NOOOOOO NX9 use ribbon interface 30

[Millimeter]

Last week I came in contact with NX 9 for first time.

It feels refreshing and polished, but after a few hours trying to customize it, a mayor shortcoming is evident.
The small icons are too small and the next size is only allowed with text, wasting a lot of space.
An intermediate icon size like the old and dear interface would be adequate.

 

[deedub777]

@carlharr
full screen mode is still available with ribbon interface

 

[carlharr]

@deedub777

It is, but you don't have the same functionality and neatness such as collapsed toolbar collector, or tabs shown when hitting ALT for toolbars.
I found standard (ribbon) mode easier to use in NX9 than it's fullscreen mode.

I did think 9 ribbon mode is a MASSIVE improvement over the older standard display modes.
Galleries are great, and the new "selection-style" utility and view toolbars were good too.

But it does feel cluttered to me. I just personally prefer the 8.5 full screen mode to all other layouts of NX I've used.

That said, NX9 is very nice (apart from drafting) once you've used it for a while.

http://www.jcb.com

NX 8.5 with TC 8.3

 

[JohnRBaker]

Note that for NX 10.0, you'll have the option of showing ribbon Icons in one of FOUR different sizes with all but the largest (a new size, larger than the current 'Large' icon) having the option to include text or not (the 'Extra Large' icon will only be available WITHOUT text).

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[schellenbergj]

Hope that this will not end in a war of more like Gilette and wilkinson sword: we have one razor blades, we have two, now we have (mach) three, and we have four...
I am still waiting for Gilette with 5 blades.
I am waiting for NX10 because it should improve the new things in NX9 and I hope that everything is stable then...

 

[CaseNTray]

Is there a process for importing/converting toolbars from older versions of NX to work in the ribbon environment?

(NX9.0 WIN7PRO)

 

[PhoeNX]

@schellenbergj, totally off topic but gillette have had this 5 blade one for ages in Australia:

http://www.gillette.com/en/au/products/razors/fusion/fusion-manual.aspx

Anthony Galante
Senior Support Engineer

NX5.0.6, NX6.0.5, NX7.5.5, NX8.0.0 -> NX8.0.3
NX8.5.0 -> NX8.5.3, NX9.0.0 -> NX9.0.2, NX10 Beta

 

[markrief]

Is there a process for importing/converting toolbars from older versions of NX to work in the ribbon environment?

Yes - you can load them interactively.
If you have a lot or are responsible for other users, download the document on this subject:

[URL unfurl="true"]https://download.industrysoftware.automation.siemens.com/unigraphics/ugdoc/nx9/nx-9.0.0/NX_Ribbon-Customization_and_Transition.docx[/url]



Mark Rief
NX CAM Customer Success
Siemens PLM Software

 

[RobLN]

I have read through this thread with interest and also some bafflement at the apparent resistance to a ribbon based system. It is not exactly a new idea. If I remember correctly what used to be known as unigraphics / EDS systems Solid Edge V 9 used the same idea back in 2001... It worked pretty well then and as I had to subsequently transition into I-DEAS realised what a great idea it was.

(btw, if anyone has problmes with a ribbon interface they should try a session on I-DEAS V 9 and see what problems really are...)

I for one look forward to working on a ribbon based system again. In my experience customisation of any interface is usually a waste of time as by the time you get it how you would really ilke it software gets upgraded and all the custom stuff magically disappears with no possibility of retrieving it or it being compatible with the next version! I have become expert at using the CAD package OOTB so to speak as much as possible.

Rob.

Solid Edge; I-Deas 7 to 12; NX4, NX5 NX6 & currently NX7.5 / TeamCenter 9.1 & Ansys 14.5 on 6GB Windows 7.

 

[HercalloY]

Umm. You can't "see" any benefit to customizing a software's UI, and you see no reason to oppose the Ribbon UI?

Oh brother.

 

[markrief]

I think we need to consider modifying vs. appending...

In my experience customisation of any interface is usually a waste of time as by the time you get it how you would really ilke it software gets upgraded and all the custom stuff magically disappears with no possibility of retrieving it or it being compatible with the next version!

