Lock Tool Palettes??? They move too easily and unintentionally...

[Anonymous]

I am looking for an option to lock the Autocad for Mac tool palettes in place. I am a long time PC user, now using Autocad for Mac. The little lock button on the status bar of PC versions would be handy right now!

It seems that the palettes, drawing window, etc. in Mac are all separate entities - and it seems way too easy to accidentally move or lose a tool palette while i am working... Seems that i read this was considered a selling feature of the Mac version? I have spoken to another with this problem in person, but am surprised that i havent seen complaints about it online?? I found one other post regarding this in 2012, but no replies...

I know that i can reset my palettes and get them back, but would prefer to avoid the problem all together if possible. Any help or info appreciated, thank in advance!

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the Autodesk Forums!

Hi,

I'll try to answer your questions (including "Does opening Preferences and clicking ok in the Application tab actually change the profile that will be opened every time in the future???" from this topic: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-for-mac-general/tool-bars-and-palette-locations/td-p/4318714/p... )

Despite the fact that I have never experienced difficulties with position (and disappearing) Tool Palettes in AutoCAD for Mac (maybe because I never use AutoCAD with multiple monitors), I know where the settings of position and show/hide state of the Palettes are storied on Mac.

The file containing this information and which is loaded each time you launch AutoCAD is - profile.aws, and it is located in:

/Users/YOUR_USER_MAME/Library/Application Support/Autodesk/roaming/AutoCAD 20XX/RXX.X/enu/Support/ folder (XX - depends on AutoCAD version you have).

When you quit AutoCAD (close it completely) it should write all information about Palettes to this file. When I wrote about the trick with opening AutoCAD Preferences and clicking on OK button in the Preferences dialog, than restarting AutoCAD I mean only that this trick should ensure that last AutoCAD layout settings gets saved of sure. I think in AutoCAD 2015 this is not absolutely necessary.

Now about profile.aws file - I think you can try to setup Palettes positions, than quit AutoCAD, than Lock this file to prevent AutoCAD from writing changes to it. I tried this with single monitor configuration and it works. You only should to remember that if you want to change display resolution or work with different monitors configuration or want to change your preferences in Palettes position and open/close state - you need to unlock this file before you quit AutoCAD.

Maxim