AutoCAD 2008 Layer Isolate Settings Tip by Michael Beall

The Layer Isolate feature has been around since at least the Bonus collection back in R14. In AutoCAD 2008 they kick it up a notch by adding a Settings feature whereby you can opt to either turn Off the layers you don’t select to isolate, or Lock them … which kicks in the new A2008 Fade control feature.

Here’s the new prompt sequence with a running commentary…

LAYISO

Current setting: Hide layers, Viewports=Off

In the past, any layer not selected to isolate was, by default, turned Off.

Select objects on the layer(s) to be isolated or [Settings]: S

Enter S to launch Settings.

Enter setting for layers not isolated [Off/Lock and fade] <Off>: L

You now have the option of Lock and fade; enter L for that option.

Enter fade value (0-90) <60>: [Enter]

The default of the fade percentage is 60% which should be just fine.

In the figures, the furniture and text were selected to isolate, resulting in the building features to be faded. A lock icon indicates the locked layer when the cursor rolls across a locked layer.

Thank you for sharing Michael!
Check out Michael's website for more great tips and tricks and resources.
http://autocadtrainerguy.com/

 

If you have a tip you want to share with other readers of this Between the Lines blog, please email them to me. BY the way this tip also applies to the soon to be released AutoCAD 2009.

-Shaan

Comments

[Chris]

Nifty feature, I never knew about it.

You should also mention that there is a further option pertaining specifically to paperspace viewports, whether you want to VPFreeze or turn off the layers. Before seeing this everytime I tried to LAYISO in a viewport I would get a useless viewport in return.

I guess it could be useful if you use LAYISO to set up the viewport, select the layers you want and freeze the rest. I never quite know what layers I want, and which I want to freeze. I guess its building up or cutting down. I also guess I'm rambling by now.

[ASKAR]

AUTO CAD 2006 - WHERE IS LAYER ISOLATE TOOL
PLS SHOW THIS

[Jose Guia]

An awesome tip and a new CAD-related site I haven't seen before, .. thanks for sharing Shaan!

I also kicked this post over at:
http://cadkicks.com/adkautocad/AutoCAD_2008_Layer_Isolate_Settings_Tip