Customizing the AutoCAD 2009 Ribbon

by Donnie Gladfelter on March 26, 2008

in AutoCAD,AutoCAD 2009,AutoCAD 2009,Videos

Autodesk began shipping many of their 2009 products starting Monday. Among those released is their flagship product, AutoCAD 2009. If you just can’t wait until your subscription shipment makes its way to your doorstep, a fully-functioning 30 day trial can be downloaded from the Autodesk website. As I have said in some previous posts, the big new feature in AutoCAD 2009 is more-or-less the user interface (UI) as a whole.

Just about every red blooded AutoCAD user I have ever met has first asked “How do I use XYZ Feature?” After they learn how to use XYZ feature, their next question is “How do I customize it?” Last month I gave a quick how to with my “Introduction to the AutoCAD 2009 Ribbon”. This month, we’ll take a look at customizing the new AutoCAD 2009 Ribbon. At first glance, the Ribbon may seem like a brand new cryptic monstrosity at the heart of new release. Good news is the “all new” Ribbon isn’t really all that new afterall.

In essence, our “all new” Ribbon is nothing more than the Dashboard from AutoCAD 2008 with an additional category. In AutoCAD 2008 we had Dashboard Panels which contained Dashboard Tools. In AutoCAD 2009 those items have been renamed to Ribbon Panels, and Ribbon Tools respectively. One shortcoming of the Dashboard in AutoCAD 2008 was the fact we only had 1 Dashboard. Short of creating a workspace, I couldn’t have a Dashboard for general drafting, another for annotating, etc. AutoCAD 2009 introduces another element to the Dashboard, uh – Ribbon, called Ribbon Tabs. In much the same way Ribbon Panels contain Ribbon Tools, Ribbon Tabs contain Ribbon Panels.

Tagged as: AutoCAD 2009, AutoCAD Tips & Tricks, Ribbon, Video

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  • http://www.thecadgeek.com Donnie Gladfelter

    @Norm – You’ve got a couple releases on me, as I started with R12 DOS. If you’re like me, you’ve never quite left the keyboard behind, and still use it to type many of your most frequently used commands (eg. QLEADER). While Autodesk has taken QLEADER out of the default graphical interface, they have not changed the LE alias away from the QLEADER command. So that’s option 1.

    Since either AutoCAD 2005 or 2006 (can’t remember off hand) the entire AutoCAD interface has been controlled by what’s known as the CUI (Custom User Interface). Enter the CUI command line to launch its dialog. From there you can customize what tools display on which ribbon panel.

    You will need to navigate to Ribbon Panels > Annotation. Click on the current Multi-Leader tool in the preview, and it will take you to the correct row inside the Annotation panel. From there, locate the Quick Leader tool under the command list & drag-and-drop it onto your ribbon panel. Here’s a screen shot to help you out (http://screencast.com/t/TbARfpkQcJ).

    Heidi Hewett also has a good post on using the CUI. Her example demonstrates working with toolbars, but the same concept applies to the ribbon in the context of the CUI command. (http://heidihewett.blogs.com/my_weblog/2008/01/quick-tips-for.html)

    Hope that helps,

    Donnie

  • http://thecadgeek.com/ Donnie Gladfelter

    @Norm – You’ve got a couple releases on me, as I started with R12 DOS. If you’re like me, you’ve never quite left the keyboard behind, and still use it to type many of your most frequently used commands (eg. QLEADER). While Autodesk has taken QLEADER out of the default graphical interface, they have not changed the LE alias away from the QLEADER command. So that’s option 1.

    Since either AutoCAD 2005 or 2006 (can’t remember off hand) the entire AutoCAD interface has been controlled by what’s known as the CUI (Custom User Interface). Enter the CUI command line to launch its dialog. From there you can customize what tools display on which ribbon panel.

    You will need to navigate to Ribbon Panels > Annotation. Click on the current Multi-Leader tool in the preview, and it will take you to the correct row inside the Annotation panel. From there, locate the Quick Leader tool under the command list & drag-and-drop it onto your ribbon panel. Here’s a screen shot to help you out (http://screencast.com/t/TbARfpkQcJ).

