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Customize the Right-Click Shortcut Menu
Tip# 3269 By Kendrick Schumacher On 27-Sep-2009
4
Rated By 1 users
Categories : Menus
Software type : AutoCAD 2010
Rename File To : No Files to download.
This tip provides quicker access to frequently used commands.

Kendrick Schumacher sends a tip that involves editing the right-click shortcut menu to provide quicker access to frequently used commands.

"Using the right-click mouse button drop-down menu is an efficient way of selecting AutoCAD commands; but by temporarily modifying the default drop-down menu using the CUI Shortcut Menus > Default Menu, you can increase efficiency.

"Over the years I have determined the most frequently used commands and put them in my right-click drop-down list. When I run across unique drawings that require lesser-used commands more often, I temporarily modify the drop-down list since the CUI modification is so easy to use.

"Recently, I modified the drop-down menu when I was hypertexting drawing titles on a large base map. The ease and quickness of changing the CUI shortcut menu made it feasible to do so. I dragged the hypertext command from the command list into the default menu and positioned it in the default drop-down list to make it easily accessible. This change made the drawing task easier than it would be if I had to repeatedly select an unfamiliar command from the File menu or ribbon. The list of unique drawing situations that can be applied in this way is endless.”

You can create submenus for right-click menu items as well, Kendrick continues. "Creating new submenus can increase command selections within a given category. A new submenu titled Layer Properties containing the submenus Layer Isolates and Layer Unisolate commands is near the top of my list. Yours could be something different, or could be modified from drawing to drawing.

"Once the ease and value of modifying the default menu becomes familiar, it becomes a frequent habit rather than a change only made once per AutoCAD upgrade."

Notes from Cadalyst Tip Patrol: One reason that AutoCAD has been successful is that users can customize it in so many ways. This tip exploits that ability with the right-click menu. This menu can be turned on or off in the Options interface. Some users don’t know it’s there, because they have the right-click feature set to act as Return. To edit this menu, open the CUI, browse to the Shortcut Menus, then drill down to the Default Menu option. There you can, alter, or add commands to the menu. Don’t get too crazy with it and put every command there — the menu would be too big! Choose your most commonly used commands. If you don’t like it, change it. It’s that easy.

 

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