2.1Layer management: creating layers, colors, line types & lineweights
The layers are the backbone of any professional drawing. Like stacked transparent sheets, they organize the drawing by element type: walls, dimensions, text, furniture, electrical networks… Each layer carries properties — color, line type (continuous, dashed…), lineweight — which determine the appearance and, when printing, the final look of the plan.
The Layer Properties Manager lets you create, name and above all control visibility: turn on/off, freeze (to lighten the display), lock (to prevent modifications). An organization into standardized layers (often following a company standard or a sectoral norm) is what distinguishes an amateur drawing from a professional one: readable, editable and consistent. It is an absolute fundamental.
Section vocabulary
- Layer
- « Transparent sheet » grouping objects of the same nature (walls, dimensions, text…) with shared properties.
- Layer properties
- Color, line type (continuous, dashed…) and lineweight assigned to the layer, inherited by its objects.
- Layer Properties Manager
- Window to create, name and manage all the layers and their states.
- Freeze / Turn off / Lock
- Freeze: hides and lightens the display. Turn off: hides. Lock: keeps visible but not editable.
- Current layer
- The layer on which new objects are created. To be set before drawing.
Where should colors, line types and lineweights be defined?
In practice — Structuring a drawing with layers
- Open the Layer Properties Manager and create a few standardized layers (e.g. WALLS, DIMENSION, TEXT, FURNITURE) with distinct colors and line types.
- Set a current layer, draw, then move objects to the right layer.
- Test visibility: freeze/turn off a layer to lighten the display, lock one to protect it.
- Assign each layer a consistent lineweight (it will control printing, level 3).
Key points to remember
- Layers organize the drawing by nature (walls, dimensions, text…).
- Each layer carries a color, line type and lineweight.
- Freeze (lightens the display), turn off (hides), lock (protects).
- Standardized layers distinguish a professional drawing from an amateur one.
Frequently asked questions
Should colors be set on objects or on layers?
On the layers, almost always: keep objects set to « ByLayer » (DuCalque) for their color, line type and lineweight. That way, changing a layer property updates all its objects at once, and the drawing stays consistent. Assigning colors directly to objects (« forced ») makes the drawing unmanageable. Golden rule: everything ByLayer, you control through the layers.
What is the difference between freezing and turning off a layer?
Both hide the layer, but freezing also excludes it from regeneration and display calculations: it is more efficient on large drawings and hides the layer in viewports. Turning off simply hides it, but it remains « calculated ». To really lighten a large drawing, freeze; to hide temporarily, turn off. Locking, meanwhile, keeps the layer visible but prevents any modification.