Exercise 3: Use Display Layers to Assign Object Properties

Exercise 2: Import the SDF layers

Lesson 4: Importing SDF Files as DWG Layers

Styling, Splitting, and Using Joined Data with Polygon Features

 

AutoCAD Map 3D Tutorials > Tutorial: Managing Data From Different Sources > Lesson 4: Importing SDF Files as DWG Layers > 

Exercise 3: Use Display Layers to Assign Object Properties

You can create display layers for each drawing layer in your new drawing. In addition, you can create separate display layers for each waterline size. By displaying a single display layer at a time, you can select the various sets of objects and assign the proper colors to them.

To use display layers to assign object properties

1. Create a display layer for the Parcels layer.
   • In Display Manager, click Data Add Drawing Data Query Current Drawing.
   • In the Define Query Of Current Drawing dialog box, click Property.
   • In the Property Condition dialog box, select Layer and set the Value equal to Parcels.
   • Click OK to close each dialog box.
   • In Display Manager, select the default display layer name (Current Drawing Element) and change it to Parcels.
2. Repeat the procedures in step 1 to create a display layer for Roads.

   Select the Roads layer and name the display layer Roads.

3. Repeat the procedures in step 1 to create a display layer for Waterlines.

   Select the Waterlines layer and name the display layer Waterlines.

4. Create a new display layer for waterlines whose Size property is set to Large.
   • In Display Manager, click Data Add Drawing Data Query Current Drawing.
   • In the Define Query Of Current Drawing dialog box, click Data.
   • In the Data Condition dialog box, select Object Data.
   • For Tables, select Waterlines.
   • Select Size.
   • For Value, enter Large.
   • Click OK to close each dialog box.
   • In Display Manager, select the default display layer name (Current Drawing Element) and change it to Large.
5. Repeat step 4 for the remaining sizes (Medium and Small).
6. Change the color of the Large waterline objects.
   • Turn off all the display layers except for Large.

     To turn off a display layer, clear its check box.

   • Click View menu Extents.
   • Drag a selection box around all the objects that are displayed.
   • Right-click one of the selected objects and click Properties.
   • In the Properties window, change the Color from ByLayer to Red.
   • Press Esc to deselect the objects.
7. Repeat step 6 for the Medium and Small layers, making Medium objects green and Small objects blue.
8. Turn on all the display elements to see the results.

   While AutoCAD users will not be able to see the display layers (because AutoCAD doesn’t have Display Manager), the layer and object properties are stored with the AutoCAD layers and objects and will be visible.