General Hints
General Hints on LayerTools features
As an introduction, this chapter describes some general features.
Automatic Dialog Collapse & Expand (Auto-Minimize)
Similar to a toolbar, the LayerTools dialog window always remains in foreground.
To cover as less drawing area as possible, the LayerTools window offers the Auto-Minimize feature :
whenever the mouse pointer leaves the LayerTools dialog and moves into BricsCAD drawing area, the LayerTools dialog will automatically collapse to a small icon.
In opposite, if the mouse pointer moves into the LayerTools icon area again, the dialog expands to normal size again.
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This behaviour does not only preserve effective drawing area, but also saves permanent mouse clicks ... So LayerTools dialog can be placed somewhere, covering otherwise "dead space" - then, it does not even cost any productive screen area. |
The LayerTools dialog permanently maintains its position and status, even across BricsCAD sessions. In other words, LayerTools window always (re-)opens in last screen position and status.
If LayerTools dialog was open when last BricsCAD session was closed, it will automatically load and open LayerTools in next BricsCAD session again; in opposite, if LayerTools dialog was closed, when BricsCAD session finished, then LayerTools will not automatically load and open in next BricsCAD session.
Probably the most powerful and effective LayerTools feature is provided by Reverse Selection; this means, the layer operations like Off, Freeze, Lock, Unlock will NOT process selected layers, as picked by reference entities, but instead, these functions will process NOT-selected layers. In other words, those selected layers will be excluded from layer operation ...
This allows very elegant work flow : in example, to modify entities on particular layer(s) only, the Lock function with option Not-selected set active can be used to lock all other layer(s) and keep selected layer(s) unlocked.
Other example : the usual "Isolate" operation is provided as Off or Freeze using selected layers, with option Not-selected set active.
Nested Layer & Entities Selection
LayerTools also provides the ability to process nested layers inside blocks or xrefs - this way it is easy to control layers which are otherwise somewhat more difficult to access.
To activate nested selection, simply answer with <return/space> as empty input, whenever the prompt message looks like :
* Select entity on target layer <sub-entity> :
Here is an example, to change nested layers to OFF state :
*** OFF all selected entities' layers ***
* Select entity on target layer <sub-entity> :
Select entities: <return/space>
* Select Sub-entity on target layer <Exit> : <5>
* Select Sub-entity on target layer <Exit> : <4>
* Select Sub-entity on target layer <Exit> :
Another powerful feature is available with Restore function.
LayerTools records all layer state changes - using Restore function, layer state changes can be made undone stepwise and without limits, in modelspace, paperspace and layouts. All changes to drawing entities, and all changes to layer properties, are not effected ! This way, LayerTools allows comfortable entity editing and restoring layers to their previous states !
In example, if a number of layers have been set to Locked or Frozen or Off, to allow easier entity editing on remaining layers, it is very easy to go back to previous layer situation by Restore function - all layers are reset to their previous status.
There is no limit regarding the depths of save + restore operation for this kind of "Layer Undo";
Saving and Restoring layer status is effective for layer status On/Off, Thawed/Frozen, Unlocked/Locked, and Current layer.
Any other layer status and property is not effected.
