Have You Tried . . . July Edition

[dieters]

This month, we’re featuring an article on how to Customize Your AutoCAD Interface. It's truly amazing how easy it is to simplify the AutoCAD UI to just what you need and increase the area available for drawing! I think you'll enjoy this and you might learn some new tricks.

In previous issues articles, we covered topics such as dynamic blocks, page setups, accelerated dimensioning, and so on. Here's the list of the past articles that you can browse through.

See what you think of them. We’re always open to your feedback and suggestions.

- Dieter

[TheCADnoob]

I'm a big fan of adding the layers control to the quick launch. Keep the great tips coming!

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I'm a big fan of adding the layers control to the quick launch.

It was possible since a long time, just don't use the new option (I guess since 2018) where you can activate a layer-combo using the list in the quick-access-toolbar, because then you can't edit the width of this control.

Using the "old" option (right-click in the layer-combo within the ribbon) does not block the width to be edited.

- alfred -

[dieters]

Alfred,

Yes, right-clicking the exiting toolbar to add it to the QAT does give a little more default width, but the Layer dropdown expands in the QAT regardless. I just tried it with 40 characters. There's probably a limit, though.

How long are your layer names?

Dieter

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I just tried it with 40 characters

You can't see 40 char's within the layer-combo from quick-access-toolbar.

This is a screenshot with the Austrian Country Kit template for Civil 3D and the same layer set active, do you see the difference?

BTW: we already had the discussion with 2018, it was not corrected with 2019. I even don't understand yet why this was new developed as the function already existed with more/better options in previous AutoCAD releases.

Template attached.

- alfred -

[cadffm]

No, what Alfred pointed to is the difference of box width(not the entlarged list). Why is it an "important" point?
The box display the current layer and often you only want to check what the current layer is.
The new Layerlist combo item display only the first poor 13 chars, 13 is not much in the extnames era.

You have no access/controle of minimum/maximum width property of layer-list combo item, like you have it with the layer combo control item.

The whole entlarged list display the same as maximum: 64 chars

[cadffm]

9min ... to slow, too old? Or i need holidays. Sorry.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

>> The box display the current layer

...and the layer of the selected entity, sometimes (for me) even more important 😉

- alfred -

[pendean · Accepted solution]

Is this the tip everyone is looking for http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/how-to-increase-width-of-the-layer-control-in-autocad-ribbon-tip8...

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Is this the tip everyone is looking for

I already described you can get a sizeable layer-combo using right-click on the layer-combo in the ribbon.

Just the so called "new feature" in AutoCAD (to add a layer-combo via the quick-access-toolbar pulldown) is not sizeable in width

- alfred -

[dieters]

Sorry, I couldn't get online for a while.

• Alfred--good point. I was thinking only in terms of the automatic width adjustment on the QAT for the Layer dropdown list.
• CADffm--Yes, I get it now. Thanks for clarifying. What's 9 minutes?
• pendean--Yep, that's the answer. Thanks for posting it!
• Alfred--Yes, for some reason the Layer option  from the QAT dropdown is not adjustable in width. Please report this as a defect.

Also, note that 350-400 for the width should be sufficient. Setting the width too wide results in something you don't want.

Thanks all,

Dieter

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Please report this as a defect

SCNR: It was already reported (I also guess it was reported in the beta forum) ... how often do I need to report this?

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

here is the discussion we already had before >>>click<<<

- alfred -

[dieters]

Alfred,

Honestly, I don't know what's been reported as a defect on the Beta forum or here. But when additional customers run into it, it increases its priority. I think you have a valid point about confirming the current layer without using the dropdown, and I'll bring it up with Karen, okay?

Thanks,

Dieter

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I'll bring it up with Karen, okay?

Everything that helps the product is OK for me.

I know how to get the width changed, for others it would be great to simply change the type of control, that is used as layer-combo, when you select it from the quick-access-toolbar list.

- alfred -

[dieters]

Yeah, the conversation is coming back to me. I don't know why the CUI supports two controls (which you can see when you enable both methods).

Dieter

[dieters]

Alfred,

I just wanted to let you know that I had the conversation and we'll be looking into the default width issue. Thanks for bringing it up again! Persistence pays! 🙂

Best regards,

Dieter

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi Dieter,

>> we'll be looking into the default width issue

From my point of view it's not the default width which makes it less usable, it's the option to customize the width.

And at least: AutoCAD has the control build in that can do this, just change the control that is used when you activate the "layer" item in the list of available controls when clicking the arrow left to the quick access toolbar.

With other words, 2 controls exist as layer-combo, kill the one that is not customizeable.

But thank you looking into it!

- alfred -

[dieters]

Yes, exactly!

Dieter