Layers to classes

[johnharley]

Is there an easy way to convert layers into clasess? Also, I'd like to keep all other settings ther same (color, lines, scale, etc.)

[CipesDesign]

Not exactly sure _why_ you want to, but... Make sure Layer Visibility is set to Active Only; Select All; Go the OIP and change the class assignment. Now all of the objects in that layer are assigned to the new class, however, they still MUST reside on a layer. FWIW, I think that Layers & Classes are most powerful when combined. For example, I might have three different floor plan layers, or different levels of a building. On each of these layers, just like in real life, I might have a bunch of electrical outlets, a bunch of plumbing fixtures, a bunch of structural (framing) members. All of thise items can be "classed" thereby allowing me to use the same VP's for each different type of plan (eg electrical, structural, etc.) with their only differences being which classes are visible (or not).

To answer your second question, within a class definition you can (but are not req'd to) use colors, line weights, etc. as part of the class definition. Just make sure the "use at creation" checkbox is off if you wish the items created (or placed) into a particular class to retain their own graphic properties rather than an overriding set of class-defined graphic properties.

Hope that made sense. It's late, but this is an important topic :-)

Edited May 28, 2006 by CipesDesign

[Benson Shaw]

Here is one way, if what you want to do is convert all the objects in an existing layer to a new class. It amounts to selecting all the objects in a specific layer and changing their class designation to a new class without changing their colors or other attributes:

1. Create a new class, and click the edit button for that new class. In the edit pane be sure that the box for "use at creation" is not checked (if this box is checked, the colors and other attributes of objects you convert will change to the class attributes shown in the edit pane at the time of conversion.)

2. If the layer you want to convert is not the active layer, change your layer options so that it is the active layer.

3. Change layer view option to "active only".

4. Select all the objects in the active layer.

5. Change the class designation in the Object Info Palette (OIP) to your new class.

Now all the objects in the active layer are the same class, but they retain their colors and other attributes.

You could convert a layer full of objects to an existing class, but first edit the class to be sure that the "Use at Creation" box is unchecked.

Unfortunately, if you want to disperse the objects in this new class to several different layers, you will need to select the objects and change their layer designation in the OIP.

Hope this is what you were after.

-B

[CipesDesign]

Benson, ROFL! I guess great great minds DO think alike :-)

[matto]

My first first thought was:-

1) export to DWG with layers as layers.

2) import DWG with layers as classes.

but Bensons method sounds better.