Tutorial for Layers¶

If you are not familiar with the concept of layers, please read this first: Layer Concept

Create a Layer Definition¶

import ezdxf

doc = ezdxf.new(setup=True)  # setup required line types
msp = doc.modelspace()
doc.layers.new(name='MyLines', dxfattribs={'linetype': 'DASHED', 'color': 7})

The advantage of assigning a linetype and a color to a layer is that entities on this layer can inherit this properties by using 'BYLAYER' as linetype string and 256 as color, both values are default values for new entities so you can leave off these assignments:

msp.add_line((0, 0), (10, 0), dxfattribs={'layer': 'MyLines'})

The new created line will be drawn with color 7 and linetype 'DASHED'.

Changing Layer State¶

Get the layer definition object:

my_lines = doc.layers.get('MyLines')

Check the state of the layer:

my_lines.is_off()  # True if layer is off
my_lines.is_on()   # True if layer is on
my_lines.is_locked()  # True if layer is locked
layer_name = my_lines.dxf.name  # get the layer name

Change the state of the layer:

# switch layer off, entities at this layer will not shown in CAD applications/viewers
my_lines.off()

# lock layer, entities at this layer are not editable in CAD applications
my_lines.lock()

Get/set default color of a layer by property Layer.color, because the DXF attribute Layer.dxf.color is misused for switching the layer on and off, layer is off if the color value is negative.

Changing the default layer values:

my_lines.dxf.linetype = 'DOTTED'
my_lines.color = 13  # preserves on/off state of layer

Check Available Layers¶

The layers object supports some standard Python protocols:

# iteration
for layer in doc.layers:
    if layer.dxf.name != '0':
        layer.off()  # switch all layers off except layer '0'

# check for existing layer definition
if 'MyLines' in doc.layers:
    layer = doc.layers.get('MyLines')

layer_count = len(doc.layers) # total count of layer definitions

Deleting a Layer¶

Delete a layer definition:

doc.layers.remove('MyLines')

This just deletes the layer definition, all DXF entities with the DXF attribute layer set to 'MyLines' are still there, but if they inherit color and/or linetype from the layer definition they will be drawn now with linetype 'Continuous' and color 1.