Config option: disable generation of new layers

The name of the config option is "auto-create-new-layers".
It is a per-view option and can be edited on the
"Application/Layer Properties" page.

With this option set to true (default), new layers
are automatically added to the layer list on

1. Paste of cells and shapes
2. Placing of instances

Manually adding new layers to the layer list is always possible.

src/edt/edt/edtInstPropertiesPage.cc

@@ -934,7 +934,9 @@ InstPropertiesPage::do_apply (bool current_only, bool relative)
     throw;
   }
 
+  if (mp_service->view ()->auto_create_new_layers ()) {
     mp_service->view ()->add_new_layers (layer_state);
+  }
 
   //  remove superfluous proxies
   for (unsigned int i = 0; i < mp_service->view ()->cellviews (); ++i) {

src/edt/edt/edtInstService.cc

@@ -332,7 +332,9 @@ InstService::make_cell (const lay::CellView &cv)
 
   }
 
+  if (view ()->auto_create_new_layers ()) {
     view ()->add_new_layers (layer_state);
+  }
 
   m_has_valid_cell = true;
   m_current_cell = inst_cell_index;

src/edt/edt/edtMainService.cc

@@ -2685,7 +2685,9 @@ MainService::paste ()
     }
 
     //  Add new layers to the view if required.
+    if (mp_view->auto_create_new_layers ()) {
       view ()->add_new_layers (new_layers, cv_index);
+    }
     view ()->update_content ();
 
   }

src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.cc

@@ -362,6 +362,7 @@ LayoutViewBase::init (db::Manager *mgr)
   m_clear_ruler_new_cell = false;
   m_dbu_coordinates = false;
   m_absolute_coordinates = false;
+  m_auto_create_new_layers = true;
   m_drop_small_cells = false;
   m_drop_small_cells_value = 10;
   m_drop_small_cells_cond = DSC_Max;
@@ -1099,6 +1100,13 @@ LayoutViewBase::configure (const std::string &name, const std::string &value)
     absolute_coordinates (flag);
     return true;
 
+  } else if (name == cfg_auto_create_new_layers) {
+
+    bool flag;
+    tl::from_string (value, flag);
+    auto_create_new_layers (flag);
+    return true;
+
   } else if (name == cfg_guiding_shape_visible) {
 
     bool v = false;
@@ -4965,6 +4973,12 @@ LayoutViewBase::absolute_coordinates (bool f)
   m_absolute_coordinates = f;
 }
 
+void
+LayoutViewBase::auto_create_new_layers (bool f)
+{
+  m_auto_create_new_layers = f;
+}
+
 void
 LayoutViewBase::select_cellviews_fit (const std::list <CellView> &cvs)
 {

src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewBase.h

@@ -1884,6 +1884,22 @@ public:
    */
   void absolute_coordinates (bool f);
 
+  /**
+   *  @brief Gets a value indicating whether new layer entries shall be created in the view
+   *
+   *  Certain operations such as paste or creation of instances establish new layers.
+   *  This flag controls whether such new layers are automatically added to the layer list.
+   */
+  bool auto_create_new_layers () const
+  {
+    return m_auto_create_new_layers;
+  }
+
+  /**
+   *  @brief Sets a value indicating whether new layer entries shall be created in the view
+   */
+  void auto_create_new_layers (bool f);
+
   /**
    *  @brief Gets the canvas object (where the layout is drawn and view objects are placed)
    */
@@ -3092,6 +3108,7 @@ private:
   bool m_clear_ruler_new_cell;
   bool m_dbu_coordinates;
   bool m_absolute_coordinates;
+  bool m_auto_create_new_layers;
 
   bool m_dirty;
   bool m_prop_changed;

src/laybasic/laybasic/layLayoutViewConfig.cc

@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ public:
     options.push_back (std::pair<std::string, std::string> (cfg_guiding_shape_color, cc.to_string (tl::Color ())));
     options.push_back (std::pair<std::string, std::string> (cfg_guiding_shape_vertex_size, "5"));
     options.push_back (std::pair<std::string, std::string> (cfg_abs_units, "false"));
+    options.push_back (std::pair<std::string, std::string> (cfg_auto_create_new_layers, "true"));
     options.push_back (std::pair<std::string, std::string> (cfg_dbu_units, "false"));
     options.push_back (std::pair<std::string, std::string> (cfg_drawing_workers, "1"));
     options.push_back (std::pair<std::string, std::string> (cfg_drop_small_cells, "false"));

src/laybasic/laybasic/laybasicConfig.h

@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ static const std::string cfg_stipple_palette ("stipple-palette");
 static const std::string cfg_line_style_palette ("line-style-palette");
 static const std::string cfg_dbu_units ("dbu-units");
 static const std::string cfg_abs_units ("absolute-units");
+static const std::string cfg_auto_create_new_layers ("auto-create-new-layers");
 static const std::string cfg_drawing_workers ("drawing-workers");
 static const std::string cfg_drop_small_cells ("drop-small-cells");
 static const std::string cfg_drop_small_cells_cond ("drop-small-cells-condition");

