Lost in Layerville !!

[heinz_ketchup]

Ok, one problem that I have encountered with layers (my own fault) is that I beleive sometime in my design process, I foget to switch things back to the default layer, then when I go to hide something, something else gets associated or included and it turns into a mess.

EXAMPLE - simplified (yes im hungry at the moment)

Ok, assume in the project you have a cheeseburger

Default Layer
Layer 1 = Bottom Bun
Layer 2 = Burger
Layer 3 = Cheese
Layer 4 = Lettuce
Layer 5 = Tomato
Layer 6 = Top Bun

You start designing the project with Layer 1 and then move onwards to Layer 6
So I draw out the bottom bun, make it a component, then create a layer, do the same for burger, etc. then all the way to Layer 6

Now, assume you originaly drew american cheese in layer 3 and want to go and edit the component. Somewhere along this step is when I made the error of not being in teh default layer. So just as an example, say I was working in Layer 6 finishing up the burger, then I edited the cheese, layer 3. When I toggle visisbility on Layer 6 from on to off, it would hide the cheese (layer 3).

Even when i go back to the component and make sure cheese is layer 3, it still does it.

Is this a glitch?
What I have had to do is delete the layer, delete the component, then start from scratch as in redrawing the cheese.

Any ideas?

thanks

[tomsdesk]

Draw everything on Layer 0...everything! Put only components, groups, etc. on other layers as needed for visibility or workability. Now you are always drawing on the default layer as you edit within the groups or components.

And remember: this is one of the places the programers think they are smarter than the users (another is that damn pencil as the default tool)...or so I was told on the beta forum when I requested a change: when you explode a group or component, the pieces within are automatically changed to the layer the exploded whole was on.

[Gaieus]

Heinz,

TIG has written a script for exactly your problem: http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=153&t=7638
It will put all geometry on the default layer (as Tom suggested above) while keeping the component and group definitions on the layers you assigned them.

And Tom, you're right the geometry remains on the layer where the group/component definition was. I didn't even notice this behaviour! And I agree with you. It should stay where it was originally (or at least on the active layer).

[Wo3Dan]

@tomsdesk said:

Draw everything on Layer 0...everything! Put only components, groups, etc. on other layers as needed for visibility or workability. Now you are always drawing on the default layer as you edit within the groups or components.

And remember: this is one of the places the programers think they are smarter than the users (another is that damn pencil as the default tool)...or so I was told on the beta forum when I requested a change: when you explode a group or component, the pieces within are automatically changed to the layer the exploded whole was on.

Tom, I couldn’t agree more with you, about individual entities (lines, faces etc.) inheriting the associated layer of the exploded group or component. It is completely contradictory to what SU “preaches”:

Important note: Groups and components are also entities, and, just like with individual entities, you control their layer properties in the Entity Info dialog box. To try to keep things clear, this article refers to individual entities (things like edges and faces) versus groups and components. To try to make things even clearer, since groups and components behave the same with respect to layers, only groups are mentioned from now on in this article. Finally, the idea of drawing individual entities on Layer 0 and leaving them there is so important that this article doesn't even address the option of associating other layers with individual entities. If you want to experiment with that, you'll need to take along your own search and rescue team!
%(#FF8040)[…..
Additional notes about layers:]
• Be happy! Always draw your entities on Layer 0 and leave them there. (Did we say that already?)
• …….

I wonder what purpose this feature may serve?

The whole layer story:
http://sketchup.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=38572

[TIG]

@gaieus said:

Heinz,

TIG has written a script for exactly your problem: http://www.sketchucation.com/forums/scf/viewtopic.php?f=153&t=7638
It will put all geometry on the default layer (as Tom suggested above) while keeping the component and group definitions on the layers you assigned them.

And Tom, you're right the geometry remains on the layer where the group/component definition was. I didn't even notice this behaviour! And I agree with you. It should stay where it was originally (or at least on the active layer).

Thanks Gai' - you beat me to it...

Must've been an 'idea' waiting for a 'use'...

Always model on Layer0 and puts Groups and Component Instances on the layers you want to separate them visually... B_U_T if you haven't... don't panic. Use my script to move stuff around so it's 'right'.....................

[VLADIMIRZM]

you need putonlayer.rb and layerchange.rb plugins.
groups+components+putonlayer+layerchange = perfect control layers.