Assigning layers to elements of smart symbols

When it comes to specifying which layer is assigned to the elements of a smart symbol when it is placed in the workspace, a distinction has to be made between the instance of the smart symbol as a whole and its individual foils (i.e. the geometric elements).

• Instance of a smart symbol: an instance of a smart symbol can be placed on the default layer or on the current layer. You can make this setting in the options: Smart symbols and symbols page, Smart symbols area, Place instance of smart symbol.
• Foils (geometric elements): the geometric elements are given the layers in accordance with the setting you made when you defined the smart symbol.

It is irrelevant which layer is set as the current layer when you place a smart symbol. The settings made when you defined the relevant smart symbol always apply. When defining a smart symbol, click Layer in the Input options. Now you can choose between three options:

• Retain layers of elements: all geometric elements of a foil retain their layers.
• All elements on the default layer: the default layer is assigned to all the geometric elements of a foil.
• All elements on current layer: all the geometric elements of a foil are given the layer that is current when the smart symbol is defined.

Note: If you place a smart symbol of which a layer of a geometric element is not included in the current layer structure, the program will assign an undefined layer (??_layer#) to the geometric element in question.

Important: if the layers of the geometric elements of a smart symbol are frozen whereas the layer of the instance of this smart symbol is modifiable, the smart symbol can still be edited (e.g. deleted or moved) as a single entity.

For further information, see Modifying layers of smart symbols and Visibility of smart symbols depends on layers.