Layers in 2010 using ribbon

Hi everyone,

Sorry if this has been raised before, but I have got 2010 and of course there are no toolbars. I find it very annoying that I can't just glance up at the layer properties toolbar and check which layer I am currently using, or click on an object and see what the linetype is.

I know that layers can be reached by Home>Layers but for instance if I want to select an object and change its linetype I have to go to Home>Layers>Layer properties and change the linetype inside the properties dialoge box. Where as before 2010, I could just click on the object, click on the linetype dropdown and choose a new linetype - easy.

Is there any way to see layers and their properties more easily?

Toggle Quick Properties "On". Depending on the entity you pick it will display such information as the Color, Layer, Linetype, etc. Make your change there. Simple.

Note: If you did not migrate your custom workspaces from your previous version of AutoCAD to 2010 it is still possible to get the Toolbars back. You do know this right?

Re: Quick Properties.

Depending on the entity that is selected AutoCAD will return different information for different entities. Examples:

Blocks: Layer, Name and Rotation.

Lines or Polylines: Color, Layer and Linetype.

Text: Layer, Contents (the actual text shown) and Style.

Other information may be available by clicking on the down arrow in the lower left hand corner of the Quick Properties box.

Want different or additional information shown for an entity? Customize Quick Properties by selecting an entity and then right-clicking on the Quick Properties box. Select Customize. When the Customize User Interface (CUI) window appears look to the right. If you had selected a Polyline you'll notice there are four categories, with a list of features, that can be enabled or disabled. These are General, 3D Visualization, Geometry and Miscellaneous. Make your choices then click on the Apply button at the bottom of the window. Click on the OK button when done. Now test out your changes by selecting the same entity as before. The new/revised properties should appear in the Quick Properties box.

You are aware that the ribbon and toolbars are not mutually exclusive? You can have them both on - though you do lose more drawing space. The layers toolbar is one that I have displayed under the ribbon.

Thanks, I have customized the QP box, I think that's the next best thing to having the toolbars.

I did save a custom workspace from 2009, Im not sure how to upload it into 2010. I went to CUI then on the transfer tab I opened my saved workspace but then I couldn't figure out how to transfer it. I right clicked and selected set as default but noting changes.

Im a bit unsure about how to upload this saved workspace. Any ideas?

Many thanks

Glen,

Thanks, I'd gladly have both ribbon and toolbars on if I could. I could then take off whatever toolbars I didn't need right?

I have tried menubar 1 and nothing happens, just a blank space expands on the top of the ribbon.

In AutoCAD 2009 you can turn individual Toolbars on and off via a menu accessed by right-clicking on the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT).

The Menubar setting controls pull-down menus (1=on; 0=off) not Toolbars.

As ReMark said, Menubar is for the drop downs accross the top (in the screenshot I posted: File, Edit, View, Insert ...)

If I recall correctly, it took some futzing about to get a toolbar open after I installed 2010, but once you have the space you can right click in it and select any of the toolbars that you want to be displayed.

I had more trouble trying to import my 2009 setup into 2010 than it was worth. I simply rebuilt my workspace in 2010. I made sure not to uninstall 2009 before I got 2010 useable so I could go back and see how things used to be set up.

Don't give up, you CAN have both toolars and the ribbon - or you can kill the ribbon and just use the toolbars you are familiar with.

Glen

Thanks Glen,

Yes The MENUBAR brings in just the EXPRESS drop down menu only. When I right click in that space it just says showmenubar, when I right click anywhere else up there it just gives options to change which palettes, tabs and panels show (for the ribbon). No toolbars, damn.

-TOOLBAR then Show>All brings up many toolbars, unfortunately no Layer properties toolbar.

I also went into AutoCAD 2010 help and looked at their suggestions about how to get any toolbars you wanted via the CUI and the normal way, It just doesn't work for me.

Here's their suggestion for doing it from the user interface:-

To display toolbars from the user interface

Do one of the following:

• On the menu bar, click Tools menu Toolbars, and click one of the listed toolbars. If the menu bar is not displayed, on the Quick Access toolbar, click the Customize button. Click Show Menu Bar.
  
• Right-click a visible toolbar, and click one of the listed toolbars.

There is no 'menubar>tools' and no options that say 'customize' on the QAT.

OK second option suggested is:-

To display toolbars using the CUI Editor

1. Click Manage tab Customization panel User Interface. At the command prompt, enter cui.
   
2. In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the Customizations In pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Workspaces tree node to expand it.
   
3. Select the workspace that you want to modify.
    
   
4. In the Workspace Contents pane, click Customize Workspace.
    
   
5. In the Customizations In pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Toolbars tree node, or Partial Customization Files tree node to expand it.
   
6. Click the check box next to each toolbar that you want to add to the workspace.
    
   In the Workspace Contents pane, the selected elements are added to the workspace.
   
7. In the Workspace Contents pane, click Done.
    
   NoteMake sure to set the workspace current to ensure the changes are displayed.
    
   
8. Click Apply.

Well that doesn't work either, there are no toolbars when I press + on toolbars. Ugh! Why does it have to be so complicated. Autocad will have released 2011 by the time I figure out their strange ways of setting things up.

OK guys I have done it!!

I thought I'd post back if anyone would also like to know how I did this.

I opened the CUI, on the customize tab, go to the little folder symbol which when you hover over it says 'open partial customization file', select the CUI you want to use. It should load up. Then go to the transfer tab, drag your chosen workspace from the left side over into the right side and release over 'workspaces'. Press OK and voila! All my menus toolbars appeared like magic!

Yeah the Toolbar option from the QAT was removed in 2010. You can send a letter of thanks to the AutoDesk programmers. They ought to get a chuckle out of that.

A workaround is to callup one toolbar from the command line first then follow my previous advice re: right-clicking on it to gain access to the other toolbars. Type this at the command line:

_.-TOOLBAR ACAD Standard_Top 0,0

This advice comes courtesy of blog nauseam.

Easiet way: Use "Migrate custom settings" to have your own classic AutoCAD.

You can just opt to have classic workspace instead of the ribbon.

Just go to workspace, and click on AutoCAD Classic.

CadDan,

I tried that. It's not an option on my PC. When I click on the Workspace tab I have Architecture (checked), Save Current As, Workspace settings, customize - no options to use any other named workspace.

AutoCAD Classic should be one of the standard Workspace options offered. Not sure why you aren't seeing it listed. Been doing some customizing?

Nope no customizing, I don't know why it's not there. I did manage to import my saved workspace from 2009, so I have all the toolbars I wanted which is great.

You can add the layers palette to the ribbon by clicking the workspace switcher (bottom right) and then click 'customize'. In the top left panel select the workspace (e.g. 3d modeling). Then in the top right panel select Ribbon Tabs > Home 3D > Home-Layers. Then in bottom right panel change "show" to Yes.