Heidi Hewett's Blog

AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at the Ribbon!

The AutoCAD Ribbon (as well as the Menu Browser and Quick Access Toolbar) present a user interface similar to Microsoft Office 2007. The ribbon provides easy access to tools through a collection of tabs and panels. Each tab contains multiple panels and each panel contains multiple tools. Some panels can be expanded to access additional tools.

For some tools, the ribbon automatically updates to display context sensitive information. For example, when you create or edit an mtext object, the ribbon automatically displays the multiline text ribbon. When you close the mtext editor, the ribbon returns to its previous state.

By default, the ribbon is docked at the top of the AutoCAD window. However, a right-click menu enables you to control the display and behavior of the ribbon. You can reduce the amount of space the ribbon consumes by disabling the option to Show Panel Titles or by minimizing to tabs or to panel titles.

The ribbon replaces the previous dashboard functionality (if you enter the DASHBOARD command, AutoCAD automatically launches the RIBBON command). You may not notice the similarity between the ribbon and dashboard at first glance. But, if you undock the ribbon, you’ll see that it looks and behaves very much like the dashboard. When the ribbon is undocked, you can right-click on the title-bar to access familiar dashboard-type options such as anchoring and auto-hide.

Whether the ribbon is docked or undocked, you can control the display of specific tabs and panels by turning them on and off in the right-click menu.

You can drag and drop ribbon tabs, or panels within the tabs, to reorganize them. And, you can even drag panels off the ribbon to create separate, floating panels.

To further customize the ribbon, you can use the Customize User Interface dialog box, where you’ll find the new Ribbon Tabs and Ribbon Panels nodes.

 

You can create new panels and tabs, add tools to panels, and add panels to tabs, using the familiar process of dragging and dropping.

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AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at tooltips!

In many places throughout AutoCAD 2009, you’ll find preview images and other information displayed as tooltips. When using the traditional model and layout tabs, you can hover the cursor over a tab to preview the layout before selecting it.

Tooltips are also displayed when you hover the cursor over items in the Sheet Set Manager or the External References Manager.

Right-click menu options in both of these palettes enable you to control the content displayed in the tooltips. You can specify a tooltip style that lists only the name, a small medium or large preview image, details about the file, or a preview image and details.

Tooltips for command tools have been updated to provide you with more information as you need it. The improved tooltips not only display the name of the tools, but they provide additional information and even graphics. Pressing the F1 key in a tooltip automatically takes you to that particular topic within the Help system.

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AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at Quick View Drawings

The new Quick View Drawings functionality is a faster and more visual alternative to using the Ctrl-Tab key combination or the Window menu for switching between open drawings. You can access Quick View Drawings via a new button on the status bar.

When you enable Quick View Drawings, AutoCAD displays a row of preview images that represent the open drawings. If you pass the cursor over a drawing preview image, AutoCAD displays a second row of images representing the layouts for that particular drawing.

You can view and make active any layout within any open drawing directly from the Quick View Drawings preview. To see a larger view of the layout images, simply pass the cursor over a layout preview image. AutoCAD automatically enlarges the layout images and reduces the drawing images. Moving the cursor back over a drawing image returns the drawing images to the larger size and the layout images to the smaller size.

You can increase the size of the preview images by pressing the Ctrl key while rolling the mouse wheel up or down. If the preview images extend beyond the edge of the screen, use can use the arrow keys or the mouse to scroll.

Icons within the drawing previews enable you to save or close any open drawing; not just the current one! Additional tools are available in the Quick View Drawings control panel, which is automatically displayed below the preview images. You can pin the Quick View Drawings functionality so that it remains open while you work in the drawing editor. Additional tools in the control panel enable you to create new drawings or open existing ones.

The right-click menu provides options for closing and saving the drawings. I particularly like the option to close all the open drawings except for the one on which you right-clicked.

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AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick View Layouts

The Quick View Layouts functionality in AutoCAD 2009 provides a faster and more visual alternative to using the traditional Model and Layout tabs. In fact, the previous layout flyout on the status bar has been replaced by a new Quick View Layouts button.

