Got roasted for my messy layer naming in a shared AutoCAD file

A senior drafter looked at my project and said 'I can't find anything in this mess, it's like a junk drawer.' I started using a strict naming system like 'A-WALL-EXTERIOR' and 'E-LIGHTING-FIXTURE' for everything. How do you guys organize your layers to keep team projects clean?

2 comments

2 Comments

sam_hart16d ago

Stick with that strict system, it's a lifesaver. My old shop used a similar code sheet where 'A' was for architectural, 'S' for structural, and so on. We'd add a detail like '-NEW' or '-DEMO' after the main name. So you'd have 'A-WALL-EXISTING' and 'A-WALL-NEW' right next to each other. Makes turning stuff on and off a breeze. The key is getting everyone on the same page so we're all using the same abbreviations.

nathan_davis16d ago

Totally agree on getting everyone to use the same list. The worst is when someone starts making up their own codes halfway through a project. That "-NEW" and "-EXISTING" trick is solid for renovations. It saves so much time hunting for things in the visibility settings. Once that system is set, it almost runs itself.