Expert: Bob - 11/13/2006

Question
Hi again,
        I dragged the new layer across to a new drawing using Design Centre, the new layer is there but I cannot see anything on the screen.

John
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
I'm having trouble copying selected layers from one drawing to a new one. Generally I select the layers and use COPY WITH BASEPOINT and select 0,0, open a new drawing and click PASTE TO ORIGINAL COORDINATES - but when I try to choose it now its non selectable. Any help.
-----Answer-----
I teach that layers should be brought in via Design Center, and I am going to stick to that, because so many other elements can be gotten there.
(if you do not know) Find the dwg with the layers you want in Design Center, navigate to layers, simply drag them onto the screen of the new drawing.
Also -- you should open all new drawings via a template you have created, containing all your layers, styles, and so on.  2nd choice, old way: copy the first drawing, and erase it (layers, etc. remain) Purge later to get rid of what you did not use.

BOB

Answer
Sorry, you are lacking a basic understanding of what a layer is -- it is really nothin more than a blank tissue laid over a hand drawing, except that it has properties, such as color.  Naturally, neither dragging it in or creating a new one makes a layer contain objects.
If you originally meant you wanted to copy and paste objects from one drawing to another, which happens to bring the associated layer along for the ride, I did not get that from your original question.
Perhaps you meant you wanted to copy and paste the CONTENTS of a layer in dwg A to dwg B?? In that case, copy and paste works.  I think that if you are finding pasted objects to be blocks, you are selecting PASTE AS BLOCK, or, excuse me, there may be a system variable you have changed.
Sorry, cant look that up tonight, but let me know.

BOB