Using Layer Isolate in Civil 3D 2009

Here is a little tip that I'd like to pass your way...

Did you know that in 2008 the Layer ISOLATE command (originally the Express Layer Isolate command) was not only incorporated into AutoCAD®, but was also enhanced to give us a couple of options to control its behavior and what it did or did not display on screen? Well, it did and below are shown a couple of ways, in AutoCAD® Civil 3D® 2009, where you can adjust those settings to your choosing.

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Whether you select the command from Layers Ribbon Panel (like I have), the Layers II toolbar, the Format > Layer Tools, or typed LAYISO on the command line (yes, i too type many of my commands... but i needed a pretty picture), you can enter "S" for settings and then select O for Off or L for Lock and fade.

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Another way is to select the Settings button in the Layer Properties Manager, which can be found in the upper right corner of the manager and will display the Layer Settings dialog box where the Isolate Layer Settings that can be modified to your liking.

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Note: in the 2009, the Layer Properties Manager is modeless which means that it can remain open (floating or docked) and can be set to Auto-hide like other palettes found in AutoCAD.

My guess is that by now you are saying to yourself... Doug, why should I even care about what is set in the Layer Isolate settings. Well, you should care if you are trying to select "Drawing Objects" or "Contours", for example, as C3D surface data. If your Layer Isolate settings are set to "Lock and fade", then C3D won't add the data to the surface Definition. If you set the setting to "Off", then the data will be added to the surface and you will see the fruit of your labor.

Now don't get me wrong, I like the look and feel of the "Lock and fade"; however, that nice look and feel doesn't help me out when I am trying to add certain data types to my surface.

If you're already in the know about this because of another Blog or you've found it on your own, then back to work (just kidding, there is nothing wrong with nice mental break know and then). If this is new to you, then...

Object Layers

Today I want to present to you a nice feature that might help you organize your drawing. Or at least the Layers and Objects in it. Actually I learnt this quite recently myself - don't tell anyone...

What I mean is that you have the possibility to choose that C3D creates a specific Layer for each Object you create.
Here I will present how you can put Alignments on different Layers (The same proceedure applies for most other C3D Objects as well)

In the following picture I have an Alignment called "Centerline1" (See ToolTip and Toolspace in picture). As it is selected on screen you see that it is put on a Layer called "ALIGNMENTS".


If you go to the Settings tab in the Toolspace, rightclick on the Drawing name, you can select "Edit Drawing Settings".


You will find a Dialog with some tabs - select the one called "Object Layers".
For the row "Alignments" the default Layer for creation is set to "ALIGNMENTS". (See picture below)


If you change the column "Modifier" to use a "Suffix" and in the "Value" column you enter a space and then an * you will have your Alignments created on their own Layers.


As you can see below the next created Alignment called "Centerline2" got created on the Layer "ALIGNMENTS Centerline2" (See Layer Toolbar in picture)


As you will see this might be useful to separate different Surface TIN's etc.
This shows yet another way of the flexibility in Civil 3D.