Layer States

Background:

I have been learning how to work with Layer States. I have read the explanations by Ellen Finkelstein and Jon McFarland and the AutoCAD LT Help (Save, Restore, and Edit Layer States). None gives a usable step by step process. I have searched in this forum and found some discussion but I still can't figure out what I am doing wrong. I have created three Layer States (quite by accident) by trying every possible technique I could think of.

Now the fourth layout has me stumped. I turn everything (all Layers) ON, etc. They are all visible in Model view. I go to my fourth layout (Sides) and open the Layer States Manager. I click Edit and the Layer Properties Manager window comes up. I turn off all layers except the two I want to display in the fourth Layout. I notice that six of the layers are frozen. I unfreeze them, except the defpoints layer will not thaw. I continue and save the layout in the Layer States dialog. I go back to Edit and everything in the Freeze column is back to the way it was before I started to edit.

So I close the Layer States Manager and try to set up my layout. If I click on Sides in the dropdown box. It will not stay and reverts back to Unsaved Layer State. (I believe there is also a line in the Layer States Manager that says Unsaved, even though I have clicked the Save Button.) But that's not all…

There is nothing visible in the (single)viewport. I've done three other viewport layouts so you shouldn't think I don't know how to get my layers visible in a viewport.(Model…Padlock…Extents…Scale, etc.)

Now my question: Given this background can you think of any reason why none of my objects are showing up in my fourth Layout?

Any suggestions on a step by step process to create a Layer State would be appreciated. It seems I am missing one piece of the puzzle.

The simplest way I can tell you to do it is as follows:

1. Set you layers up exactly how you want them (colour, linetype, on/off, etc) in the Layer Dialogue box.
   
2. Now go into the Layer States Manager and select new. Give the state a name and description and OK it. This will save the layers as they are currently set up.
   
3. If you want to make more states; say with some layers turned off and a few colours changed, make these changes in the Layer Dialogue Box.
   
4. Then go into the Layer States Manager and create a new state for your current configuration.
   
5. Repeat this process for every state you wish to create.
   
6. To restore a saved state, hit the restore button in the Layer States Manager.

Just be aware that any new layers you create after you've created your layer states will not be subject to any layer state restorations. You'll have to redo your layer states to account for those.

Hope that helps.

Rob.

Thanks for your reply Rob.

Today I accidentally found the missing piece of the puzzle so all is well now.

No problem, anytime.

Rob.

In case anyone in the future, using Search, has the same problem as I have had, with the layout not showing anything when choosing a Layer State, here is what I found to be the solution:

If the Layout is blank, I discovered that I needed to click on Model Tab (beside the Layout Tab) and then go back to the Layout Tab. When I do that the drawing layout is then visible.

Or, select the Layer State first and then click on the corresponding Layout Tab when you have everything set up and are switching among Layout Tabs.