Which do you prefer? Ribbon or Classic Tool Bar

[Tiger]

I have one of those. It's my custom "GO HOME" button. One click and my current drawing does a ZOOM EXTENTS, PURGE, QSAVE and EXIT. The icon is a beer mug.

 

D'oh!

 

A while back I created the exact same thing - but having most likely read your post before, this is where the idea came from!

 

I also put the button on all my collegues computers, and it's the only custom tool that I have gotten everyone to use, it must be the beer-icon :wink:

[Organic]

I have one of those. It's my custom "GO HOME" button. One click and my current drawing does a ZOOM EXTENTS, PURGE, QSAVE and EXIT. The icon is a beer mug.

 

I must make one as well now

[Tiger]

So many people hit the button in my office that one day, there was an actual beer on each desk!

[Squirltech]

So many people hit the button in my office that one day, there was an actual beer on each desk!

 

Awesome!

[JD Mather]

I didn't read all the responses, but because I teach the software I had started using the icons more than command line input.

Now I can't find anything - so I've gone back to command line.

[rkent]

The Ribbon OOTB is not too helpful for experienced users, IMO obviously. But with it customized I find it much better than having tool palettes arranged around the screen, etc. The contextual part of the ribbon is the really the most productive part of the whole thing. I still use lots of "quick keys", aliases, etc. And I love the autocomplete feature for finding those often forgotten, seldom used system variables and or commands.

[neophoible]

I haven't gotten used to the Ribbon, though I do know the location of a few key items I use. I've noticed a lot of lag in it compared to the toolbars and pulldowns, so I generally prefer the latter two. I also use aliases a lot, yet still find the autocomplete in 2012 very helpful. I sometimes forget that autocomplete was kicking in, that I was not actually entering an alias. I'm quickly reminded whenever I use someone else's earlier version.

 

Besides the lag in the Ribbon, the expanded version just takes up way too much screen. I'm still waiting for a monitor as big as the top of my old drafting table:D, or at least a 24"x36" sheet! I do like to use Ctrl+0 to get a better view of my drawing sometimes. I wrote an AutoLISP routine to toggle just about everything Off/On, but Ctrl+0 gives me enough most of the time, and is still needed even with my routine, as it doesn't clear Toolbars.

 

If anyone recalls digitizers, you might also recall a product that duplicated your digitizer layout translucently across the screen. That had seemed a promising way to go at the time. I still kind of miss my 16-button digitizer mouse:cry:, though I do admit the digitizer took up a bit of desk space.

[JD Mather]

... you might also recall a product that duplicated your digitizer layout translucently across the screen. That had seemed a promising way to go at the time.

 

I wonder if AutoCAD will ever see a Marking Menu - Gesture based commands (experienced users don't even need to wait for the menu - just gesture where the command would be if you waited a bit.)

 

[Dadgad]

Have you tried making your commandline window transparent until moused over?

[ReMark]

I still have my Calcomp II digitizer with 16-button puck but now it sits under my desk gathering dust. I used to have a 24x36 Summagraphics digitizer when I first started using AutoCAD.

[Sid0201]

I hated the ribbon until I got the 2013 trial and had a go at 3d, because of being new to 3d the ribbon was fairly useful (along with a youtube tutorial ). I have kind of accepted that the ribbon is useful some time, but I stil have my own toolbars and my keyboard .

 

Oh and not to make anyone feel old but I'm 20 only just qualified so resullins your really not the baby

[Squirltech]

I have one of those. It's my custom "GO HOME" button. One click and my current drawing does a ZOOM EXTENTS, PURGE, QSAVE and EXIT. The icon is a beer mug.

 

I am wondering, can a "code" be added to this that would put my current layer to '0' before closing? Currently I do this manually and would like to skip this step if it's possible. Any help is appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

Squirl

[rkent]

This is one I use, from a lisp file, but same idea.

 

(DEFUN C:AUC() (SETVAR "CMDECHO" 0)(COMMAND "ZOOM" "E" "layer" "s" "0" "" ".AUDIT" "Y" ".PURGE" "M" "*" "N" ".PURGE" "T" "*" "N" ".PURGE" "Z" ".PURGE" "E" ".PURGE" "R" "*" "N" ".QSAVE" "CLOSE")(PRIN1))

[Squirltech]

This is one I use, from a lisp file, but same idea.

 

(DEFUN C:AUC() (SETVAR "CMDECHO" 0)(COMMAND "ZOOM" "E" "layer" "s" "0" "" ".AUDIT" "Y" ".PURGE" "M" "*" "N" ".PURGE" "T" "*" "N" ".PURGE" "Z" ".PURGE" "E" ".PURGE" "R" "*" "N" ".QSAVE" "CLOSE")(PRIN1))

 

Thanks rkent but I must be missing something because it's not working. After LAYER S 0 the code is putting in PURGE but I'm thinking there should be an ENTER after the 0. Being that I have little script experience, how would I go about doing this?

[rkent]

For a macro in the CUI it would look like

layer s 0;;

 

I tried it here and it works for me.

[Squirltech]

For a macro in the CUI it would look like

layer s 0;;

 

I tried it here and it works for me.

 

Ok, that helps but after LAYER S 0 the command is looking for an enter. I've tried spacebar but it only does a space (I guess because it's looking for an alpha option?), if I run the commands manually and use ENTER, it works great.

[rkent]

Don't forget the two semicolons after the 0

layer s 0;;

[Squirltech]

Don't forget the two semicolons after the 0

layer s 0;;

 

DOH!

 

Works now! Thanks for your help rkent.

[BlackBox]

FWIW -

 

You may want to consider using System Variables where possible in lieu of Commands... In this specific case using CLAYER System Variable in lieu of -LAYER Command... Here's a quick speed test:

 

... Test functions:

(defun _Command ()
 (command "._-layer" "set" "0" "")
)

(defun _Sysvar ()
 (setvar 'clayer "0")
)

... Results:

_$ (bench '(_Command _Sysvar) '() 100)

_COMMAND
Elapsed: 515
Average: 5.1500

_SYSVAR
Elapsed: 78
Average: 0.7800

[BlackBox]

... Oh, and as for the thread's title, I choose Ribbon (I have large monitors)... Especially customized, and am starting to dabble in custom contextual states, and .NET development, etc.