Tool palettes can be used for many things, commands, blocks, and now even layer control. They are also easy to migrate to a new version of AutoCAD. Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol : Tool palettes are very easy to customize. "Obviously anything can be done here that is part of the -layer command as well as wildcards for layer names."
That way, if I add some layers to a project I have access to them, through 'DC' without having to keep updating a prototype. I like to bring layers in from 'Design Center' rather than using a prototype. This method works great if all your floor plan base drawings have all the same layers. all the xrefs that have the layer 'BACKGROUND_ FOUNDATION' get frozen). "Anyway, as you can see, the '*' catches all the xref layers and freezes them (i.e. LAYER FREEZE *BACKGROUND_FOUNDATION,*CONC_HATCH,*CONC_HATCH_2,*DOOR,*DOOR_FILL, *DOOR_SWING,*FLATWORK,*FLATWORK_2 To control visibility I'll use a Palette tool with a 'Command String' of something like the following : "In a set of architectural drawings for an apartment building, I need a different set of xref layers visible than in a set of structural drawings for the same building (the colors and linetypes are also different). Regarding layer visibility (Freeze Thaw On Off), I have a palette called 'ON_OFF' that has all the combinations of layer visibility tools for layers I need to control. I need for working on a Foundation Sheet. First of all, most of my tools are stored in tool palettes with palettes named for the task I am doing: 'Foundation' for all the tools, styles, dynamic blocks, hatches etc. One nice touch is that you can perform arithmetic during a numerical input or in any numeric data box. You can enter dimension data during a drawing operation, using the TAB key in a similar way to the Dynamic Input in AutoCAD.
6), I thought I would share the way I control xref (or any group) layers. Instead, you use tools in the tool palette many of which have a keyboard shortcut. "After seeing the tip on layer macros ( Tips & Tools Weekly Vol. George Voelcker sent us a method using tool palettes and custom commands to manage layer states.