How to Create Entities in BricsCAD
Quick answer: New entities are created on the current layer, using the current entity creation settings, in the XY plane of the current coordinate system (the World Coordinate System by default). By default, those creation settings are all set to ByLayer, meaning they follow whatever the current layer’s own properties are, rather than being set independently.
Entity Types You Can Create
Simple entities: lines, circles, arcs, points, rays. More complex ones: polylines, splines, planes. Beyond 2D, you can also create 3D surfaces and 3D solids. Once your geometry exists, separate tools handle text, hatching, and dimensions to finish the drawing.
Understanding “ByLayer” Settings
By default, every entity creation setting, colour, linetype, and so on, is set to ByLayer, meaning a new entity just inherits whatever the current layer’s own properties are, rather than you needing to set each one individually every time.
- To override these settings for new entities specifically, adjust them in the General section of the Properties panel.
- To change a layer’s own properties instead, which affects anything set to ByLayer on that layer, use the Layers tab in the Drawing Explorer dialog.
General Procedure to Create Entities
- (Optional) Set the current layer.
- (Optional) Adjust entity creation properties in the Properties panel’s General section.
- Launch the command.
- Follow the command prompts to complete it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it mean for an entity’s colour or linetype to be “ByLayer”? It means that property follows whatever the current layer is set to, rather than being defined independently on the entity itself.
Where do I change an entity’s creation settings for just the next thing I draw? The General section of the Properties panel, before launching the command.
Where do I change a layer’s own colour or linetype? The Layers tab in the Drawing Explorer dialog. This affects anything on that layer still set to ByLayer.
What plane do new entities get created in by default? The XY plane of the current coordinate system, the World Coordinate System (WCS) by default.