CAD Layer List

CAD and Vector PDF drawings can have multiple layers. The Layer List is the preferred alternative to the Layers Dialog. It displays a list of the layers on the drawing and is used to control which layers are displayed in takeoff window.

This topic pertains to CAD drawings. The Layer List for Vector PDF's is discussed under Vector PDF Layers List.

CAD files (dwg) have two means for controlling layer visibility - Show/Hide and Freeze/Thaw. The normal state for a layer is Shown and Thawed.

While Freezing and Hiding a layer have the same end result - the layer is not visible, internally they work in different fashions. Freezing a layer will improve the programs performance in drawing, zooming and panning. Hiding the layer has minimal performance impact.

Additionally, many drawing are distributed with some layers frozen. PreviouslySiteWorx/OS thawed all layers when the drawing was first opened. In order to improve performance, this is no longer true.

The CAD list has four columns. The first shows the color of the layer, the second indicates the layer's visibility, the third indicates the layers frozen status, and the fourth displays the layers name. If the name of a layer is truncated, hovering the mouse pointer over the name will display the full name as a hint. The width of the list can also be changed using the splitter to the immediate right of the list.

There are five buttons at the top of the list.

• hides the list. The list can be displayed again by pressing Show Layers on the CAD Toolbar.
• displays all the layers in the list.
• hides all the layers in the list.
• freezes all the layers in the list.
• thaws all the layers in the list.

Clicking on the light bulb on one of the layers in the list will toggle that layer's visibility. CLicking on the snowflake/sun will toggle that layers frozen status. When a layer is Frozen, changing Show/Hide has no effect.