Shoegnome Work Environment Bonus Video: creating the Tools Toolbar
This article is a follow up to my post and video about my Shoegnome Work Environment for ARCHICAD 20. If you want to download and use my Work Environment (or learn more about it), click on that previous link.
Tools Toolbar > Toolbox
Back in ARCHICAD 19, I became very interested in maximizing my screen space: Maximized Work Environments in ARCHICAD. One of the major changes I made to my Work Environment at that time was to access my Tools (Wall Tool, Window Tool, Label Tool, etc.) via a custom drop down menu toolbar rather than the Toolbox. The Toolbox I realized was a waste of space. Did I really need to see the Tools the entire time I was using ARCHICAD? Absolutely not. When I rebuilt my ARCHICAD 20 Work Environment, I immediately rebuilt my Tools drop down menu toolbar and once again got rid of the Toolbox. Here’s how I did it:
There are two caveats to getting rid of your Toolbox:
- If you don’t have the Toolbox visible, you can’t use the Favorites Pop-up that appears when you hover next to a Tool. But that’s okay. The same Pop-up appears when you click on the > button in the Info Box. I actually prefer that location because it’s always in the same spot on the screen. I happily use the Info Box to reach favorites, along with having a keyboard shortcut for when I need to access the full Favorites Palette. My KBS for the Favorites Palette is SHIFT+~ and I have the Favorites Palette set to open just to the right of my Info Box on the left hand side of the screen. It’s a great workflow.
- Without the Toolbox visible, you’ll need to learn that you can right click on an element and selection the option Select & Activate Tool. This option is necessary when you’re doing things like adding nodes to an existing Mesh or some other Tool specific actions which I can not think of at the moment.
- This is totally unrelated, but since I have your attention: the hammer icon for Edit Selection Set has been removed from the Info Box. Don’t forget that feature exists. The Keyboard Shortcut is CMD+OPT+T. Memorize that.
Which Would You Rather Have?
OR
 And would you rather sometimes see this:
Or always see this (even if it’s one column high):
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Jared Banks
A bit of house keeping: a number of people have mentioned the bad static in my videos. I used a microphone and headset on this video and sadly it didn’t affect the audio. Which means, it’s my computer. So please bare with me for a few more months while I wait for the new 2016 MacBook Pro line to be released. I’m long overdue for a new computer.
eduardo
I surrender, I have missed the dropdown. Rebuilding mine during the weekend.
Jared Banks
YES! I made the conversion because of our conversations, so I’m gad to re-convince you. And it is so fast to set up.
Patrick
I’m very tempted to convert… but we’ll see. I’m pretty stuck in my ways on some things; I don’t think the tool box will be one of them.
Jared Banks
Do it! Especially if you have a good KBS strategy for the most important tools (I REALLY like my 1-4 + CTRL/ALT/CMD strategy).
TIMOTHY MCCARTHY
thanks for this
jack robinson
Best way to save screen space is to use keyboard shortcuts for any tool you might need.
Jared Banks
totally agree!
Walter Gentile
excellent….
Marc Corney
I’ll give it a go.
Any thoughts on loosing the Navigator Palette and relying solely on the Pop-up Navigator?
Would work for me, if only they had included Publisher Sets.
Jared Banks
You could use the Organizer for Publisher Sets (which you can reach from the Pop-up Navigator (button on the top left). Or just turn on the Navigator view the same button when you need Publisher Sets (or set up a keyboard shortcut). The Publisher isn’t used for typical day to day work so either solution should work (when you’re using the Publisher, it’s because that’s your current main focus, it’s not like you need it for a few seconds).
I was about to write why I don’t use the Pop-up Navigator, but then I decided I didn’t like my answer. So I’m going to try using it for a week or so with the Navigator turned off and see what I think. I guess I’ll have another blog post to write one way or another!
Joe Archibald
Thanks Jared. I’ve enjoyed your posts for a while now and there’s always great information.
Questions –
Have you figured out how to get the ‘Status Bar’ to be placed elsewhere other than at the bottom of the screen?
Do you know if it’s possible to move the location of the Pop-up Navigator? I like it, just want it on the left-hand side. (I skew everything that direction and have the right side all drawing land.)
Thanks.
joe
Jared Banks
Joe, sadly no. The Status Bar and Pop-up Navigator have fixed locations. I’d recommend ignoring the Pop-Up Navigator and just putting the regular Navigator (which has some features that the Pop-Up Navigator lacks) on the left where you want it.
Daniel Lawrence
I just finished a legend of abbreviations on the right side of my plan. I finished all of my notes on plan but I can not publish because I can not find Legend.
I opened all layers and all phases of work and the Legend is nowhere to be found.
Occasionally I will see it but it is like a shadow in the background and disappears.
Any suggestions?
Jared Banks
It sounds like your notes are on another Story and when you see them it’s because Trace & Reference is turned on. Turn on all Layers and look at each Story in the project.
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