How do you manage Ribbon Interface with 16:9 monitor

[PRSS]

Hello Everybody

Here in India we cannot afford giant size monitors. An average AEC firm would have a 23 inch monitor or 21 inches. Now almost all the monitors are 16:9. So already the height of the monitor is reduced when compared to the 4:3 monitor.

With the Ribbon Interface, the height of the drawing space becomes even less. Of course the ribbon can be minimized etc. but it is a nuisance revoking it and minimizing again. the 2008 version IMHO had a better interface with dashboards which occupied the vertical space on the right side. This way the height of the drawing space is not affected. It used to be a good interface - why change this into Ribbon mimicking MS Office for a CAD program?

I know that you could still have the Classic interface - but you lose the convenience of the ribbon. Frankly, I am a "command line only" person. But I would like to get used to the Ribbon also. Only at this point of time it started to irritate me the small height of the drawing space.

How do you people manage this? By very huge monitors? or may be you are using highly advanced models where you have a choice for a 4:3 format? I am struggling. I would like to use AutoCAD the way the rest of the world uses - though I am very fast in command line and know by heart most of the commands & shortcut keys. Sometimes i work in FullScreen mode.

Thanks in advance
PRSS

[BlackBox]

The Ribbon Tool Palette... You did know that it's a Tool Palette, right?... Can be 'undocked', and anchored like any other Tool Palette.

... Simply Right Click the Ribbon, then select Undock. :beer:

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29120&d=1312389682

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29122&d=1312389701

[PRSS]

Thanks for the fast response. So they could be docked on the right side like the dashboard. But is the rest of the world using it this way? I think not - most are using it in the default ribbon interface which reduces the height of the drawing area. I was asking if they use huge monitors for the ribbon.

With best regards
PRSS

[BlackBox]

Thanks for the fast response. So they could be docked on the right side like the dashboard. But is the rest of the world using it this way? I think not - most are using it in the default ribbon interface which reduces the height of the drawing area. I was asking if they use huge monitors for the ribbon.


I only use dual 24" widescreen monitors at work, and have no issues with the Ribbon docked in it's normal position (Top)... At home I have a 20" widescreen monitor, again, with no issues.

HTH

[Iceberg]

I traditionally use the keyboard for most of my functions since I learned CAD way back in the DOS days. With that said I will probably be one of the few people who says they like the ribbon as I hate toolbars.

There are a few things about the ribbon that I really like and might help you.

1. I have my ribbon at the top of my screen and have it set to "Minimized to tabs" so only the names like Home, OutPut, etc are shown. When I want to use the ribbon to xref in a drawing, i click on the Insert Tab and there I will find my reference panel. Once I am done it the ribbon simply hides till i need it agan.

2. This I really like. Basically you can pull any of the panels you need into the CAD environment right off of the ribbon. So lets say you are dimensioning a drawing. Click on the Annotate tab and then click on the dimensions panel and drag that into your screen. Now you have all of your dimension tools on your main screen and can utilize them with out having your ribbon open. When you done, simple click on the small arrow in the upper right that reads "Return Panels to Ribbon" and it will go right back to the ribbon where you it placed.

3. You can create a custom Ribbon that is made up of just the tools that you want to be on it. I would create a new workspace first. Then customize it how you would like.

I don't use a custom ribbon as I am more familiar with the default layout but you can even drag the panels around on the ribbon so that they are even in a different spot that might work better for you.

I hope these ideas help.

[Wanderer]

Thanks for the fast response. So they could be docked on the right side like the dashboard. But is the rest of the world using it this way? I think not - most are using it in the default ribbon interface which reduces the height of the drawing area. I was asking if they use huge monitors for the ribbon.

With best regards
PRSS
At home I have a 17" widescreen and use it docked on the side.
At work, I have a 20" and keep it on the top, but, sometimes autocollapse it if I feel the need for a little more screen space.

[BlackBox]

Also, for reference, one can change the visible height of the Ribbon when docked at top via RibbonDockedHeight (http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2014/ENU/files/GUID-66301197-1C8B-4A0E-B919-813DAA2456C2.htm) System Variable.



** ETA - While 0 is an accepted value, I do not see much change (visibly) when below 50, given a screen resolution of 1680x1050.

[Iceberg]

Also, for reference, one can change the visible height of the Ribbon when docked at top via RibbonDockedHeight (http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2014/ENU/files/GUID-66301197-1C8B-4A0E-B919-813DAA2456C2.htm) System Variable.



