Unwanted layers & Layer (Mgr.) states from other drawings

[Cad Monkey 2]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but I can't find it...

 

I am continually irked by layers and layer states being mysteriously brought into a file from other files. I especially hate it when it happens to my Template files.

 

I assume it happens when I copy-paste an object from another file. I usually go out of my way to put objects on the 0 layer before I do that to avoid the problem, but I'm not sure that even always works. I'm sure that layers have been brought in that weren't even associated with the object that I brought in, and I have no idea why the layer manager layer states would be brought in.

 

Is there a setting to prevent that? Why would the AutoCAD developers have the program set up so that bringing garbage along with objects is seemingly the default?

 

Thanks for any help

[Cad Monkey 2]

Help, anyone?

[SLW210]

Check out _LAYEREVAL, _LAYEREVALCTL and _LAYERNOTIFY system variables.

[BlackBox]

Layers and Layer States are not brought in automatically in the OOTB deployment. While copying entities would bring associated layers with them, you've stated that you take care to set them to "0" (zero) layer prior... never mind that entities will not bring the Layer States.

 

They (the problem Layers and Layer States) either already exist in your template (DWT), or they're being brought in with a custom routine (LISP/VBA/ARX/.NET).

[rkmcswain]

AFAIK - this behavior stopped back around the 2006 version.

I just tried to duplicate what you are saying here in 2011 and I do not get an extra layers or layer states brought over.

 

After you run the COPYCLIP command (to copy objects to the clipboard), open Windows Explorer, navigate to the %temp% directory and sort by descending date.

You should see a file with a name something like this: A$C095170F5.DWG (this is the objects you copied).

Open this drawing and see if the extra layers and/or layer states are present.

This will tell you if they are being exported by the COPYCLIP command.

[CyberAngel]

This same thing happens to me every so often. I can open a drawing that was purged when I last closed it (it's a habit), so it shouldn't have any extra layers or text styles. I paste something from another drawing into this one. There shouldn't be anything extraneous at that point, but I can run Purge again and get rid of a layer or a style or both. It doesn't happen all the time, but it happens often enough to be annoying.

 

And yes, I've made a point of tracking the purges. It's not a case of forgetting to purge. Sometimes it happens immediately after a purge, a close, and a reopen.

 

Just a guess, McSwain--that clipboard drawing name is the block name you'd get if you used Paste As Block. Huh. Is there any type of garbage collection for those?

[Cad Monkey 2]

I'll check out those settings listed by SLW210 ... Just want to do a little research about what they do before I go changing them.

I agree with CyberAngel, that it seems to happen just sometimes and very randomly as far as I can tell.

[bjenk8100]

this is something ive wondered for awhile but just dealt with it. I use other peoples (arch) drawings and take their details and add our components. They usually set the entire drawing as a block to lower file size I guess so I explode the drawing. Now, I can copy the detail i want. Then I go to one of my templates and past it in MS. All their layers come over which is fine because I didnt change any layer states. Then I usually highlight the entire detail and go to layer drop down and choose default. Everything changes to default. I then go and try to delete the layers the detail came with and it says its in use. I usually just ignore them and make my layers capital letters so i can find them. Is there a better way or should I just keep what Im doing. Im kinda use to it by now.

[Dipali]

You can use 'laymrg' command to merge those extra layers into whichever layer you like.

[Fastdraft]

I use a command called "laytrans" or go to tools/CAD standards/Layer Translator and I translate the layer i don't want anymore to layer "0" (because you can never get ride of 0). This works for me every time. Hope that helps!