Working with Layers

There are standard EPLAN layers that are always present and cannot be deleted. The layer names and descriptions of these standard layers are also write-protected. The layer names of the standard layers always begin with "EPLAN". For example, the layer for general symbol graphics is called EPLAN300. The other properties of the standard layers, such as color, line type, etc., can be configured on a project basis. You can also create your own layers and define their names and properties.

Note:

Prior to changing the layer management settings for a project, you should first export a configuration file. In this way you have saved the default settings and can restore them for those layers by importing them at a later date.

Preconditions:

You have opened a project.
You have opened the layer management: Project data > Layer management

Create layers

In the Layer management - <Project name> dialog, select the node (or a layer below the node) for which you want to create a layer, and click (New).

A new row is created in the table. The Layer field automatically has the default entry NEW_LAYER_1 assigned to it. The properties are taken from the marked layer. (If a node is selected, the properties of the first layer below the node are copied.) If you immediately create further layers, then these receive the names NEW_LAYER_2, NEW_LAYER_3 etc.
If desired, change the default layer name and the entry in the Description field. If you change the layer description, then EPLAN automatically sorts the layer into the appropriate node.
Note:
The special characters <>^"?:*|'`.=/ are not permitted in layer names.
In the table, determine the properties of the layer, such as color, line type, etc.
Confirm your entries.

The layer will be sorted into the tree structure based on the description given. Periods within the layer description are treated as substructure delimiters.

Delete layers

Note:

The layers used in a project, as well as the EPLAN default layers, cannot be deleted.

Select the desired layer(s) in the Layer management - <Project name> dialog, and click (Delete).
Confirm your entries.

Find layers

You can find all objects in the layer management that have a specific layer assigned in a project or one of its sections. This way you can, for example, find objects with user-defined layers, unassign these layers and delete the user-defined layers if they are not being used anymore.

Select the menu items Project data > Layer management.
In the Layer management - <Project name> dialog select the layer that you want to find. Multiple selection is not possible.
Select the project to be searched through in the page navigator. If you do not want to search the complete project, you can also restrict your search range. To do this, select, for example, a page, a layout space or multiple objects on a page or in a layout space.
In the Layer management - <Project name> dialog click (Find).

All objects to which the searched layer is assigned are displayed in the Search results - <Project name> dialog.

Subsequently you can, for example, open the property dialog of a found object with the popup menu item Properties and there change the assignment of the searched layers manually. Or click (change layer assignment) in the layer management and modify the assigned layers this way for one or more found objects.

Note:

The search only supplies a result if the same project was marked in the layer management and in the page navigator.

Change layer assignment

With the "Change layer assignment" functionality you can assign a different layer (target layer) to objects that have a specific layer (source layer) assigned.

Select the objects to which you want to assign a different layer. This can include objects in the search results list. You can also select individual pages / layout spaces or objects on pages / in layout spaces. This is, for example, relevant if you want to specifically replace all source layers on one page by a target layer.
In the Layer management - <Project name> dialog click (Change layer assignment).
In the Source layer field select the layer that is to be replaced.
In the Target layer field select the layer that is to be assigned to the selected objects.
Repeat Steps 1-4 if you want to change the layer assignment for other objects or source layers.

User defined source layers to which no object is assigned any more can then be deleted.

Rename layers

The name and description of each layer – with the exception of the EPLAN standard layers – may be changed at random. Duplicate layer names are not permitted.

Caution:

If you rename a layer with a name that already exists, then the two layers are combined into a single layer. The properties of the edited layer are lost.

In the Layer management - <Project name> dialog select the desired layer and change the layer name in the Layer field.
Confirm your entries.

All objects in the edited layer are transferred to the new layer, and the edited layer is deleted.

Export the layer management configuration

The export and import of layer configuration files (*.elc) allows you to save the layer configuration of the current project as a standard setting, to transfer this to another project or to make it available to another user.

In the Layer management - <Project name> dialog click (Export).

By default the current project name is preset as the name of the configuration file to be exported in the File name field.
If desired, change the target directory and the name of the file to be exported and click [Save].

Import the layer management configuration

In the Layer management - <Project name> dialog click (Import).
If necessary, navigate to the directory containing the desired configuration file (*.elc). Select the file and click [Open].

If the configuration file contains user-defined layers that are not present in the current project, these layers are created. User-defined layers that exist in both the configuration file and in the current project are reconfigured according to the settings in the configuration file.