topic Re: Classic View in AutoCAD Forum

Classic View

lmalek — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 00:52:11 GMT

I can't get the Classic view with Version 2018. How do I get this?

Re: Classic View

pendean — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 13:58:01 GMT

What software are you writing about? The free viewer, where you are posting, has no classic anything.

Re: Classic View

lmalek — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:08:28 GMT

AutoCAD 2018

Re: Classic View

pendean — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 14:51:05 GMT

ReCreate the "Classic" Workspace with all the toolbars and pulldown menus from old (with no Ribbon) in about one minute:

MENUBAR command, turn it on = 1 (4 seconds)
Go to Tools > toolbars > acad > layers (5 seconds)
hoover over layers toolbar > right click > properties (3 seconds)
hoover over any toolbar > right click > standard (3 seconds)
hoover over any toolbar > right click > styles (3 seconds)
hoover over any toolbar > right click > workspaces (3 seconds)
RIBBONCLOSE command (3 seconds)
arrange toolbars as you desire (20 seconds)
WORKSPACE command, SAVEAS option, CLASSIC will be the new name you type (5 seconds)

Re: Classic View

TheCADnoob — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 16:44:10 GMT

This article in cad notes by @edwin.prakoso has a pretty sweet script for that

https://www.cad-notes.com/autocad-script-to-create-classic-workspace-automatically/

Re: Classic View

RobDraw — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 17:46:40 GMT

Isn't it about time to let the classic interface go? Is there a good reason for hanging on to it?

I've got a feeling that some day tool bars will not be available.

Re: Classic View

peterm — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 12:31:18 GMT

Toolbars are much quicker to use and take up less space than the ribbon.

The ribbon is good for new and occasional users.

Re: Classic View

pendean — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:12:15 GMT

The Ribbon is a toolbar with tabs.
If the tabs freak you out, you can add content to the first panel, and better yet, take advantage of and use the QAT bar even more, you can load 50+ icons on it.

FWIW toolbars and Ribbon are for casual users and noobs: experienced and power users almost never touch them. here is nothing quicker about any of them. That's a fact.

Re: Classic View

peterm — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:33:28 GMT

That's a bit of a sweeping statement.

I've been using AutoCAD all day every day since Release 9.

I started with a graphics tablet and commands and then switched to a mouse and toolbars when they were introduced in the 90s.

When the ribbon was introduced, I found it slowed me down as it increased the number of clicks needed to get to what I wanted. Subsequently I have always used AutoCAD with toolbars.

Everyone has their own preference and it is good that AutoCAD leave users the option as to how they want to work.

Re: Classic View

pendean — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 14:50:06 GMT

>>>...I've been using AutoCAD all day every day since Release 9....<<<
Me too brother: and so have almost everyone taking the time to help posts in these forums too. You are not the exception, we are all old-timers.

Yes, everyone has preferences, but you stated toolbars are better than ribbons, when in reality they are both the same and serve the same purpose if you never ever customize your interface beyond shuffling core toolbars around your screen.
You are still hunting and pecking at buttons.

There is no power user = toolbars. Fact.

Re: Classic View

peterm — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 15:04:05 GMT

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone. I was just sharing my opinion based on personal experience. Maybe I should have worded my response more carefully.

Anyway, I said toolbars were "quicker" than ribbons, not "better".

Re: Classic View

TheCADnoob — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 15:11:05 GMT

Its really up to what you like. I've seen muscle memory make quick work using tool bars, but UIs like ribbons are innovating past the abilities of toolbar's. As the program increases in power (features) static toolbars wont be able to be as efficient in what they offer. all this of course coming from a guy who thinks throwing commands from a terminal sans a GUI is a fun time.

Re: Classic View

pendean — Thu, 18 Jan 2018 17:20:34 GMT

No offense taken, and I hope no offense was given either on my part.

Note that by turning off the Ribbon you also hide a good portion of the feature set built into these newer versions too. Much like the right-click button menus were expanded way back when, Dynmode doing so much more etc.
Using R2018 (or anything after R2006) like it was R0009 is no longer viable in production circles if time is money at your end.

There is nothing quicker about toolbars over Ribbon if you customize and tailor to your needs, a feature of this very expensive program that you should be taking advantage of and not just using OOTB (Out Of The Box).

Show me a screenshot of your full AutoCAD program if you are able to, let me see this exception to all toolbar layouts that works so much better than a fully customized Ribbon and QAT. I'm always open to learning, or teaching: we can do this as private messages on here too if you wish to move away from the public forums.

If you only wish to use AutOCAD OOTB, save yourself/your company a ton of money (if you folks are on 2018 and paying subscription) and find a cheaper CAD program that's locked up and has dozens of toolbars to shift around: there are very good ones that handle DWG files seemlessly and cost a one time charge equivalent to one year subscription to AutoCADLT (almost a 1/4th of AutoCAD' s annual cost).

Good luck either way.

Re: Classic View

peterm — Fri, 19 Jan 2018 09:28:45 GMT

Hi Imalek,

We certainly don't use AutoCAD OOTB as we have custom toolbars, custom software and Accurender (rendering software from McNeel) which all integrate into a system that does everything we need from 2D production drawings to office space planning to 3D photorealistic rendering.

What I like about the toolbars is that everything I need is on the screen and just one click away. I know keyboard commands can be quicker, but that requires me to look down at the keyboard, whereas I prefer the "heads up" approach.

Here's a screen shot of my layout: