Chapter 25: Using Layers, Line Fonts, and Colors ......................................................................
FIGURE 25.1The Layers dialog box and the Layer toolbar
You can assign layers in one of three ways:l Select existing items, and then select a layer from the drop-down list on the Layer toolbar.l (^) Set the active layer and create new items.
l While creating items such as sketch entities and annotations, select the layer for the new
entity directly from the PropertyManager.
To set a layer to the active layer, double-click it from the Layers dialog box, as shown in Figure
25.1, or change it from the drop-down list on the Layer toolbar. When you assign an active layer,
other newly created entities are also placed on the layer, not just sketch entities. Symbols, annotations,
blocks, and other elements can also be put onto layers. If you are not particular about the layering
scheme on a drawing, then it may be advisable to set the active layer to None, which is a valid
option in the Layer toolbar drop-down list.
When you create a new layer in SolidWorks, the new layer becomes the active layer, and any new
items that are added are automatically placed on that layer.
Another option when building a sheet format, or any other drawing function that requires sketching,
is to use a special layer for construction geometry. This enables you to hide the layer when it is not
being used, but it still maintains its relations. Hidden layers can be used in several other ways (for
example, as standard notes on the drawing) and they can be easily turned on or off.