Layer Display Options Dialog

The Layer Display Options dialog controls the display of layers in a selected layer set. It consists of a table that lists all available layers and the attributes for each. Layers can be added and deleted, and there is no limit to the number of layers that can exist in a plan.

From any view except the Materials List, select Tools> Display Settings> Display Options... to open the Layer Display Options dialog. This dialog is resizeable and remembers its size between program sessions.

Selecting Tools> Reference Floors> Reference Display Options opens the Layer Display Options dialog with the Reference Display Set active. See "Reference Floor".

The Available Layer Sets options control which layer set is affected by changes made in the Layer Display Options dialog.

The currently selected layer set displays. Click the drop-down list to select a different layer set.

Click the Copy Set button to create a copy of the current layer set.

When Modify All Layer Sets is checked, changes made in the Layer Display Options dialog apply to all other layer sets in the plan when you click OK.

Modify All Layer Sets is a one-time action. It is always unchecked when the Layer Display Options dialog is opened.

Click the column header to sort all layers in the Layer Display Options dialog by that column.

In the Name column, sorting is case sensitive to allow greater control over organization.

A red + in the Used column indicates which layers have objects placed on them in the current plan. This column cannot be edited.

A check in the Disp column indicates which layers are set to be visible. This controls the display of objects in 2D and 3D views.

An M in the Mat column indicates which layers are included in the Materials List.

A yellow

in the Lock column indicates which layers are locked, preventing objects on that layer from being manually edited.

The Color column shows the line color for each layer. You can sort this column so that like colors are listed together.

The Style column shows the line style for each layer and can be sorted so that like line styles are listed together.

The Size column displays the line weight used by each layer and can be sorted so that like line weights are listed together.

Click the Library button to open the Library Browser to the Line Styles library. See "Line Styles" for more information.

Layers are named so that similar object types such as Cabinets, Base and Cabinets, Wall are listed near one another alphabetically.

If a layer is turned on, a checkmark is shown in the Disp column. If a layer is turned off, the column is blank.

Layers are selected by clicking them in the table. Hold down the Shift key or the Ctrl key to select multiple layers at once. Click the Select All button to select all layers in the table. When selected, a layer's attributes display at the bottom of the dialog. If multiple layers are selected, "no change" may display for attributes that are different among the selected layers.

When a layer or layers is selected, single or shared layer attributes can be edited in the section titled Properties for "Selected Layer." Line Color, Style and Size affect lines in floor plan view and surface edge lines in vector views.

To change the color of lines on a selected layer, click the Color bar to select a new color in the Color Chooser dialog. See "Color Chooser Dialog".

To change the line style of a selected layer, click the Style drop-down arrow or click the Library button to select a line style from the library. See "Line Styles".

To change the width of lines on a selected layer, enter a Size.

To turn off a selected layer, uncheck Display. See "In All Views".

To exclude all objects on a selected layer from the Materials List, uncheck Include in Materials List. See "Materials Lists".

To protect the objects on a selected layer from accidental changes, check Lock. Items on locked layers display but cannot be selected, deleted, moved, or modified. See "Locking Layers".

The buttons at the bottom left of the dialog provide additional control of the layers in the table.

Click the Select All button to select all layers in the table at once. This allows changes to be quickly applied to all layers.

Click the New... button to open the New Layer Name dialog and create a new layer with the unique name of your choice. Duplicate layer names are not allowed.

Note: New layers are added to all layer sets. However, newly created layers will be turned on to display only in the current layer set.

Click the Copy button to create a copy of the selected layer. The new layer is added directly below the original layer in the table.

Click the Delete button to delete the selected layer. You cannot delete used layers or any of the system layers used by Chief Architect.

Click the Reset Names button to revert layer names for system layers back to the original names that installed with Chief Architect. This does not affect layers you created.

Select a layer to serve as the Current CAD Layer from the drop-down list.This is the default layer used for new CAD objects such as lines and arcs. See "Current CAD Layer".