Layer

Toolbar Menu

Layer
Standard

Edit

Layers >

Edit Layers

The Layer command manages layer properties.

Layers are a way of organizing objects so you can manipulate them all at once or keep track of them in some way. When objects are on a layer, you can turn them all off at once, change their wireframe display color, and select them all with one selection.

Layer Inspector

Panel options

The Layers inspector displays the layers in the model.

When linked blocks are involved, layers from those external files are displayed in a tree format under the block name.

To display a shortcut window

To open the Layers panel

Layer Properties

Name

Layer name.

Current

A check and shading indicates current layer.

On/Off (Layout On/Off and Detail On/Off)
On

The layer is visible and you can see and select objects on this layer.

Off

The layer is not visible and you cannot see objects on this layer.

Lock/Unlock
Unlock

The layer is visible, and you can edit objects on this layer.

Lock

The layer is visible, but you cannot edit objects on this layer.

Color

The default screen display color for objects on this layer.

Layer list options

To hide or show columns

To change a column width

Selecting layers

To select layers

Layer context menu options

Create new layer

New layer names are created with incremented numbers.

Edit the layer to change its name. In addition to using the context menu, you can select the layer and click the layer name.

Layer names on the same level must be unique.

Create new sublayer

Creates a new layer subordinate to the selected layer.

Layers can be dragged under other layers to make them sub-layers.

If a layer you want to delete has objects on it, a warning dialog appears. Deleting the layer also deletes the objects on that layer.

Sublayer names under a parent layer must be unique.

Delete layer

If a layer you want to delete has objects on it, a warning dialog appears.

Edit layer

Opens the Edit Layer dialog box to change the layer properties.

Expand all layers

Show all child layers.

Collapse all layers

Hide all child layers.

Select all layers

Select all layers currently displayed in the list.

Invert selection

Inverts the selection state. All selected layers are unselected and all unselected layers are selected.

Select objects in layer

Select objects for on the currently selected layer.

Move objects to this layer

Change selected objects to selected layer.

See: ChangeLayer.

Copy objects to this layer

Copy selected objects to selected layer.

Show selected layers
Hide selected layers
Lock selected layers
Unlock selected layers
Show columns

Name

Current

Visible

Locked

Color

Material

Material Library

Linetype

Print Color

Print Width

Related commands

ChangeLayer

Toolbar Menu

Layer

Edit

Layers >

Change Object Layer

The ChangeLayer command changes the layer of selected objects.

Steps

  1. Select the objects.
  2. Select the layer name from the list.

Layer for Objects options

Layers

List of available layers.

Set layer current

Set the selected layer current.

Select

Select an object to specify the layer.

New

Create a new layer.

ChangeToCurrentLayer

Toolbar Menu Panels

Layer

Edit

Layers >

Change Object to Current Layer

Layer

Right-click layer name >

Change Object Layer

The ChangeToCurrentLayer command changes the layer of selected objects to the current layer.

Steps

CopyToLayer

Toolbar Menu

Layer

Edit

Layers >

Copy Objects to Layer

The CopyToLayer command copies selected objects to a specified layer.

Steps

  1. Select objects.
  2. Select the layer name from the list.

Layer to copy objects

Available layers

Name

Layer names.

Set layer current

Sets the target layer current.

Select

Select an object to specify the layer.

New

Create a new layer.

To access hidden command-line options

Command-line options

NewLayer

Create a new layer.

SelectObject

Select an object to specify the layer.

SetCurrent

Yes/No

LayerStateManager

Toolbar Menu Panels

Layer

Edit

Layers >

Layer State Manager

Layer State Manager

The LayerStateManager command saves the current state of layers to a file or restores the state of layers from a saved .lay file.

Steps

  1. Set up your layers.
    The Layer State Manager saves the current layer settings.
  2. In the Layer State Manager panel, click Save, and then type a name for the configuration.

Layer States Panel

Panel options

Save

Saves the current layer setup.

Restore

Reverts to the specified layer state.

Delete

Deletes the selected layer state.

Import

Imports the layer state list from a .lay file.

Export

Saves the layer state list to a .lay file.

Layer settings to restore
Current
On / Off
Locked / Unlocked
Color
Linetype
Print color
Print width
Layout or Detail Layer setting to restore

Restores the current state of layers in layout or detail.

On / Off
Color
Print color
Print width

Reading the .lay file

The *.LAY file, created when you export layer states, has fields in the comma-delimited file represent the following layer information:

Name

Color

On/Off

Locked/Unlocked

Linetype

Plot Color

Plot Weight

Sub-layer On/Off

Sub-layer Locked/Unlocked

Layout/Detail On/Off

Layout/Detail Color

Layout/Detail Plot Color

Layout/Detail Plot Width

OneLayerOn

Toolbar Menu

Layer

Edit

Layers >

One Layer On

The OneLayerOn command turns a specified layer on and all other layers off.

Steps

  1. Select the layer to turn on from the list.
  2. Click the Select button to select an object on the target layer.

OneLayerOff

Toolbar Menu

Layer

Edit

Layers >

One Layer Off

The OneLayerOff command turns off a layer designated by selecting an object on the layer.

Steps

SetLayerToObject

Toolbar Menu

Layer

Edit

Layers >

Set Current Layer to Object

The SetLayerToObject command makes the layer of a selected object the current layer.

Steps

See also

Copy and duplicate objects

Use layers

Work with blocks, groups, and worksessions

Scripting layers

McNeel Wiki: Imported and linked block layer names

 

 

 

Rhino for Mac © 2010-2017 Robert McNeel & Associates. 24-Oct-2017