How to Use Draw Order in BricsCAD
Quick answer: New entities that overlap existing ones display and print on top by default. DRAWORDER changes this, moving entities to the front, back, or above or below a specific reference entity, the same mechanic behind the “Bring to front” option covered on this hub’s Wipeouts page.
Using the DRAWORDER Command
- Launch
DRAWORDER. You’re prompted to select entities to change the draw order. - Select them, then right-click or press Enter. You’re prompted to choose Above, Under, Clear, Front, or Back (the default).
- Choose an option.
- If you chose Above or Under, you’re prompted to select a reference entity; the selection’s display changes relative to it. If you chose Front or Back, the display changes accordingly with no reference needed.
Draw Order Tools
Available on the Tools menu and the Draw Order toolbar:
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
| Bring To Front | Places the selection on top |
| Bring Above | Places the selection above a reference entity |
| Send Under | Places the selection under a reference entity |
| Send to Back | Moves the selection to the back |
Hatch to Back (HATCHTOBACK) |
Sends every hatch entity in the drawing to the back at once |
Text and Dimensions to Front (TEXTTOFRONT) |
Brings text and/or dimension entities to the front, with Text, Dimensions, Leaders, or All options (All is the default), chosen via the Command line or Prompt menu |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I send every hatch in my drawing behind other entities at once? Run HATCHTOBACK, which sends all hatch entities to the back without needing to select them individually.
Can I bring only dimensions to the front without affecting text or leaders? Yes, TEXTTOFRONT offers separate Text, Dimensions, and Leaders options, alongside the default All.
What’s the difference between Above/Under and Front/Back in DRAWORDER? Above and Under change an entity’s position relative to a specific reference entity you select. Front and Back move it to the absolute top or bottom, no reference needed.
Do new entities always display on top of existing ones by default? Yes, that’s the default behaviour, DRAWORDER and its related tools let you change it afterward.