deleting layer filters

i am using autocad 2004 and when i open the layer properties manager, i
cannot see any of the drawing layers because of a layer filter that was
set by a previous user. is there any way to delete layer filters?

 

Assuming you are only dealing with the issue of a single layer filter:
At the top left of the layer manager is the layer filter that is active,
at that location is the name of the current layer filter. This name box
can be selected and changed to show all layers. To delete the filter,
directly to the right of this layer filter name isthe down arrow where
you select from the list of layer filters, but just to the right of that
is a box with 3 dots in it. clicking there will bring up the layer
filter manager. In the layer filter manager there is a delete all
button. This will remove all layer filters, but can be slow (I have seen
it take 15 minutes on drawings received from outside consultants who
deal with hundreds of other companies that each have layer filters in
place, and any importing from a drawing acquires all layer filters in
the source drawing) if there are a lot of filters. The saved drawing
file size will shrink drastically if you save at this point
If layer filters are a recurring problem, there are multiple solutions
out there that are much quicker if you are using full-blown autocad and
not LT. I suggest searching this group for layer filter in the topic. My
personal preference is one called ecln which is a free download but
you'll have to search through the messages for the download site since I
don't remember where I found it, but it is really quite good.

 

This very simple filter works for me:

;;; Removes named layer filters
;;; Command line: (Purgefilters)
(defun Purgefilters ()
(vl-Catch-All-Apply
'(lambda ()
(vla-Remove
(vla-GetExtensionDictionary
(vla-Get-Layers
(vla-Get-ActiveDocument (vlax-Get-Acad-Object))
)
)
"ACAD_LAYERFILTERS"
)
)
)
(princ)
)

Save it ie. PURGEFILTERS.LSP and run. Remember to use the parentheses with
the command.