How can I pick and choose individual classes to display on some design layers but not others?

[anixo]

So I have multiple design layers for stage 1 and stage 2 of a project (with the same baseplan).

 

I am using classes to turn off/on reveal the objects needed for stage 1 and stage 2 in design layers separately.

 

I am a newbie and I figured this is possible but I am struggling to figure this out.

 

Details below:

 

I have 3 Design layers

 

Design layer 1 shows the baseplan and shows no classes.

(Even though all classes are set to visible) this is good, this is what I want.

 

Design layer 2 shows:

The baseplan

My "stage 1 classes" 

and none of the "stage 2 classes"

(Again, all classes are set to visible)

This is ok this is what I want...

 

But Design layer 3 for some reason, shows ALL of the "stage 1 classes" AS WELL AS the "stage 2 classes"

(Again, all classes visible)

 

I'm wondering why I am able to assign certain classes to the first two design layers, but the third Design layer I cannot seem to turn off some classes without losing them on another Design layer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2023 by anixo

[anixo]

after trial and error.. I can see that when I have a design layer active. Any changes to the classes made in that layer are specific to that layer is this correct?

 

 

 

And so each design layer I go into, I need to edit the classes separately, even if I want to show the same information as other layer classes?

 

 

 

 

[Pat Stanford]

Either use a Saved View to allow you to easily return to a given set of Layer and Class Visibilities or use Viewports on a Sheet Layer for a similar purpose for output.

[michaelk]

Classes and Design Layers are independent.

 

It might help to think of it like this:

 

Design layers are like stackable sheets of mylar in the old days of drafting.  You can change the stacking order of them and that will determine what stacks on top of what.

Classes are used to control visibility of objects AND graphic attributes.  Classes are in alphabetical order.  The order cannot be changed.  They have nothing to do with stacking.

 

So in a typical architectural project you might have separate design layers for the first floor, any roof that covers only the first floor, the second floor, the second floor roof, etc.

 

But you might have a plumbing class that controls the visibility of all the plumbing fixtures as well as the line weight, line color, fill color.

 

The short hand advice is usually:  Use a design layer for where it is.  Use a class for what it is.

 

Check out the university for some examples.   https://university.vectorworks.net

 

 

 

[line-weight]

8 hours ago, anixo said:

Design layer 1 shows the baseplan and shows no classes.

(Even though all classes are set to visible) this is good, this is what I want.

 

First, you have to explain what you mean when you say a layer "shows" no classes. Otherwise your question doesn't make any sense.

 

A design layer in itself doesn't have any control over whether classes are "shown".

 

You say design layer 1 "shows" the baseplan. Presumably that means that the objects that make up the baseplan are located on that design layer. And those objects are all in a class, because every object has to be in a class.

 

So I don't understand what you mean by "shows no classes".

 

Something to check is that you are not getting confused between sheet layers and design layers. A sheet layer can contain a viewport, and then that viewport can control which design layers and/or classes it shows.

 

 

 

 

[Amanda McDermott]

Layers and classes are one of the best things about Vectorworks - but can be confusing when coming from other software. What other software calls Layers, Vectorworks call Classes! Vectorworks Layers are a different thing; thinking of them as overlays of tracing paper, or stories of a building, can be helpful. The 'design layer' space is what you might call 'model space' in other software, and 'sheet layers' are 'paper space'. Saved views are very helpful, and different viewports (windows onto the model space from paper space) can each have their own selection of classes and layers showing. 

 

Do some background reading and look at some of the 'fundamentals' tutorials to understand how things are organised, before you get stuck in. Have a play with setting up a few layers and classes, use the object info palette to assign objects to different ones. Use class attributes.

 

 

[Tom W.]

Another thing to be aware of is your Class + Layer Options (View menu, document context menu or Navigation Palette). If you have Layer Options set to 'Active Only' you will only see the objects on the currently active layer regardless of whether you have that layer set to visible or not. The same applies to classes if you have the Class Options set to 'Active Only'. Generally you want your Layer Options set to 'Show/Snap Others' + your Class Options set to 'Show/Snap/Modify Others'.