Toolbar size S, L, XL adjustable on a per-toolbar basis?

Tom Foster

Anyone else like this Feature Request? Seems like a necessary accompaniment to the new v19 Shape-style BIM Workspace, which is just a high-visibility extra-large-size Toolbar across the top, which hogs space, but that's regained by much use of flyouts.
I'd like it to be accompanied by some smaller non-flyout toolbars down the sides, for certain functions like DrawOrder, Refedit, 2D snaps, much used when I flip into and out of a 2D file, without having to switch workspace. Also SelectionModes, HideObject, 3D snaps (non-flyout) don't need to be extra-large on the top bar.

It's a pity that the list of Feature Requests can't be browsed by anyone, and upvoted in support. Instead, Brics staff I think ask people to put in their own Service Request, which they tot up to see which ideas are most popular. So if anyone wants to support this Feature Request, leave a note on this forum topic and also put in a SR - mention it's supporting SR86441.

Is this the way to do it, Brics?

Michael Mayer

I had the same idea.
Just hadn't the time to search if there is a setting for Toolbar Sizes.

I realized that you can also only have a single overall Icon Size on Windows.

The Toolbars for me are much higher than the grid between Icons horizontally.
I thought this might be an issue of my 4k Monitor. (Retina ? and scaling)

fs_at12

Hi Tom
This was my way:
I had also troubles working with the new BIM-Toolbar, " why it has to be this big size Toolbar". It is the settings for "tool icon padding" and "Toolbar margins". this was annoying me that I can not change them. and then adding all other toolbars I wanted to use were also this big....
I switched to the 3D modeling workspace, or any other workspace. In this workspaces the toolbars are the "normal" size.
Now I set up the toolbars and ribbon settings I wanted and saved it as "my BIM" workspace (also a "normal BIM-Toolbar). in the customize window you can set up everything you want. also the new "manage your customization" button in the left bottom corner helps managing the settings.

Jason Bourhill

With V19 it looks like several settings have moved from being global system variables to workspace specific. These settings are now saved with the workspace located in the default.cui. If you want to change the way a workspace looks, then:

• Run CUSTOMIZE
• Select the Workspaces tab
• Select the workspace you want to modify
• Make your changes in the details section

See the attached screengrab with the options related to Toolbars highlighted.

Because the QUAD options are mostly governed by the workspace, you are probably best to start with the workspace closest to your requirements and modify from there. e.g. you want to work with the BIM tool, so you start with the BIM workspace.

Rather than modifying the original workspace, you can make a copy by:

• Right clicking on the workspace name down on the status bar, and from the menu select the workspace you want.
• Run WSSAVE command, and in the dialogue that opens type in a new name to make a copy.

You can then adjust this new workspace as you see fit. If there are updates to BricsCAD you will also be able to import this workspace back in (provided that you keep a backup of default.cui).

Regards,
Jason Bourhill
CAD Concepts

fs_at12

@Jason Bourhill

Thank you for this info!

Tom Foster

Thanks Jason and fs_at12.

I had actually discovered all of that, with help from Brics Support. I have Workspaces 'tom's 2D drafting', 'tom's 3D modelling', 'tom's BIM', all considerably different from default.

But 'tom's BIM' is a stalled work-in-progress, for want of a per-toolbar sizing facility, as explained in OP. The Do-(almost)-Everything single XL-size toolbar across the top, Shape-style, is refreshing, easy to use even with constant use of fly-out/drop-downs. I plan to add additional buttons with fly-out/drop-downs, incl some of the 'old' 3D modelling tools, which still have their uses.

But I and I'm sure others will find they want flexibility to supplement it with additional non-flyout toolbars for special purposes - which would take unacceptable space and don't need to be XL-size. You can see the 'single bar with fly-outs' concept creaking already, with the three SELECTIONMODE buttons in non-flyout format - as they should be, but not taking up 15% of the entire toolbar space. I want them (amongst others) in a separate vertical toolbar, smaller size.

Tom Foster

Jason, re your last para, I've been trying to establish best-practice strategy for customisation, getting conflicting hints in Help, but no consolidated advice.

