TABLE OF CONTENTS The history of menus in AutoCAD
Customizing menus
Understanding the menu macro syntax
Using and creating shortcut keystrokes
AutoCAD has always had a menu system that allows you to select a command rather than having to type commands on the keyboard.
Nearly all CAD packages of the day (and some to this day) had some sort of menu. Some were located on the right side of the screen; some used a double-column format. Autodesk decided to place AutoCAD's first menu along the left edge of the drawing area.
It was called a "screen menu," because it appeared on the screen, in contrast to the tablet menu. Real CAD users used tablet menus, which consisted of a large piece of cardboard (typically 11" x 17") listing nearly every command, taped to the surface of a digitizing tablet.
Keyboard shortcuts abbreviated keystrokes that execute commands
Macros one or more commands combined into a single menu or toolbar item
| Abbreviations | |
|---|---|
| Alt | Alternate key |
| ^C | Cancels commands in progress |
| Ctrl | Control key |
| CUI | Customization user interface files |
| F | Function keys |
| XML | Extensible Markup Language |
| Commands | ||
|---|---|---|
| Command | Shortcut | Menu Selection |
| Cui | ... | Tools Customize Interface |
| CuiLoad | ... | ... |
The earliest versions of AutoCAD had so few commands that they all fit in just two lists of 20 items per screen menu; commands were listed in alphabetical order. Users became adept at manipulating the screen menu using the keyboard. For example,...
