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CAD tip CAD tip # 11469:

   
Question CAD 
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Q - question

Why you should not use the DEFPOINTS layer to draw geometry?

A - answer In historical versions of AutoCAD, the system layer for automatic auxiliar dimension points - DEFPOINTS - have been used to draw construction geometry in DWGs. The default property of this layer was used in this -- as this layer is not plotted.

But such "misuse" of the DEFPOINTS layer is to be avoided. The standard "Plot" flag is now available at all user-defined layers - and - AutoCAD expects that the DEFPOINTS layer contains really only its own auxiliar dimensioning control points and it approaches the content of this layer in a special way. This may cause problems when such DWG file is processed later - especially by other users.

Compare e.g. the behaviour of object selection in the DEFPOPINTS layer when a standard layer is frozen and when the layer 0 is frozen - suddenly, the objects cannot be selected:

If you e.g. place a viewport object to the DEFPOINTS layer and freeze the layer 0, you won't be able anymore to set a fixed scale to that viewport.

The DEFPOINTS layer behaves in a similar way when you just switch off the layer 0. And when you add possible combinations with objects embedded in blocks, groups and paperspace, using the DEFPOINTS layer can be a source of unneccessary complications.

The DEFPOINTS layer also does not respect the point display style (PDMODE/PDSIZE).

The improper use is also indicated by AutoCAD's AUDIT command - if it locates any objects drawn in the DEFPOINTS layer, it moves them as an error to the logging layer $AUDIT-BAD-LAYER (making them plottable again, by the way).

So avoid drawing user objects to the DEFPOINTS layer. If you don't want to plot an object, put it in a layer with the "Plot" flag disabled.

ACADLT
100% *  CAD 
9.6.2017    19202×  
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applies to: AutoCAD · AutoCAD LT ·

See also:
Tip 12705:How to disable osnaps for xref objects?
Tip 9153:Arrowheads or other parts of dimensions are not printed.
Tip 9090:Why are suppressed table borders still displayed?
Tip 7565:Where from comes the layer $AUDIT-BAD-LAYER ?
Tip 6920:How to add a suffix or prefix to all layers.


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