15 replies to this topic

[Richard Taylor]

Is it possible to change the order of the items in the layer list?  I added a few things that I'd prefer were located at the top.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Yvon Gonthier]

Unfortunately, unlike Building options, order of layers doesn't seem to be relocatable.

[Keith Owens]

It is possible to change the order - if you click on the little arrow symbols at the right side of the columns title box. In the name column it will set the order in alphabetical order starting form the top, click again and they start from the bottom, click once more and it changes back to what they were originally. This works for all columns and will order each by what is relevant for each column. For example the visible items columns will set all layers that are visible at the top or bottom, the color or fill column will set at the layer that are black at the top or bottom, etc.. One thing you can do to try and organize them the way you want is to use a numbering or alphabetical format in the comment column. I'm not sure if this was designed to work like this because the numbers or letter won't start from lowest to highest but will be reversed. So if you have 6 layers that you want at the top in a certain order just use 6 for the one you want at the top and number down from there. Then click the arrows at the right side of the comment column and they will arrange as desired.

[Mike Downing]

There is a convoluted way to do this. I'm not sure if it's worth the effort but here's how.

 

Go to System Options> Layer Setup >Depending on the number of layers you already have set up, you might need to add several more using the add layer button (I've found twenty to be more than enough). If I have twenty, I'll add twenty more for a total of forty, etc.

 

Left click on the current Default layer to highlight that one cell. Hold down the shift key and move to the bottom right of layer 20. While holding the Shift key, click again. This should highlight all of the current layers you have. Then a dialogue box will pop up and you will press copy. Move to the first cell of your newly added layers (first cell only ie Layer 21 and highlight that single first cell. Press paste. At that point all of your existing layers will be copied to the new cells ie 21-40.

 

Next, in the new cells left click on a layer. This time hold the Ctrl key and move across the single layer to highlight  all the cells in a single row. Press copy. Move to the area you want to move a layer to (ie move layer 7 in the new cells to the layer 2 in the old cell area), highlight the single cell ie layer 2 and press Paste. You'll will have to do this with each row you want to move up in order.

 

I would recommend you do a back up of your layers before attempting to do this. Also if you get totally confused you can just hit cancel before exiting layer set up.

 

Finally, if you need me to call and help walk you through this I'll be happy to do so.

 

Clear as mud???

 

 

[Keith Almond]

As Keith said, they can be sorted by clicking the arrows on the column header.

 

You can cheat it a little by checking "Lock" on the layers you want, and then sorting the lock column alphabetically, but the unchecked ones don't seem to sort in any predictable manner.

 

You could also sort by the number of items in a layer, which may work better for you.

[randolph cohn]

i've never really thought about it

 

but if enough people want it to work more easily (whatever that would be)

 

send a "suggestion" to softplan tech

 

go to >

 

http://softplan.com/  / click "SUPPORT"  (at TOP) in menu /

 

click / "softplan SUGGESTIONS"and follow instructions

[Warren Ducote]

Years ago I sent "Suggestions" to be able to sort Layers and it got me nothing!!!

 

I use Layers for everything.

 

Layers can make Softplan Sing & Dance!!

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[Richard Taylor]

Thanks for the quick replies, there are some great ideas here.  I like the idea of numbering in the "comments" column and sorting that way - seems easiest to implement and to edit!  It would be nice if you could "drag and drop" the lines, though...

[Keith Almond]

Another idea, one that was mentioned in another thread ...

 

If you add the layers you want or sort the layers as you want them - and I think that the comment idea is brilliant (Thanks Keith, I missed that when I read it originally) - then FILE > DRAWING OPTIONS > LAYER SETUP > SAVE TO SYSTEM. Doing that will mean that the layers will default to the order that you want them on all drawings.

[Richard Taylor]

Another layers question - is there a layers panel that stays open all the time? So I can just click in and out of layers quickly?

[Keith Almond]

No, but you can single click the layer name in the toolbar ... Where it says what the open layer (or building option) is - Once open, you can double click a layer name to make it current.

[Richard Taylor]

Yeah I use that - but it would be nice to have a toolbar of some kind that you could select the active layer with one click, instead of clicking into the menu and then selecting the layer.

[Keith Almond]

Not sure how much you'd save.

 

A toolbar with select active layer with one click implies that all the layers are displayed constantly.

 

If you have even a simple dropdown, you have to click to open the dropdown, which is effectively what you do anyway. Once open, double click to make the layer current and close the menu, as opposed to a single click to select the layer with the dropdown, but as it is at the moment, you have many more options once the menu is open than you would have with the dropdown. 

[Richard Taylor]

Warren, do you use any custom modes?

[Keith Owens]

You can also set the "Select Layer" function to a keyboard shortcut. This will change the active layer with one click as long as the layer you want to select is visible and not locked. It still takes 2 actions to get there but you're using both hands and only clicking once with the mouse, so it definitely saves time.

[Warren Ducote]

Warren, do you use any custom modes?

I do use two custom modes. I have a custom mode "Plumbing" & "Foundation". I use these custom modes along with "Mode Visibilities" to display items / objects as needed.