The Action Bar is the xDesign equivalent to the SOLIDWORKS CommandManager. Just as customizing the CommandManager can improve the way you work with SOLIDWORKS, so too can customizing the Action Bar in xDesign.
The Action Bar doesn't yet offer the same level of customization as the CommandManager, but I've found that it gives me just the right amount to help me work the way I want. As I did in my previous post about the CommandManager, I'm channeling the user who's just getting started with CAD and thinking about the set of tools they need at their fingertips vs. those that can remain at arm's length.
To get started, we have to unlock the Action Bar. We can do that by right-clicking on any tab.
Then we can drag tabs to different positions within the Action Bar, or to anywhere on the screen. Tabs can remain floating, or docked to other hot spots in the interface.
If you prefer your commands at the top of the screen, like they appear in the SOLIDWORKS CommandManager, you can dock as many tabs up there as you'd like.
You can also leave less used tools in the Action Bar and tuck it away to free up screen real estate.
On that topic, you might also consider running xDesign full screen within your dashboard, and running your browser full screen. Look at the difference in just how much vertical screen space you gain when you work with both set to full screen.
Nothing Full Screen | Everything Full Screen |
As a final effort to maximize both the vertical and horizontal screen space, I've chosen to bring the Sketch and Features tabs to the right hand side of the screen. This, in fact, is the way I'd recommend a new user first start working with xDesign. It keeps all of the modeling tools clearly in sight and easy to access.
Check out this video to see my thought process for getting to this point, and learn how to achieve these results.
What do you think about this layout? How would you arrange the UI to help the new user be successful?
NOTE: At this time, the individual commands on each tab of the xDesign Action Bar cannot be customized, so 100% of the commands remain visible. If I could customize the commands, I'd go a step further and remove the non-essential items.
