Lesson 18 | Changing Object Properties
This lesson describes what object properties are and how to change the properties of objects in a drawing. Every object that you create in a drawing has associated properties. For example, a line has an associated color, layer, linetype, and length as shown in the following Quick Properties panel.
It is very common practice to change the properties of objects as you work on a drawing. One way to access and change some object properties is to select the object and use the Layers and Property panels on the ribbon to change the Layer or override the color, linetype or lineweight. Another method to change object properties is with the Properties palette which provides a number of options depending on the items selected.
The following illustration shows the object properties of a selected circle as displayed in the Properties palette.
After completing this lesson, you will be able to describe the various properties of objects, identify the current settings, and assign and change object properties for existing objects in the drawing.
Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to:
- Describe what object properties are and explain how they are used.
- Describe the use and effect of the ByLayer property.
- Change object properties.
About Object Properties
The most common object properties include Layer, Color, Linetype, and Lineweight. In most instances, an object's color, linetype, and lineweight are determined by the layer on which it was drawn. When you create new objects, you should make sure that the object properties settings in the layers that you create produce the desired results.
However, you may view, override, or change some object properties from the settings in the Layers and Properties panels. These options are limited to Layer, Color, Linetype, and Lineweight.
In the Properties palette, shown below, you can access a more complete list of object properties that you may view or change. The list of properties that is displayed depends on the type of object or variety of objects that you select.
Object Properties - Line
Definition of Object Properties
Object properties control how an object looks, both on screen and in print. The following image shows objects with specific Linetype, Lineweight, and Color properties.
Example of Object Properties
It is common practice in 2D drafting to represent a feature or surface that is obscured by another with a hidden linetype. The hidden line indicates that the feature exists behind the current visible surface. Another common practice is to use colors to distinguish between objects in complex drawings and assigning different colors to different object types.
In the following image, the object lines are shown with the Continuous linetype and a unique color. The section line is shown with the Phantom linetype and unique color. The hole centerlines are shown with the Centerline linetype and a unique color. The hidden edge lines are shown with the Hidden linetype and a unique color. More than likely, the information in this drawing is organized into layers which determine the color and linetype of these objects. However, at a glance, it would be impossible to know precisely how the object properties have been assigned without further investigation.
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Object lines shown as Continuous linetype. |
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Hole centerlines shown as Center linetype. |
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Hidden edge lines shown as Hidden linetype. |
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Section line shown as Phantom linetype. |
ByLayer Property
The Properties panel in the Home tab of the ribbon displays the current property settings for objects that you create in a drawing. The default settings are ByLayer which means that the object properties are determined by the layer. By default, all objects use the ByLayer setting for color, linetype, and lineweight.
The following image shows the default ByLayer settings on the object Properties panel.
Definition of the ByLayer Property Setting
The ByLayer property setting is assigned to objects and specifies its color, linetype, lineweight, and plot style. This special property setting is the equivalent to using a specific color such as red or a specific linetype such as Hidden. When property types are set to ByLayer, the object assumes the property setting that is defined in the object's layer. If you change the property in the layer, all objects with the ByLayer setting update accordingly.
The ByLayer setting not only enables consistency across objects on the same layer, it also ensures that all objects update accordingly if you change the layer's color, linetype, or lineweight properties.
Tip
You should only override an object's color, linetype, or lineweight property to something other than ByLayer when absolutely necessary. When you look at a drawing that contains objects of the same colors and linetypes, the natural inclination is to assume those objects are on the same layers.
Example of Changing Object Properties from the ByLayer Default
It is common drafting practice to place certain object types on their own layers. For example, all centerlines would be on the same layer, all object lines on their own layer, and so forth. By following this structure, you can readily control the display of all your objects both on screen and in print.
In the following image, the object lines, centerlines, and hidden lines all have their properties set to ByLayer.
If you change the lineweight of the layer of the object lines, all of the objects on that layer change to reflect the layer setting. This change is shown in the following image.
Changing Object Properties
One way to change the properties of objects is to use the controls in the Layers and Properties on the ribbon. By selecting the object or objects, you can view properties and make changes simply by selecting the desired options from the lists.
To turn the Layers or Properties panels on, right-click on the Home tab and click Panels. Then select Layers and Properties from the list.
Layers Panel - Layer Control List
The following image shows the Layers panel. With an object selected, you can view and modify the layer associated with that object.
Properties Panel - Select a Linetype
The following image shows the Properties panel with the linetype list selected. Using this panel, you can view and modify an object's color, linetype, and lineweight.
Show/Hide Lineweight
The Show/Hide Lineweight option on the status bar controls the visibility of lineweights in the drawing.
Click to turn this feature on or off. Right-click and select Settings to adjust the display scale.
Procedure: Changing an Object's Layer Property
The following steps give an overview of how to change an object's layer property using the Layer Control list in the Layers panel.
- Select one or more objects in your drawing that need to be moved to a different layer.
- On the Home tab, click Layers panel > Layer Control list. Select the layer where you want to move the objects.
- Press ESC to clear your selection.
Procedure: Changing an Object's Color Property
The following steps describe how to change an object's color by selecting a color from the list on the Properties panel.
- Select one or more objects in your drawing that need to have their color changed.
- On the ribbon, click Home tab > Properties panel > Object Color. Select the desired color from the list.
- Press ESC to deselect the objects.
Procedure: Changing an Object's Linetype Property
The following steps describe how to change an object's linetype by selecting the list of linetypes from the Properties panel. You can load desired linetypes that are not in the list by selecting Other.
- Select one or more objects in your drawing that need to have their linetype changed.
- On the ribbon, click Home tab > Properties panel > Linetype. Select the desired linetype from the list.
- Press ESC to deselect the object.
Procedure: Changing an Object's Lineweight Property
The following steps describe how to change an object's lineweight by using the lineweight list the Properties panel.
- Select one or more objects in your drawing that need to have their lineweight changed.
- On the ribbon, click Home tab > Properties panel > Lineweight. Select the desired lineweight from the list.
- Press ESC to deselect the object.
Change Properties Guidelines
- Make sure that you display the Layers and Properties panels. If they are not visible, right-click in the Home tab of the ribbon to turn them on.
- Be sure the command line is blank, then use the window or crossing selection to quickly select one or more objects to view or change their properties.
- If you select the wrong object, just press SHIFT and select it again to remove it from the selection set.
- When you select more than one object with different properties, the field in the property option will be blank. This is because only one property can be listed at a time.
- You can select more than one object and choose a property that you want to assign to all of the objects selected.
- Object properties should be determined by the layer (ByLayer) whenever possible.
- Linetypes not shown in the list can be loaded into the drawing.
- Be sure the Lineweight display option is on in the status bar and adjust the lineweight display in the Settings dialog box.
Object Selection
Remember to press ESC after you complete each change and before you select more objects. This prevents accidental changes to the properties of previously selected objects.