Topic: find drawings containing layer

[ELOQUINTET]

on mdubs recommendation i have started a new topic. i am trying to run a script to turn on and make a layer non plot. the problem is i have tons of drawings with this layer that i don't have time to find. how can i search for drawings containing a given layer?

[David Bethel]

I can do via ZTree with just a regular text search on .dwg files.  The layer name needs to be a unquie non-ACAD term.  -David

[ELOQUINTET]

the layer is called z-barcode

[M-dub]

Dan, just out of curiosity, have you tried Discovery?  Search for z-barcode.

[ELOQUINTET]

yeah tried nuttin. speakin od discovery mdub i'm messin with it right now. there must be a way to open the autocad drawing from the preview screen but i can't seem to get it. i would get a dialogue box but then i unchecked always ask so now when i try to open it just keeps repeating a file download box and i have to completly close out explorer. tried several ways but no go

[M-dub]

Well, those will be hyperlinks to the dwf files that Discovery creates.  That's why I'm trying to find out how to convert hyperlinks to text in the Office Forum.  If we can do that, you could do a search for whatever it is, have it display the list instead of the previews, copy it into Excel and modify it into a script....if you wanted to, but at the very least, you could get your list that way......

[M-dub]

It would require some monkeying around with the program and the html to have it open up the actual file in Acad...unfortunately...I tried that long ago...

[Keith™]

It is really irrelevant if the drawing has the layer or not.

Do this ...

Compile a list of all of the drawings you want to "fix" this problem in (if it exists) ...

Use a simple lisp program to test for the existence of this layer, if it exists, turn it on and set it to not plot.

In your script that processes the drawings, simply run the lisp.

Of course I wouldn't bother with doing that unless you are either..
a) sending these out to be plotted
b) plot from a program other than AutoCAD

what I would do is....

In the acaddoc.lsp (on your computer as well as other users) add this:

Code: [Select]


(if (tblsearch "layer" "z-barcode")
 (command "-layer" "ON" "z-barcode" "Thaw" "z-barcode" "P" "N" "z-barcode")
)


You do not need to make it a function unless you want to and then on EVERY drawing you (or others) open it is done for you. No spending time searching for the drawings to "fix" .... noone has to build and run a script, wait for it to run etc... a simple housecleaning routine.
This will also reset it to not plot if a user changes the layer setting while editing.

[ELOQUINTET]

good idea keith but if i go mokeyin with others system files they start to shake. maybe some covert ops are in order good advice. it's mostly ok none it's all just part of my idiot proof brainstorming. whose the idiot for not thinking of all the possibilities....shhhh it's me

[M-dub]

Keith to the rescue again...

[ELOQUINTET]

ok did a search and found about 200 possible drawings containing layer. opened them in batches and with a little help the layer appeared and i saved it. so i would consider your idea a success keith thank you very much  

[M-dub]

[ELOQUINTET]

see you learn sumpthin new everyday mdub  

[ronjonp]

You also might want to look at ezscript pro for making the script files. Very easy to use, especially if you want to run a lisp in each drawing.

Ron

[ELOQUINTET]

ron where you been i was askin about ezscript. downloaded setup ran and nada how does that work?