Z levels
The Z level decides what lies on top when objects overlap: every element, hatch and dimension carries an integer as its level; higher numbers are drawn above lower ones. Without an explicit assignment everything lies on Z 0.
This page describes the relationships. Step by step: Stack objects. Commands: Stack (Bring to front, Send to back, One level up, One level down). Field by field: “Z levels” section.
Drawing Z level
New objects get the drawing Z level, shown in the header bar above the drawing area (“Z level: − 0 +”). The buttons “−” and “+” shift it by one step (status bar “Drawing Z level: n”); in the “Z levels” section a click on “Z n” makes an existing level the active one (“Active Z level: n”). The drawing Z level is kept with the settings.
The value in the “Hatch settings” dialog has no effect on new hatches — they take the drawing Z level too (“Z level” field).
Restacking objects
The four commands act on the selection — elements, hatches and dimensions together — and form one undo step:
| Command | Key | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Bring to front | Ctrl + ↑ | to the highest occupied level + 1 |
| One level up | Page ↑ | level + 1 |
| One level down | Page ↓ | level − 1 |
| Send to back | Ctrl + ↓ | to the lowest occupied level − 1 |
They sit in the right-click menu of the drawing area, in the “Z level” section of the tool window, in the “Z level” row of the “Properties” panel (⇊ ↓ ↑ ⇈) and in the command search. Everything else: Stack.
The “Z levels” section
The section lists all occupied levels from top to bottom, plus always the drawing Z level (bold and blue). Per row: eye, “Z n”, number of objects, △ and ▽ — the two triangles shift all objects of this level one step up or down (one undo step). Field by field: “Z levels” section.
Hiding levels
The eye of a level hides all its objects — they are neither drawn nor snapped or selected and are missing in print and DXF. The state belongs to the drawing and is saved with it. This is a third way beside layer eye and group eye; an object is visible when all three allow it.
Texts and dimension values below the drawing
Texts and dimension values normally lie above the geometry. If a text or dimension carries a Z level below the drawing, it is drawn in the model on a second text layer below the geometry — a filled hatch can then cover it. In the sheet there is no such separation: all texts appear above the viewport contents; print, however, again orders strictly by Z.
The command Dimensions to back puts all dimensions on the lowest occupied level.
Further places of the Z level
- “Properties” panel: row “Z level” with the four buttons — for elements, multiple selection, dimensions and hatches (“Properties” panel).
- Image properties: inserted images have the same buttons in their dialog.
- Elements list: objects outside Z 0 carry a small “z n” after the name.
- Status bar with a hatch selected: “Schraffur selektiert — Umrandung hervorgehoben; Z-Ebene mit PageUp/PageDown verschieben” (German in every language).
- Pick up attributes: if the click hits several elements, the one on the higher Z level wins.
Related topics
- Layers — levels with colour, line type and width
- Groups — bundling with their own eye and lock
- Hatches — filled areas where the order becomes visible