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User Profiles and Workspaces 1

User Profiles and Workspaces

Sacramento City CollegeEngineering Design Technology


Introduction After completing this chapter you will be able

to:Describe user profiles. Create user profiles. Restore a user profile. Describe workspaces. Explain the Quick Access toolbar. Create workspaces. Customize a workspace. Restore a workspace. Customize the Quick Access toolbar


Introduction In a school or company, there is often more

than one person who will use the same AutoCAD workstation.

Each drafter has a unique style for creating a drawing.

While there are often general rules to follow, many times the method used to arrive at the end result is not important.

Introduction As you learned in previous chapters, there are

many ways to customize AutoCAD. You can

Set screen colors Set other features of the AutoCAD environmentCreate custom menusCustomize the ribbon


Introduction Many of these settings can be saved in a user

profile or workspace.

User profiles and workspaces allow you to quickly and easily restore a group of custom settings.


User Profiles


User ProfilesA user profile is a group of settings for

devices and AutoCAD functions.


User ProfilesSome of the settings and values a profile can

contain are: Temporary drawing file location. Template drawing file location. Text display format. Startup dialog box display. Minutes between automatic saves. File extension for temporary files. Color and font settings for AutoCAD's text and graphics

screens Type of pointer and length of crosshairs. Default locations of printers, plotters (PC3 files), and plot

styles (CTB/STB files).


User ProfilesMultiple profiles

can be saved by a single user for different applications OR

Several users can create individual profiles for their own use.


User ProfileA user profile is not the same as settings

found in a drawing. Drawing template files are used to save

settings relating to a drawing session.UnitsLimitsObject snap settingsDrafting settingsGrip settingsArc and circle smoothnessDimension styles, and text styles.


User ProfilesA user profile, by contrastsaves settings related to the performance and

appearance of the software and hardware.


Creating A User Profile


Creating A User ProfileA user profile is A collection of all of the AutoCAD

environmental settings you have customized in AutoCAD.

Does NOT include Ribbon tabs and panelsApplication and pull-down menusTool palettesToolbars


Creating A User ProfileThese customizations are done to make

AutoCAD easier for you to use. Example: as you gain experience in

AutoCAD you realize that you may:Prefer the crosshairs extending to the edges of the

drawing window.Need to have the plotters and plot styles shared on

a network.Prefer the drawing window background color to be

gray.Need to establish specific directories for projects.


Creating A User ProfileAfter you have customized AutoCAD to

reflect these preferences. Create a profile so you do not lose your

preferred settings.


Creating A User ProfileTo create a user profileOptions dialog box > Profiles tab

Pick the Add to List... button on the right side of the tab.

Enter a name and description. Pick the Apply & Close button to close the Add

Profile dialog box. The current settings are saved to the user

profile and the new user profile is now listed in the Profiles tab of the Options dialog box.


Creating A User ProfileThe user profile is saved and will be available

in the current drawing session and future AutoCAD drawing sessions.


Creating A User ProfileUser ProfilesCan be renamedDeletedExportedImported

Reset buttonResets all settings of a profile to AutoCAD

defaults.


Restoring a User Profile


Restoring a User ProfileOnce a user profile is saved, it is Available in the current drawing session andAvailable in future drawing sessions.

To set any saved user profile as the current user profile,Select Options > Profiles tab. Highlight the name of the profile to restore Pick the Set Current button ORDouble-click on the name in the Available

profiles: list to restore a profile. User Profiles and Workspaces 24

Importing /Exporting User Profiles


Importing /Exporting User ProfilesA user profile can be exported and imported. This allows you to take your user profile to a

different AutoCAD workstation. A user profile is saved as an ARG file.


Importing /Exporting User ProfilesTo export a user profileOptions dialog > Profiles tab.Highlight the profile to export Pick the Export... button. Select a folder and name the file. The user profile is saved with the .arg file

extension.


Importing /Exporting User ProfilesTo import a user profile,lmport... button > Profiles tab. The lmport Profile dialog box is displayed

This is a standard "open” dialog box.Navigate to the appropriate folderSelect the proper ARG file and Pick the Open button. A icon dialog box named lmport Profile is

displayed.


Importing /Exporting User ProfilesYou can rename the user profileChange the description and Choose to include the file path. Pick the Apply & Close button to complete the

process. The user profile is then available in the

profiles tab.


Workspaces


WorkspacesUser profile stores

Settings for screen colorsDrafting settingsFile locations

Workspaces storesSettings for the Quick Access toolbarRibbonMenusPalettes (DesignCenter, Properties palette,

ToolPalettes window, etc.).


WorkspacesA workspaces is a collection of

Displayed toolbarsPalettesRibbon tabs and panelsMenus and their configurations.


WorkspacesA workspace stores

which of graphic tools are visible (toolbars, etc) their on-screen locations.

A workspace does not store environmental settings, unless configured to do so by the user. This is discussed later in this chapter.


