# How to separate entities into a specific layer in a script **URL:** \ **Category:** QCAD Script Programming & Contributions\ **Created:** [January 4, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](http://forum.qcad.org/t/how-to-separate-entities-into-a-specific-layer-in-a-script/9839 "2026-01-04T12:52:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rolinger](http://forum.qcad.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/34f0e0/32.png) [@Rolinger](http://forum.qcad.org/u/Rolinger)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 12:52pm UTC](http://forum.qcad.org/t/how-to-separate-entities-into-a-specific-layer-in-a-script/9839/1 "2026-01-04T12:52:03Z")
Hi. I’ve created a script that creates certain layers and plots entities (lines, polylines, and text). The problem is that all the elements end up in layer 0 ```plaintext Create all layers first addLayer("ARMATURA", "black", "Continuous", RLineweight.Weight000); addLayer("DODATNA_ARMATURA", "black", "Continuous", RLineweight.Weight000); addLayer("OKVIRI", "black", "Continuous", RLineweight.Weight000); addLayer("OPLATA", "black", "Continuous", RLineweight.Weight000); addLayer("TEXT", "black", "Continuous", RLineweight.Weight000); addLayer("TEXT 0", "black", "Continuous", RLineweight.Weight000); // Layer: OPLATA setCurrentLayer("OPLATA"); addPolyline([[0.0, 0.0], [600.0, 0.0], [600.0, -640.0], [0.0, -640.0]], true, false); addPolyline([[600.0, 0.0], [1200.0, 0.0], [1200.0, -640.0], [600.0, -640.0]], true, false); // Layer: ARMATURA setCurrentLayer("ARMATURA"); addLine([26000.0, -100.0], [26600.0, -100.0]); addLine([26000.0, -462.0], [26600.0, -462.0]); addLine([26100.0, 0.0], [26100.0, -640.0]); addLine([26430.0, 0.0], [26430.0, -640.0]); addLine([26600.0, -100.0], [27200.0, -100.0]); ``` // I can send a script for inspection in PM Best regards P.S. Please note that I am not a programmer - please be careful when answering me 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![CVH](http://forum.qcad.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@CVH](http://forum.qcad.org/u/CVH)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 1:31pm UTC](http://forum.qcad.org/t/how-to-separate-entities-into-a-specific-layer-in-a-script/9839/2 "2026-01-04T13:31:10Z")
Hi, You are using the QCAD Simple API. At first glance the code seems to be functional. An attempt to run this code snippet using the Script Shell ( **GE** ) confirms that. 🙂 In a new file your script creates: - 6 new layers. Adds 2 squares side by side on layer ‘OPLATA’. Adds 4 Lines on layer ‘ARMATURA’. You code snippet does not contain the creation of a text with addSimpleText(..) I don’t see the problem but detected another one. Just a check to see what happens if such layers already exists and are locked for example. By default the layers are created as: On (not hidden), not frozen, not locked. If you delete the new entities, lock both used layers and run the code again … QCAD crashes. 😮 Adding a layer that exist is not an issue. Adding a layer that exist as locked is not an issue. Setting a locked layer the active one neither. It is adding an entity to an active locked layer that crashes QCAD. Regards, CVH ---
**Author:** ![CVH](http://forum.qcad.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@CVH](http://forum.qcad.org/u/CVH)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2026, 3:04pm UTC](http://forum.qcad.org/t/how-to-separate-entities-into-a-specific-layer-in-a-script/9839/3 "2026-01-04T15:04:07Z")
For the full script by PM: It seems to be related to the use of startTransaction(..) and endTransaction() First: It is startTransaction(RDocument) or startTransaction(RDocumentInterface), see [current reference](https://github.com/qcad/qcad/blob/7ecc686c9c72897d19939ec36db1bb01a6642b0a/scripts/simple_transaction.js#L5-L20) Not startTransaction(.. Some string ..) Second: When I disable both, the script is less efficient but everything doesn’t ends up on Layer ‘0’. 🙂 Operations are handled one by one with each time a document update, a screen update and so on. A possible cause: A layer must exists before you can cast drawing entities on it. By making it one complete transaction … The layers are not already present when switching to them … … Only layer ‘0’ exists and adding new drawing objects, defining new REntity objects reverts to this existing default layer. 😉 Solution: - Use variable doc for startTransaction(doc) but this is not mandatory here. startTransaction() reverts to the current active document but the parameter must be nothing. - Group the creation of the layers in one transaction and end that to create them. Ensuring that the layers exist before the creation of drawing entities. **#EDIT#** - Group the rest of the code in an additional transaction per layer. Still efficient but in **2N** steps and it are **2N** steps to undo/redo. 😉 (2N because setting a current active layer is also a step to undo) **#END EDIT#** Another note: ```plaintext var doc = getDocument(); if (isNull(doc)) { createDocument(); doc = getDocument(); } ``` How do you run this script without an open document? **XC** and **GE** are disabled without. PS: I would avoid the use of Lineweight 0.00mm 😉 Regards, CVH ---
**Author:** ![CVH](http://forum.qcad.org/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/82dd89/32.png) [@CVH](http://forum.qcad.org/u/CVH)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2026, 10:40am UTC](http://forum.qcad.org/t/how-to-separate-entities-into-a-specific-layer-in-a-script/9839/4 "2026-01-06T10:40:26Z")
Corrected in the above: - One can not assign the layer attribute of a new entity using the QCAD Simple API. It ends up on the current active layer. One can set the current layer but if that is enclosed in a transaction for efficiency that won’t work. Probably because setting a current layer is itself an instantaneous transaction. Everything ends up in the last active layer that was set. One can group the creation of entities for a layer in one transaction. These end up in the active layer that was set before this transaction. Regards, CVH