Adding layer standard to multiple drawings

[tarnoki]

I have over 300+ drawings that need a standard cad layer set applied. We have developed a cad standard that includes 24 total layers with defined layer name, description, on/off status, colors, and linetypes. The 300+ drawings currently only contain a subset of these 24 layers only where objects reside. (eg some drawings have A-FURN layer while others do not).

 

The end goal is for all 300+ drawings to have the same 24 layer names.

 

I'm not a lisp expert but do have multi-batch installed for other printing routines.

 

Is there a simple routine, lisp or multi-batch command I can run that basically says...

- run against these specific 300 drawings file names (eg A1.dwg, B1.dwg)

- if layer names 1-24 does not exist in DWG, add layers names 1-24 to each DWG

 

Thanks,

Steve

[NBC]

Can I ask what the point of having layers within all your drawings that do not contain any entities ?

[tarnoki]

There are multiple reasons but the strongest is that we have been directed to have all of our drawings comply 100% with our cad standard regardless of entities existance.

[NBC]

Fair enough, was just wondering - thanks for the update

[tarnoki]

A "simple" mandate with 300 legs.

[Lee Mac]

I wrote this a while back, it may help you:

 

(defun c:DoLayers (/ MkLay LtLoad cm)
 (vl-load-com)
 (setq cm (getvar "CMDECHO"))
 (setvar "CMDECHO" 0)
 (vl-cmdf "_.-purge" "_LA" "*" "_N")

 (setq *doc* (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))

 (defun MkLay (Nme Col lTyp lWgt Plt / lay)
   (setq lay (vla-add (vla-get-layers *doc*) Nme))
   
   (and Col   (vla-put-Color lay Col))
   (and lTyp  (lTload lTyp) (vla-put-Linetype lay lTyp))
   (and lWgt  (vla-put-LineWeight lay (eval (read (strcat "acLnWt" lWgt)))))
   (and (not Plt) (vla-put-Plottable lay :vlax-false)))

 (defun lTload (lTyp)
   (or (tblsearch "LTYPE" lTyp)
       (vla-load (vla-get-Linetypes *doc*) lTyp "acad.lin")) t)
 
 (mapcar 'MkLay
         
         '( "CEN"   "DIMS" "HAT"  "HID"   "LOGO" "OBJ"  "PAPER"   "PHAN"   "TITLE" "TXT")  ; Name [str]
         '(   6       1      3      4       176    2       5         6       176     7  )  ; Colours [int]
         '("CENTER"  nil    nil  "HIDDEN"   nil   nil  "PHANTOM" "PHANTOM"   nil    nil )  ; LineType [str]
         '( "018"   "018"  "018"  "015"    "009" "040"    nil      "018"     nil    nil )  ; LineWeight [str] 0.18 = "018"
         '(   T       T      T      T        T     T      nil        T        T      T  )) ; Plottable (T or nil)
 
 (setvar "CMDECHO" cm)
 (princ))

 

Just alter the "table" as necessary.

[otil]

I wrote this a while back, it may help you:

 

(defun c:DoLayers (/ MkLay LtLoad cm)
 (vl-load-com)
 (setq cm (getvar "CMDECHO"))
 (setvar "CMDECHO" 0)
 (vl-cmdf "_.-purge" "_LA" "*" "_N")

 (setq *doc* (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))



 (defun MkLay (Nme Col lTyp lWgt Plt / lay)
   (setq lay (vla-add (vla-get-layers *doc*) Nme))

   (and Col   (vla-put-Color lay Col))
   (and lTyp  (lTload lTyp) (vla-put-Linetype lay lTyp))
   (and lWgt  (vla-put-LineWeight lay (eval (read (strcat "acLnWt" lWgt)))))
   (and (not Plt) (vla-put-Plottable lay :vlax-false)))

 (defun lTload (lTyp)
   (or (tblsearch "LTYPE" lTyp)
       (vla-load (vla-get-Linetypes *doc*) lTyp "acad.lin")) t)

 (mapcar 'MkLay

         '( "CEN"   "DIMS" "HAT"  "HID"   "LOGO" "OBJ"  "PAPER"   "PHAN"   "TITLE" "TXT")  ; Name [str]
         '(   6       1      3      4       176    2       5         6       176     7  )  ; Colours [int]
         '("CENTER"  nil    nil  "HIDDEN"   nil   nil  "PHANTOM" "PHANTOM"   nil    nil )  ; LineType [str]
         '( "018"   "018"  "018"  "015"    "009" "040"    nil      "018"     nil    nil )  ; LineWeight [str] 0.18 = "018"
         '(   T       T      T      T        T     T      nil        T        T      T  )) ; Plottable (T or nil)

 (setvar "CMDECHO" cm)
 (princ))

 

Just alter the "table" as necessary.