WorkspacesA user profile also stores which toolbars

are displayed and their location.A user profile update when you change

environmental settings or when you set a different workspace current.


WorkspacesIf a workspace is restored, the user profile updates to reflect the settings

of the workspace for toolbar display and location.

The user profile only stores which workspace is current, not what resides in the workspace or its settings.


Creating a Workspace


Creating a Workspace AutoCAD has four default workspaces-Drafting and Annotation3D Basics3D ModelingAutoCAD Classic.


Creating a WorkspaceA workspace can be set current by

using the Workspace Switching button on the right-hand side of the status bar or

the drop-down list on the Quick Access toolbar. This button displays a shortcut menu

containing the names of all available workspaces.

It also contains buttons for working with workspaces.



Workspace Switching button


Quick Access toolbar

Creating a WorkspaceThe last active workspace is restored

when AutoCAD is launched.AutoCAD can be set up so that any

changes made to the ribbon or toolbars, menus, and palettes are saved to this workspace. However, it is best to create your own

workspaces.


Creating a WorkspaceThe first-step in setting up and storing

your own workspace is to arrangeThe ribbonToolbarsTool paletteMenus

To your liking


Creating a WorkspaceWSSAVE Command

Opens the Save Workspace dialog box.Access the WSSAVE command by

selecting Save Current As... in the shortcut menu displayed by picking the Workspace Switching button.

Selecting Save Current As... In the drop-down list on the Quick Access toolbar also initiates the WSSAVE command.


Creating a Workspace Enter a name for the workspace, such as

“Normal Design” or “Standard Arrangement”Then pick the Save button.

The current settings for toolbars, pull-down menus and tool palettes are now stored in the new workspace, which is also made current.


Creating a WorkspaceThe workspace name appears in the shortcut menu displayed by picking the

Workspace Switching button and in the drop-down list on the Quick Access

toolbar. The current workspace is indicated in the shortcut menu by a check

mark and appears at the top of the drop-down list on the

Quick Access toolbar.


Restoring a Workspace


Restoring a Workspace Once a workspace has been saved, it can

easily be restored. A list of available workspaces appears in the shortcut menu displayed by picking the

Workspace Switching button and in the drop-down list on the Quick Access

toolbar.


Restoring a Workspace To select a different workspacepick the name of the workspace in the pop-up

list. A workspace can also be restored using the

Command line:


Restoring a WorkspaceCommand: WORKSPACE

Enter workspace option [ setCurrent/SAveas/Edit/Rename/Delete/Setting/?]

setCurrent>CEnter name of workspace to make current [?]

<current>MY CUSTOM WORKSPACECommand:

Using the Command line can be advantageous when creating macros for custom commands.


Restoring a WorkspaceYou can also set the Customize User

Interface dialog box to restore a workspace.Open the CUI dialog box. With CUIExpand the Workspaces branch in the

Customizations in All Files pane. All of the workspaces defined in the default CUIx

file and any open CUIx files are displayed in this branch.


Restoring a WorkspaceThe label (current) follows the name of the

current workspace.To restore a workspaceRight-click on its name in the Workspaces

branch of the CUI and Select Set Current from the shortcut menu.

Its name is now followed by (current)Pick the OK button to close the Customize

User Interface dialog box and make the workspace current.


Professional TipThe WSCURRENT system variable

indicates the current workspace. You can use this system variable to

restore a workspace. Simply set the system variable to the

name of the workspace you want to restore.


Quick Access Toolbar


Quick Access ToolbarThe Quick Access toolbar is located in the

top-left corner of the screen to the right of the application menu icon.

It contains "By default”New, Open, Save, Save As, Undo Redo, and Plot

tools along with the Workspace drop-down list.


Quick Access ToolbarYou can display other tools on the toolbar

by picking the down arrow button on the right-hand end of the Quick Access toolbarto display a shortcut menu.


Quick Access ToolbarIn this menu, select the tools to show and

hide. The additional available tools are:

Match Properties, Batch Plot, Plot preview, Properties, Sheet Set Manager, and Render.

Any other defined command can be added to the toolbar by selecting More Commands...in the drop-down list.

This displays the Customize User lnterface dialog box.


Quick Access ToolbarThe Quick Access toolbar is customized

inside of the workspace. You may create more than one Quick Access toolbar, but only one may be active in a workspace.


Quick Access ToolbarTo create an additional Quick Access

toolbar,Open the Customize User Interface dialog

boxRight-click on the Quick Access Toolbars

branch, and select New Quick Access Toolbar.


Quick Access ToolbarWhen creating a new Quick Access toolbar, it

is automatically populated with NewOpenSaveSave AsUndo RedoPlot tools Workspace drop-down list.


Professional TipAny tool on a ribbon panel can be quickly

added to the Quick Access toolbar. Right-click on the tool icon and Select Add to Quick Access Toolbar from the

shortcut menu.


