"Layer" Groups to Hide/Unhide?
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Is there a simple method of grouping Layers to be able to toggle them on/off. Such as all the Layers related in a construction to the Roof which may be multiple Layers that can Hide/Unhide. They could be "Grouped" for that convenience but is there another easier method to achieve the same result so you can still work on the individual Layers without having to "Ungroup" the major grouping each time. Thanks
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No. There are layer management plugins you might try. I would put all the roof components or groups on the "roof" layer.
But it's hard to answer your question because it is confusing. You don't have to ungroup anything in order to work on it. You simply "edit" the group and you can edit nested groups as well. What layer it is on has nothing to do with working on parts of the model inside different groups.
What are you trying to achieve and what happens when you try to do that?
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Naming your layers logically will group the layers by sorting the list in alphanumeric order - in the layer-dialog.
Here I'll use an approximation of the AIA convention - there is a less intuitive EU/UK one !
So e.g. ROOF, ROOF-STRU, ROOF-SUBS, ROOF-TILE, ROOF-TRIM...
Always model edges and faces on Layer0.
Make a group of the whole roof assembly [i.e. its sub-parts] and assign layer ROOF to it.
Switching that layer ON/OFF will control the visibility of the whole roof assembly.
Now Edit the roof-group [hopefully the sub-parts will be groups or component-instances], now assign layers to those parts as appropriate - here I assume the roof's STRUcture, SUBStructure, TILEs and TRIM are to be separated.
Now with the ROOF layer ON you can still control the visibility of the sub-parts - so for example to work on the roof's main STRUcture, you simply switch OFF the other sub-layers.For a very very simple model house think of it as a set of nested groups, say:
1, 2, ROOF, SITE, SUBStructue etc...So the floor 'first' will be assembled onto layer '1' - in US, or 'ground' as '0' in EU/UK] will be sub-layered as:
1-SLAB, 1-FLOoR, 1=COLumnS, 1-BEAMs, 1-WALLs [perhaps subdivided as 1-WALL-INTernaL, 1-WALL-EXTernaL], 1-CEILing, 1-LINinG, 1-DOORs, 1-WINDows, 1-TRIM, 1-STaiRS, 1-STaiRS-handRAIL, 1-SERVices, 1-FITTings. 1-FIXTures, 1-SANItaryware, 1-FURNiture, 1-TEXT, 1-DIMS, 1-GRID, 1-LINEs, 1-SECTions, etc etc... you are the designer - you choose...
Logical naming gives logical lists that keep sub-parts together for ease of control.Of course using Scene-Tabs set up also named logically, and with the appropriate ON layers will help immensely...
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@tig said:
Always model edges and faces on Layer0.
I wish that could be fixed, it's counter-intuitive when working on layers.
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That's why I wrote this...
http://sketchucation.com/pluginstore?pln=TIG_LayerWatcher
It ensures all edges/faces get assigned Layer0 [irrespective of the current-layer ! ] - even those resulting from Exploding a Group/Component-instance that itself has another Layer.
It also warns you if you try and change the current-layer away from Layer0 - you can still do it, but you were at least warned ! -
Thanks for the replies. I do have a naming system to keep the Layers in a logical order, I guess I am looking for a way to reduce the amount of actions needed to turn specific Layers On/Off. Some very good ideas have been presented which I'll now try. Interestingly I normally bypass Layer 0 completely & start my Layers as Layer 1 etc. Is there an advantage in utilizing Layer 0?
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Thanks TIG, Just read your reply after I had posted, re Layer 0. I leave Layer 0 as is, I had misinterpreted the "Always model edges and faces on Layer0" comment.
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@juju said:
@tig said:
Always model edges and faces on Layer0.
I wish that could be fixed, it's counter-intuitive when working on layers.
What do you mean by "fixing" it?
It would be nice if the option to make other layers active could be locked out. And I think it would be a good thing if when components or groups are getting exploded to raw geometry, that the geometry would automatically go to Layer 0.
fortunately we have TIG.
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All basic geometry - i.e. edges and faces - should always be made / be on Layer0.
Always leave Layer0 as the current-layer.
Make 'containers' - Groups or Component-Instance - to separate your geometry [these can also include other nested containers...] and then assign other layers to those 'containers'.
That way you can control the visibility of parts without going insane...Naming your Layers logically keeps them together in the Layer-dialog and allows you to switch off all or sub-parts of these containers within each master collection...
Layers in SketchUp do NOT work like CAD.
They are used to control the visibility of 'containers'.
They do NOT separate geometry - so never assign a layer to a face and give its edges on another layer - it's a sure fired recipe for disaster - switch off the face's layer and erase an edge - switch on the face's layer and it's gone because the edge it relied on has been deleted...
If you really want to hide a face... leave it on Layer0, group it and assign the group to another Layer and switch that off...
PS: As Dave R posted, as I was typing this - it'd be sensible for the Layer setting' defaults to be set up as he says - but until that happens [and it might never!], there is my LayerWatcher Plugin to help you... -
Thanks TIG, That has worked a treat! As I already had a Layer naming system in place creating a Group then editing that group & assigning was a simple solution. Cheers
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It sounds like you got the idea now.
I thought I would suggest the plug in "layers Panel" as an added tool to help organize your layers.
I tend to be very selective in the add ons I use because I am essentially lazy and do not want to learn how to do to many more things, bot this one has been worth the effort.
I often make many scenes with many 3d trees and bushes that I need to control visibility and this is a very handy tool for that.
paul
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