Dimensions and text keep inserting on a default layer I want changed.

[scarborough]

Hey,

 

I am trying to create new drawing templates for 3 different professional disciplines that will be working together on a project using National CAD Standards. I have the layers, text styles, and dim styles created that will be used, and it's all saved to a .dwt file. The issue is that when I want to add text or a dimension, it inserts on a specific (rogue) layer and you have to match properties or manually change it to put it on the correct layer. I need to know how to change that default so that it inserts on the correct layer FIRST. The current default layer is only accepted by the National CAD Standards for the architectural discipline. It would be embarrassing to send out templates for the rest of these folks with this built-in annoyance. I have tried starting from other templates, and even the original acad template, but it always creates that layer when using text or dim commands. ERG! I just want to fix it.

 

Thanks in advance...

[BIGAL]

1st 2004 ? Text and Dim goes on current layer so the only way to force a layer is to Redefine "Text" command to do something else or make it a lisp defun etc check your acaddoc.lsp and any other loaded lisps that may be causing this, its not your DWT.

[scarborough]

Oh dear, I'm afraid I don't know how to do that. My program was loaded by my old coworker, so he would have been the one that set that up. It's a file I can find in one of the Support (or such) folders, right? And once I find it, is it a matter of opening and editing like a word document? I will search for the file, and look for your response.

 

Thank you BIGAL

[BIGAL]

You can always access a built-in AutoCAD command by preceding the command name with a period (.).

 

Try this it a temporary undefine from Autodesk website .text

see what happens

 

Trying to remember all the autostart files, others please help

 

Also Undefine Text this is a temporary fix.

[Dadgad]

I am a huge fan of Lee Mac's website and work.

 

The following lisp http://www.lee-mac.com/layerdirector.html

 

is a real timesaver, and helps put everything where you want it, real time, no muss, no fuss.

This is but one of a great many wonderful lisps which Lee very generously makes freely available to the global cad community on his site.

 

Thanks Lee! You rock!

[RobDraw]

The macro for the toolbar button may have been changed. Check that and you can replace the name of the rogue layer to the desired one.

 

Can someone who uses tool bars post a couple screen shots to show how that is done?

 

As a quick fix you can use layer merge to merge the rogue layer to the proper one.

[scarborough]

BIGAL, I tried your suggestions, to no avail.

 

Dadgad, I had never heard of this guy or his stuff, but I'm glad I have now. Looking through the lisp file that you directed me to led me to another question: if this is something that has been modified in one of my lisp files, then it won't even be an issue for anyone receiving a template that I have created... Is this correct?

 

The awesome thing about this, is that I know more, now, why my dims and text always come in on a specific layer, even though I don't use that layer anymore. I've just always matched properties or copied one that had the properties I wanted. Now I can change that and cut out a couple steps!

 

RobDraw, I rarely use toolbars. I'm a quick commands girl, myself. I don't know anything about checking if the macro has been changed. I'll be interested to see if anyone posts screen shots. I will also see if layer merge helps me out.

 

THANK YOU!!

[RobDraw]

If you are using keyboard short cuts, the macro for the buttons isn't going to anything for you. It would help if you tell us exactly how you place dimensions and text. That will narrow down where the customization lays.

[BIGAL]

Like others as above if your picking a menu or tool bar or palette just because you see text it can do anything, hence again what happens if you type .TEXT on command line does it behave properly.

 

There is a lisp I will find that allows you to pick an existing object and it calls the correct command as well as layer and other settings.

copy command copycommand.lsp

[scarborough]

BIGAL, when I type the command .TEXT, it creates text to the correct (current) text style and height, but it still automatically switches to the layer I don't want, nor have created in the drawing file, then when I am done typing, it switches back to the current layer. Is that what you mean by "does it behave properly"? Copy Command would be like a bandaid for the problem, right?

 

RobDraw, I was mistaken. I do use the toolbar for dims. For text, I type mtext, then proceed. For both commands, it will switch to the aforementioned (annoying) layer, then when the command is complete, it switches back to whatever layer was current. How exactly would I check the macro? (More importantly, what is the macro? Woefully ignorant here...)

 

Dadgad, I have downloaded Mr. Mac's Layer lisp, and I am in the process of modifying it to suit my needs. Once I have the settings the way I want them in the new lisp file, where do I put it? There are a few different folders that contain lsp files.

[RobDraw]

The smart thing to do would be to remove the previous customization before adding another tool for layer control. It might work without removing the previous one but you could be asking for trouble.

 

Look into creating/modifying toolbar buttons and the command customization file. Get you head around those two things. Find the how to alter them. That way you can learn something instead of being blindly walked through the process.

Edited February 25, 2016 by RobDraw

[scarborough]

Trying to "get my head around those things."

 

Ok, I figured out how to customize toolbars. The macro for Linear Dimension is ^C^C_dimlinear. There's nothing custom about that, right? The Description is: Creates linear dimensions: DIMLINEAR. I don't think this is where my problem lies. Do you agree?

[RobDraw]

Yes, agreed.