Settings that need faster access

[Dan Park]

Lew,

If you have views that you commonly use or want to quickly change a set of walls to invisible, you could put them on different layersets then switch to that layerset.

Of course this only works if you do this often and the walls are always the same walls.

One might put all southern walls on one layer, all eastern on another, etc. then have 4 layersets where the walls on that side were off.

[Dan Park]

Another choice might be to use the layer painter. Pick a layer that's hidden and click on the wall.

[WendyWelton]

Another choice might be to use the layer painter. Pick a layer that's hidden and click on the wall.

Aha! That would actually work right now and be almost not annoying!

[ebdesign]

I think we're talking the same thing here.
I wanna see ALL the properties, not just the layer: & I just want to see them to confirm correct layer, defaults, material, etc; not get into the dbx unless I want to change something.

If a "properties pallette" stayed open all the time (similar to how the library/project browser does), how would it display properties of individual items when needed? Just select the item, & the pallete changes? That would be great.

Here's another suggestion:
Figure out a way to keep the Layer Display Options dbx open all the time. Maybe this is tied to the properties pallette/open item dbx somehow.

Jim

[lbuttery]

Dan:


It's not always the same walls, it varies from project to project.


Having the toggle would be the easiest way to do this dynamically


Lew

[sdsinc]

Love this thread. I will say that I waited so long for customizable hotkeys that I actually learned the old letters and now stick with them. I guess that is to Doug's point earlier on about learning commands that are not mnemonic.

Anyway, and I hope this belongs here, I would like to have a tie in between text and dimensions in a SINGLE interface/dialogue box with a drop style menu. For instance, when I am lettering a 1 1/2" to foot detail I have a drop selection with presets for the text size, arrow size, leader size, dim layer, text layer etc. When its 1/4" to foot it is a separate menu choice. Naturally the menu choices should be user programmable.

[Glenn Woodward]

Wendy, you soon run out of single letter shortcuts and you run out even quicker of single letter shortcuts that make sense!

Please excuse my indulgence while I rabbit on a bit more about 2 letter shortcuts (without Enter and pressed sequentially).

The real power of the shortcuts is actually not in the shortcuts themselves. Once you understand that they are all "nestable" and also once you realise that there can be shortcuts for EVERY command and EVERY system variable. This means that you can almost completely control your work with shortcuts bar picking points, selecting, etc, with the mouse - you almost NEVER need to access a menu or dbx with the mouse, it is all done with the shortcuts.

You want to change the Ortho Angle (Chiefs Angle Snaps) to 45 deg?
Type OA, 45, Enter. (the Enter is only needed because you are typing a number AND, you didn't even need the mouse!)
You want to change the text height to 500mm, the current text layer to Layer 100, and start drawing text?
TH, 500, Enter, TL, 100, Enter, TE.

Not 1 dbx used, and only 1 mouse click at the end to pick a text placement.
I guarantee that you can't do it faster or easier in any other cad program!!!!!! - In fact, I will bet my wife on it!

[WendyWelton]

I think we're talking the same thing here.
I wanna see ALL the properties, not just the layer: & I just want to see them to confirm correct layer, defaults, material, etc; not get into the dbx unless I want to change something.

Underlining mine. I bumped it to make sure that point is clear.

I never would have thought to ask for that, but I agree 100%.

It would save time and catch mistakes - a home run.

[Maureen Giattino]

I think we're talking the same thing here.
I wanna see ALL the properties, not just the layer: & I just want to see them to confirm correct layer, defaults, material, etc; not get into the dbx unless I want to change something.

If a "properties pallette" stayed open all the time (similar to how the library/project browser does), how would it display properties of individual items when needed? Just select the item, & the pallete changes? That would be great.

Here's another suggestion:
Figure out a way to keep the Layer Display Options dbx open all the time. Maybe this is tied to the properties pallette/open item dbx somehow.

Jim

These are top priority items for me. The properties box would need to be editable; it would be really frustrating to see it all and know you have to change one thing and have to go back through the dbx to do it. Maybe a click on an item in that property box pops up the dbx on the correct tab.

Sometimes it feels like I spend more time in the dbxs than drawing; I would really like to reduce dbx fatigue. Too many tabs!

[gawdzira]

What others are saying regarding the properties of objects. I would like to see a customizable status bar where the status elements are editable. Even if it is not customizable but just editable. this is my highest priority.

Second on the list. My last command. Give me the ability to make a hot key to recall my last command.

Third, everything hot keyable.

[WendyWelton]

...My last command. Give me the ability to make a hot key to recall my last command.

Yes Yes Yes please.

Acrap has that and it's a real speed feature.

Third, everything hot keyable.

Yeah, that would be best. If we can do it, do it hot.

[lbuttery]

I would also still like to recommend that chief have a macro/script language like VBA

Then we could setup some real power features


Lew

[somearchitect]

I'll cast my vote for a properties palette. That would be a big time-saver for me. I'm constantly opening an object's dbx or using the rainbow tool to figure out what something is made of or what layer it lives on.

Hitting the spacebar or similar hot key to repeat a command would be great as well.

Thanks!

Chris

[WHirsch]

Hitting the spacebar or similar hot key to repeat a command would be great as well.

I'd like that, but depending upon how much time and effort would be diverted from other development, I'm not sure that this is something that I'd request as a priority. Drawing tool commands are already sticky. Editing tools, otoh, are not activated until a selection is made. A fundamental change in the way the program works would be required to make, for example, the point to point move tool active pending a selection.

[jonathank]

Second on the list. My last command. Give me the ability to make a hot key to recall my last command.

Third, everything hot keyable.

I'll second this. Funny...today I was just thinking "I wish there was something
to where I could recall the last command..."

I come from AutoCAD where it's all "command prompt". It's really nice when
you get use to it.

I feel the everything hotkey-able or possibly even trying to go "command
prompt" would (in my opinion) make it A LOT easier to draw. With command
prompt you could set multiple letters (i.e. "EW" for exterior wall) for the
commands. I don't know if it's possible to have more than one letter for
hotkeys.

The downfall however, would be some SERIOUS re-programming.