Community
Unlike toolbars, Ribbon panels automatically shrink when the window is made smaller (e.g. using a mobile device or remote login). They don't utilize a number of the features I like though, like dragging panels off for toolbars or expanding/folding panels.
----------------------------------
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.
"I don't know" is the beginning of knowledge, not the end.
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.
"I don't know" is the beginning of knowledge, not the end.
Like someone mentioned previously, you can minimize the Ribbon to 3 different levels. It's the button to the right of the last Ribbon tab. Try it out.
I would also add that the Ribbon has contextual tabs that can replace those dialogs that cover your screen, like Hatch and Array.
Also if you have trouble finding a command in the Ribbon or even Toolbars, you can use the search box in the Application Menu (big A button in upper left). It will show you where they are...
Jon Page
AutoCAD Design Manager
@dmfrazier wrote:Some of us don't bother with cars and driving at all - ever heard of telecommuting?
(The car analogy doesnt really work, though. The technology you refer to in older car models is clearly inferior, less reliable, and less desirable than the technology available in modern cars. The superiority of the ribbon over toolbars and menus is not so clear. It's really a subjective, preference issue, as far as I can tell. That's why there's so much debate and disagreement over it.)
I contend the car analogy works exactly as I intend it to... it's an extreme statement to throw an extreme practice into sharp relief. 😉
A wise man once said, "I do not know what I do not know", and to prove this point about myself;
What happens when the Ribbon is off and you select the frame of a PDF underlay? (this is a real question since I don't know)
I suspect that you simply don't know what you're missing by bypassing a contextual Ribbon!
In my experience, toolbar hold-outs largely;
- Have a poor-to-no usage of Paper Space (i.e. put title blocks and text that lives only on the sheet in Model Space)
- Believe Annotative text and blocks "don't work"
- Don't embrace the creation and use of Dynamic Blocks
- Use single-line TEXT when they should use MTEXT
- Must press a button to call the ZOOM command
- Have one hand poised over the Esc button (or holding a drinking utensil) rather than on the ASDF keys (for righties), where it belongs
- Want to use AutoCAD like it was r12
- Are often in "seats of power" and are literally holding their companies and users back from modernity.
I've heard that those who use toolbars exclusively will be featured in the next Tim Lahaye novel (you know, the 'Left Behind' series)? 
Now, another wise man once said, "All generalizations are false, including this one". I'm trying to "make lite", but I'm really not kidding too much.
There was a joke-type application I saw once which went through a faux installation scenario. One of the options was:
- The application with some buttons
- The application with a whole lot of buttons
- A screen full of buttons
I know that, after this number of years (yes, years) it might be useless to have this conversation, but perhaps someone will give the Ribbon a 30-60 day evaluation. I resisted for one release then gave it a fair shot... I'll not go back by choice. 
P.S. I meant to mention that effective use of the .pgp, Toolpalettes and .cui (especially for adding rt-click functionality that fits your workflow) makes the Ribbon vs. TP choice somewhat less relevant.
The ribbon cannot do DIESEL expressions like the MENUBAR.
$(substr,DIMSTYLE: ,1,10)$(getvar,dimstyle)
Also, for a top level command (IE the command is not buried in a drop-down), if you do not have an associative
button image and wish to switch the Button Style to "small with text", thus using only text, this is what you get:
Also, take a look at the genius who wrote this:
No mention of the Screen Menu, huh?
Ribbon:
One click on the appropriate tab, one click to expand a drop-down, one click to start the command.
Menubar:
One click on the menu, one click to start command.
Screen Menu (and toolbars):
One click to start command.
Commandline:
USE THE LEFT HAND TO START THE COMMAND VIA YOUR CUSTOM PGP. What else do you use this hand for?
Scot-65
A gift of extraordinary Common Sense does not require an Acronym Suffix to be added to my given name.
In my experience, toolbar hold-outs largely;
>> Have a poor-to-no usage of Paper Space (i.e. put title blocks and text that lives only on the sheet in Model Space)
Missed the ball on that swing.
>> Believe Annotative text and blocks "don't work"
Alotta posts about trouble with annotation on the forums with annotations
>> Don't embrace the creation and use of Dynamic Blocks
Missed again ... strike 2
>> Use single-line TEXT when they should use MTEXT
AIR BALL !!!!
>> Must press a button to call the ZOOM command
Much quicker than sliding the cursor up to the ribbon ... initiating the open of the panel ... initiating the command rather than Z > rightclick.
>> Have one hand poised over the Esc button (or holding a drinking utensil) rather than on the ASDF keys (for righties), where it belongs
Guilty ... but I bet I can cancel a command faster than sliding to wherever the cancel is on the ribbon.
>>Want to use AutoCAD like it was r12
I've used it since version 2.17b when it came on 2 5 2/4 inch floppies and embraced every version that came after it. This time it's more eye-candy that functional.
>> Are often in "seats of power" and are literally holding their companies and users back from modernity.
Yeah ... right ... pipe dream.
>> I've heard that those who use toolbars exclusively will be featured in the next Tim Lahaye novel (you know, the 'Left Behind' series)?
Or maybe in the next issue of Fortune 500
j/k
Regards,
DJ
I did ... and I was just slammin' ... hence the J/K ... off work now and trying to figger out why my FF28 won't hold formatting on the forum. .... Use what makes you comfortable. .... Not an issue with me. ... sorry about the stupid post formatting. Only from home ... not at work for some reason. .... I know .... IT'S THE RIBBON!!!! Oh ... wait ... FF doesn't use a RIBBON ... HAGD ... Regards, DJ
![Autodesk Design & Make Report](https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/1350519iCB55845EBFC43016/image-size/large?v=v2&px=999" "Autodesk Design & Make Report")
