This tip from Trey Hair may help you avoid a snag while working in Civil 3D.

Many AutoCAD users take advantage of the layer property filters to navigate quickly through the multitudes of layers while working in Civil 3D. Quite often there is a need to create a new layer within the layer filter. The layer is created easily enough and, by default, named layer and essentially disappears from view. Then you have to click back to your general layer dialog, find the new aptly named layer, and rename it before using your property filter definition of choice. Save yourself the extra clicks by remembering to add an additional filter definition with wildcard defined as layer*. Then when you have property filters selected and need a new layer within the filter, it will appear in your screen. Simple and effective.

Notes from Cadalyst tip reviewer R.K. McSwain: If you are not sure what Trey is talking about, we have included a screen capture of the warning dialog that you may receive when this happens. Because it is possible to turn off this warning dialog, you may not ever see it. Trey's tip is very handy as long as you do not have other layers named Layer* (which should be pretty rare).