Deleting unwanted layers,

[MichaelH27]

I have imported a dxf file from our Trimble handheld unit. The dxf has layers built into it that come straight from the trimble software. (ei, FENCE, TANK, WELL HEAD, FIELDLINE) I have custom built layers and linetypes for my .dwt file in Cad so I dont need the layers that followed the dxf file.

 

For some reason I am unable to delete those layers, I get a warning box saying:

The following layers cannot be deleted:

. layers 0 and Defpoints

. The current Layer.

. Layers containing objects.

. Xref-dependant layers

 

I am not on the current layer, I am pretty positive there is no objects on the layers I want to delete ( i have deleted my gps points and blocks that were imported)

I am not using any xref dwg's

 

Any ideas?

[SLW210]

Use QSELECT to locate all objects on the layers to be deleted and delete the objects.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]36151[/ATTACH]

[SLW210]

Alternatively you can use LayDel.

[MichaelH27]

I had tired that quick filter earlier, Said there was nothing on the layers that I wanted to delete. Then I tried layer manager and it wouldnt let me delete them. Im thinking there was still something inside the dwg that was imported with the dwf. Nothing was frozen so not sure what was going on. laydel worked, thanks for the tip.

 

Layer manager has little icons on the very left side, they look like a sheet of paper. When the layers were in the dwg, those icons were not highlighted blue, The custom layers I built were all highlighted blue. If this happens again I will post an image, my words may confuse you.

 

Mike

[SLW210]

Did you try purging the drawing?

 

I know what your talking about.

[MichaelH27]

Yup, purging never did anything either,

[designerstuart]

LAYDEL is the right answer then. you might find that dimstyles or leaders or something has a little defpoint or something in which ias holding the layer but showing no content on it. force delete it if you are sure your linework is not on it, and choose the option to move to layer0.

[owlie]

You can also draw a line, put that line on the offending layer. The do LAYDEL select the line you drew and it will say something to the effect 'are you sure you want to delete this layer' choose yes and it will delete the layer. Repeat the process to delete all other unwanted layers.

[twistun]

My firm is switching to APWA standards. That means deleting all of the National CAD Standard layers in our template and replacing them with APWA layers and linetypes.It's pretty easy actually. I have 236 layers in my drawing and 217 that I need to delete. In the thread above someone suggested that to delete a non-responsive layer they would "make current" in their drawing that unwanted layer, and then draw a line on their screen with it, then repeat the process until they've drawn a line using every unwanted layer. I have 217 unwanted layers and I'm not drawing 217 unwanted lines just so I can delete them one-by-one to make their layers disappear. (Yes I purged and all the other tricks; I've been at this for 25 years.)How do I know there are 217? Because I froze or turned off all of the layers I wanted to keep. Get it? Now my Cover Sheet paper space layout is black, my Material List paper space layout is black, my Plan View paper space sheet is black, and so on. There's stuff there...it's just turned OFF or FROZEN. It's black.I opened my Layer Properties Manager and clicked on the FREEZE button at the top. That groups all of your frozen layers together instantly - these are the layers that you do NOT want to delete so print them out, go get the print and keep it handy.Some layers may have had to have been turned off because they wouldn't freeze. No worries, click on the ON button up at the top of the Layers Properties Manager and your OFF and ON layers will separate like the white of an egg and its yolk; (you can scroll to find where each separates.) Now print that out also and keep it handy. You're printing these out so you'll know which layers you DON'T WANT TO DELETE. Anything that's frozen or off, you KEEP. Delete all the other layers.My Layer Properties Manager says I have a total of 236 layers. Look at the prints I told you to keep handy and count the number of OFF and FROZEN layers. Adding the two totals together mine says I have 19 layers that are either FROZEN or OFF (those are the ones I'm keeping). Do the math: 236-19=217.I'm keeping only 19 layers and I'm deleting 217, and fast, here's how.Type in LAYDEL at your command bar. It says, "Select object on layer to delete or [Name]:Type N and a 'delete layers' dialog box pops up.Now, using your CTRL or SHIFT buttons and your mouse (your choice) select all of the layers that are NOT ON THE LISTS you printed out. After you’ve selected them, hit OK and they’re gone.You're welcome.

[RobDraw]

That's how Rube Goldberg would do it.

[Tuns]

My firm is switching to APWA standards.....You're welcome.

TL;DR.

Do you have any blocks that have those layers in it? Maybe some dimensions or text accidentally done in those layers?

[KNAVARRETE]

Have you tried Purge?

[dtkell]

Just wblock out what was imported, then insert into a fresh dwt file. That should get rid of the unwanted stuff and have all the layers that you have in the dwt.

[KNAVARRETE]

Have you tried Purge?

Yes, the layer may be on a block. That is a good one. Edit the block, making sure the layers in the block are not the undesired layers you are trying to get rid of. That may not be appealing if you have 50 blocks, but if you want to get rid of them,....

The other idea of drawing a line on the undesired layer making that layer current. Then isolate that layer, and you will delete all on that layer. Then you can try to see if any of those layers are on Paper Space. Doing any of the above may help.

 

 

Let me know what happens.