How to Configure Entity Creation Settings in BricsCAD
Quick answer: BricsCAD’s default settings for creating new entities, colour, layer, linetype, and more, are controlled by system variables. You can view and change them in the Settings dialog, or the Properties panel’s General node when nothing is selected. Most of these save with the individual drawing, not globally, so changing your default template is the way to apply new defaults across future drawings.
Accessing Entity Creation Settings
Either the Settings dialog, under Drawing > Drafting > Entity creation (general properties like colour, linetype, and layer appear at the top, with entity-specific settings below), or the General node of the Properties panel when nothing is currently selected.
The Seven General Settings
| Setting | Controls | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Color | The entity colour | ByLayer |
| Layer | The current layer | (none listed; sets whichever layer is current) |
| Linetype | The current linetype | ByLayer |
| Linetype scale | The current linetype scale | 1 |
| Lineweight | The current lineweight | ByLayer |
| Transparency | The current transparency | ByLayer |
| Elevation | The height (Z-value) above the XY-plane of the current coordinate system (WCS or UCS) | 0 |
Where These Settings Actually Save
Most entity creation settings save with the drawing itself, so they only apply to the drawing you’re currently working in, not to every drawing you create afterward. To change the defaults for all your future drawings, edit your default template drawing(s) instead. Templates are best kept in the folder set by TEMPLATEPATH, and BASEFILE specifies the path and name of your actual default template file.
Frequently Asked Questions
If I change my entity colour default in one drawing, will it apply to new drawings too? No, most of these settings save with the individual drawing. To change the default for future drawings, edit your default template drawing instead.
What does “ByLayer” mean as a default for these settings? It means the setting follows whatever the current layer’s own property is, rather than being defined independently on new entities.
What controls where new entities get placed vertically, relative to the current coordinate system? Elevation, which defaults to 0, placing new entities directly in the XY-plane.
Where do I find my default template file to edit it? Its path and name are set by BASEFILE; template files themselves are best kept in the folder set by TEMPLATEPATH.