Layer Sets, Name Filter Text Box. Multiple Criteria?

[RodCole]

Very nice feature.  I have been mostly playing around with this in a default template file just to get the hang of it before using in on my custom template files.

 

What I was wondering is if there was a way to select more than one group of text items to be included in a single selection set.  Say I want Cabinets, and some other catagory as well.

I tried using a comma, but that only sees the comma as a text item to be filtered on.

 

I have not found much help on this in the online reference manual either.  Just curious if there was some sort delimiter key, and wildcards for that matter.  I would really like to take advantage of this capability if it is available.

[DRAWZILLA]

If I understand you correctly, you are trying to filter layers to what you want. Easy, just select the items you want to show the layer it in and clock on the "0" at the bottom of the screen to bring up all layers associated with those items.

[RodCole]

Not exactly.

 

What I am after is a way to better control the Name Filter text box so I can filter the list of layers in the Layer Display Options dbx.  The text box is directly underneath the Layer Sets drop down list box located at the top left of the dbx.

 

I have been experimenting with this a bit more and I am not exactly liking the way Chief has implemented this feature.  It is great that they have made it less complex than a typical CAD programs criteria based Selection Set.  But, IMO it does need a bit more control so that we can get the list we are after.

 

What I do like is that it is simple.  Just type a few letters and you get a filtered list.  The problem is that you will get a list that displays every item that contains that combination of characters found anywhere in any of the names in the list.

 

This is not exactly what you  are after if you have an organized list of names.  Mine is alpha numeric, which works very well for organizing layer names into groups, but I do not want every code that has a particular sequence of letters and numbers.  I want just the ones listed as the list is sorted from the beginning of the layer name, and I would like to be able to choose more than one catagory to be filtered on.

 

At the very least there needs to be an option that allows for the list to be limited to the placement in the character string where the filtered characters are found.  Simple yes, but just a bit too simple from what I can tell so far.  I was hoping someone could fill me in on whether there is additional imformation available as to how this is supposed to be working.

[DRAWZILLA]

Sorry, Rod

I really have never played with that, I just select something in the plan and filter it that way.

[RodCole]

Not a problem, I appreciate the effort.

 

This could be a really great tool with a few tweaks, or maybe there is just something I am not aware of so far.

[RodCole]

I did call tech support today, and currently there is no facility for multiple criteria in the Name Filter text box.  That would be a nice feature to have IMO.

 

How this does appear to be working, for those who may be interested, is similar to what would be seen as *Character String*.  That is, any time a particular group of characters anywhere in a string of characters is found it is added to the list of layers to display.

 

This is simple, and it is effective for many circumstances.  Say you want to display layers only related to Cabinetry, then type Cabinet into the text box and any occurance of that character string anywhere in any layer name would be displayed.  This could be very helpful when dealing with a large list of layer names.

 

The problem I have is that this actually creates an issue if you want a particular group of, or groups of layers that are organized into a list alphabetically or alphanumerically.  Where the problem comes in for me is if you think the list will be sorted from left to right and only list those items that are found in the first characters of the layer names as they are sorted in the Display Options dbx.

 

It is not really so much that this is a big deal in itself, but knowing it is a big deal if you are to use how Chief has set this feature up to best advantage.

 

What is important to know is that you will need your layer names to provide unique characters to separate or group items you want to sort on.  In some ways, by trying to make it simpler they have made it a little harder to set things up initially it seems.  At least if you are familiar with traditional sorting methods.  But, with a little creative use of unique characters, this could turn out to be very effective so long as you have things set up the way you want them in the first place.

 

It would be nice if the dbx were to remember the last entry in the Names Filter text box during a session.  A drop down of preconfigured criteria would be very helpful as well.

[DRAWZILLA]

Thanks, Rod

Looks like something I could use.