Layout tabs moved...why?

[ArtisanCAD]

why have these been moved to the extream left side 'BELOW' the commant line ??????? what is the point. they were perfectly ok where they were 'ABOVE' the command line which meant if you had a docked window to the left of the screen they were always just below the drawing area for easy access. Now we have to move the curser (in my case) 10cm off the drawing area to access them!!!! Is this an example of change for change sake????

why autodesk ...why?

[pendean]

You must dock your commandline: for those that don't they will not notice a difference at all.
I like the change, it's consistent with undocked commandlines.

[ArtisanCAD]

regardless if you dock or undock the command line they still remain hard left/bottom of the screen. So if you (for example) dock the props window to the left (or any other window). they are moved away from the drawing area directly below the docked window. they should be directly below the drawing area! this now increases mouse movement and therfor counter intuitive!

those who do not use docked windows will not notice the difference but those who do will...

at least we should be given an option!

[scottspeig]

Out of curiosity, why would you have an undocked commandline?

[pendean]

Why not?

[pendean]

You were never given the option before when it was on top so they don't give you the option now either I suppose. I understand it's annoying to you, not doubting it.

[ArtisanCAD]

maybe because they were in a logical location before..... now they are not! As I have said. the layout tabs should be the first thing directly below the main drawing area. that is where you flip between tabs. why place them further away??? I used a docked command line so what is the point in having to move my mouse 'over' the command line (or maybe I will rename it 'the moat'?) and then down to the left (below any other docked windows) to get to the layout tabs! ...

[twallacemagee]

Change for change sake.  I my opion alot of what AutoDesk has done in the last several versions is to force all to work one way instead of have options on what works best for the user.

[rkmcswain]

info said:
Is this an example of change for change sake???? why autodesk ...why?

twallacemagee said:
Change for change sake. I my opion alot of what AutoDesk has done in the last several versions is to force all to work one way instead of have options on what works best for the user.

I wonder if either "info" or "twallacemagee" have submitted feedback on this directly to Autodesk? I'm pretty sure the UX team is not trolling the forums looking for posts like this. Send them feedback and repeat. I just spent a day at the Autodesk offices in SF, a portion of which was spent with the UX team. In March 2014 alone, they had team members at 14 different work sites around the U.S. gathering input on how real world users are interacting with the UI, and taking input for future design I'm sure.

No, they can't take every idea from every one of the millions of users out there and make it happen, but they are not operating in a vacuum either. Having said that, do I agree with all the UX decisions that are made? No. I hate that they removed the text option from the status bar icons, but I let them know about it.

[twallacemagee]

I have not on this item and have only had 2015 for part of one day so I have not had a lot of time to investigate if there is a way to work around.  Most of the changes that change a person like me who has worked with the AutoCAD program for many years can be adjusted, I just have not yet found how to with this one yet.  I would add also in my opinion it is more logical where it was before, right at the bottom of the drawing and thus closer to your drawing area with less motion for your mouse.

[pendean]

You're just preaching to the choir posting around here: look for the FEEDBACK link and tell Autodesk direct how you feel. If a few thousand others do the same with your exact issue the way do something about it in future versions.

[pagej]

Hi all,

I'm one of the user experience architects for AutoCAD.  I wanted to weigh in here on the original question on the post and provide the perspective on the why of moving the layout tabs. 

The main goal of the updates to layout and status is the consolidate the document status bar (at bottom of document frame) with the application status bar (at the bottom of the application frame).  Doing this returns the document status bar space to the viewable screen area, offsetting space needed by drawing File Tabs.

I have to reiterate what I have seen R.K. and Dean say about sending feedback.  We read them. I read them.  They do weigh in our decision process for determining the release.  I run a team that draws it’s feature enhancement plans almost exclusively from the variety of user feedback.  This is one of those inputs, along with AUGI wish list, beta requests, product support and forums. 

You can access “Send Feedback” from the Help menu (question mark in upper right area).

Jon Page

Autodesk, Inc.

[ArtisanCAD]

sorry... I don't buy that reason. If you what to consolidate the tab bar you can just dock the text window somewhere else! but for people using the text window in the default location it is extra effort to move the mouse further (about 10cm in my case) and also I will also mention the you have to actually look down now where as before the tabs were on your eye line! 

the tabs bars were at the bottom of the drawing area for as long as I can remember, that's the 'logical' place. consolidating everything to the status bar is a 'lets make this look nice and tidy' exercise rather than a functional modification! 

but I will use the feedback feature!

[sjmsme]

you couldn't be any more correct. Autodesk has a bunch of people sitting around that do not use their product in a real world situation and just throw darts at a wall to see what useful too they can change for the sake of making a change. Intellicad is close...real close...

[kentr8]

I assume everyone has figured out how to get them back where they belong by now

[twallacemagee]

If anyone has I have not heard and I have not found an answer.

[Ron-C]

RK,

  I know I should know.......but where in my subscription account can I submitt a suggestion ?

I've added this suggestion to the "Wish List" for years...........

I would like to know if anyone would like to go back to the layout tabs at the bottom of the drawing window as it was in 2014?

I know with this, some complained it did not show enough layouts at a time, and they wished it would show more.

My suggestion was to make the  "Layout Window" Strechable up....similar to how the command line works.

You could continue to strech up or down to allow more or less layouts. Would be nice to be able to rearrange in any order.

Well may only be a wish in my own mind (Whats left of it after 25 years Autocad work !)

[kentr8]

select any layout tab, right click the option at the bottom of the list says dock inline with status bar

[twallacemagee]

This does not do what I would like it to do which is return it to the location it used to be at in 2014 and earlier versions. See attached image.

[pendean]

Cute rant: but in reality it's customers who field test and bless most things you see on screen. Those would be the premium alpha customers that spend millions a year with Autodesk. The occasional minion like you and I can too if we sign up for AutoCAD testing here https://beta.autodesk.com/overview/

By the way, you are responding to a year-old post, if you are still stuck in 2014-2015 know that Autodesk has moved on to 2016.