 

I have the same problem how to copy layer to a multiple drawing just one command, I try to appload Dolayers in my systems but it appeared bad arguments

[Lee Mac]

I have the same problem how to copy layer to a multiple drawing just one command, I try to appload Dolayers in my systems but it appeared bad arguments

 

It seems to work fine for me.

 

What argument list are you feeding it?

[otil]

when I apploaded this Do layers error appeara like this

 

"bad argument type: numberp:nil"

[Lee Mac]

Are you sure you are copying the whole code?

[otil]

yes! I paste it the lisp

 

defun c:DoLayers (/ MkLay LtLoad cm)

(vl-load-com)

(setq cm (getvar CMDECHO"))

(setvar "CMDECHO" 0)

(vl-cmdf "_.-purge" "_LA" "*" "_N")

(setq *doc* (vla-get-ActiveDocument (vlax-get-acad-object)))

(defun MkLay (Nme Col lTyp lWgt Plt / lay)

(setq lay (vla-add (vla-get-layers *doc*) Nme))

 

(and Col (vla-put-Color lay Col))

(and lTyp (lTload lTyp) (vla-put-Linetype lay lTyp))

(and lWgt (vla-put-LineWeight lay (eval (read (strcat "acLnWt" lWgt))))

(and (not Plt) (vla-put-Plottable lay :vlax-false)))

(defun lTload (lTyp)

(or (tblsearch "LTYPE" lTyp)

(vla-load (vla-get-Linetypes *doc*) lTyp "acad.lin")) t)

 

(mapcar 'MkLay

 

'( "CEN" "DIMS" "HAT" "HID" "LOGO" "OBJ" "PAPER" "PHAN" "TITLE" "TXT") ; Name [str]

'( 6 1 3 4 176 2 5 6 176 7 ) ; Colours [int]

'("CENTER" nil nil "HIDDEN" nil nil "PHANTOM" "PHANTOM" nil nil ) ; LineType [str]

'( "018" "018" "018" "015" "009" "040" nil "018" nil nil ) ; LineWeight [str] 0.18 = "018"

'( T T T T T T nil T T T )) ; Plottable (T or nil)

 

(setvar "CMDECHO" cm)

(princ))

[Lee Mac]

Looks to me like you are missing the first bracket...

[otil]

Hi Mac lee, We really thanks for you Kindness to response,

Thanks God do layers is working now, But it would be great if there an options to work in batch drawings. anyway thank you very very much, Do not be tired to helping me!!

[Lee Mac]

Hi Mac lee, We really thanks for you Kindness to response,

Thanks God do layers is working now, But it would be great if there an options to work in batch drawings. anyway thank you very very much, Do not be tired to helping me!!

 

Not a problem

 

You could call it using a Script -

 

Something like:

 

open "C:/Users/Lee Mac/Documents/Drawing1.dwg" (c:DoLayers) save close
open ...

[DVDM]

Hi Mac lee, We really thanks for you Kindness to response,

Thanks God do layers is working now, But it would be great if there an options to work in batch drawings. anyway thank you very very much, Do not be tired to helping me!!

 

Otil, look into a program called Multi Batch: http://www.multi-batch.com/

 

Makes batch processing autocad files easy.

[otil]

I try to do it but error appear like Invalid filename

[Lee Mac]

I try to do it but error appear like Invalid filename

 

I updated my post above, I think I was wrong to use double backslashes.

[otil]

open "C:/Users/Lee Mac/My Documents/SC-27-A3J-0-00211-0002.dwg" (c:DoLayers) save close

open ...

 

I tried again to test this this scr to one drawing (see above script) error message :

" cannot find the specified drawing file.

Please verify that the file name exists"

 

What was the problem on that script.

P

[Lee Mac]

open "C:/Users/Lee Mac/My Documents/SC-27-A3J-0-00211-0002.dwg" (c:DoLayers) save close
open ...

 

What was the problem on that script.

 

Well, take a look at the filepath you are using, and you tell me :wink:

[tarnoki]

I solved this by creating a template dwg file with all the layers I needed. Then I turned on/off the layers I want for final viewing as a layer state and exported it to a file. Then I ran the Multi-Batch software invoking the ootb 'Insert LayerState' routine. Worked great. The routine inserted layers not originally in my files and turned them on/off in each drawing.