Drawing Line's In Color

[Dave13]

I recently had to do a bunch of SQ. FT. calculations for a client who wanted usable, gross, apartment unit, etc. I wanted to use different colors to represent each calculation area and got tired of changing them all from black to the color I wanted to use. For the life of me I could not figure out how to get the line or poly rectangle to draw on a different layer or color from the start. Am I being stupid (ya really don't need to answer that one  ) or is there a way to do this? Thanx

[rlackore]

If you're using polyline areas, all that CAD stuff will get drawn on the Current CAD Layer - and they will be whatever color is assigned to that layer. AFAIK, you can't change this behavior.

[chief58]

Dave I have a layer setup called sq. ft. and it is a different line color, I also use annotation sets which is set to house sq. ft. and the cad layer there is active to my sq. ft. layer set so that when I draw a line it is in that color and I and move it to anywhere I want to measure to

[rlackore]

I think what the OP may want is the ability to quickly define the line properties BEFORE drawing the line. One of the difficult transitions from AutoCAD to CA is illustrated by this behavior. For instance, in AutoCAD, there are drop-down boxes to quickly select the "default" drawing layer, line style, line width, line color, etc. - without having to modify a layer set or dig through dialog boxes.

[Joe_Carrick]

All you really need to do is change the "Current CAD Layer" to a Layer that has the linestyle and color you want.  Basically that's what Ray and Bill are doing.

[DRAWZILLA]

and if you need to, create a new layer

[johnny]

All you really need to do is change the "Current CAD Layer" to a Layer that has the linestyle and color you want.  Basically that's what Ray and Bill are doing.

 

So to be clear, you can't pre-select a layer and "draw" CAD lines on that layer using its attributes?  I dont use CA enough to know this off hand, but I dont think i've realized that before.

 

You guys are saying you have to (1) create a 2D shape, and then (2) change layer to = 2D object with custom defined attributes different than what is set for "Current CAD Layer".

 

I thought there was a way to draw on a specific layer (with its attributes) using the "Layer Set" (or whatever it is) option.  Maybe I am wrong.

[Kiwideziner]

You can select the cad layer (little sq box with cad in it) you want to use then draw whatever and they will have the attributes that are set for the selected layer

[chief58]

If you learn to use your annotation sets all you have to do it setup an annotation set to what you want, select that annotation set and draw your line or box, it is all setup in the annotation set

[Joe_Carrick]

Graeme's answer is exactly what I said - but he explained it better.

[Gawdzira]

Here are few pics to tour the process.

1. first make some layers with the color and line style that you want to use.

 

2. Then click to draw a polyline box

 

 

3. Then click to change the cad drawing layer

 

 

Select your layer of choice and hit Enter/Return

 

Now draw your polyline box and you will like it.

 

 

[rlackore]

So to be clear, you can't pre-select a layer and "draw" CAD lines on that layer using its attributes? 

CAD lines/objects will always be drawn on the current CAD layer. Unfortunately, as I outlined in my previous post, you do not have the ability to change a CAD object's color, line style, or line weight on the fly - it will always inherit the settings of the current CAD layer; any changes you want to make must be done after the object has been drawn. It's a shame that CA doesn't allow us the kind of flexibility available in other CAD programs.

[Gawdzira]

Robert, I just demonstrated how do it with 3-4 clicks. Associating the color of the object by layer color is the better way to do it anyways since it makes it easier to alter a group of objects.

[rlackore]

Robert, I just demonstrated how do it with 3-4 clicks. Associating the color of the object by layer color is the better way to do it anyways since it makes it easier to alter a group of objects.

 

Yes, I get that. What I'm talking about is the ability to affect the object itself, independent of the layer settings. Here are a series of screen shots of an AutoCAD menu that shows the pull-downs to quickly change the current settings for CAD objects:

 

 

It's a different method of working - I'm not saying it's right or wrong - but I like the flexibility it provides.

[Kiwideziner]

Robert

That is actually more time consuming than the line specification DBX which has all 4 of those in 1 place. admittedly in Acad they are normaly readily available and you can select the line then select which ever parameter you wish to change.

[rlackore]

Robert

That is actually more time consuming than the line specification DBX which has all 4 of those in 1 place. admittedly in Acad they are normaly readily available and you can select the line then select which ever parameter you wish to change.

No. In ACAD you use the drop-downs to PRE-select the properties for whatever you're going to draw next - not to change the properties of an existing object (that is done in the Properties dbx, which unlike CA can be permanently docked and automatically updates for whichever object you have selected). These selections remain in effect until you change them. This functionality simply isn't available in CA.

[Kiwideziner]

So what is the differnce to our preselecting the layer that has previously been set up?  CA is all about setting up before you start work IMHO.

[Gawdzira]

I agree Robert. It would be great to have the object properties docked for easy access to changes.

[ragetoca]

https://chieftalk.chiefarchitect.com/index.php?/topic/2917-transform-window-should-always-be-open/

[glennw]

I agree with this suggestion.

 

It would be great to have 4 drop down boxes for Layer, Color, Weight and Type so that we can chose to place cad objects on any layer so that they have their own properties and don't inherit them from the current cad layer.

And so that we don't have to do post editing after placing the cad object.

WE would probably also need a couple of other commands/icons as well:

A draw BY LAYER PROPERTIES or BY OBJECT PROPERTIES.

 

Maybe the 4 property boxes only become visible and active after clicking a BY OBJECT PROPERTIES icon.

 

It would also be great to have a MATCH PROPERTIES button in conjunction with the 4 property drop down boxes. Click the MATCH PROPERTIES button, click on an object in the drawing and the 4 property values (layer, color, weight and type) are entered in the 4 dropdown boxes, ready to draw a cad object with matching properties.

[steph_en]

Now draw your polyline box and you will like it.

[joey_martin]

I have read this post 3 time....I think I am missing something. If I need a centerline drawn to locate a beam, I just click the current cad layer tool and select my FRAMING, BEAM CENTERLINE layer and draw the line....nothing else to do, nothing else to change. My line weight and type are pre-set. What am I missing here?

[rlackore]

So what is the differnce to our preselecting the layer that has previously been set up?  CA is all about setting up before you start work IMHO.

 

The difference is that with the ACAD method you have immediate, independent control of all four things: layer, line style, line weight, and color. Why can this be useful? Let's say you want to draw a string of exterior walls, but want them to be on a layer other than the default (Walls, Normal). Simply select the layer in the drop-down, now all the walls you draw will be on the selected layer, rather than the default. Or maybe Walls, Normal is fine, but you want the walls to be a different color so you can easily distinguish them (for whatever reason) from all the other exterior walls. Again, use the drop-down to select a color, now all the walls you draw will be drawn on the default layer, but in the color you've chosen. No need to select walls afterward and change their properties in the dbx. Those are just two simple examples.

[rlackore]

I have read this post 3 time....I think I am missing something. If I need a centerline drawn to locate a beam, I just click the current cad layer tool and select my FRAMING, BEAM CENTERLINE layer and draw the line....nothing else to do, nothing else to change. My line weight and type are pre-set. What am I missing here?

 

You're not missing anything in your example. But what if you want to quickly draw a centerline, in red, with a fat line weight, on your CAD layer? My point isn't about setting up or controlling objects by their layer properties - CA already does this as a default behavior. My point is about controlling the object properties INDEPENDENT of the layer properties.

[joey_martin]

I guess I don't get it because I wouldn't want my centerline on my CAD layer...I would want it on my FRAMING, CENTERLINE layer. As for the example of walls...I do that all the time. I just draw them on the correct layer as I'm working I guess.