AutoCAD - Layer Isolate & Unisolate Function

By Dennis Collin

This very useful layer tool is very useful when working with AutoCAD drawings, provided of course layers are used correctly. It may prove useful to check the drawing using the Layerwalk command to ensure the drawing elements are on appropriate layers.

Details of which can be found here:

https://www.cadlinecommunity.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360001896218-AutoCAD-2020-Layer-Walk

The layer isolate tool provides a method of hiding or fading and locking any layers that you don’t wish to edit and keep the layers you do want to work on active. This is very useful when working on refurbishment or facilities management drawings, office moves etc.

The command is located under the layer’s dropdown panel. To use, simply click on the elements on layers you wish to work on. After selection the other layers with fade or disappear depending upon the chosen options.

Once your drawing edits are completed, the drawing can be restored by the command Layer unisolate which is located on the same panel. Alternatively, you could make use of the layer states feature.

If you would rather the layers disappear or control the fade amount these options can be set via a right click menu or clickable command line options. Once set the preferences are saved within the system registry and Isolate will perform consistently across multiple drawings.

Layer Isolate, Unisolate, Layer Walk and Layer Merge were originally part of AutoCAD’s Express tools, but were integrated into the main toolset of AutoCAD several years ago. They are also available in AutoCAD LT and are useful timesaving tools  for any Office using AutoCAD or AutoCAD LT.