How to Use Layouts

Quick answer: BricsCAD places no limit on how many layouts a single drawing can have. Each layout represents a sheet of paper, with its own paper size, print area, print scale, lineweight scale, pen mappings, viewports, dimensions, and title block. Anything you add to a layout in paper space stays there, it doesn’t appear in model space.

Layout Viewport Requirements

Every layout needs at least one layout viewport. If CREATEVIEWPORTS is on, a viewport is added automatically to any new layout; if it’s off, new layouts start empty instead. You can define layouts yourself, or import them from another drawing, a template (DWT), drawing (DWG), or drawing interchange file (DXF). A viewport can display all or just part of the drawing’s model space entities.

Layout Caching

CACHELAYOUT controls whether layout content is cached. Caching costs some extra memory, but it’s offset by reduced memory requirements for displaying entities elsewhere, so the net effect is less memory needed overall to display the drawing.

Creating a New Layout

1. Run LAYOUT and choose the New option.
2. You’re prompted to enter a layout name, defaulting to Layout1.
3. Type a unique name (up to 255 characters, letters, numbers, $, -, and _ are all allowed) and press Enter.
4. Or right-click or press Enter to accept the default name instead.
5. The new layout tab appears.

You can also right-click any layout tab and choose New Layout, or click the + button after the last tab, both use a default name automatically.

Copying a Layout

1. Right-click the layout tab you want to copy.
2. Choose Copy. You’re prompted for a new layout name.
3. Type a unique name and press Enter. A copy is added.

Arranging Layout Tabs

Either drag a tab to where you want it, or right-click it and choose Move Left or Move Right.

Importing Layouts

1. Right-click the Model tab or any layout tab.
2. Choose From Template…. The Select Template From File dialog opens.
3. Browse to the drawing you want to import layouts from.
4. Click Open. The Insert Layout(s) window opens.
5. Select the layout(s) you want; hold Ctrl to select several.
6. Click OK. The selected layouts are imported.

Exporting Layouts

1. Right-click the layout tab you want to export.
2. Choose Export. The Export layout to drawing dialog opens.
3. Browse to your destination.
4. Click Save.
5. Choose whether to open the newly created file. The layout is exported.

Renaming a Layout

1. Double-click the layout tab. The Rename layout dialog opens.
2. Type a new unique name.
3. Click Save.

Deleting a Layout

1. Right-click the layout tab.
2. Choose Delete.
3. Confirm in the alert box that appears by clicking OK.

Using the Layout Manager

Run LAYOUTMANAGER to open the Layout Manager dialog, where you can create, copy, and delete layouts, reorder tabs, and publish layouts, all from one place.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a limit to how many layouts a drawing can have? No, BricsCAD doesn’t cap the number of layouts in a single drawing.

Does a new layout always start with a viewport already in it? Only if CREATEVIEWPORTS is on. If it’s off, new layouts start empty instead.

Can I import layouts from a completely different drawing? Yes, from a template (DWT), drawing (DWG), or drawing interchange file (DXF), via the From Template… option in a layout tab’s right-click menu.

What can I do from the Layout Manager that I can’t do from the tabs directly? Publish layouts, alongside the usual create, copy, delete, and reorder options also available from the tabs.