Custom Toolbar

[Anonymous]

I am pretty new to inventor but I would love to be able to create a custom toolbar that I could float around the screen and dock where I want.  Maybe have some opacity control.

I have been checking and it almost seems like inventor got rid of toolbars.  Is that true?  If so, why?

I hate having to go digging for functions I use that are buried in other locations.

I waste so much time (well, it adds up) switching to whatever panel I am looking for.  I have tried the right click marking menu and that is helpful, but I have to set it up for every environment.  

[jtylerbc]

When Inventor first moved to the RIbbon interface, there were 1-2 releases where you could still use the "Classic" interface. In those versions you could create custom toolbars. When the "Classic Interface" option was removed completely, the toolbars went with it. I suspect the toolbar interface was simply part of the code that was removed to get rid of the "Classic Interface" when it was obsoleted. At the time I was using the Ribbon interface with one custom toolbar for VBA macros, and I had to move to adding those macros to the "User Commands" panel on the Ribbon tabs. This wasn't all bad, as it meant I could organize them a little better (no drawing-related tools showing up while in a part, or assembly stuff when I'm in a drawing). As our list of customizations grew, I would have eventually had to stop doing it as a toolbar anyway because it would have just gotten out of hand.

[Anonymous]

@jtylerbc I figured something like that happened.  They are trying to phase out the toolbars in AutoCAD.  I have some serious power users that swear by them.

What confuses me is that they have a toolbar that floats around associated with the view cube.  I never use that thing.  You can put some functions on it.  I just want to be able to put whatever I want on it.  

[jtylerbc]

Most of my company's AutoCAD users are still toolbar-types as well. A few have switched over to the ribbon or a hybrid of the two. Personally, I use a hybrid of a customized ribbon (which I'm really not "done" building, but it's good enough for what little AutoCAD work I still do) and a couple of toolbars that sit below it. The toolbars are mostly for custom LISP commands (which would probably have to be split up onto multiple ribbon tabs to make sense), or for toolbars I still use to fill in the gaps of my unfinished custom ribbon. The toolbar you're talking about is customizable to a limited degree, all relating to view commands. I use it to reduce how often I need to go to the actual View tab on the ribbon. It's called the "Navigation Bar", which implies (to me at least) that the limitations it has are intentional. Anyway, you might try using the "User Commands" panel I mentioned previously to help you out a bit. Also, some ribbon tabs have options for certain panels to be there, but are just turned off by default. For example, the "Parameters" panel can be turned on for a lot of tabs where it doesn't appear by default. Just right-click in the gray space at the end of the ribbon, go to "Show Panels", and see what's available.

[Anonymous]

I get the switch to ribbons, but I want a hybrid.  The ribbon helps de-clutter quite a bit.  But it just doesn't have everything I need.

As for the navigation (my typo auto corrected to: aggravation bar) bar, I have not been able to integrate it into my work flow so it will help once I can.  It is such a tease though, because it has the exact capabilities I want - up to a point.

My problem with the custom commands is that if I want something always there, I have to add it to multiple panels.

I appreciate all the suggestions, but still think the answer for me is a tool bar I can customize.  The CTRL-RIGHT click marking menu is the closest thing that works for me.

[0x3FA5]

The problem is, that vary rarely AutoCad users switch to Inventor, the purposes of these products are very different. Users switch to Inventor from other 3D CADs, and not having this (or any other) basic ability only because of the link to (let's face it - outdated) 2D suite is at least questionable.

[Anonymous]

@0x3FA5 I do not think the issue is only with people who switch from AutoCAD.  If you could to put more commands that you use at your virtual fingertips, everyone could benefit.

If possible, check out how SW does it.  They have a subtle toolbar you can customize.  It is incredibly useful.

[0x3FA5]

Ronald,

I have over 10 years of experience with SW and Catia, I am pretty familiar with 99% features the SW has.

I am in enormous pain now, since I have project in Inventor environment. Truly hope not to encounter the Inventor ever again.

[rlee6UNEM]

It's lame that we can't do this.