Workspaces

Workspaces are sets of menus, toolbars, palettes and ribbon control panels that are grouped and organised so that you can work in a custom, task-oriented drawing environment.

When you use a Workspace, only the menus, toolbars and palettes that are relevant to a task are displayed. In addition, a Workspace may automatically display the ribbon or a special palette with task-specific control panels.

You can easily switch between Workspaces. The following task-based Workspaces are already defined in the product:

• 2D Drafting & Annotation
• 3D Modelling
• AutoCAD Classic

For example, when you create 3D models, you can use the 3D Modelling Workspace that contains only 3D-related toolbars, menus, and palettes. Interface items that you do not need for 3D modelling are hidden, maximising the screen area available for your work.

To change Workspaces either select from the drop down at the top or the list at the bottom:

When you make changes to your drawing display (such as moving, hiding, or displaying a toolbar or a tool palette group) and you want to preserve the display settings for future use, you can Save Current As in either of the locations shown above, giving it a name of your choice.

Another way of creating your own Workspace is to go into the AutoCAD Customise User Interface (CUI), where you will find a list of default Workspaces. The easiest thing is to right click on one of them and Duplicate. Once you have a new copy, right click Rename, then modify the Ribbon TAB's etc in the Workspace Contents (left hand side of the CUI dialogue).