Description

The ObLaWrite command saves the Object Layer settings in the current drawing to an XML file that may later be read using the ObLaRead command.

Usage

Type ObLaWrite at the command line, then browse to the XML file you wish to load.

This command is designed to create an XML file that may later be reloaded by the ObLaRead command. The XML file contains an entry for each Object Layer setting. Each entry looks something like the following:

<Alignment>
  <LayerName>VZA</LayerName>
  <Locked>false</Locked>
  <Modifier>Suffix</Modifier>
  <ModifierValue>-*</ModifierValue>
</Alignment>

You may hand-edit this XML file in any text editor, although care should be exercised when doing so. An error in the XML file will cause it to fail to load.

Object Layer Accessibility

Unfortunately, in the 2008 and 2009 versions of Civil 3D, not all of the Object Layer settings are available via the API. This routine will import as many of the Object Layer settings as possible, but some settings cannot be accessed.

Settings that cannot be imported in the 2008 and 2009 versions:

• Match Line
• Material Section
• Pipe and Structure Table
• Section View Quantity Takeoff Table
• View Frame
• Any Object Layer setting that ends in "-Labeling"

Compatibility of the XML files between versions

Note that the format of the XML file has changed slightly for the 2010 version, and the 2010 version will not be able to read XML files created by the 2008 and 2009 versions (and vice-versa) without editing the XML file first.

This issue is caused by the fact that the possible values for the "Modifier" has changed. In the 2010 version, the Modifier can be one of the following:

• None
• Suffix
• Prefix

However, in the 2008 and 2009 versions, the Modifier can be one of the following:

• aeccObjectLayerModifierNone
• aeccObjectLayerModifierSuffix
• aeccObjectLayerModifierPrefix

If you wish to read an old-style XML file into C3D 2010, it is possible to use a "search and replace" function in any text editor to edit an XML file, and fix the file so that it uses the proper values for the Modifier. It should then be possible to read the file using the ObLaRead command.

See Also

GenLabelLayer

Changes the current Object Layer settings for General Note and General Segment Labels to match an object selected on-screen.

LabLay

Quick-set dialog for Drawing Scale, General Line/Curve Label layer, and General Note Label layer.

ObLaRead

Read Object Layer Settings from an XML file.