CADXChange

All LISP commands

CXLAYSETLayersVersion 1.0.0Tested in AutoCAD

Move objects to the layer of another object

Moves the selected objects onto the layer of an object you click, matching layers without typing layer names.

Download cxlayset.lspLISP terms

How to use it

  1. Type CXLAYSET and select the objects to move.
  2. Click an object on the target layer.
  3. The selected objects move to that layer.

Good to know

  • U undoes the move in one step.

Load it in AutoCAD

  1. Save the file anywhere you like.
  2. Type APPLOAD, pick the file and choose Load.
  3. Type the command name: CXLAYSET.

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 cxlayset.lsp, or download it.

;;; ============================================================================
;;; CXLAYSET - Move objects to the layer of another object
;;; Version 1.0.0
;;; CADXChange LISP tools - https://cadxchange.net/resources/lisp/cxlayset
;;; 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
;;; ============================================================================

;; Move the entities in NAMES to layer LAYER. Returns how many were moved.
(defun cx:layset-run (names layer / n ed)
  (setq n 0)
  (foreach e names
    (setq ed (entget e))
    (if (/= (cdr (assoc 8 ed)) layer)
      (progn (entmod (subst (cons 8 layer) (assoc 8 ed) ed)) (setq n (1+ n)))))
  n)

(defun c:CXLAYSET ( / *error* cx:sv ss src layer)
  (setq *error* cx:err)
  (if (setq ss (cx:pick "\nSelect the objects to move: " nil))
    (if (setq src (car (entsel "\nSelect an object on the target layer: ")))
      (progn
        (setq layer (cdr (assoc 8 (entget src))))
        (cx:start '(("CMDECHO" . 0)))
        (princ (strcat "\n" (itoa (cx:layset-run (cx:ss->list ss) layer)) " object(s) moved to layer " layer "."))
        (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)

;; 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 "\nCXLAYSET loaded. Type CXLAYSET to start.")
(princ)

Version history

Version 1.0.0 · 27 de outubro de 2026

First release.

More commands: Layers