The BricsCAD Interface Layout
BricsCAD is the base platform of Toolbox BSB. The BricsCAD interface displayed below is the default layout, with a wide array of options available for customization of the interface to suit your specific needs. It is generally suggested that before fully beginning the process of working within Toolbox BSB, you research the best practices as put forth by users of the BricsCAD platform, as well as familiarize yourself with the settings of the program (or at least, the settings that are relevant to your business’ workflow).
The Toolbox BSB interface can be divided into 8 major areas:
- Toolbox Palette: The Toolbox palette is added upon opening the program. By default, it is docked on the lefthand side of the interface but can be moved to the right side of the interface at will.
- Model and Layout Tabs: The Model tab will display the drawing space, as shown. Layout tabs are individual sheets (paper space) and can be set up to view specific areas of the drawing in model space.
- Command Bar: Allows you to type in commands and displays the secondary steps of specific commands.
- Drawing/Model Space: The drawing/model space is where most of the drawing operations occur.
- Status Bar: The Status Bar sits at the bottom of the BricsCAD application window, in line with the Model and layout tabs.
- Ribbon: The Ribbon displays the full array of toolbars, tabbed commands, and functional control elements in button form, in addition to functions to alter titles, tabs, and more. The ribbon can be closed, and toolbars can be added.
- The Look From Widget: Allows for the changing of the viewed perspective of the model in drawing space (such as top, side, northwest, northeast, southwest, southeast, etc.)
- Panels Bar: A section of the interface containing groups of associated commands, such as Attachments, Layers, Properties, Rendering Materials, etc.
- Toolbars: Customizable bars containing commands that affect the system, such as Saving, Printing, or the View Style dropdown menu.
Customizing the BSB Interface
The BricsCAD interface is capable of being customized to best suit your workflow and design process. Different workspaces can be selected by right-clicking on an empty space in either the ribbon or panels bar, then hovering over the “Workspaces” option. The default workspace in BSB is the “Microvellum” workspace, which is set up to resemble the familiar layout of the OEM interface. This workspace also has Microvellum command tabs set in the Quad to enable smooth, quick control of products.
It is recommended to remain in the Microvellum workspace while working in BSB.
Customizing the Status Bar
The status bar can be customized using by clicking the 3 vertical dots on the right end of the bar. This will prompt a pop-up menu containing every status bar field. Click on different fields to either enable them (if unchecked) or disable them (if checked) . Enabled fields will appear on your status bar.
Customizing the Panels
The Panels section of the interface can be docked in multiple places on the interface by dragging and dropping it. Panels can also be customized from the same pop-up menu as workspaces, by right-clicking in an empty space in either the ribbon, panels, or the toolbars. Hover over the ‘Panels’ option. The full range of options for your panels will be displayed, allowing you to select which ones appear in your panels bar.
Panel Stacking
The method of panel bar expansion with respect to drawing space is also customizable by hovering over the ‘Panel stacking’ option in the menu. 3 options are available for controlling how your panels appear within your workspace:
Under the ‘Collapsible Stack with Icons’ option, you can set panel items to expand into drawing space without resizing the drawing space window. This means that whenever you open your panels tabs, they will cover a portion of the drawing space. | |
Under the ‘Collapsible Stack with Icons’ option, you can set panel items to expand while resizing the drawing space window. This means that when you open your panel tabs, the drawing space window will immediately resize to accommodate the interface, so the panels will not cover any part of the drawing interface. | |
The ‘Dockable stack with tabs’ option sets the panels section of the interface to instead display as a horizontally oriented set of tabs. This option automatically resizes the drawing space when expanded. |
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