Save, Restore, and Edit Layer States (Concept)

Create and Modify Objects > Control the Properties of Objects > Work with Layers > Work with Layer States >

Save, Restore, and Edit Layer States

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Concept

Procedure

Quick Reference

You can save the current layer settings to a layer state, make changes to the layer state, and restore them to the drawing later.

You can save the current layer settings in a drawing as a named layer state and restore them later. Saving layer settings is convenient if you need to return to particular settings for all layers during different stages in completing a drawing or for plotting.

Save Layer Settings

Layer settings include layer states, such as on or locked, and layer properties, such as color or linetype. In a named layer state, you can choose which layer states and layer properties you want to restore later. For example, you can choose to restore only the Frozen/Thawed setting of the layers in a drawing, ignoring all other settings. When you restore that named layer state, all settings remain as they are currently set except whether each layer is frozen or thawed.

Save Layer Property Override Settings

When layers contain viewport property overrides, those settings are saved to a layer state when the viewport that contains overrides is active.

If the layer state is saved from model space, any layer property override settings are not included. This is because only one value can be saved for each layer property in a layer state. If layer property overrides need to be saved in the layer state, make the viewport active on the layout tab and then save the layer state.

Restore Layer Settings

When you restore a layer state, the layer settings (layer states and layer properties) that were specified when the layer state was saved are restored. You can specify specific settings to restore in the Layer States Manager. The layer property settings that are not selected remain unchanged in the drawing.

If the drawing contains layers that were added since a layer state was saved, you can add those layers. By editing the layer state and using the Select Layers to Add to Layer State dialog box you can select the layers you want to add to the layer state.

NoteTo be notified when new layers are added to the drawing, use the LAYEREVAL and LAYERNOTIFY system variables.

When restoring layer states, the following additional behaviors can occur

When restoring a layer state, the layer that was current when the layer state was saved is made current. If that layer no longer exists, the current layer does not change.
If a layout viewport is active when a layer state is restored, and the Visibility in Current VP restore option is selected, all layers that need to be visible in the viewport are turned on and thawed in model space. All layers that should not be visible in the viewport are set to VP Freeze in the current viewport and the model space visibility is unchanged.

The Layers panel on the RIBBON contains controls for selecting and restoring saved layer states, including a button to access the Layer States Manager. The name of the last restored layer state is displayed in the Layers panel. When the layers are modified so that the current layer state is no longer current, “Unsaved Layer State” is displayed instead of the name of the last restored layer state.

Restore Property Override Settings

When the Apply Properties as Viewport Overrides restore option is selected in the Layer States Manager, viewport overrides are restored to the viewport that is current at the time the layer state is restored.

When a layer state is saved in model space and is restored in paper space,

You can choose whether color, linetype, lineweight, or plot style properties are restored as viewport overrides.
Viewport overrides are applied to the current layout viewport.
Layers that were turned off or frozen in model space are set to VP Freeze in the Layer Properties Manager for the active layout viewport.

When a layer state is saved in paper space and is restored in model space,

Layer property overrides are restored as global layer properties in model space.
Layers that were frozen in a layout viewport are also frozen in model space.

Edit Saved Layer Settings

Using the Edit Layer State dialog box, you can modify the properties of each layer saved in a layer state.

All properties other than the layer name can be edited. Properties for multiple layers can be changed at the same time.

You can also add layers to a layer state through the Select Layers to Add to Layer State dialog box. For example, if new layers were added since the layer state was saved, you can add them and resave the layer state. To delete layers, use the Delete button in the Edit Layer State dialog box.

Layer States in Xrefs

When a drawing containing layer states is inserted in the host drawing, the xref layer states are displayed in the Layer States Manager. The layer states are listed by name and can be viewed in the Edit Layer State dialog box.

When an xref containing layer states is attached to the host drawing, those layer states are also listed in the Layer States Manager. Although they can be restored, they cannot be edited. Xref layer states are identifiable because the layer state name is preceded by the xref drawing’s name and separated by a double underscore symbol. (Example: Xref Name__Layer State Name.) When the xref is bound to the host drawing, layer states are identifiable by $0$ that displays between the xref name and layer state name. (Example: Xref Name$0$Layer State Name.)

Layer states from nested xrefs are also included. Layer states from xrefs are removed from the host drawing when the xref is detached or unloaded.