Skill Pcells for switching layers on and off for a artwork

A pcell is a cellView master that has a set of parameters assigned to it. The contents of a pcell are defined by the values of the parameters on the instance of the pcell.  You would have to have a parameter on your pcell to control what shapes are drawn. A figure, actually a shape, has a single layer. You would have to create a new shape on a different layer if that layer is turned on, either by copying the original shape or calculating a new one.

Some requirements:

How many parameters should I use, one or one for each optional layer? What would be the allowed values of the parameter? What should be the default value and action in the pcell?

;; This code is guaranteed not to work

pcDefinePCell( list( ddGetObj(libName) cellName viewName viewType )
   ( (optionalLayers 'list () ) ; parameter to control optional layers - list of layer names
      ( rows 'int 1 ) ; Number of rows
      ( columns 'int 1 ) ; number of columns
      ( xPitch 'float .1 ) ; Pitch between columns
      ( yPitch 'float .2 ) ; Pitch between rows
    )

   figList = foreach( mapcar layer optionalLayers
                          dbCreatePolygon( pcCellView layer shapePoints ) )

 ;; To copy to an array pattern, the first set is already created so start from 2
  xStep = yStep = 0.0

   for( x 2 columns
     xStep = xStep + xPitch
     yStep = 0.0
     for( y 2 rows
          yStep = yStep + yPitch
          foreach( fig figList dbCopyFig( fig pcCellView list( xStep:yStep "R0") ) )
     )  ; fory

   ) ; for x

)

That is an example of how it can be done.

I don't understand your second request. If you create the pcell definition and load it into the CIW, you will have a pcell. You can create a CDF to go along with the pcell which would give you the option of having choices and callbacks.

Ted