src/layui/layui/LayoutViewConfigPage5.ui

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <ui version="4.0">
  <class>LayoutViewConfigPage5</class>
  <widget class="QFrame" name="LayoutViewConfigPage5">
@@ -6,19 +7,19 @@
     <x>0</x>
     <y>0</y>
     <width>694</width>
-    <height>301</height>
+    <height>453</height>
    </rect>
   </property>
   <property name="windowTitle">
    <string>Application Settings</string>
   </property>
   <layout class="QVBoxLayout">
-   <property name="margin" >
-    <number>9</number>
-   </property>
    <property name="spacing">
     <number>6</number>
    </property>
+   <property name="margin" stdset="0">
+    <number>9</number>
+   </property>
    <item>
     <widget class="QGroupBox" name="lyp_file_gbx">
      <property name="title">
@@ -28,7 +29,7 @@
       <bool>true</bool>
      </property>
      <layout class="QGridLayout">
-      <property name="margin" >
+      <property name="margin" stdset="0">
        <number>9</number>
       </property>
       <property name="spacing">
@@ -54,7 +55,7 @@
       <item row="2" column="0" colspan="2">
        <widget class="QLabel" name="label_2">
         <property name="text">
-         <string>&lt;html>&lt;body>&lt;b>Hint&lt;/b>: a technology or reader specific layer properties file (i.e. for PCB import) will override this setting.&lt;/p>&lt;/body>&lt;/html></string>
+         <string>&lt;html&gt;&lt;body&gt;&lt;b&gt;Hint&lt;/b&gt;: a technology or reader specific layer properties file (i.e. for PCB import) will override this setting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/body&gt;&lt;/html&gt;</string>
         </property>
         <property name="wordWrap">
          <bool>true</bool>
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@
         <property name="sizeType">
          <enum>QSizePolicy::Fixed</enum>
         </property>
-        <property name="sizeHint" >
+        <property name="sizeHint" stdset="0">
          <size>
           <width>20</width>
           <height>5</height>
@@ -96,12 +97,12 @@
       <string>Layer properties display</string>
      </property>
      <layout class="QVBoxLayout">
-      <property name="margin" >
-       <number>9</number>
-      </property>
       <property name="spacing">
        <number>6</number>
       </property>
+      <property name="margin" stdset="0">
+       <number>9</number>
+      </property>
       <item>
        <widget class="QCheckBox" name="source_display_cb">
         <property name="text">
@@ -126,6 +127,32 @@
      </layout>
     </widget>
    </item>
+   <item>
+    <widget class="QGroupBox" name="groupBox_2">
+     <property name="title">
+      <string>On new layers</string>
+     </property>
+     <layout class="QVBoxLayout" name="verticalLayout">
+      <item>
+       <widget class="QLabel" name="label_3">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>New layers are created implicitly when new content is pasted or instances are placed.</string>
+        </property>
+        <property name="wordWrap">
+         <bool>true</bool>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
+      <item>
+       <widget class="QCheckBox" name="auto_create_new_layers_cb">
+        <property name="text">
+         <string>New layers are automatically added to the layer list</string>
+        </property>
+       </widget>
+      </item>
+     </layout>
+    </widget>
+   </item>
   </layout>
  </widget>
  <layoutdefault spacing="6" margin="11"/>

src/layui/layui/layHierarchyControlPanel.cc

@@ -1214,7 +1214,9 @@ HierarchyControlPanel::paste ()
 
   //  Add new layers to the view if required.
   if (! new_layers.empty ()) {
+    if (mp_view->auto_create_new_layers ()) {
       mp_view->add_new_layers (new_layers, m_active_index);
+    }
     mp_view->update_content ();
   }
 

src/layui/layui/layLayoutViewConfigPages.cc

@@ -1013,6 +1013,10 @@ LayoutViewConfigPage5::setup (lay::Dispatcher *root)
   bool always_show_li = false;
   root->config_get (cfg_layers_always_show_layout_index, always_show_li);
   mp_ui->ly_index_cb->setChecked (always_show_li);
+
+  bool auto_create_new_layers = true;
+  root->config_get (cfg_auto_create_new_layers, auto_create_new_layers);
+  mp_ui->auto_create_new_layers_cb->setChecked (auto_create_new_layers);
 }
 
 void 
@@ -1027,6 +1031,7 @@ LayoutViewConfigPage5::commit (lay::Dispatcher *root)
   root->config_set (cfg_layers_always_show_source, mp_ui->source_display_cb->isChecked ());
   root->config_set (cfg_layers_always_show_ld, mp_ui->ld_display_cb->isChecked ());
   root->config_set (cfg_layers_always_show_layout_index, mp_ui->ly_index_cb->isChecked ());
+  root->config_set (cfg_auto_create_new_layers, mp_ui->auto_create_new_layers_cb->isChecked ());
 }
 
 void