Loading default.cui as partial in V18

Tim Neumann

Currently using my custom cui from V16 as main cui so I guess even after installing V18 I don't have latest toolbars and etc. If I load default.cui as partial will that clear it up? I'm used to my toobar/menu setup as is but want the new stuff added in, how do you do this w/o screwing it up?

Anthony Apostolaros

As Roy pointed out several years ago, it's best to use an empty menu file as the main, and then load default.cui as the first partial, and your custom cui as another partial loaded after that. Then you'll always have all the latest built-in commands, but any custom versions you've made will override defaults. When you upgrade to newer releases, you won't have to do anything. The empty file will still be your main cui file, the new default.cui will take the place of the old, and your custom file will still load after it.

Roy Klein Gebbinck

I am not sure if the approach Anthony refers to is still valid for the latest BricsCAD versions. CUIs have become more complex since then.

Michael Mayer

Either Ralph Grabowsky has it still in his book this way
or I saw it in a Video about UI (?)

But for me customizing an App's UI and settings was always
problematic everywhere. From causing instabilities to crashes
or corrupt settings. Either you do it from scratch with each
new release or you will miss new or modified tools.
Some offices don't allow UI customization for collaboration.
Tedious and error prone.

So I prefer that Software uses proper defaults and offers a suitable
UI and some "official" interface options for different use cases.

Anthony Apostolaros

@Roy Klein Gebbinck said:
I am not sure if the approach Anthony refers to is still valid for the latest BricsCAD versions. CUIs have become more complex since then.

Well, that's distressing, especially since you didn't say what the new solution is. Does that mean there isn't a good way to customize the newer and more complex CUI?
Is the complexity due to the ribbon? I don't use the ribbon, in any software. I don't use toolbars either, unless the Properties Panel is a toolbar. Maybe that's why I haven't noticed the change. And I'm still using v17. For me, the old system is working fine.

Anthony Apostolaros

@Michael Mayer said:
.....
But for me customizing an App's UI and settings was always
problematic everywhere. From causing instabilities to crashes
or corrupt settings. Either you do it from scratch with each
new release or you will miss new or modified tools.
Some offices don't allow UI customization for collaboration.
Tedious and error prone.

So I prefer that Software uses proper defaults and offers a suitable
UI and some "official" interface options for different use cases.

Michael: I've extensively customized the UI on Autocad and then Bricscad ever since 1989, and I've never had any problems. I also customize the UI on Sketchup and on my word processor, Atlantis. With Sketchup, I have to go through the very tedious customization process again for each new release, but with the system Roy came up with I've never had to do anything when changing to a new version of Bricscad.

You're from a Mac/VectorWorks background, aren't you? I worked on a Mac for a couple of years and found that very hard to customize, but also didn't feel much need to customize. I never created custom commands or a custom menu for VectorWorks; I always thought it worked properly straight out of the box.

Michael Mayer

It depends on any App.
In Microstation I just pulled out a few palettes and deactivated some tools
to save some Space. Nothing serious and never any problems.
In 3DSMax there was no need to change anything.
In C4D I pull out a lot of Tools because it is so easy and save.
In Modo I tried but it bloated and corrupted my Config. Never again.
In VW I sort my Palette's content and add RMB option menu entries.
Migration worked this year without larger problems.
VW is not - but could easily be - an App where no UI customization is needed.

In Bricscad Mac I have indeed some problems even editing of CUIs.
I too believe that, once done right, it should last for a while.

But generally I would prefer to not need to customize.
(Maybe 80% of Bricscad Users customize UI and Settings completely same ?)

Wiebe van der Worp

@Tim Neumann, why don't you go with the flow? That is, create partial menu's and optionally ignore default.cui?