I'm very new to Land F/X and still in my trial period. I'm trying to figure out how to just change the color used on a layer you use in your blocks globally (i.e. when I open a file it will already be changed and I don't have to load a layer state or, batchman, or whatever manual adjustment). Specifically, in your tree blocks you use a layer called LK-TREE-050M. This is set to the color Green or #3. This is a color that is used by a lot of other people, so if I want it to be a bold line of 0.50m like you have it set to, if the Architect has a lot of layers colored Green #3, they will all also be 0.50m thick. I would rather change the default color of this layer LK-TREE-050M to something like #84 which I've noticed a lot of people don't use in their day to day colors. If I get the random file with this color used, I can change that one file but by and large I usually do not have to do this. Is there some easy way to just change the color of LK-TREE-050M from #3 to #84 so that any drawing I open, (new or already set up as a test) will just use the #84 color?
I've looked down the list of layers in the Preferences/Layers list and LK-TREE-050M isn't listed. So that's a no go. In fact, I've found that a lot of the layers you use aren't listed here making it difficult to adjust so far everything that I've been trying to adjust "easily". For example, shrub areas are supposed to use LP-SHAR-BRDR which is listed in that list. However, when you go to place a shrub area, it instead goes to LP-SHAR-BRDR-CONT which is NOT listed on that list. Frustrating.
Brannan,
In the General Preferences, right under the list of layers that we use, is a button titled Block Layers. That is where you would set color Green to instead be 84. Note it will occur when first inserting a block with such a layer, so you’ll need to purge out any trees you have already placed before testing.
—J
Okay so the having to reinsert the block was what I was missing. Good tip there.
The problem I have with this is I don’t necessarily want to make ALL layers using green #3 use #84. I just want this one layer to be #84 instead of green. I know I can manually change it each time I start a new file, but that’s not going to work for every one in my office (especially not my 73 year old father). I am looking for a way to make these changes permanent to my company preferences file. Or at least change the coded file that has this setting laid out this way. It has to be set somewhere?
The setting is only going to affect Land F/X blocks. Of those, anything on a layer green was intended to be plotted at 0.5mm thick. So it should be okay? I’m just missing why you want it to apply to only trees.
I want it to apply to all plants on the landscape plan so they actually stand out from the rest of the lines on the plan. I actually intend to change all of the plant block lines to 84 and 94 so I have control of how they look. On the landscape plan those lines will be a bit bolder, while on the irrigation plan they would be scaled back to 50% so they just barely show up behind the irrigation lines. At the same time I do not want any other lines on the plan affected by these line weights. I have a ctb file that has all colors turned to black (b&w plotter so if I use the LFX.ctb, colors like yellow don’t print right). Then I only need to control these 2 colors to get everything looking perfect. Makes things really simple especially since every single Architect I work with has different standards for their files, so you never know what I’m going to have to fix before I can even start working. Need to keep things as easy as possible to move things along.
I think I actually found what I might be looking to do. As the more I try to figure out, the more it seems I need to change all of the blocks themselves. I found this article on Batchman
I think that will fix my issue in the blocks themselves. But I might be missing a step. How do I have it load that saved .GCL file every time I start CAD and LandFX by default? Ran the changes to all the plant blocks I think but they still look the same in my files. Do I again have to delete the old ones and reinsert them? Oh now that I think out loud about it, I guess I have to purge those layers from the test project because they are already set to green huh. This just seems way more complicated than it has to be for an “easily customizable” program lol.
You're close, but this is the better doc for where you are:
https://www.landfx.com/docs/admin/office-standards-general/land-f-x-layers/item/148-line.html
You will, as I stated, go into the Block Layers setting from Preferences, and change our default colors to better fit your CTB. So yes, all instances of Green (again, *only in Land F/X blocks*), will get changed to color 84, or whatever you specify. This is saved with the Preferences, so you don't ever have to worry about it.
For the irrigation plan, you will be xref'ing the planting plan into the irrigation plan, so screening back the landscape colors will be done via layer overrides.
As for working with Architects and others with differing standards, we have a tool to convert between different layer color profiles:
https://www.landfx.com/docs/item/170-change-line-color.html
--J
So because of this thread, I got a call from Land F/X specialist Jake Lott offering assistance (something in 20 years Autodesk has NEVER done). So a HUGE thumbs up to the quality of the support for Land F/X. He walked me though my mistakes which mainly boiled down to thinking that making adjustments would magically make things already existing in the plan change (something I should know better considering we are still in AutoCAD's environment). He also pointed out those Viewport transparency options and other such useful tips in the process. So I think I am finally on the right path here without having to make major changes to the existing system and how it functions.
Really appreciate the info you've provided Jeremiah, so thanks for that. I'm not sure I understand the whole LFXPens.DWG part but it looks like I don't have to even worry about that now that I'm understanding how to properly set those "Block Layers" options (i.e. make sure to say NO when it asks you if you want to update the current drawing... which YES also changes all the architect's colors in the process). So I think I'll be able to achieve the look I'm going for simply now without going further.
Yes that adjustment for just the current file of layer colors to get the Architects files in line easily will also be super helpful. Thanks again!
Ah... so I still have a little hiccup which I'm not understanding. The Shrub Areas isn't taking the color change as I draw them. The layer LP-SHAR-BRDR-CONT is set to color 123, so I've set up the Block Layers window for 123 to change to my 84 like I want. I started a new drawing with nothing in it just to be sure, but when I draw a polyline and place a shrub area onto it... it still draws it with the 123 color instead of 84. What am I missing here?
Layer colors do not get converted by the Block Layers settings.
So if you'd prefer that layer to be 84, then simply change it to 84.
The only thing affected by the Block Layers conversion, is layers within blocks.
--J
And the fog lifts... Block Layers... this isn't a block. Gotcha ;)
Okay so just need to change the base layer LP-SHAR-BRDR in that list above the Block Layers button then. Change it from its 123 color over to 84 and I'm good to go.
Simple, but just a different way of thinking about it. Taking a minute to get used to, but getting there. Next stop... Irrigation (dun dun duuunnnn...)
Thanks again!
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