What are layers?

Metaphorically speaking, a layer is not a transparency. Rather, it is an element’s attribute or property, which you assign to design elements belonging to a specific category (e.g. load-bearing walls, non-bearing walls). Think of a layer as an element color or a line type. Layers are not the equivalent of drawing files. Layers can be set so that they are visible or hidden.

Each drawing file contains at least the DEFAULT layer, which is always available to all users. Its status is always modifiable. You cannot assign format properties to the DEFAULT layer and elements cannot assume their format properties from the DEFAULT layer, either.

Allplan provides 65,535 (2^16) different layers. The numbers between 1 and 32,767 are reserved for Allplan layers. You can save your own layers to numbers between 32,768 and 65,535. The settings of the individual layers (short name, full name) are saved in a file.

Each layer has an internal number. The program uses these numbers to access the individual layers.