# Sketch layers hack

**URL:** <https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/sketch-layers-hack/23571>\
**Category:** Modeling Questions\
**Created:** [January 13, 2023, 6:10am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/sketch-layers-hack/23571 "2023-01-13T06:10:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![baumer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@baumer](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/baumer)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 6:10am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/sketch-layers-hack/23571/1 "2023-01-13T06:10:08Z")

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I have a use case where I need to draw a few blocks in 2D and give them separate layers/names so I can give them different properties for a computer code (which takes in a .dxf file). Shapr3D does not support layers, but it doesn’t support different sketch groups on the same layers either. Is there any hacks for this?

 ![Screenshot 2023-01-12 at 2.25.43 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/5/e/5e8293a4b0381eaae4cb137eb1fbdbf2a624d69d.jpeg)

 ![Screenshot 2023-01-12 at 2.24.14 PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex002/uploads/shapr3d/original/3X/8/a/8a1dda2a24d083f02d19bce03b95ca1af7eb5f41.png)

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**Author:** ![NathanD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/dec6dc/32.png) [@NathanD](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/NathanD)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 7:59am UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/sketch-layers-hack/23571/2 "2023-01-13T07:59:06Z")

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Welcome to the forum, @baumer

If you select the sketch elements you want separate, you can use the move/rotate/copy tool from the sketch menu and lift them slightly vertically into another plane and that will separate those sketches from the others. They’ll be a separate sketch in the items menu, but still along the XY plane.

I don’t know if this will work for what you’re trying to do though.

Just out of curiosity, if you don’t mind me asking, what is your code going to do? Is it like scripting in Fusion? Sounds interesting.

-Nathan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![baumer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@baumer](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/u/baumer)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://discourse.shapr3d.com/t/sketch-layers-hack/23571/3 "2023-01-13T15:50:38Z")

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That is what I ended up doing and it works!

I’m using it for a code called IBSimu, it’s a physics code for particle accelerator design.