Binding Layers to Drawing Tools

Useful shortcuts, tips and techniques
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Andrew
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Binding Layers to Drawing Tools

Post by Andrew »

One of the cool features of the Drawing Manager is the option to bind a layer to a specific drawing tool, so that selecting that tool automatically activates its layer. This allows an effortless organization of the project into layers as you just draw.

For example, say you want to add dimensions to a plan: You select the Dimensions tool and set the appropriate method. Next you have to remember to switch the current layer, or the dimensions will end up being on “Layout” or some other totally unrelated layer. So you open the layers menu and choose the “Dimensions” layer. No big deal, huh? Well, try doing it a hundred times a day. That is where “Bind Layers” enters: with that option on, each time you activate the Dimensions tool, the “Dimensions” layer (or whatever layer you set) will activate as well.

Here’s how:
<ol type="1">
<li> Open the Drawing Manager under the Organize menu. </li>
<li> On the lower hand-side, click the “Bind layers to drawing tools” checkbox. The second column of the layers table is enabled.
Image</li>
<li> Select the layer you want to bind and click on the corresponding square icon on the left. The menu lists all the drawing tools and two items, “No default tool” and “All other tools”. The first removes the binding between that layer and any drawing tool; the second sets that layer as the default, “home” layer that is activated when you select a tool with no associated layer.</li>
<li> Select the tool you want to bind to that layer.
Image</li>
<li>That’s it. Repeat with any layers you want to bind and close the Drawing Manager window.</li>
</ol>
Now, to complete our example, each time you select the Dimensions tool,
Image
the “Dimensions” layer is automatically set for you.
Image

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