AutoCAD 2009

Ribbon

Based on toolbars and menus, the current AutoCAD® software user interface has evolved over many years and can be confusing for new or infrequent users. There are multiple ways to perform a specific task, and the options to complete a task may be buried in a secondary dialog box. As business applications such as Microsoft® Office move to new interface designs, AutoCAD begins to look outdated.

The new ribbon interface is the latest task-based application design for AutoCAD software. It presents command options in a concise visual format that enables users to quickly select the appropriate command based on the work they are doing. The ribbon eliminates steps to get to commands and makes it easier to find less-used options so that they are readily available when needed. The ribbon is both customizable and extensible so that users can optimize it to meet their companies’ standards.

Overall drafting productivity is increased by decreasing the number of steps to reach a command. New users become productive more rapidly. It is easier to move between applications, based on using a common set of interface tools.

ViewCube and SteeringWheels Features

Solid and surface models require many rapid changes in orientation as they created and reviewed. The common AutoCAD® software commands to perform this operation are the Orbit and Named View commands. Located in separate menus, these commands can be difficult to find. It is easy to get disoriented after using the Orbit command and to have to go back to a standard view to reorient to the model. In addition, each Autodesk application has a slightly different version of the Orbit command.

The new ViewCube™ feature provides a single, visually interactive tool to rotate and orient any solid or surface model in AutoCAD. Selecting a face, edge, or corner of the ViewCube tool brings the model itself quickly to that predefined orientation. Clicking and holding the tool enables users to freely rotate the model in any direction. Since it is in a fixed location on the screen, the ViewCube also provides at a glance the overall orientation of the model in space. In addition to providing quick access to the Orbit command, the new SteeringWheels™ tool also provides quick access to the Pan, Center, and Zoom commands. The tool is highly customizable so that users can add walkthrough commands to help create and record a walkthrough of their model.

Both of these new tools are much easier to use (even for inexperienced users) than the corresponding commands in earlier releases of the software. They make moving around models and drawings faster and more intuitive.

Menu Browser

The current File Open and File Close commands offer limited functionality and make it difficult to review what files are being opened before actually opening them. This limitation can make working with large numbers of files a tedious and time-consuming process.

The new menu browser interface enables users to browse through files and examine thumbnail images. Hovering the cursor over the file name provides more detailed information about the file size or file creator. The browser enables users to organize recently used files by name, date, or title. Specific files can be “pinned” so they do not move off the list as additional files are opened.

Fast visual review of files improves productivity. Clear organization of files makes working on large projects faster and more efficient. This is a common interface element across multiple Autodesk products

Quick Properties

The Properties menu takes up a significant portion of the screen when it is displayed. It also includes huge amounts of information, making it difficult to find and edit key properties.

The new Quick Properties menu can be displayed by selecting the object that needs to be edited. The default information shown is the most common information needed for that entity. Users can easily customize the menu by selecting the button in the upper-right corner of the menu.

Decreasing the number of steps to access properties information boosts productivity. Easy customization helps to ensure that the information presented is optimized for that particular user and project.

Quick View

Reviewing open drawings and layouts in drawings is currently done based on drawing and layout names. These names may not clearly convey the content of either the drawing or the layout.

The new quick view capability enables users to visually review open drawings and their associated layouts through the use of thumbnail images. Associated layouts are displayed as a small set of thumbnails located over the larger drawing file thumbnail. Users can scroll through the drawing file thumbnails at the bottom of the open drawing, using the mouse wheel to dynamically increase or decrease the size of each thumbnail.

The use of thumbnails instead of file names makes opening the correct drawing file and layout faster, and decreases time spent opening incorrect drawing files.

Action Recorder

AutoCAD® software can use programs created with Microsoft® Visual Basic® development system or LISP to automate repetitive tasks. These custom programs can mean huge productivity enhancements as designs and drawing are created and revised. Unfortunately, creating these types of programs requires sophisticated programming and testing skills and can take significant effort to maintain over time. In larger companies, a CAD manager helps create and manage these types of custom tools.

The new action recorder tool enables AutoCAD users to quickly record a repetitive task as they perform it. They can then add text messages and requests for input to help streamline processes and quickly select and play back the recorded file when they need to. None of this requires programming or testing skills to execute successfully.

The action recorder saves time and increases productivity by automating repetitive tasks without requiring the skills of a professional CAD manager.

Layer Properties Manager

The Layer Properties Manager in AutoCAD® software is a key tool to manage data in a typical drawing. A company may have a standard for the naming of layers and for what information should reside on each layer. Users move back and forth between layers as they create and edit drawings. In earlier releases of AutoCAD, the Layer Properties dialog box was not interactive with the drawing itself. Changes made in the dialog box were reflected in the drawing only when the user clicked the Accept button. This back-and-forth process could lead to errors and wasted time as changes were made and then corrected based on visual feedback.

With the new Layer Properites Manager, changes made in the dialog box instantly appear in the drawing. In addition, manipulating the dialog box is easier. Columns can now be indivdually resized to avoid truncating the contents or title. Individual colums can be fixed in place so that users can scroll through the rest of the columns. And users can reference a column to a fixed column such as the layer name for easy scrolling.

The new Layer Properites Manager makes creation and editing of layer properties faster and less prone to error. Changes are instantly reflected in the drawing as they are made in the dialog box.