What are AutoCAD Profiles and how do they differ from Workspaces

[muck]

What are AutoCAD Profiles and how do they differ form Workspaces?

 

How are AutoCAD Profiles used and setup?

How are AutoCAD Workspaces used and setup?

 

Thank you,

[NBC]

Please forgive the cut 'n' paste from AutoCAD Help file (these can be a source of a lot of information ! )

 

Profiles store drawing environment settings. You can create profiles for different users or projects, and you can share profiles by importing and exporting them as files.

 

Profiles store settings such as the following:

• Default search and project file paths
  
• Template file locations
  
• Initial folder specified in file navigation dialog boxes
  
• Default linetype and hatch pattern files
  
• Printer defaults

Profile information is typically set on the Files tab of the Options dialog box, stored in the system registry, and can be exported to a text file (an ARG file).

 

Workspaces are sets of menus, toolbars, palettes, and ribbon control panels that are grouped and organized so that you can work in a custom, task-oriented drawing environment.

When you use a workspace, only the menus, toolbars, and palettes that are relevant to a task are displayed. In addition, a workspace may automatically display the ribbon, a special palette with task-specific control panels.

For more information about using the ribbon, see The Ribbon.

 

You can easily switch between workspaces. The following task-based workspaces are already defined in the product:

• 2D Drafting & Annotation
  
• 3D Modeling
  
• AutoCAD Classic

For example, when you create 3D models, you can use the 3D Modeling workspace that contains only 3D-related toolbars, menus, and palettes. Interface items that you do not need for 3D modeling are hidden, maximizing the screen area available for your work.