    Heidi Hewett also has a good post on using the CUI. Her example demonstrates working with toolbars, but the same concept applies to the ribbon in the context of the CUI command. (http://heidihewett.blogs.com/my_weblog/2008/01/quick-tips-for.html)

    Hope that helps,

    Donnie

  • Norm

    I’ve been a cad operator since Rel.9 for Dos and all I want to do is add the Qickleader icon back to the dimension toolbar where it belongs. i don’t have time to relearn this program every year or so. It has been continuously junked up beyond belief. I’ve watched the video, read the help manual, etc. and I still can’t figure out how to do it. My production level has dropped to about 50% while I try to learn a bunch of un needed functions, let alone relearn the command icons which seem to change with each release. Am I frustrated? You betcha. If it aint broke don’t fix it. God help the newbies if its this confusing for someone with 20 yrs. exp.

  • Norm

    I’ve been a cad operator since Rel.9 for Dos and all I want to do is add the Qickleader icon back to the dimension toolbar where it belongs. i don’t have time to relearn this program every year or so. It has been continuously junked up beyond belief. I’ve watched the video, read the help manual, etc. and I still can’t figure out how to do it. My production level has dropped to about 50% while I try to learn a bunch of un needed functions, let alone relearn the command icons which seem to change with each release. Am I frustrated? You betcha. If it aint broke don’t fix it. God help the newbies if its this confusing for someone with 20 yrs. exp.

  • http://thecadgeek.com/ Donnie Gladfelter

    Arron – I don’t think Autodesk had their sights on McNeel Tools, rather Microsoft. AutoCAD is just one of many applications that has been “ribbonized” of late. As I mention in one of my latest posts on AutoCAD 2010, Autodesk has improved the Ribbon for 2010 making it contextual: http://www.thecadgeek.com/blog/2009/02/15/autocad-2010-%e2%80%93-the-new-contextual-ribbon/

  • http://www.thecadgeek.com Donnie Gladfelter

    Arron – I don’t think Autodesk had their sights on McNeel Tools, rather Microsoft. AutoCAD is just one of many applications that has been “ribbonized” of late. As I mention in one of my latest posts on AutoCAD 2010, Autodesk has improved the Ribbon for 2010 making it contextual: http://www.thecadgeek.com/blog/2009/02/15/autocad-2010-%e2%80%93-the-new-contextual-ribbon/

  • Arron

    The “new” dashboard looks a LOT more like the old Robert McNeel and Assoc. (Formly a Seattle based CAD store turned software manuf. AKA: RHINO) Smart menus from the Allegro tool sets.

    I used to think the toolbars were a McNeel tools knock off… The Ribbon is even more similar.

    They have yet to make it active and alive by evolving as you work with it like the McNeel one did… As you used commands they moved to the front of the lists. Sort of like a fly out tool bar off on a fixed toolbar does. it was in a rubber band like adjustible pallet though so you could change the width and height that it displayed.

    That was back in the early 90s too by the way!!!

  • Arron

    The “new” dashboard looks a LOT more like the old Robert McNeel and Assoc. (Formly a Seattle based CAD store turned software manuf. AKA: RHINO) Smart menus from the Allegro tool sets.

    I used to think the toolbars were a McNeel tools knock off… The Ribbon is even more similar.

    They have yet to make it active and alive by evolving as you work with it like the McNeel one did… As you used commands they moved to the front of the lists. Sort of like a fly out tool bar off on a fixed toolbar does. it was in a rubber band like adjustible pallet though so you could change the width and height that it displayed.

    That was back in the early 90s too by the way!!!

  • Jihoon

    I have problem on this.
    Actually, I don’t have any ribbon panel except accurender and express panel. I couldn’t find regular panels such as file, open, or draw menu.
    Do I need to reinstall? Please help.

  • Jihoon

    I have problem on this.
    Actually, I don’t have any ribbon panel except accurender and express panel. I couldn’t find regular panels such as file, open, or draw menu.
    Do I need to reinstall? Please help.

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