Should I abandon the Properties panel?

[NHHiker]

Using AutoCad 2019.1.2, Windows 10 Pro (1809), nVidia Quadro M4000.

I've changed my DYNMODE over to 0 which was itself a big pain. Now the other half of working with a single polyline in a 200-point file is this Properties panel. I've always ran the program with it open, but the small delay that occurs when I select a new object (waiting for the Properties panel to refresh) has really been driving me nuts lately. Probably because I'm getting older.

Should I just suck it up and learn to work with it closed, or is there a way to get the program to behave the same way as if it were actually closed. Auto-hiding doesn't solve the issue. But it SHOULD (hint-hint). Maybe have it so that I can quickly call for it with a mouse-over if needed, while it sits unobtrusively (and un-updated) until such time.

Thanks,

John

[Alfred.NESWADBA · Accepted solution]

Hi,

>> a 200-point file

>> small delay that occurs when I select a new object 

Polylines (and some other geometry) does area and length calculation, and whenever you select an object (or more) with a lot of vertices this calculation is creating that delay.

What I do in such cases is not to close the property window, but (while polyline is selected) minimizing the part "Geometry" of the property window, that helps 😉

- alfred -

[NHHiker]

@Alfred.NESWADBA 

So I thank you for directing me to this idea. I've played around a bit with it and found that while not perfect, it gets me very close. Here's what I've discovered:

AutoCAD will remember which flyouts are expanded and which are closed based on the type of object selected. (In your example, you have a Polyline selected.) If I select a Polyline, then close all the flyouts except for Geometry, things work great. As soon as I open the General flyout, they slow down again. So for me, the slowdown is the General section, not the Geometry section. Once I set which ones I want open for that type of object, it is remembered. So when I choose the next Polyline, only Geometry is opened.

This doesn't always work perfectly though. If I set a 2D Polyline to also only open the Geometry panel, that's consistent. But if I choose both a Polyline and a 2D Polyline at the same time (something I do often), the identifier changes to "All (2)"  and all of the flyouts open up again. Closing the flyouts, deselecting the objects and then reselecting them results in the flyouts being opened again. It doesn't understand that I only want Geometry open when both a Polyline and 2D Polyline are selected at the same time (despite the individual setting of those object types).

The nice thing is that I can leave the Properties panel open and close all of the flyouts with nothing selected and that will act as the default behavior. Speed is there most of the time and I don't have to CTRL-1 back and forth.

Thanks much!

John

[JamesMaeding]

@NHHiker 

I tell users to play the ctrl-1 game and keep it normally closed.

I would also say its the wrong solution for anything you use a lot.

It is better to make or find a tool for anything done repetitively in autocad.

I know that is deeper down the rabbit hole that you may have planned on going, but you should take your time and tendons seriously.

Take the time to explain what you use props for that is so important you need it open all the time.

I bet we can offer several alternatives, as guys like me try to eliminate every little inconvenience of autocad for 100's of users so have a history of things that help.

thx

[RobDraw]

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@JamesMaeding wrote:

guys like me

---

Why is it everything you post seems like self promotion?

[JamesMaeding]

@RobDraw 

No self promotion, just offering to help.

I'd even help you.

[NHHiker]

@JamesMaeding 

The Shelties are all we need, right? I've got a 10-year-old tri-colored. He's been a true joy made a dog-lover out of my previously-unconvinced wife. Just need to find where the volume knob is hidden in the undercoat and we'll be all set.

And thank you for this reminder about learning our root needs (in this case Props) and better addressing them in the most direct manner. My list of these pesky hinderances has grown over time and is much too long. You've motivated me to begin taking note of them and work to improve my workflow. 

Thanks!

John

[JamesMaeding]

@NHHiker 

A fellow Sheltie owner!!!

Check out my crazy blue merle, best dog ever:

I'd definitely program for anyone hosting such wonderful doggies.

[NHHiker]

Our little terror.

[JamesMaeding]

@NHHiker 

Ignore my back and forth with @RobDraw . He's a heckler and keeps my improv skills strong.

I wanted to mention I have a set of free tools I've been giving out for a long time, and it has a tool called "chlacolt" for "change layer color linetype". The idea is you pick any item, xref, nested in block, or just in drawing, and it opens this dialog:

If you pick color button, it opens the color dialog and you can pick a color.

It is not changing the entity color, but the layer color.

You can also change other layer props there.

Notice the shallower and deeper buttons to walk up and down nested stuff.

The idea is you never open the layer dialog if you can avoid it.

Also, since you can just pick on an item to change the layer props, the layer names matter about 90% less.

Stuff like this has changed the entire culture at H&A, as we don't get upset about layer name creativity.

Here is a link to the tools if you want, they also have my app id diagnotic/cleaner tool in them.

This is not a sales plug in any way, its simply giving back a bit for all the help I've got.

https://dn.hunsaker.com/?linkid=KZi4zr6VWWUIVXoem68Rn4jQZK+Z35qn/4DODS6ncAGbVD1ezqzoSg

Just be sure to unblock the .net dll I mention in the included install instructions.

thx

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

just my 2c, - alfred -

[JamesMaeding]

@NHHiker @Alfred.NESWADBA 

If they start Sheltie day at AU, I'm going next year.

...uh huh...We're bringin' Shelties back....

[NHHiker]

@JamesMaeding 

Thanks much. Will def check this out as soon as I have a moment.