CXBYLAYERClean-upVersion 1.0.0Tested in AutoCAD

Set color, linetype and lineweight back to ByLayer

Removes individual color, linetype and lineweight overrides so objects follow their layers again, the first step in making a drawing meet a standard.

Download cxbylayer.lsp LISP terms

How to use it

Select objects first, or type CXBYLAYER and select them.
Choose All, Color, Linetype or Lineweight.
Overrides are removed and the report says how many objects changed.

Good to know

Block contents are not changed, only the block references you select.

Load it in AutoCAD

Save the file anywhere you like.
Type APPLOAD, pick the file and choose Load.
Type the command name: CXBYLAYER.

To have it at every start, add it to the Startup Suite in the same dialog, or load a whole folder at once with the optional loader. About the optional loader

Tested in AutoCAD (full version). Other programs that run AutoLISP may work, but they are not tested.

The code

Plain text, nothing hidden. Copy it into a file named cxbylayer.lsp, or download it.

;;; ============================================================================
;;; CXBYLAYER - Set color, linetype and lineweight back to ByLayer
;;; Version 1.0.0
;;; CADXChange LISP tools - https://cadxchange.net/resources/lisp/cxbylayer
;;; Tested in: AutoCAD (full version). Other programs that run AutoLISP may work but are not tested.
;;; Copyright (c) CADXChange. Free for personal and commercial use; do not resell or
;;; republish it as a collection. Terms: https://cadxchange.net/legal/lisp-terms
;;; ============================================================================

;; Set the color (62), linetype (6) and lineweight (370) groups listed in CODES back to ByLayer on the entities in NAMES.
;; An entity without such a group already follows its layer. Returns how many entities were changed.
(defun cx:bylayer-run (names codes / n ed changed g new)
  (setq n 0)
  (foreach e names
    (setq ed (entget e) changed nil)
    (foreach code codes
      (if (setq g (assoc code ed))
        (progn
          (setq new (cons code (cond ((= code 62) 256) ((= code 6) "ByLayer") (T -1))))
          (if (not (equal g new))
            (setq ed (subst new g ed) changed T)))))
    (if changed
      (progn (entmod ed) (entupd e) (setq n (1+ n)))))
  n)

(defun c:CXBYLAYER ( / *error* cx:sv ss what codes)
  (setq *error* cx:err)
  (if (setq ss (cx:pick "\nSelect objects: " nil))
    (progn
      (setq what  (cx:ask-kw "Set to ByLayer" "All Color Linetype Lineweight" "All")
            codes (cond ((= what "Color") '(62)) ((= what "Linetype") '(6)) ((= what "Lineweight") '(370)) (T '(62 6 370))))
      (cx:start '(("CMDECHO" . 0)))
      (princ (strcat "\n" (itoa (cx:bylayer-run (cx:ss->list ss) codes)) " object(s) changed."))
      (cx:end)))
  (princ))


;;; ---- Shared helpers (used by the command above; identical in every CADXChange tool) ----

;; Close the undo step and put the system variables back.
(defun cx:end ()
  (foreach v cx:sv (setvar (car v) (cdr v)))
  (command "_.UNDO" "_End")
  (setq cx:sv nil)
  (princ))

;; Error handler: restores everything, stays quiet on Esc.
(defun cx:err (msg)
  (if (> (getvar "CMDACTIVE") 0) (command))
  (cx:end)
  (if (and msg (not (wcmatch (strcase msg) "*BREAK*,*CANCEL*,*EXIT*")))
    (princ (strcat "\nError: " msg)))
  (princ))

;; Use the objects already selected, or ask the user to select; FILTER is an ssget filter list or nil.
(defun cx:pick (msg filter / ss)
  (setq ss (if filter (ssget "_I" filter) (ssget "_I")))
  (if (null ss)
    (progn
      (princ msg)
      (setq ss (if filter (ssget filter) (ssget)))))
  ss)

;; Replace every OLD in STR by NEW (case sensitive).
(defun cx:replace (str old new / n out pos)
  (setq n (strlen old) out "" pos 1)
  (if (= n 0)
    str
    (progn
      (while (<= pos (1+ (- (strlen str) n)))
        (if (= (substr str pos n) old)
          (setq out (strcat out new) pos (+ pos n))
          (setq out (strcat out (substr str pos 1)) pos (1+ pos))))
      (strcat out (substr str pos)))))

;; Ask for one of the keywords in BITS ("Yes No"), default DEF; returns the keyword.
(defun cx:ask-kw (msg bits def / v)
  (initget 0 bits)
  (setq v (getkword (strcat "\n" msg " [" (cx:replace bits " " "/") "] <" def ">: ")))
  (if v v def))

;; Save the system variables in VARS ((name . value) ...), set them, and open one undo step.
;; The caller declares cx:sv as a local so the saved values live exactly as long as the command.
(defun cx:start (vars)
  (setq cx:sv (mapcar (function (lambda (v) (cons (car v) (getvar (car v))))) vars))
  (command "_.UNDO" "_Begin")
  (foreach v vars (setvar (car v) (cdr v)))
  (princ))

;; Selection set to a list of entity names.
(defun cx:ss->list (ss / i out)
  (setq i 0)
  (if ss
    (repeat (sslength ss)
      (setq out (cons (ssname ss i) out)
            i   (1+ i))))
  (reverse out))

(princ "\nCXBYLAYER loaded. Type CXBYLAYER to start.")
(princ)

Version history

Version 1.0.0 · 27 de outubro de 2026

First release.

Need this across many drawings?

LayerSync does this kind of job on a whole folder of drawings in one run.

LayerSync