Layer Filter Properties

[Ahankhah]

Hi all,

is there a way to define a property filter for lyers to exclude some patterns?

 

(Assume you want to hide layers starting with "3D ", which the matching pattern in wcmatch function is "~3D *"...)

 

Any help is appreciated.

[Lee Mac]

Here is an example for you to consider:

 

([color=BLUE]defun[/color] c:addfilter ( [color=BLUE]/[/color] dc fn xd )
   
   ([color=BLUE]setq[/color] fn [color=MAROON]"No 3D"[/color])
   
   ([color=BLUE]if[/color]
       ([color=BLUE]and[/color]
           ([color=BLUE]setq[/color] xd
               ([color=BLUE]cdr[/color]
                   ([color=BLUE]assoc[/color] 360
                       ([color=BLUE]entget[/color]
                           ([color=BLUE]cdr[/color]
                               ([color=BLUE]assoc[/color] 330
                                   ([color=BLUE]entget[/color]
                                       ([color=BLUE]tblobjname[/color] [color=MAROON]"LAYER"[/color] [color=MAROON]"0"[/color])
                                   )
                               )
                           )
                       )
                   )
               )
           )
           ([color=BLUE]or[/color] ([color=BLUE]setq[/color] dc ([color=BLUE]cdr[/color] ([color=BLUE]assoc[/color] -1 ([color=BLUE]dictsearch[/color] xd [color=MAROON]"ACAD_LAYERFILTERS"[/color]))))
               ([color=BLUE]setq[/color] dc
                   ([color=BLUE]dictadd[/color] xd [color=MAROON]"ACAD_LAYERFILTERS"[/color]
                       ([color=BLUE]entmakex[/color]
                          '(
                               (0 . [color=MAROON]"DICTIONARY"[/color])
                               (100 . [color=MAROON]"AcDbDictionary"[/color])
                               (280 . 0)
                               (281 . 1)
                           )
                       )
                   )
               )
           )
           ([color=BLUE]null[/color] ([color=BLUE]dictsearch[/color] dc fn))
       )
       ([color=BLUE]dictadd[/color] dc fn
           ([color=BLUE]entmakex[/color]
               ([color=BLUE]list[/color]
                  '(0 . [color=MAROON]"XRECORD"[/color])
                  '(100 . [color=MAROON]"AcDbXrecord"[/color])
                  '(280 . 1)
                   ([color=BLUE]cons[/color] 1 fn)
                  '(1 . [color=MAROON]"~3D *"[/color])
                  '(1 . [color=MAROON]"*"[/color])
                  '(1 . [color=MAROON]"*"[/color])
                  '(70 . 0)
                  '(1 . [color=MAROON]"*"[/color])
                  '(1 . [color=MAROON]"*"[/color])
                  '(-3
                       (
                           [color=MAROON]"ACAD"[/color]
                           (1000 . [color=MAROON]"( NAME== \"~3D *\" )"[/color])
                       )
                   )
               )
           )
       )
   )
   ([color=BLUE]princ[/color])
)

[Ahankhah]

Lee, thank you very much.

 

It is very useful and absolutely the code I requested, but I encountered a problem revising your program to define a filter to include some pattern and also exclude some other.

 

For example, when I define a filter to include "2D *" and exclude "3D ", I chaged the pattern "~3D *,2D *", but it doesn't work.

What is wrong with my revision?

 

 

[Lee Mac]

For example, when I define a filter to include "2D *" and exclude "3D ", I chaged the pattern "~3D *,2D *", but it doesn't work.

 

To my knowledge, I don't think the 'Name' field of a Layer Property Filter can process wildcards with multiple patterns (each pattern must be entered as a new rule for the filter, and the rules are then processed using an inclusive OR logic gate).

 

However, since a layer name cannot start with both "2D *" and "3D *", your filter only needs to be "2D *" to only include layers with this prefix, hence automatically excluding those prefixed with "3D *".

[BIGAL]

Its a bit old fashioned but you can use -LA to do the same. -la off 2d* T 3d* on 1d*

[Ahankhah]

To my knowledge, I don't think the 'Name' field of a Layer Property Filter can process wildcards with multiple patterns (each pattern must be entered as a new rule for the filter, and the rules are then processed using an inclusive OR logic gate).

