How many are still using Command Manager?

[mncad]

Just curious as to how many people are using the command manager in SW2004 and how many have switched back to the icons. Here it is split about half and half.

mncad

 

[SBaugh]

I got rid of all my icons pretty much and use nothing but the CMD manager. Once you get used to it you will like it. I'm old school when it comes to the way I like my SW to look, so getting used to the new CMD Manager has taken some getting used too, but I like it now. I find it faster than the old way of doing things.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[rockguy]

I tried the Command Manager for a while but switched back to the old tool bars. I'm making use of the flyout toolbars to save space. I didn't dislike the Command Manager but I just couldn't seem to be as productive with it. I need more practice I guess.

 

[MElam]

I'm using the Command Manager and like it, mainly because the buttons are bigger targets. I tend to click around too quick and found myself hitting the icons next to the one I'm aiming at. Now I am much more accurate. If you want smaller buttons and more screen area, you can always turn off the descriptions.

I told all of my users here to try it for a while because as Scott said, it takes some getting used to. Some kept it and some haven't, but I have not taken a survey to get a percentage. What has suprised me is WHICH users kept it and which didn't.

 

[SBaugh]

I turned the Descriptions off so I have small icons again. I can't stand the large icons and i use 1600x1200 Res on a 22 inch monitor.... tiny little icons

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[JNR]

I'm an engineer - a practical kind of guy. I have also been VAR, sales. training, support, etc. in the past. I look at it this way. The option to switch back to the old world is basically a crutch to ease the pain of change - more from a marketing point of view. It mutes the complaints to some extent. It is a typical thing that software companies do. HOWEVER, it will go away at the next major rev. probably - certainly at some point. So you are going to have to learn to use the new methods sometime. Might as well be now! Get the bitching and complaining over with while we are moving up from 2003 to 2004 and move on with life. I have seen this happen so many times in the past. The other problem is that soon they will start to add functionality that you can't get at easily or at all through the old style interface. Then you are going to be fielding lots of "dumb" question from your users. Also the longer users hang on to the old interface, the more resistant they become to changing over. Then when they finally have no choice the complaints get real ugly and partly I think subconsciously because they know they should have bitten the bullet along time ago.

We do not allow our users to revert to the old interface. It may sound a little draconian but we find it is best in the end. People start to find the positives in the change rather than keep focusing on the negatives.

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

A hobbit's lifestyle sounds rather pleasant...... it's the hairy feet that turn me off.

 

[Bouke]

I use the command-manager only for those buttons u don't use to often. Like the Selection-Filter, Macro and Tools toolbars. I tried to work with it with the original settings but I find myself making more mouse-meters because I first have to flap-open the right toolbar. I try to do with a minimum of mouse-meters a day

 

[mncad]

Scott,

The icons in my CMD manager are large, 3/4" square, how do you make them smaller? I've already turned off the tooltips. Thanks
mncad

 

[Bouke]

U have to right-click the command-manager and then turn the checkbox before the description (at the bottom af the menu) off.

 

[tvrman]

mncad

The Solidworks command manager has been a long time coming. Toolbar command managers have been around in other cad programs for about 6 or 7 years. The best advise I could give anybody on this subject is "persevere". I am teaching Solidworks in a local community college and most of my students were reluctant to make the switch but after I spent some time explaining the benefits they appear to be very comfortable using the toolbars now. I have always pressed the issue of trying to capture maximum graphics real estate and this is a huge step in the right direction.

As SBaugh said most users are old school and don't want to change, usually because they have certain Icons that they just can’t do without. If this is the case then you could customize the toolbars to include them.

What is really nice about the command manager is that when you are working on subject matter that you may not use that often (for instance surfacing or molds), you can right click on the command manager and using the "customize command manager" option you can turn on that particular manager while you complete your task and then turn it back off when you have finished.


John Cole
Sr Mechanical Engineer
Impco Technologies, Inc.

 

[JNR]

Correction: To Turn the LARGE icons to SMALL icons you right click on command manager (ie. on one of the icons) the turn of "Show Descriptions" which should be at the top of the popup menu.

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

A hobbit's lifestyle sounds rather pleasant...... it's the hairy feet that turn me off.

 

[APPENG]

I too use the Command Manager almost exclusively... I hated it at first but MAN! It really saves me some real estate on my screen. Between that and my hotkeys I have nothing much more to want for (as far as the existing tools being at my fingertips!)


Regards,
Jon
jgbena@yahoo.com

 

[aromech]

I had the rest of the guys in the office keep switching my settings to using only the Command Mgr, and making fun of me for being and old dog not learning new tricks. So I gave up the battle and finally switched completly to using the Command Mgr about 2 weeks ago. Now that I am used to it , I love it! and with the combination of hot key's I feel like I am back on the drafting board and my slide rule just got replaced with one of those fancy LED calculators.