Main question is:

Should the default user-info folders and files in Local and Roaming be left unchanged at default location, the whole thing copied to elsewhere, and all customisations made into the copy, complete with re-pointing Brics to the copy?

Or the other way round - make a copy for safekeeping as unchanged default, and make customisations into the original at default location, without need to re-point Brics?

In the latter scheme, what happens at v20 new-version time, when changes, or complete over-write, may be made to whatever files are at the default location? A dialog asks me whether to do that over-write, file by file, or not, or 'later' - but how do I know what are the effects of my choice in that?

On the one hand, I want to install whatever may be necessary to support new new features;
on the other hand I don't want to lose my customisations.

So I'm in search of a strategy to achieve both the above.

Michael Mayer

I think it is still a good idea to load and save all customizations to a
partial CUI file and never rely on changes to any default Bricscad Files.
That is much to error prone.
I also did some initial test changes to a first v19's default.cui and forgot to
backup when installing a -2 upgrade a few days later.

Not sure if it is necessary to pull settings out of the User Settings Folders
and keep it external. Everything you saved under a custom name will
not be overwritten and is easy to find in settings.
From there it will in parts get migrated to a new Bricacad version's
installation - or you can manually bring it over to test if it will work good.

I even manually brought over some Configurations like Structure Panel
Configs from Mac v18 to PC v19.

Tom Foster

'Partial cui' - I need to look that up

Michael Mayer

Basically you say Bricscad to load the partial CUI beside the default CUI.
You will get an additional Folder for each Menu/Toolboxes/... Tab and
can copy content in and change.
(My experience was that you better choose different unique names for
your copies to avoid problems)
When you open Toolboxes from screen you can now choose from Bricscad's
offer and/or your custom Toolboxes.
Like having a duplicate of a certain Toolbox, where you eliminated all Tools
you don't need. Or in a different order and such things.

When I install Bricscad on another machine, I copy my Micha.cui to BC's
Support Folder and in Bricscad's customization dialog I "load (my) partial CUI".
On screen I open all my Toolboxes and close some of BC's.

Jason Bourhill

@Tom Foster said:
But I and I'm sure others will find they want flexibility to supplement it with additional non-flyout toolbars for special purposes - which would take unacceptable space and don't need to be XL-size. You can see the 'single bar with fly-outs' concept creaking already, with the three SELECTIONMODE buttons in non-flyout format - as they should be, but not taking up 15% of the entire toolbar space. I want them (amongst others) in a separate vertical toolbar, smaller size.

The closest method to do this currently is using the RIBBON. The ribbon provides options to set different icon sizes for options i.e. it's more granular, allowing you to set the icon size for every command option. In comparison the toolbars settings are across all toolbars.

Another option may be to use the ToolPalette. You have the option here to set the size of each palette independently. However, you can't have multiple palettes on display, just one at a time.

Regards,
Jason Bourhill
CAD Concepts

Jason Bourhill

@Michael Mayer said:
I think it is still a good idea to load and save all customizations to a
partial CUI file and never rely on changes to any default Bricscad Files.
That is much to error prone.
I also did some initial test changes to a first v19's default.cui and forgot to
backup when installing a -2 upgrade a few days later.

Not sure if it is necessary to pull settings out of the User Settings Folders
and keep it external. Everything you saved under a custom name will
not be overwritten and is easy to find in settings.
From there it will in parts get migrated to a new Bricacad version's
installation - or you can manually bring it over to test if it will work good.

I even manually brought over some Configurations like Structure Panel
Configs from Mac v18 to PC v19.

This is a good idea for any customisation, but won't work in the case of Workspace customisation. This is because BriscsCAD stores the workspace in the root.cui (normally the default.cui). You can work around this by creating your own root.cui, then loading BricsCAD's default.cui back in as a partial. It is a relatively involved task to do this though. The method for doing this has been discussed previously on the forum.

Regards,
Jason Bourhill
CAD Concepts

Michael Mayer

Thanks a lot Jason !
I was not sure how the Workspace exactly works and where to store.
I use my own custom Workspace too. But currently with a partial UI.

Isn't my use of partial UI just included and saved in the root.cui ?