Default layers for dimensions

Despite my tag saying I am an advanced member, I am not. It only says that because I took over someone else's key. Anyways I am just getting started and see using layers as a very good thing. Is there a way to set layers in the drawing options? For example can I set it so that all new dimensions that I draw will be on certain layer of do I just have to always make sure that I am on my "dimension" layer when drawing dimensions and on my "symbol" layer when I am drawing symbols?

No need to use layers for dimensions or symbols. You can control the visibility of items on each mode by using Drawing Mode Visibilities. Each mode has its own set of settings you can modify as needed.
 

SoftPlan does have a complex area though when it comes to visible items on Custom Drawing Modes. If you have existing dimensions/extensions on a floor plan (default layer) in Drawing Mode, when you switch to electrical, those dimensions disappear since the default drawing modes (no custom ones) have their individual sublayers for these items. However, if you decide to create a Custom Drawing Mode, the existing dimensions/extensions from the floor plan drawing mode will be added to the custom drawing mode when visibility is checked on rather than being removed like electrical mode. I reached out to SoftPlan about this on why these visible item properties for custom drawing modes are not on their own internal layer and they stated it's so that a user doesn't need to re-draw existing dimensions/extensions on Drawing Mode inside a Custom Mode so the only way to turn existing ones off and add new ones that are mode specific in custom modes is to assign them to a layer.

I would get familiar with assigning your dimensions/extensions on a Layer created specifically for them since even if you are in a custom mode, this layer can be disabled, and new dimensions can be added on a new visible layer. This is not needed like Bill mentioned if you are working with existing drawing modes, but this becomes a problem when you need to use a custom mode with different symbols, dimensions, notes, etc. than the Drawing Mode. Before drawing any dimensions, I would make sure the active layer is selected so those dimensions are drawn on that layer. If you need to add existing dimensions to a layer, there are two methods:

Under 'Tools', go to Add/Remove Selection. This will allow you to individually select dimensions and extensions, once selected you can assign your selection to a new layer (great for if you only need a certain section of dimensions added to a new layer). You also can right click an existing dimension and choose 'Add Group Selection'. This will select all of your dimensions under one selection, and you can assign it to a layer in the upper toolbar. You will need to repeat this right click function for extensions also since the group selection is separated between dimensions and extensions as separate entities. Right clicking and selecting 'Add Selection' will only start a selection on an individual item rather than a group and the same toolbar actions for assigning a layer can be applied (useful for if there are a few dimensions you forgot to add to a layer or that you created without having the active layer selected).

I did find this becoming a necessary step in my process since I often need to use the custom modes for plumbing plans and other types of plans not currently defined as a default mode inside SoftPlan that require different dimensions/extensions than the existing ones on the main drawing mode. I am still unsure why SoftPlan would consider the custom modes needing to retain existing dimensions/extensions/notes on Drawing Mode since it gets confusing when these properties do not apply to the default modes. Electrical mode dimensions/extensions/notes (even on a default layer) will not show on Drawing Mode so I would assume the same principles apply to custom modes, but they do not unfortunately. The more items you can assign to layers, the more flexibility you have when controlling their visibility between modes rather than being limited to the internal grouped layers when modifying the mode visibilities. Major items like walls, doors, and windows I usually keep on the default since they are often represented in all of the modes I switch between, and further options can be made in the Drawing Mode Visibilities if needed (how electrical symbols are disabled in Drawing Mode but enabled in Electrical Mode, but all electrical symbols are either toggled on/off rather than being able to define specific symbols to be remained on/off).

When I create a plumbing plan in Custom Mode for example, if I enable the symbols in the Drawing Mode visibilities for that custom mode, it will show all symbols (toilets, shower pans, cooktops, microwaves, etc.) where if I assigned plumbing specific symbols to a layer, I can toggle only this layer to be visible in my custom Plumbing mode so that items not related to plumbing like the cooktop/microwave are not visible since the Drawing Mode Visibilities group all symbols under one category. This is relevant for all drawing modes; the problem was just the automatic translation of existing dimensions/extensions/notes from the main Drawing Mode to Custom Modes that becomes a concern, but layers are the workaround.

If you enable visibility for notes on a custom mode, the existing notes on the Drawing Mode translate to this new mode. Even if you right click the note in Drawing Mode and uncheck Visible in all modes, the note still appears only in the custom modes when visibility is applied. Like I explained above, when you switch to a default mode like electrical, any dimensions and notes you create within the Drawing mode (even if they are on a default layer), they remain separated internally, only custom modes are the ones impacted by this. The only way to control new notes/dimensions that differ from the main Drawing Mode inside a Custom Mode is to assign the notes on a layer to toggle their visibility on and off between modes. I separate Drawing Mode Dimensions/Extensions/Notes on one layer and enable it for Drawing Mode and any varying Dimensions/Extensions/Notes on a separate layer that is only toggled on during my new Custom Mode for plumbing. This step is not needed for the default modes and these entities can remain even in a default layer, it is just good practice to get familiar with the layers for further control and customization between mode visibility.