Topic: Why so many layers?

[Lin-Z]

What happens in ones cubie....stays in ones cubie 

Unless you take a webcam, hide it in some foliage overlooking your neighbors pen.. um I mean workarea... and send it out across the intra-net....  but I'm just mean that way

[PHX cadie]

Uh -oh 

(People don't really do that, do they?)

[Dent Cermak]

You want copies of the prints they have been showing around your office? 

[hyposmurf]

I've pften thought of asking them to send through some kind of documenttaion detailing their layering convention for that particular project.Weve had some drawings recently that just consisit of numbered layers.You think youve sussed the numbnering system then find a whole bunch of entities that dont fit anywhere.When you have an incrredibly complex drawing with hundreds of dirferent items crossing each other it can take hours almost days just to sort their drawings out.Doesnt ADT create automatic laying systems to,thats why youll end up with an over abundance of layers in certain drawings.

[PHX cadie]

Dent:
No thanks, have Xerox's from the last office party  (I'm ole fashion, not up to the digital age yet)
Back to our regularly scheduled progam.....

[CAB]

I like layers for he reasons Tim gave & some of my own.
http://www.theswamp.org/forum/index.php?topic=2932.msg36845#msg36845

I do see drawings where there is a x-ref with nested x-refs which is confusing if it's not your system.
In my case I find it easier to keep every thing in the drawing except for generic details which I x-ref.

[kentium3k]

There are many reasons to use layers for different types of objects, systems, etc.  As long as the names make sense and the user had a valid reason for placing things on different layers then I can handle that.  When I get drawings from outside vendors and they have coded layers (like 5-A1-004) then I have a problem moving those drawings into my master drawings.  If they are using some type of AIA type naming convention (I am talking about drawings dealing with buildings) then it is easy to understand what is what.

When I am making my own drawings and adding piping systems then I will use a layer for each system because at some point I will  be taking each system and moving it into its existing master drawing.  So if I have the nitrogen piping on the same layer as oxygen, HF acid, etc. it makes it much harder to grab each system and move to their own drawings.

[craigr]

kentium3k -

When I am making my own drawings and adding piping systems then I will use a layer for each system because at some point I will  be taking each system and moving it into its existing master drawing.  So if I have the nitrogen piping on the same layer as oxygen, HF acid, etc. it makes it much harder to grab each system and move to their own drawings.

That make perfect sense to me. But, I am also somewhat annoyed with the previously mentioned layers with names make that no sense, other than to the one that created them.

Then there are the layers that you absolutely cannot purge. Even after exploding everything.

I also don't understand the common practive of having room names, room numbers & the box that surrounds them on 3 DIFFERENT layers. I cannot put these on one layer for my dwg, because if I explode them, they turn to text that says 'name' & 'number'. - I understand what these are, but don't understand why they need to be on different layers.

Uh oh, I'm starting to rant, and that was NOT my intent by posting this question.

Honestly, I was only curious about why so many layers.

I am VERY greatful for any floor plans that I get from others, and tell them each time they send them to me.

Thanks for all of the responses, this has been educational and somewhat entertaining.

craigr

[PHX cadie]

I was going to take partial credit for entertaining portion till the "somewhat" sunk in 
I'll try harder 

[craigr]

We've had some drawings recently that just consisit of numbered layers.You think youve cussed the numbnering system then find a whole bunch of entities that dont fit anywhere.

I have just gotten a dwg with NUMBERED layers! It's horrible to try to make sense of it. Some of the dwgs have also been 'resized' so that 3' doors are actually 3" in the dwg. - I don't understand why someone would 'scale' a dwg. Why not leave it at it's actual size? 

Oh well, it's better than not getting any floor plans at all.

(I'm sure someone could pick apart my dwgs also)

craigr

[CADaver]

I have just gotten a dwg with NUMBERED layers! It's horrible to try to make sense of it. Some of the dwgs have also been 'resized' so that 3' doors are actually 3" in the dwg. - I don't understand why someone would 'scale' a dwg. Why not leave it at it's actual size? 

Betcha it's a converted Microstation drawing that the supplier didn't know how to convert properly.