File Structure Dialog

The file structure dialog consists of the cell tree  and the layer list. The cell tree lists all cells (= symbols, blocks) in the loaded drawing, and represents their hierarchical relationship. The layer list shows the layers containing the currently enabled drawing objects. If you have a large number of layers, you should define a layer map.

Cell Tree

The image at the right shows a typical cell tree.
A drawing "Drawing.DXF" has been loaded, represented by the folder icon .
Its main drawing area appears just below, after the paper icon . Drawings without cells only contain these two entries in the cell tree.

If the drawing contains cells, they appear after the cell icon under the parent cell which references them. Note that the example also contains a single cell "CELL_2 (#6)", which is not referenced at all, and hence does not appear under the main drawing area.

Cells are enabled/disabled for export by clicking on the bulb icon:

• bulb on: cell is enabled for export.

• bulb off: cell is disabled for export (and its layers do not appear in the layer list).

• bulb half off: cell is enabled, but contains one or more sub-cells that are disabled.

If you want to export a sub-cell only, rather than the entire drawing, or if you want to switch the main drawing area to one of the unreferenced cells, left-click on cell icon , which will consequently change to the paper icon . If you have LinkCAD View, the viewer will update its display to reflect this change.

Layer List

The appearance of the layer list changes depending on the import and export file formats. It always contains a bulb icon to enable / disable a layer for export. Export layer attributes (name, number, color) can be modified. If two layers have the same name or number, they are effectively merged.

Layer Map

A layer map (aka "technology file") defines how layer names/numbers in the imported file appear in the exported file. For each layer, the map file defines:

• the name / number of the layer in the exported file;

• the layer color (optional);

• if the layer is enabled or disabled (optional);

• the layer comment (optional)

Layer maps can be created and modified in LinkCAD using the built-in editor.

• To open the editor, click on its icon below the layer list ().

• To apply a layer map, first load the map by clicking on the folder icon (); then click on the "Apply" button.

Layer maps are saved as .CSV ("Comma Separated Values") files. You can open and edit these files in any .CSV compatible program, such as Microsoft® Excel. The columns contain the following data: input layer, output layer, comment, color, enabled. The color is stored in HTML style: #rrggbb, where rr/gg/bb are the three color components expressed as hexadecimal. Alternatively, common color names, such as "Red" or "Green", are also accepted. If a layer is enabled, then the value must be "on"; otherwise "off". An empty field means that the corresponding attribute is not modified.