CXLAYRESLayersVersion 1.0.0Tested in AutoCAD

Bring back the layers CXLAYISO switched off

Switches on exactly the layers CXLAYISO hid. If nothing was isolated it offers to switch on every layer that is off.

Download cxlayres.lsp LISP terms

How to use it

Type CXLAYRES.
The layers hidden by CXLAYISO come back.
With nothing isolated, answer Yes to switch on all layers that are off.

Good to know

Works across several CXLAYISO calls in the same session.

Load it in AutoCAD

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

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 cxlayres.lsp, or download it.

;;; ============================================================================
;;; CXLAYRES - Bring back the layers CXLAYISO switched off
;;; Version 1.0.0
;;; CADXChange LISP tools - https://cadxchange.net/resources/lisp/cxlayres
;;; 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
;;; ============================================================================

;; Switch on the layers CXLAYISO switched off. With ALL true, every layer that is off comes back instead.
;; Returns how many layers were switched on.
(defun cx:layres-run (all / n ed names)
  (setq n 0 names (if all (cx:layers) *cx-layiso*))
  (foreach name names
    (if (and (setq ed (tblsearch "LAYER" name)) (< (cdr (assoc 62 ed)) 0))
      (progn
        (cx:lay-set name 62 (- (cdr (assoc 62 ed))))
        (setq n (1+ n)))))
  (setq *cx-layiso* nil)
  n)

(defun c:CXLAYRES ( / *error* cx:sv all)
  (setq *error* cx:err)
  (setq all (if *cx-layiso* nil (= (cx:ask-kw "Nothing was isolated. Switch on every layer that is off" "Yes No" "Yes") "Yes")))
  (if (or *cx-layiso* all)
    (progn
      (cx:start '(("CMDECHO" . 0)))
      (princ (strcat "\n" (itoa (cx:layres-run all)) " layer(s) switched on."))
      (cx:end)))
  (princ))


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

(defun cx:dxf (code ed)
  (cdr (assoc code ed)))

;; Names of all layers.
(defun cx:layers (/ r out)
  (setq r (tblnext "LAYER" T))
  (while r
    (setq out (cons (cx:dxf 2 r) out) r (tblnext "LAYER")))
  (reverse out))

;; Set the DXF group CODE of layer NAME to VAL; returns T, or nil when there is no such layer.
(defun cx:lay-set (name code val / en ed)
  (if (setq en (tblobjname "LAYER" name))
    (progn
      (setq ed (entget en))
      (entmod (if (assoc code ed)
                (subst (cons code val) (assoc code ed) ed)
                (append ed (list (cons code val)))))
      T)))

;; 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))

;; 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))

(princ "\nCXLAYRES loaded. Type CXLAYRES to start.")
(princ)

Version history

Version 1.0.0 · October 27, 2026

First release.

Need this across many drawings?

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

LayerSync