** ETA - While 0 is an accepted value, I do not see much change (visibly) when below 50, given a screen resolution of 1680x1050.

It also appears that you can not go any higher then 500.... why someone would want it that big is beyond me... but maybe you could play a little joke on someone who isnt too familar with that system variable.

Another idea, to take what BlackBox said about the ribbon being a palette, is that you can move your palettes onto a second or third monitor (assuming that you have more then one) this will clear up a lot of space in your CAD environment. I have most of my pallettes I use regularly located on my second monitor.

[BlackBox]

It also appears that you can not go any higher then 500.... why someone would want it that big is beyond me...


Speculation: That Ribbon height would allow more buttons (i.e., rows) 'above' the fold?

I agree that it's plenty 'tall' enough for my liking OOTB.



but maybe you could play a little joke on someone who isnt too familar with that system variable.


I have a million of them (pranks that is)... Like this lil' ditty, for starters:


Edit: WARNING - Use at your own risk.

<snip>


....



Another idea, to take what BlackBox said about the ribbon being a palette, is that you can move your palettes onto a second or third monitor (assuming that you have more then one) this will clear up a lot of space in your CAD environment. I have most of my pallettes I use regularly located on my second monitor.


That might also be helpful to others; good observation. :beer:

[PRSS]

Thank you every body. That clears up one thing - each one has his/her own ways of using the ribbon

Second, seeing the replies it seems that not the entire rest of the world is using huge monitors - that does comfort me !!

Because when you Google search on these matters, what I see is people using 27 / 29 / or even 32 inch monitors - some using two 27 inch monitors.
This started making me feel whether we here are being too spartan to spend on huge monitors.

With best regards
PRSS

[Wanderer]

Thank you every body. That clears up one thing - each one has his/her own ways of using the ribbon

Second, seeing the replies it seems that not the entire rest of the world is using huge monitors - that does comfort me !!

Because when you Google search on these matters, what I see is people using 27 / 29 / or even 32 inch monitors - some using two 27 inch monitors.
This started making me feel whether we here are being too spartan to spend on huge monitors.

With best regards
PRSS

We have small upgrade budgets. I do have two monitors, but, only because one of them was swiped from the recycling heap after it's owner retired. My other monitor (20") was a special request (over our standard of 17"), but, I've had it through four PC upgrades (we upgrade every two years approx because of leased machines, I think).

We do have one monitor that is 30-something inches, but, it's in a meeting room, so for all of the folks to look at stuff during design review meetings, not actual working space. :( I wish I had one that big in my office.

[mephasm]

What or how ever you want to convince yourself to using ribbon, you all know deep inside that there is no need to use ribbon, and there is no satisfying explanation for "to like to get used to the Ribbon also". There is no advantage that ribbon brings to a command-heavy user like you, apart from less screen space, sluggish and buggy performance, more wasted time. That is of course the case for Autocad. Ribbon may be useful in other programs, like revit, for example.

[Iceberg]

What or how ever you want to convince yourself to using ribbon, you all know deep inside that there is no need to use ribbon, and there is no satisfying explanation for "to like to get used to the Ribbon also". There is no advantage that ribbon brings to a command-heavy user like you, apart from less screen space, sluggish and buggy performance, more wasted time. That is of course the case for Autocad. Ribbon may be useful in other programs, like revit, for example.

I actually disagree with this statement for various reasons.

Not everyone has the same experience level nor where trained exactly the same way on how to use CAD. When I train new hires on how to use CAD, my first statement is this, "Make CAD your own. Use the tools that you feel comfortable with whether that's using LIPS, keyboard shortcuts, RIBBON, tool bars, pull down, etc. or any combination thereof. I can teach you new stuff but it's up to you to determine if that works for you."

I have found over the years that tool bars are a bit cumbersome and take up to much screen space. However, I have found that the RIBBON organizes items better and is easier to work with then tool bars. I predominately use my keyboard shortcuts and hot keys for most of my work, but I do find the occasional need to use the ribbon and its a tool that I use well and have incorporated into my routine. I have worked with people who never use keyboard shortcuts only the RIBBON and/or tool bars and are just as effective. I should also mention that I am a CAD user, and rarely use other programs like CIVIL 3d or Revit.

At the end of the day, CAD has multiple tools to utilize. We will not all agree on the same methods of utilizing CAD but everyone develops there own style that works best for them.

[dgorsman]

Hear hear. Except on one point - if I see one of my users using their LIPS, I'll get them to start using the mouse or keyboard instead. :D