Topic: Layer Isolate

[Chris]

We recently started using C3D, and over the course of a few projects, we've started to notice a few issues that aren't serious ones, just kind of like, it would be nice if we could do this type issues.  One of those issues is the ability to isolate a layer.  currently if we use the layer isolate command, it treats a c3d entity as though that is all it is. If a corridor is on layer ZC3D, and we want to isolate the slope stake line (daylight feature line), using the layiso command results in a blank screen, the ZC3D layer is on, but the slopestake line, because it is on layer Prop Slope Stake doesnt show up.  Has anyone come up with a method for actually determining the nested layer name and allowing a user to isolate that particular layer?  I know you can switch your settings to use lock and fade, and it gets you close.  I'd just like to be able to do it with layer off.

Thanks,

[alanjt]

You'll soon learn the usefulness of the Isolate/Hide objects commands.

[Chris]

is there a quick way to isolate/hide all objects that are not of a particular layer?  Perhaps its time for me to dig into VLISP and make one if there isnt.

[mjfarrell]

Select similar, select similar...to build your selection set.

Then Hide or Isolate Objects as required.

Is the Independant On Off control set in your Drawing Settings?

[Chris]

its set to on, but it doesnt seem to behave the way I believe that it should.  I would think that with it on, if I Isolate contour annotations, that should be what I see, not a blank screen (until I manually turn back on the annotation layer)

[mjfarrell]

It will behave the way you expect it to when you change your code set that the corridor and assemblies are using so that the various display components are on their own layers.

Currently your code set style has them inheriting the parent object layer.  "C-ROAD-CORR" or similar.

[BuckoAk]

its set to on, but it doesnt seem to behave the way I believe that it should.  I would think that with it on, if I Isolate contour annotations, that should be what I see, not a blank screen (until I manually turn back on the annotation layer)

Are you using the standard LAYISO to isolate your layers?

If So....Try the ISOLATEOBJECTS & UNISOLATEOBJECTS, this is also in your Right Click Menu. 
Use this in-conjunction with Select Similar

[mjfarrell]

its set to on, but it doesnt seem to behave the way I believe that it should.  I would think that with it on, if I Isolate contour annotations, that should be what I see, not a blank screen (until I manually turn back on the annotation layer)

Are you using the standard LAYISO to isolate your layers?

If So....Try the ISOLATEOBJECTS & UNISOLATEOBJECTS, this is also in your Right Click Menu. 
Use this in-conjunction with Select Similar

See above:

Select similar, select similar...to build your selection set.

Then Hide or Isolate Objects as required.

Is the Independant On Off control set in your Drawing Settings?

The actual commands in the Right-Click menu are Isolate Selected Objects
witch issues:

_AecIsolateObjects 1 found

Command: ISOLATEOBJECTS
1 found

Right-Click menu are End Isolation
witch issues:

Command: _AecUnIsolateObjects
Command: UNISOLATEOBJECTS

At issue here is that Contours are a Display component of the Surface object, as is the Daylight Line (slope Stake line) a display component of the corridor object.

However to take advantage of that the display components will need to be assigned their own layer within thier style(s) to take advantage of the Imediate and Independant Layer On Off controls, set within the drawing settings.

[Mark]

Select similar, select similar...to build your selection set.

Then Hide or Isolate Objects as required.

Cool! I like learning something new.

[mjfarrell]

Select similar, select similar...to build your selection set.

Then Hide or Isolate Objects as required.

Cool! I like learning something new.

So when are we scheduling your class?   

[Chris]

However to take advantage of that the display components will need to be assigned their own layer within thier style(s) to take advantage of the Imediate and Independant Layer On Off controls, set within the drawing settings.

Still doesnt seem to work at all when using the standard layiso command.   The overall group name is the layer that gets isolated, not the display component, even if they have their own layer within the style.  I think what I need to do is write a new layer isolate lisp program that will isolate the layer of the individual component.

[mjfarrell]

We recently started using C3D, and over the course of a few projects, we've started to notice a few issues that aren't serious ones, just kind of like, it would be nice if we could do this type issues.  One of those issues is the ability to isolate a layer.  currently if we use the layer isolate command, it treats a c3d entity as though that is all it is. If a corridor is on layer ZC3D, and we want to isolate the slope stake line (daylight feature line), using the layiso command results in a blank screen, the ZC3D layer is on, but the slopestake line, because it is on layer Prop Slope Stake doesnt show up.  Has anyone come up with a method for actually determining the nested layer name and allowing a user to isolate that particular layer?  I know you can switch your settings to use lock and fade, and it gets you close.  I'd just like to be able to do it with layer off.

Thanks,

I think a better way to approach this is to ask:

What are you wanting to do with those slope stake feature lines from the corridor?

It's possible that you may not need to isolate any layers to do what you are attempting to do.

[Chris]

my answer I believe would be see them better.  Its just basically to shut everything else off and see the slope stake by itself to verify there are no anomalies.
I suppose by stating it that way problem solved:

Code: [Select]

(defun c:test (/)
(command "-layer" "off" "*" "on" "Prop Slope Stake,ZC3D" "")
)


[mjfarrell]

Optionally, one could EXTRACT them from the corridor for this visual inspection.
Otherwise it appears you have a solution.

[Chris]

would extracting them create a polyline that I could turn on linetype generation for?

[mjfarrell]

in a 'round the way fashion...YES

You may need to either perform an Export to Autocad operation, or Explode them.

[sinc]

Sounds like you're looking for this (third-party solution):

http://www.quuxsoft.com/SincpacC3D_Help/SP_LayerIsolate.htm

[caddcop]

I put together some VBA code after searching for some examples that access the Civil 3D objects.
(I' m too much of a noob when it comes to lisp or vlisp.)
Anyway, it reads the object and in my case, I was looking for the surface items - contour layers, etc.  And if it finds a surface object, it gets its style and then from the style, it bores down to read the layers used in the style.
So far, that's as far as I got - it opens a dialog box and shows that info and a bit more. My next step was going to be to add some buttons to allow layer commands based upon these values. I have not had time to work out the user interface or commands to follow.
The procedure is called List_Object
Remember, this is a work in progress.

[sinc]

Last I checked, it's still impossible to figure out which item the user selects.  You can try to make "guesses", based on the pick location, but then identifying the closest Surface element (Contour, TIN Triangle, Boundary, etc.) becomes very difficult.

That's why I haven't yet added that sort of functionality to the Sincpac-C3D SPLayIso command.  This sort of stuff becomes easier, though, as the C3D .NET API slowly improves.  (Still not sure we can do THIS, though....)