difference between by layer and by block in autocad

There are quite a few differences but Ill just briefly touch on the high points.

When a layer is frozen, Autocad releases any information about that layers objects from memory resulting in better performance.

Objects that are on a layer that is turned off can still be selected if you use the selectall or selectsimilar commands.

Those of us old enough to remember what a 386 or 486 computer is are probably chuckling at the memory of running to the store for coffee and donuts while your computer performs a regen.and then having time to eat donuts and drink coffee when you returned and it still wasnt finished.

Back then, you could use onoff to hide layers and continue working without forcing Autocad to regen.

With the computers we have currently, there is VIRTUALLY NO REASON to use the onoff button in layer manager.

The window block is on layer A-WIND-INT but there is a sill within the block on A-WSILL-INT.

This can be done by turning off A-WIND-INT which does not affect the A-WSILL-INT layer.see the screenshot below.

Freezing A-WIND-INT would make the entire window block go away, including the sill.

In this scenario, the wipeout hatch will remain on and carry thru to any drawings that this one is xreffed into.and it will be effective in hiding anything that it is on top of.

The T-WIND layer should have been frozen in lieu of turned off.

I frequently get calls about random objects (usually leader ticks) andor wipeouts appearing on screen and in printed sets.

The answer is most always that a layer that should be frozen is turned off somewhere.

With the amount of xreffing in modern drawings, tracking down the culprit can sometimes be quite a task.

Difference Between By Layer And By Block In Autocad