Layers - how to use them

Layers are a great tool for managing various items in your drawings.
You can use them as little or as much as you like.
You can have an unlimited number of layers.
SoftPlan gives us 20 layers.
One of the advantages of Layers is you can control how much or little of an item(s) are visible.


Example: You have a drawing and want to be able to turn on/off the visibility of dimensions.
You would draw your plans and then assign the dimensions to a Dimensions Layer
Then you select the Dimensions Layer and check or unckeck the visibile box to turn on / off the Dimensions

Step #1:
To start, you need to set up your layers for use.
At the Menu Bar
Go To Options > Layer Setup
The Layer Setup window opens

Note: You will notice that the first layer name is default.  Do Not Change!
In the layer name fields below (1-20) you can change the Layer names.

Change Layer 1 to Dimensions
Double left click on the name field, then type in the new name.
In this case we will type Dimensions
Check the visible box to the right of the name
Check the lock box

Note: Checking the lock box prevents the layer from being changed

Assign a color to the layer.  The normal layer color is set from File >System or Drawing Options.
To do this, leave the box checked in the Use Item(s) Color to the right of the lock box.

To assign a custom color, uncheck the lock box by double clicking on it.
Next change the color by clicking on it and the color menu appears

Note: When you assign all items (dimensions in this case) the same color, the layer they are in is easily identified.

You can assign a new Pen type in the Pen field to be used with the Layers you create.
When done, click the OK button.

Step #2:
Set the visibility of the Layer
Go To Menu Bar, select
Options > Visible Items
The Visible Items menu opens showing whats visible for the curent Mode.
In the Group Visibilities section of the menu (middle) highlight the Layers group.
In the Group Items Type section (right) is a list of available layers.
To have a layer with the associated items that will be placed in the Layer visible on the drawing, check the Layer name.
In this case check the dimensions box, and the extensions box.
Uncheck everything else.
This is so we see only the dimensions and extensions in the dimensions Layer.

Note: If any Layer is checked as visible, the Select Active Layer field becomes available on the Status Bar.
Layers can be made visible in any Mode.

Step #3:
Adding Items to the Layer.
There a various methods to adding items to a Layer.
The Default layer is where all items are normally added.

Method 1: Before drawing an item, choose the Layer you want to put the item in (Dimensions) by using the Select Active Layer field on the Status Bar.
All items you draw (Dimensions) are now added the the selected Layer.

Method 2: To add the item to any layer, right mouse click on the item (Dimension), click on the Common Tab
In the Layer field, select the Layer you want the items put in.
Click OK

Method 3:  Add item(s) to the drawing in any Layer then use  Set Layer command to choose Layer for the items are in.
Go To Edit > Set Layer
Form an expanding box (marquee) to surround the item or group of items (Dimensons) to be added to the Layer.
The Layer Menu opens.
Select the Layer name you want to use for the item(s) (Dimensions)
Click OK.

Step #4:
Using Layers to control visibilty.
At Menu Bar Go To Options > Visible Items
The Visible Items menu opens and shows what is visble for the current Mode
Use the Visible Items menu to show / hide Layers from the current Mode

Note: Item visibility is set on and individual basis for each Mode. If you select a Layer to be visible in one Mode, the items placed in that Layer are not visible in other Modes till they are set as visible.
You control what Layer(s) are visible in what Mode(s).
A single Layer is not visible in all Modes unles you set the Layer to be visible in all Modes.