AutoCAD 2008                                    AutoCAD 2009

When you enable Quick View Layouts, AutoCAD displays a horizontal row of layout images. You can identify and select layouts, not only by name, but by appearance. Increase or decrease the size of the layout preview images by pressing the Ctrl key while rolling the mouse wheel up or down. If the layout images extend beyond the edge of the screen, you can use the arrow keys or the mouse to scroll.

Icons within the layout preview image provide easy access to plotting and publishing. Additional tools are available in the control panel, which is automatically displayed below the Quick View images. You can pin Quick View Layouts so that it remains visible while you work in the drawing editor.

Create new layouts using an option in the control panel as well as in the right-click menu.  The right-click menu provides access to other familiar layout tools as well as a completely new option, which enables you to export the layout to modelspace in a new drawing.

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Make a wish with AUGI!

There are many ways to influence the future of AutoCAD (and other Autodesk applications), but one of the easiest and most powerful is to cast your vote on the AUGI (Autodesk User Group International) wishlist. The AUGI wishlist is the first place the AutoCAD development team looks as they're planning future AutoCAD functionality. Below is a special "wishlist" announcement from AUGI. Not an AUGI member? Why not? It's free!!!

Dear AUGI Member,

Time is running out. Take this opportunity to cast your vote for the features you’d most like to see in future versions of AutoCAD, Inventor, Civil 3D and Revit Architecture. These wish list ballots are now open, and will remain so until March 10, 2008. You have the opportunity to review and vote on the wishes posted by your fellow AUGI members for improvements they would like to see in future releases of AutoCAD, Autodesk Inventor, AutoCAD Civil 3D and AutoCAD Revit Architecture software. All you need to do is vote for your top 10!

It's Easy
The voting process is now easier than ever. Wishes have been categorized so you can quickly find the features on which you want to cast a vote. Then just rank your votes from 1 (the improvement you feel most strongly about) to 10. It’s that simple!

It's Valuable
The Wish List was established years ago because Autodesk saw the enormous value in getting feedback on its products from the people using these products every day. That tradition continues today, as Autodesk turns to AUGI again and again for continued feedback and ideas for improvement.

Where to Start
Click on the appropriate link below to enter the Wish List of your choice. In each section, you'll find more information about that Wish List as well as a handy guide to help you through the process.

AutoCAD Wish List
Autodesk Inventor Wish List
AutoCAD Civil 3D Wish List
AutoCAD Revit Architecture Wish List

Don’t Delay
The voting will continue until March 10th, but why wait? Go to the Wish List of your choice and vote today!

AutoCAD 2009… A closer look at Quick Properties

The new Quick Properties functionality in AutoCAD 2009 enables you to view and modify object properties for selected objects. Now, if you’re like me, you’re thinking “How is this any different (or better) than the Properties window that we’ve had since AutoCAD 2000”? Well, it *is* similar, but you can customize Quick Properties so it only displays only the properties that you really care about. The simplified list makes it easier for you to locate the property you want to edit.

Also, the Quick Properties window is displayed right at the cursor when you select an object as opposed to the Properties window, which you might keep on all the time for easy access. With Quick Properties you save screen space *and* barely have to move your mouse to access it!

 

You can enable/disable Quick Properties functionality using the status bar toggle.

 
A right-click menu provides options for controlling and customizing the behavior of Quick Properties.

The Settings option displays the new Quick Properties tab in the Drafting Settings dialog box. On the Quick Properties tab, you can specify when and where the Quick Properties window is displayed. And, you can specify the default number of rows to be visible when Auto-collapse is enabled.

When you select an object with Auto-Collapse enabled, only the specified number of rows is displayed until you pass your cursor over the Quick Properties window. Then, the window automatically expands to list all the quick properties.

You can specify which properties are displayed for each type of object using the Customize User Interface (CUI) dialog box, which is easily accessible from the right-click menu or from the Customize button in the upper right-corner of the Quick Properties window. In the CUI dialog box, you can view and edit the list of objects with defined quick properties and add or remove object types to or from the list. For each object type, you can specify which properties will be displayed.

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