
The Layer Manager (select a layer and set as current)

Moving Entities Between Layers¶

Select the entities you want to move
Open the Format Panel
Change the Layer property to the target layer

Layer Visibility Shortcuts¶

Action	Effect
Toggle visibility	Click the eye icon next to a layer
Isolate layer	Right-click > Isolate (hides all other layers)
Show all	Right-click > Show All Layers

Best Practices¶

Practice	Benefit
Use ByLayer for color, thickness, stroke	Centralized control; change the layer to update all entities
Create layers before drawing	Organized workflow from the start
Lock reference layers	Prevent accidental modifications
Use consistent naming	Easy identification in complex drawings
Keep annotation on separate layers	Toggle notes visibility for clean prints

Quick Reference¶

Task	Action
Create a layer	Layer Manager > Add > set name and properties
Change layer color	Layer Manager > Edit > click color swatch
Hide a layer	Toggle visibility icon (eye) off
Lock a layer	Toggle lock icon on
Set active layer	Select layer in Format Panel dropdown
Move entities to layer	Select entities > Format Panel > change Layer
Delete a layer	Layer Manager > select layer > Delete