I understnad your point here, but I want to point out that this is not necesarily true in NX, if you use file based customization. This is why we have the document that I referenced. If you interactively drag icons around to customize the OOTB ribbons, and save a role, you can have some issues going to the next version. But if you manage the customization and stick with full ribbons and border bars, then it's pretty stable from release to release. I have a custom toolbar that dates back Y2K or before, and with each release, I just drop the files in my usertools folder and it shows up in the UI. Now it shows up as a ribbon tab. Usually all I do is add new commands that I find myself using a lot.

I have become expert at using the CAD package OOTB so to speak as much as possible.

Believe me, I understand this. Since I update NX daily or weekly, and need to study the OOTB user experience, I minimize my customizations to the OOTB UI. But don't be afraid to have an "add-on" ribbon or border bar if it makes your job easier.

Mark Rief
NX CAM Customer Success
Siemens PLM Software

 

[RobLN]

Hi HercalloY

Don't get me wrong you can customise the interface all you want, but in my experience if you customise the process IE you get NX to do the work for you, you don't need to worry about customising the UI... We get all our standard drawings and 3D models from Excel sheets automatically so therefore worry less about the interface.. Don't buy a dog and bark yourself as they say.

Rob.

Solid Edge; I-Deas 7 to 12; NX4, NX5 NX6 & currently NX7.5 / TeamCenter 9.1 & Ansys 14.5 on 6GB Windows 7.

 

[markrief]

Minor clarification here - when I said

I just drop the files in my usertools folder

I meant the folder structure defined by UGII_USER_DIR - such as startup, or application\profiles\UG_APP_MANUFACTURING for example.

Mark Rief
NX CAM Customer Success
Siemens PLM Software

 

[ddawber]

The ribbon interface is customisable sure but it sucks! It takes me more picks to get to an operator. In previous versions I couuld set up all my icoms in a few bars and have access to everything I needed with one pick. Tell me again how the new ribbion interface is better! I do have a choice on the cad software I use at work so now that I have dragged all the Catia guys over to UG I will be letting them go back to that system for their design work. I watched 6 guys yeaterday looking for operator icons that they used daily and had to keep searching for thinking what a waste of time. I would love to know if the people that program the software ever really use it because every time you create a new version you change the menu setup. Having designers searching for icons and other items makes them look more like monkeys fuc***g a football than Designers. Plus hours/days of lost productivity.

 

[Frank1996]

Hello ,
I just got my first taste of version 9 today and I am not going to like the ribbons. Microsoft did the same thing and it turned into a big pain. More picks to get to the same operator. I tried moving my .MTX file over but that does not work. I do have a customized set of toolbars that I have used for years and would like to keep some similarity between the 2 versions. I have 2 different versions of UG I have to use daily and you guys are not doing me any favors by switching. I know its happing but what a pain. I do need suggestions on how to get the ribbons set up the fastest to somewhat mimic my old menus. I am not an administrator.

 

[JohnRBaker]

Check Mark Rief's postings from last week (a few responses back-up from here) for a link to where you can get information about leveraging any customization that you might have used with previous versions of NX.

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Industry Sector
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

 

[Rob_N]

I just added my old custom toolbar to a new Ribbon.
Then I've added to it with the newer customizing method.

The old toolbars show up under Classic menu

 

[ugguy]

Just wondered if it's possible to create a new group in an existing Tab?

For example, in the home tab I'd like to add a WCS group, and then throw in a couple WCS commands... (I don't want a WCS tab)

Thanks,

UGGuy...

 

[Toost]

Ugguy:
Yes it is,
RMB on the toolbar - Customize, select the tab "Commands"
in the left area "categories" you will find the option "New Item" in the right area "new group" , drag this to the home tab.
Right click on the new group in the home tab - rename to something.

In the same customize -commands tab as the "new item" ( see above) expand the option "menu" - Format - wcs, drag the options you like to your new group.

( The difficult thing is to find the command one looks for in this customize dialog.... The old "menu" option is the key to success...)


Regards,
Tomas

 

[JohnRBaker]

Note that in the NX 10.0 Customize dialog we are now including an ALPHABETICAL listing of EVERY command in NX and to make it even easier to find what you're looking for, we've included a 'Search' field which can be used to filter that full list of NX functions, as shown below where I did a search on all the commands which included the term 'WCS':

John R. Baker, P.E.
Product 'Evangelist'
Product Engineering Software
Siemens PLM Software Inc.
Digital Factory
Cypress, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

To an Engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.