topic Simple Q.O.L. improvements in AutoCAD Forum

Simple Q.O.L. improvements

davisb7XALL — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:20:13 GMT

The "browse for folder" window that the sheet set wizard provides is too tiny, and you can't open it any further. I use it exclusively connected to a server which can take 5-10 minutes to get to the folder I need. Making it bigger, or similar to the save/open window would be great.

Editable text in the "find and replace" window. When you use the find command, the list that comes up (as well as your whole drawing) is not editable while the list is there. For instance, if I searched REINFORCED and want to edit the text after each instance that includes reinforced; I have to exit the find & replace window, edit the text after reinforced, and then return to the window to find the next instance. When there is a perfectly good table listing all of the instances that I would love to be able to edit. Saving tons of time and headache.

Re: Simple Q.O.L. improvements

davisb7XALL — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:24 GMT

As a person with severe inattentive ADHD, small things like these lead me to the AutoCAD forums to make a suggestion instead of working lmao

Re: Simple Q.O.L. improvements

CGBenner — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:37:49 GMT

@davisb7XALL

I find myself in the same.... SQUIRREL!! 😂

But seriously, you may want to consider joining the AutoCAD Beta where you can get all of these suggestions in front of the right people.

Re: Simple Q.O.L. improvements

davisb7XALL — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:48:18 GMT

I may have to do that. I've been using AutoCAD for a little over 20 years now, and have come across tons of things that would make the user experience better. My programming knowledge is not entirely non existent, so the things I spot are typically fairly trivial for a professional programmer to fix.

Re: Simple Q.O.L. improvements

paullimapa — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 19:52:33 GMT

I've already submitted the following to Autodesk many moons ago but they don't seem to see the need to make these modifications:

A. OPEN / SAVEAS / DGNATTACH / DWFATTACH / IMAGEATTACH / PDFATTACH / PDFIMPORT / XATTACH / windows:

Though these windows are all resizable, the drawing Preview part is fixed in size.

It would be helpful to be able to see more of the dwg in the thumbnail preview:

These should all be made similar to the Dimension Style Manager window which has a preview that changes proportionally in size to the window size:

B. Layer Properties Manager:

1. Linetype brings up a small Select Linetype window that cannot be adjusted in size:

This should be made to match with the LINETYPE Manager window which is resizable:

2. Color brings up a small Select Color window that cannot be adjusted in size.

It's also the same problem when the COLOR command is executed from the command line:

Re: Simple Q.O.L. improvements

davisb7XALL — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 15:46:51 GMT

That's a good list! I've seen tons of things that seem obvious and easy to fix. To be honest I don't think they have a burning desire to perfect their product because they've been the go to program for everyone for decades.

However, I've heard all over the industry people are moving to alternative solutions. These companies are hungry, and take in advice and suggestions from their userbase because they want a bigger piece of Autodesk's pie. From demos I've seen it almost seems like an obvious choice for a lot of industries to switch. If the market share percentages start to shift they'll listen more though I'm sure.

Re: Simple Q.O.L. improvements

RSomppi — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 12:07:49 GMT

@davisb7XALL wrote:
However, I've heard all over the industry people are moving to alternative solutions.

I think you heard wrong.

A lot of companies in the architectural and MEP industries have already made the move from AutoCAD, to Revit, another Autodesk product. It's hard to get away from a monopoly when they are THE preeminent software company when everyone else uses and requires their consultants to use their products. Stand alone companies obviously have a choice.

@davisb7XALL wrote:
If the market share percentages start to shift they'll listen more though I'm sure.

They are already listening and making improvements based on user input all the time. Maybe not the ones that you find troublesome, but they are improving their programs significantly on a yearly basis, at a minimum.