Make a Layer Current

You are always drawing on the active layer. When you make a layer active, you create new objects on that layer. If you make a different layer active, any new objects you create is assigned that new active layer and uses its color and linetype. You cannot make a layer active if it is frozen.

To make a layer active, use the Clayer property of the Database object or the CLAYER system variable. For example:

Make a layer current through the database

This example sets a layer current through the Database object with the Clayer property.

VB.NET

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices

Imports Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices

<CommandMethod("SetLayerCurrent")> _

Public Sub SetLayerCurrent()

  '' Get the current document and database

  Dim acDoc As Document = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument

  Dim acCurDb As Database = acDoc.Database

  '' Start a transaction

  Using acTrans As Transaction = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction()

      '' Open the Layer table for read

      Dim acLyrTbl As LayerTable

      acLyrTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.LayerTableId, _

                                   OpenMode.ForRead)

      Dim sLayerName As String = "Center"

      If acLyrTbl.Has(sLayerName) = True Then

          '' Set the layer Center current

          acCurDb.Clayer = acLyrTbl(sLayerName)

          '' Save the changes

          acTrans.Commit()

      End If

      '' Dispose of the transaction

  End Using

End Sub

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.Runtime;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.ApplicationServices;

using Autodesk.AutoCAD.DatabaseServices;

[CommandMethod("SetLayerCurrent")]

public static void SetLayerCurrent()

  // Get the current document and database

  Document acDoc = Application.DocumentManager.MdiActiveDocument;

  Database acCurDb = acDoc.Database;

  // Start a transaction

  using (Transaction acTrans = acCurDb.TransactionManager.StartTransaction())

      // Open the Layer table for read

      LayerTable acLyrTbl;

      acLyrTbl = acTrans.GetObject(acCurDb.LayerTableId,

                                   OpenMode.ForRead) as LayerTable;

      string sLayerName = "Center";

      if (acLyrTbl.Has(sLayerName) == true)

          // Set the layer Center current

          acCurDb.Clayer = acLyrTbl[sLayerName];

          // Save the changes

          acTrans.Commit();

      // Dispose of the transaction

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference

Make a layer current with the CLAYER system variable

This example sets a layer current with the CLAYER system variable.

VB.NET

Application.SetSystemVariable("CLAYER", "Center")

Application.SetSystemVariable("CLAYER", "Center");

VBA/ActiveX Code Reference