 

However, since a layer name cannot start with both "2D *" and "3D *", your filter only needs to be "2D *" to only include layers with this prefix, hence automatically excluding those prefixed with "3D *".

 

Lee, you are right. My example was not a good one. Let me explain my problem step by step:

 

First of all, I want to confirm that your code is fine and perhaps the problem is due to a bug of AutoCAD.

 

 

 

Assume you have a drawing including these layers:

• "3D Door-Architectural"
  
• "3D Window-Architectural"
  
• "2D Door-Architectural"
  
• "2D Window-Architectural"
  
• "3D HVAC-Mechanical"
  
• "2D HVAC-Mechanical"
  
• "Door-Architectural"
  
• "Window-Architectural"
  
• "HVAC-Mechanical"
  
• "Column-Structural"
  
• "Beam-Structural"
  
• ...
  

1- To define a filter to show layers matching "*-Architectural", using "*-Architectural", your code works fine.

 

2- To define a filter to hide layers matching "*-Architectural", using "~*-Architectural", the code works fine.

 

3- To define a filter to show layers matching "*-Architectural" OR "*-Structural", using "*-Architectural,*-Structural", the code works fine.

 

4- To define a filter to show layers matching "*-Architectural" OR "3D *", using "*-Architectural,3D *", the code doesn't work as desired.

 

5- To define a filter to hide layers matching "*-Architectural" OR "*-Structural", using "~*-Architectural,~*-Structural", the code doesn't work.

 

6- To define a filter to hide layers matching "*-Architectural" OR show layers matching "3D *", using "~*-Architectural,3D *", the code doesn't work.

(???)

 

Any suggestion?

 

Layer Filter Example.dwg

Edited September 10, 2012 by Ahankhah

[Ahankhah]

Its a bit old fashioned but you can use -LA to do the same. -la off 2d* T 3d* on 1d*

BIGAL, I don't want to turn layers off. Indeed layer filters hide layers from Layer "Pull down menu" or "Layer window".

Edited September 10, 2012 by Ahankhah

[Lee Mac]

4- To define a filter to show layers matching "*-Architectural" OR "3D *", using "*-Architectural,3D *", the code doesn't work as desired.

 

For this filter in your drawing you have mispelled 'Architectural' as 'Aechitectural'

 

5- To define a filter to hide layers matching "*-Architectural" OR "*-Structural", using "~*-Architectural,~*-Structural", the code doesn't work.

 

Since each rule in the filter is applied using OR logic, the '-Structural' layers will be permitted by the '~*-Architectural' rule, and similarly the '-Architectural' layers will be permitted by the '~*-Structural' rule, hence both will remain.

 

You will need to use: "~(*-Architectural,*-Structural)" to exclude both, however, this filter will be stored in the ACLYDICTIONARY Dictionary, not ACAD_LAYERFILTERS Dictionary so different code will be required.

 

6- To define a filter to hide layers matching "*-Architectural" OR show layers matching "3D *", using "~*-Architectural,3D *", the code doesn't work.

 

If I have understood your intention, I don't think this is possible, since this requires AND logic: i.e. exclude '*-Architectural' AND include '3D *'

[Ahankhah]

For this filter in your drawing you have mispelled 'Architectural' as 'Aechitectural'

 

Since each rule in the filter is applied using OR logic, the '-Structural' layers will be permitted by the '~*-Architectural' rule, and similarly the '-Architectural' layers will be permitted by the '~*-Structural' rule, hence both will remain.

 

You will need to use: "~(*-Architectural,*-Structural)" to exclude both, however, this filter will be stored in the ACLYDICTIONARY Dictionary, not ACAD_LAYERFILTERS Dictionary so different code will be required.

 

If I have understood your intention, I don't think this is possible, since this requires AND logic: i.e. exclude '*-Architectural' AND include '3D *'

[Lee Mac]

You're very welcome Ahankhah, I hope you can learn more about the Dictionary structure from my simple example