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Working with Layers

Layers are the primary organizational structure in CAD files. They group geometry by function — metal interconnects, insulation, drill holes, or annotation — and control visibility, color, and export behavior.

Layer Panel

The layer panel on the left side of the LinkCAD window shows all layers in the current drawing. Each layer displays:

  • Name — the layer identifier (name or number, depending on the source format)
  • Color — the display color in the viewer
  • Visibility — toggle to show or hide the layer

Layer Actions

Right-click a layer to access:

  • Rename — change the layer name
  • Merge Layers — combine multiple layers into one
  • Sort Layers — reorder layers alphabetically or by number
  • Delete — remove a layer and all its geometry

Select multiple layers with ++ctrl+click++ or ++shift+click++ for batch operations.

Layer Visibility

Toggle layer visibility by clicking the eye icon next to each layer. Hidden layers are excluded from the viewer and, optionally, from export.

Tip

Use Edit → Select All (Ctrl+A) followed by layer visibility toggling to quickly focus on specific layers.

Layer Colors

Each layer is assigned a display color. Colors can be:

  • Set automatically by LinkCAD based on the source format's color table
  • Defined in a layer map CSV file
  • Changed manually by right-clicking a layer

How Layers Map Between Formats

Different formats represent layers differently:

Format Layer Identifier
GDSII Layer number + datatype (e.g., 3/0)
DXF/DWG Named layers (e.g., Metal1)
Gerber One layer per file
CIF Named layers (e.g., NM)
PostScript Color-based layer assignment

LinkCAD handles the translation automatically. For fine control, use a layer map.

Elevation and Thickness (3D Export)

For 3D export formats (ACIS SAT, Parasolid XT, ANSYS ANF), layers can have:

  • Elevation — the Z-coordinate of the layer's bottom surface (in picometers)
  • Thickness — the extrusion height (in picometers)
  • Stack — whether the layer is stacked on top of the layer below

These properties are set via the layer map CSV file.