Merging Layers

[martymcgee]

I often receive plots that have gone through several people working in VectorWorks and AutoCad. By the time I get them they may have as many as 150 layers. Is there any way to select several layers and merge them into one?

Thanks

[Guest]

Unfortunately, Mapping Classes and Layers is only available in Architect and Landmark.

Do you have Designer?

[Petri]

Simple. Layer options to modify others, select all, group.

[Petri]

On second thought: as this certainly is a problem for many who do not have Architect or Landmark, here are two scripts that enable more intelligent layer remapping.

 
PROCEDURE LayerMappingData; { ? Petri Sakkinen 1998 - 2007 }

VAR 
layerCount, counter, rowNo : INTEGER; 
layerName : STRING; 
theLayer, theWorksheet : HANDLE; 

BEGIN
layerCount := NUMLAYERS + 1;
theLayer := FLAYER;
theWorksheet := GETOBJECT('Layer mapping');
DELOBJECT(theWorksheet);
theWorksheet := CREATEWS('Layer mapping',layerCount, 2 );
SELECTSS(theWorksheet);
LOADCELL(1, 1, 'Layer name');
LOADCELL(1, 2, 'Mapped to');
FOR rowNo := 2 TO layerCount DO BEGIN 
	layerName := GETLNAME(theLayer);
	LOADCELL(rowNo, 1, layerName);
	theLayer := NEXTLAYER(theLayer);
END;
END;

RUN(LayerMappingData);

PROCEDURE RemapLayers; { ? Petri Sakkinen 1999 - 2007 } 
VAR 
n, i, rowCount, colCount : INTEGER; 
oldLayer, newLayer  : STRING; 
theWorksheet, theLayer : HANDLE; 
ok : BOOLEAN; 

PROCEDURE RemapLayer (h : HANDLE);
BEGIN
   ok := SETPARENT(h, theLayer); 
END;

BEGIN 
theWorksheet := GETOBJECT('Layer mapping');
SPRDSIZE(theWorksheet, rowCount, colCount);
SELECTSS(theWorksheet);
FOR n := 2 TO rowCount DO BEGIN  
	oldLayer := GETCELLSTR(theWorksheet, n, 1);
	newLayer := GETCELLSTR(theWorksheet, n, 2);
	IF NOT(newLayer='') THEN BEGIN 
		theLayer := GETLAYERBYNAME(newLayer); 
		FOREACHOBJECT(RemapLayer, L = oldLayer); 
	END;
END;
END;

RUN(RemapLayers);

So, first you run LayerMappingData, which creates a worksheet with all layer names.

Then for those layers you want to merge with another layer, type (or paste) the name of the new layer into column B of the worksheet.

Finally you run RemapLayers.

If you get data with the same setup frequently, import the worksheet into the new file and just run RemapLayers.

And what the heck, I'm in a generous mood. One more - this groups everything on each layer. It may be a wise thing to do before merging because you can (with some effort) get the contents of one layer extracted.

PROCEDURE Layers2groups;  { ? Petri Sakkinen 1995 - 2007 }
VAR 
theLayer : HANDLE; 
layerName : STRING; 
ok : BOOLEAN;
BEGIN
theLayer := FLAYER; 
ok  :=  YNDIALOG('This macro sets your layer options to active only');
IF ok THEN BEGIN 
	DOMENUTEXTBYNAME('Layer options', 1);
	WHILE NOT(theLayer = NIL) DO BEGIN;
		LayerName:=GETLNAME(theLayer);
		LAYER(LayerName);
		SELECTALL; 
		GROUP;
		theLayer := NEXTLAYER(theLayer); 
	END;		
END;
END;
RUN(Layers2groups);

[martymcgee]

Thanks so much.

I made it through this plot but as soon as this job is finished I'm going to work with these scripts.