Customizing a Workspace An existing workspace can be customizedUse the Customize User Interface dialog box.Select the workspace to be customized in the

Workspaces branch of the Customizations-in All Files pane.

The name of this pane will change based on the selection in the drop-down list.


Customizing a WorkspaceThe Workspace Contents pane at the upper-

right corner of the dialog box displays the contents of the selected workspace.

There are Quick Access ToolbarToolbarsMenusPalettes and Ribbon Tabs branches.

Expand a branch to see which components the workspace contains.


Customizing a WorkspaceTo customize the workspace, pick the Customize Workspace button at the

top of the Workspace Contents pane. The tree in the pane turns blue to indicate you

are in customization mode and the button changes to the Done button.


Customizing a WorkspaceThe tree changes.

Several branches disappearThe Menus branch has a green check mark next to

it. If you expand the branches in the

Customizations in All Files pane, you will see that a green check mark also appears next to the components that currently are in the workspace.


Customizing a WorkspaceTo add a component to the workspace, Pick the blank box in front of its name to place

a check mark in the box. The component also appears in the

Workspace Contents pane.To remove a component from the

workspace, Pick the check mark in front of its name to

clear the check box. The component is also removed from the Workspace Contents pane.


Customizing a WorkspaceThe Quick Access Toolbar branch in the

Workspace Contents pane.By default, Quick Access Toolbar appears in

this branch.Additional toolbars appear if you have added

them, as discussed earlier in this chapter. When in customization mode for workspaces

you may choose which Quick Access toolbar is displayed in the workspace.


Customizing a WorkspaceA Quick Access toolbar cannot be customized

when you are in customization mode.You must do this after exiting workspace

customization mode.When done customizing the workspace,

pick the Done button in the Workspace Contents pane.

The tree is no longer displayed in blue. Also, all branches are once again displayed in the

Customizations in All Files pane.


Customizing a WorkspaceYou can now

expand a branch in the Workspace Contents pane, select a component name, and use the Properties pane to adjust the component's

properties


Customizing a WorkspaceFor example, suppose you have added the

Layers toolbar to a workspace. In the Properties panel, You can set the orientation to floating, Specify the location of its anchor point, and Set the number of rows for the toolbar.


Customizing a WorkspaceYou can also change the order in which

menus appear on the menu bar by dragging them to a new location in the tree in the Workspace Contents pane. The top of the tree is the left-hand side of the

menu bar.In the Customizations in All Files pane, you

can customize the Quick Access toolbar.


Customizing a WorkspaceThe components in the Quick Access

Toolbars branch are commands. To add a command to the Quick Access

Toolbars branch:Locate it in the Command List: pane. Then drag and drop it into the branch in the

Customizations in All Files pane.


Customizing a WorkspaceTo remove a command from the Quick

Access Toolbars branch, Select it andPress the [Delete] key.


Tool Palettes


Tool PalettesThere is not a Palettes branch in the

Customizations in All Files pane. All palettes are automatically available in all

workspaces. You can, however, specify whether a palette

is displayed or hidden in a workspace.


Tool PalettesYou can also change other properties of a

palette, such as floating/docked status, its size, and whether the autohide feature is enabled.


Tool PalettesTo change the properties of a palette, first Select it in the Palettes branch in the

Workspace Contents pane.Then, in the Properties pane, adjust the

properties as needed. When you pick OK to close the Customize

User Interface dialog box, the new default properties of the palette are set for that workspace.


Tool PalettesExampleThe Tool Palettes window in the AutoCAD

Classic workspace is by default, displayed floating.

You can hide the Tool Palettes window when in the drawing area by picking the Close button (X).

You can also drag the palette into the drawing area to a new position or dock it.


Tool PalettesHowever, these actions do not change the

default setting for the workspace.If you restore the workspace in the future, the

Tool Palettes window will again be floating. You must alter the default settings for the Tool

Palettes window in the workspace.


Tool PalettesOpen the Customize User Interface dialog box and Select the AutoCAD Classic workspace.Expand the Palettes branch in the Workspace

Contents pane and Select Tool Palette. In the Properties pane, change the Show property

to No. Now when you set the AutoCAD Classic

workspace current, the Tool Palettes window will not be displayed.

It can, of course, be manually displayed as needed.


Tool PalettesYou can set up a workspace so that it

displays model space or paper space when restored. By default, a workspace displays model space

when it is set current. Three optionsDo not changeModel spaceLayout space


Tool PalettesTo change this, Highlight the workspace name in either the

Customizations in All Files pane or the Workspace Contents pane.

In the Properties pane, change the Start On property to Layout or Do not change.


Tool PalettesIf Model is specified for the Start On

property, Model space is displayed when the

workspace is restored. If Layout is specified for the Start On

property, The most recently active layout tab is

displayed when the workspace is restored.


Tool PalettesIf Do not change is specified for the Start

On propertyThe current tab (model space or paper space)

remains active when the workspace is restored.


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