The H-Factor

Reducing Entropy

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Using a Non-Standard Pipe Type in HydraCALC

A customer called today asking how to enter a 1″ black plastic underground pipe for the calc. This particular situation sounded unique enough that I did not tell him to add that pipe type to our database, as I would have if he expected to see this pipe type used repeatedly. I told him to…

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Using the Hydratec Software Download Area

Hydratec uses ShareFile to distribute our software installs and updates. New customers, or those without access, must request access to be able to get at these downloads. Access is only available to customers with a Hydratec subscription or those on an update plan. You can access the download area and request access by picking the…

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June 2007
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Shadowy Things Lurk in Layer Locking

In AutoCAD 2008 Autodesk made a change in how they display drawing entities in layers that are locked. Entities in these locked layers show up as dimmed images compared to those entities in unlocked layers.

As always, there is an AutoCAD variable that can control the amount of dimming or turn it off entirely. The variable is: LAYLOCKFADECTL

From the AutoCAD Help file:

Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 50

Controls the dimming for objects on locked layers

The range for controlling the dimming for objects on locked layers is from
-90 to 90.

0

Locked layers are not dimmed.

>0

When the value is positive, controls the percent dimming up
to 90 percent.
<0

When the value is negative, locked layers are not dimmed,
but the value is saved for switching to that value by changing the
sign.
Note: The dimming value is limited
to 90 percent to avoid confusion with layers that are turned off or
frozen.

PS – The HydraCAD tools – Pick Lock and Pick Unlock (which are both found in HcadTool->Layers) are handy for locking and unlocking layers without knowing the layer names.

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2 responses to “Shadowy Things Lurk in Layer Locking”

  1. LarryH Avatar
    LarryH

    Art
    I like how the layers fade out if they are locked but noticed “isolate layers” also had the lurking shadows, this I did not like. Don’t know the variable but it can be controlled at the command prompt by entering “S” to change the settings and setting it to “Off” instead of “Lock and Fade”

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  2. Matt G Avatar
    Matt G

    The variable to turn layers off instead of freeze & lock is….
    layiso: Enter
    s: Enter
    off: Enter
    enter: Enter

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