Changed features

[ams77]

We are using the newest version of Civil 3D. We previously used Civil 3D 2006. I am not a big fan of the new interface, and I know I may be in the minority, but I am definitely not a fan of the ribbons. I much rather use toolbars and dialog boxes. I know many believe this may seem foolish, but truth be told, unless the job or project is large or complicated, it is easier and quicker to use standard AutoCAD features most of the time. Is there a fix or work-around for the following traditional features: 1) Enabling mtext dialog box. 2) Double-clicking blocks to enable "edit box-in-place" rather than "block edit." 3) Double-clicking hatch patterns to enable the "hatch edit" dialog box. 4) Turn off coordinate view options at the upper right of the screen. 5) Traditional command line, rather than the floating command with floating text on the bottom right.

[michael.robertson]

Can't answer your specific questions because I have no problem with the ribbon, one thing you will find is that most "NEW" commands are only being added to the ribbon (not menus) so you may miss new functionallity as it is being introduced.

Depending on what version of C3D you are using it does get more useful as the versions progress.

[doni49]

In the beginning, I wasn't too thrilled with the ribbon either.  But I decided to keep an open mind and really try to like it.  After using it for a while, I started to actually like it.

[ams77]

I plan on using the ribbon in it's minimized form because my laptop is only 14"...I just want the traditional features as well. Why disable what wasn't broken. They could have added the ribbon and kept the traditional features. I am a big proponent of Civil 3D features. I was one of the first to originally beta test it out. Having never felt comfortable with Land Desktop, I was thrilled about Civil 3D. But, now that the economy is where it is, most jobs are relatively small. Because of this I have to refresh myself with many features when a job is large enough to warrant it. With the newly added features/ribbon, it's just more to learn and forget, before needing it again. If you claim you will need all these features located on the ribbon, you are either lying or in the only part of the country that is building subdivisions, malls, theme parks, power plants, schools, arenas, and stadiums.

[tomw · Accepted solution]

1) in the new text editor: More > Editor Settings > Show Toolbar

2) No idea

3) you can get to the Hatch Dialog box by pressing "T" when you initiate the hatch command (you probably know this, it's not really a solution)

4) I don't know how to turn it off, but you can make it invisible. Right-click the Viewcube,  go to settings, set the transparency to 0. 

5) COMMANDLINE 

I'm fighting the ribbon as well. We upgraded from 2006LDD to 2014C3D just a week ago. Growing pains is putting it mildly. I know I'll get used to the Ribbons, but I don't think I'll ever fully embrace them as better than menus/toolbars. I've been using MS products with ribbons for 2-3 years I guess, which is long enough to have an informed opinion, and that is that menus/toolsbars > Ribbons for efficiency and productivity. Though I am used to them now so it's not as terrible as it was a few years ago. As far as Autocad, I think once I get my custom mouse click menus working in 2014, I'll hardly move my cursor to the ribbon at all. 

[michael.robertson]

"Lying" is a pretty heavy word to through around when you don't know someone. BTW, I work in transportation, so yes, we do use pretty much every piece of C3D and are asking for more!

The basic idea of the ribbon is you don't have to know/use all of the functionallity. A context menu shows you what is applicable to what you have selected at the current moment so you don't have to go hunt through all the menus/dialogs to find what you are looking for.

For basic Autocad functionallity I don't really use the ribbon because I key most things, but for C3D, the usefulness of the ribbon really kicks in. If you are jumping from C3D 2006 to 2014 you are making a huge jump and are throwing out the same comments heard a few years ago, most of that has calmed down once users learn how to take advantage of the GUI.

[AllenJessup]

You've jumped 8 versions. It's bound to be a shock. I think we all had issues with the ribbon at first. Once you get used to it. I'm sure you'll have no trouble. I minimize it also because I like all the screen area for the drawing.

As far a #5 goes. You should be able to drag it all the way to the bottom of the window and dock it. Then you can drag it open towards the top to show how many line you want.

[ams77]

thanks

[ams77]

Thanks. I tried #5 but it wasn't docking...just realized my floating windows was locked...#5 solved...thanks

[ams77]

Michael, I was trying to be sarcastic, not mean. Came off wrong I guess...sorry about that. I was just venting my frustration on why they wouldn't keep traditional features, along WITH the ribbon.

[doni49]

I don't think they actually removed features from the menus that were there and put them in the ribbon.  I think the only things removed from the menus were features that no longer worked or were no longer valid because of new features.  And they didn't add new features to the menus because they were trying to get away from the menus.

I would be silly to expect them to support all the old style UI's.  Should they still allow the old menu bars (from R12)?

[AllenJessup]

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@doni49 wrote:

Should they still allow the old menu bars (from R12)?

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That's interesting. I knew there was still a MENUBAR variable. So I decided to try it. Setting it to 1 now restores the old drop down menus. Might come in handy in the future.

Allen

[doni49]

Wow!  I haven't seen (or wanted to see) a menubar in such a long time, I really thought it was gone.  I would never have imagined that.

[Jay_B]

When I first saw the ribbon I hated it but forced myself to adapt rather than work in an outdated interface that the old pull downs have become for me. None of the users I support (or very few) would know where the classic Toolbars are found or have a use for them either.

A great example of why to use the Ribbon beyond using what everyone else does is what it will do for you.

The help enhancements in the ribbon are very useful too, simply hover over a command on the Ribbon and press F1 to be directed to a wealth of information for practically any command in the software.

The Application Menu>Search Bar is a great place to find commands if your not sure where they may be buried in the Ribbon.

Enter a command and get multiple methods of invoking any command here.

The Contextual Ribbons as previously mentioned are also a very handy feature once you get used to them.

[johngordon6189]

1) Enabling mtext dialog box. start with MTEXTED set to internal, MTEXTTOOLBAR set to 2 2) Double-clicking blocks to enable "edit box-in-place" rather than "block edit." click on the block, right click and select edit block in place 3) Double-clicking hatch patterns to enable the "hatch edit" dialog box click on hatch, right click and select hatch edit 4) Turn off coordinate view options at the upper right of the screen view cube, turn off in options, 3d modeling tab, options on the bottom left of the dialog. 5) Traditional command line, rather than the floating command with floating text on the bottom right. commandline or ctrl+9 and turn off dynamic input (F12)

[Jeff_M]

I would rather that Autodesk spend their resources on making the program itself better & bug free. If the allocated resources to keep all forms of the menu updated.... at one time we had screen menus, used digitizing tablets, etc. should these ALL be kept up with the new commands? FWIW, I absolutely hated the dropdown menus when first introduced in v12. How dare they mess with my tablet menu???? Change is usually for the good....embrace it. 🙂 I can't even imagine working on a tablet now, or without the Ribbon.