How To Change Layer Color In Autocad

In this practise, you will open a drawing based on an Architectural template and use layers to assign properties to objects.

Make certain you have our free AutoCAD grade files downloaded prior to get-go the tutorial.

Exercise Preview

In AutoCAD, layers are used to divide and organize objects into different categories. Layers tin can be locked and hidden. Layers tin likewise be used to assign the line weight (width), line type, color, and transparency to the objects on the layers.

This do is referred to equally Property by Layer, and is usually the best manner to assign these backdrop to your objects. You can also assign properties to objects individually, referred to every bit Property by Object, which volition be covered later in this course.

Unlike other programs, layers in AutoCAD take zip to do with stacking lodge, and in a literal sense, they aren't really layers at all! Layers tin be created equally needed, but they are normally defined by Template files (.dwt). See a preview of what y'all'll be producing beneath:

Using Layers in a File

1. Open the file Layers-Architectural.dwg. This Drawing file is based on an Architectural template with layers advisable for architectural drafting.

ii. If you await in the Layer Panel or Toolbar, y'all will encounter that the layer indicated in the Layer Control is A-Walls. If no objects are selected, the layer shown in the Layer Control is the current layer. The current layer is the layer new objects will be created on, so it's very important to keep track of what the current layer is at all times. Note that all the objects in the drawing of the tool shed are the same color. This indicates that all the objects are on the same layer. Select any object in the drawing. You will see that the layer indicated in Layer Control is 0. If whatsoever objects are selected, the layer shown in the Layer Control is the layer those objects are on. If y'all select multiple objects on dissimilar layers, the field in Layer Control will be blank. Layers can be used to define properties of objects on those layers, specifically Line Weight, Line Type, and Line Color.

3. All of the objects in this drawing are currently on layer 0. Every AutoCAD .dwg and .dwt file has a layer named 0. Information technology cannot be named or deleted. Layer 0 is typically black, but many users will brand Layer 0 a unlike color so yous won't put anything on Layer 0 by mistake. You can alter what layer an object is on by selecting the object and irresolute the layer in Layer Command. Select the window on the tool shed. Aggrandize the Layer Control and alter the layer from 0 to layer A-Windows. You will see that the window will change color to lucifer the color of the layer. In most AutoCAD drawing, the primary purpose of color is to indicate what layers objects are on. When you print or export to a .pdf, you can utilize Plot Styles to make objects be colors that don't conform to the layers they are on, typically black. This volition be discussed later in this book.

4. Select the door and modify its layer to A-Doors. In one case again you will see its color will change to match the layer.

5. Select any of the shingles toward the center of the roof. The shingles are a Hatch, which is a pattern that can make full an area. Hatches volition be covered later in this book. Look in the Ribbon, you lot will see that the current Ribbon Tab is the Hatch Editor. Select the Home Tab then yous tin can admission the Layer Panel to movement the Hatch to the Hatch Layer.

6. Now all the objects left in the drawing are on Layer 0. Select any of those objects and and then Right–click. Choose Select Like from the Right–click menu to select all the objects on Layer 0.

vii. Select Elevations in the Layer Control to move all the objects to the Elevations layer.

eight. Line weight, or width of the line, is another property that can exist assigned to objects with layers. Click on the Customize push in the Condition Bar, and select LineWeight from the flyout menu, if it isn't already checked. The Lineweight button will appear in the Status Bar. The button controls whether or not line weights are visible on the screen. The line weights will always appear in the final print or .pdf file. Click the Lineweight button in the Status Bar so that it's highlighted. Yous volition see the varying line weights appear in the tool shed drawing. Note that the line weights as they announced on the screen exercise not necessarily represent how they volition appear on the terminal print because they are relative to your screen and not the final page size.

9. Layers tin also be locked or hidden. This is referred to as irresolute the Layer Country. Click on the D-Size Layout Tab. You volition see how the tool shed will appear printed on D-Size paper with a Title Block. Expand the Layer Control. Y'all volition see a snowflake on the Dimensions Layer. This means the layer is frozen and objects on it are subconscious. Click on the snowflake and it volition plow into a sun. This means the layer is thawed and you will exist able to see the dimensions on the layer.

NOTE: The screenshot above is the D-Size Layout with the Dimensions layer thawed.

x. Enter the PREVIEW control. A window will appear displaying what the final print will look like, equally shown in the D-size layout plot (print) preview below. Notation that all the objects are blackness, and not colors assigned by the layers. Zoom in to see the different thicknesses of the lines according to their line weights. Click on the X in the upper left of the Preview Window to shut it.