Free AutoCAD 2009 Tutorials: AutoCad Ribbon Customization

Free AutoCAD 2009 Tutorials: AutoCad Ribbon Customization

Ribbon plays an important role to give AutoCAD 2009 a clean attractive look. By using ribbons commands and controls has been organized in limited spaces, which in turns increase the drawing area.

What is ribbon?

Ribbon is similar to a collection of the tabs used in most of the Microsoft applications. Like tabs, many ribbon tabs could also be placed within a small space and the commands and controls of only that ribbon tab could be visible at a time which has been clicked. Please have look at the attached snap, where different ribbon tabs like, home, blocks & references, annotate etc. has been shown and presently the home tab has been clicked so the different command under home is visible.

How to bring the ribbon for first time in drawing window?

Go to menu browser, expand it and follow:

Tools>work spaces> 2D drafting and annotation

And the default ribbon of 2D drafting & annotation work space will appear.

Why to customize the ribbon?

For making particular types of drawing you will be requiring some specific sets of commands and controls. But those specific set of commands may not be available under a single ribbon, so you have to go on clicking from one ribbon to another. In order to avoid this inconvenience customization of ribbon is required.

How to customize?

So, as of now you are convinced that by customizing you will be increase your productivity and drawing area. Let’s see how to do it. Click on the ribbon named tools then go to customization panel and then user interface, customize user interface box will appear on the screen.

Go to customization in all CUI files section. Right click on the ribbon panels and click on new panel. Rename the panel as you wish (say my panel). Expand the my panel, you will find row 1 there. Now move to the section named **command list (**just below the present one) find the line command from the list below or you can even search it out. Right click on the command line, copy it and paste it to the row 1 of my panel. By this way you can add any other command or controls to my panel, just you have to add new rows.

After your have copied required command to my panel, you again have to come to the section customizations in all CUI files. Right click on ribbon tab here, click on new tab. A new tab will appear at the end, paste the my panel in it. As soon as you do that, a plus (+) sign will appear in front of the new tab, by expanding it you can see my panel at the bottom. Rename the new tab as my tools.

Next, you will be going to expand the workspaces available in the same section (customizations in all CUI files).Right click on 2D drafting & annotation default click on customize workspace. Check the my tools from the list appears. Click apply and OK. You will see the ribbon tab my tools appears. Click on it and you will find my panel, contains all the commands and controls.

Ribbon is a collection of tabs which can be customized for your convenience. You can place the frequently used commands and controls in the customized ribbon tab.