Creating and Applying a Layer Filter

Create a Layer Filter

Layer filters can contain a dynamic or a static list of layers.

• A dynamic layer filter is known as a property layer filter. It’s the most common of the two layer filter types, and it’s based on property settings. For example, you can create a property layer filter that displays only layers that are turn on and thawed.
• A static layer filter is known as a group filter. This is a simple list of layers that should be listed when the layer filter is current. For example, a group filter might list only those layers associated with the second floor of a building, with a machine tool fixture, or with topographic features.

The following steps explain how to define a property layer filter which displays the annotation related layers in the sample drawing based on the their current property values:

1. In AutoCAD, open the sample drawing A-01.dwg located in the %ProgramFiles%\Autodesk\AutoCAD <release>\Sample\Sheet Sets\Architectural folder.
   Note: Substitute <release> in the folder path with 2018 if you are using AutoCAD 2018 or the release number of the AutoCAD release you are using.
2. On the ribbon, click Home tab  Layers panel  Layer Properties.  Find
3. On the Layer Properties Manager, Filters pane, click New Property Filter.
   
   
   If the Filters pane isn’t displayed, right-click in the Layers list area and choose Show Filter Tree.
4. In the Layer Filter Properties dialog box, Filter Name text box, type Annotation or a meaningful name for the new layer filter.
5. In the Filter Definition grid, specify the property values shown in the following image, or those that relate to your drawing, to control which layers to list when the layer filter is applied.
   
   
   Only the layers whose properties match all the property values specified in each row of the Filter Definition grid are included in the resulting layer list when the layer filter is applied. For example, the first row of the Filter Definition grid in the previous image specifies that all layers
   • whose name starts with TB_Text, and
   • are turned On, and
   • are Thawed will be included in the layer filter.
   The resulting layers from both of the filter definitions in the previous image are combined to generate the list of all layers to be shown when the layer filter is applied.
6. Click OK to define the new layer filter.

Apply a Layer Filter

Multiple layer filters can be saved in a drawing, but only one layer filter can be applied at a time.

1. On the ribbon, click Home tab  Layers panel  Layer Properties.  Find
2. On the Layer Properties Manager, Filters pane, select the layer filter to set current.
3. On the ribbon, click Home tab  Layers panel, Layers drop-down list.
   Only the layers that match the layer filter should be displayed, if not perform the following:
   • On the Layer Properties Manager, in the upper-right corner, click the Settings button.
     
   • In the Layer Settings dialog box, under Dialog Settings, check Apply Layer Filter to Layer Toolbar.
   • Click OK and check the Layers drop-down list again.