If you’re an AutoCAD user, you may have noticed that the shortcut menu plays a crucial role in speeding up your workflow and improving your efficiency. By customizing the shortcut menu to suit your preferences and work style, you can save valuable time and access frequently used commands with ease. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to change the shortcut menu in AutoCAD.
Step 1: Accessing the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor
The first step is to open the Customize User Interface (CUI) editor. To do this, simply type “CUI” in the command line or go to the “Manage” tab in the ribbon and click on “Customization” > “User Interface”.
Step 2: Navigating to Shortcut Menus
Once you have opened the CUI editor, you will see a tree-like structure on the left-hand side. Expand the “Partial Customization Files” section and locate your customization file.
By default, this is named “ACAD.CUI”. Expand it further until you see the “Shortcut Menus” section.
Step 3: Creating a New Shortcut Menu
To create a new shortcut menu, right-click on the “Shortcut Menus” section and select “New Shortcut Menu”. Give it a meaningful name that represents its purpose.
Step 4: Adding Commands to the Shortcut Menu
With your new shortcut menu created, it’s time to add commands to it. To do this, locate the command you want to add from the “Command List” section on the right-hand side.
You can either drag and drop it onto your new shortcut menu or right-click on it and select “Add to Menu”. Repeat this step for all the commands you want to include in your shortcut menu.
Step 5: Customizing the Shortcut Menu Appearance
AutoCAD allows you to customize the appearance of your shortcut menu to make it more visually appealing and easier to use. Right-click on your new shortcut menu and select “Properties”.
In the properties window, you can change the font, size, color, and other visual attributes of your shortcut menu. Experiment with different settings until you find a style that suits your preferences.
Step 6: Assigning the Shortcut Menu
Now that you have created and customized your new shortcut menu, it’s time to assign it to a specific context. Right-click on the desired context (e.g., “Right-Click”) under “Shortcut Menus” and select “Assign Menus”. In the “Assign Menu” window, choose your newly created shortcut menu from the list and click “OK”.
Step 7: Saving and Testing
Once you have assigned your custom shortcut menu, click on “Apply” in the CUI editor to save your changes. Close the CUI editor and go back to AutoCAD. Test your new shortcut menu by right-clicking in different contexts (e., model space or paper space) and verify that it displays all the commands you added.
Note:
- You can create multiple custom shortcut menus for different contexts or tasks.
- If at any point you want to revert to the default AutoCAD shortcut menu, simply right-click on any context under “Shortcut Menus” in the CUI editor and select “Reset Menu”.
Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to change the shortcut menu in AutoCAD. By customizing your shortcut menu, you can streamline your workflow and access frequently used commands with ease, ultimately saving valuable time and boosting your productivity.