AutoCAD 2009... A closer look at the Menu Browser

The new AutoCAD 2009 user interface includes a Menu Browser located in the upper left corner. The Menu Browser provides easy access to a variety of content including commands and documents.

It displays a vertical list of menus items, emulating the menus that were traditionally displayed horizontally across the top of the AutoCAD window. You can select a menu item to launch the associated command.

A search tool at the top of the Menu Browser enables you to search the CUI (Customize User Interface) file for key terms. For example, as you begin typing L-I-N-E in the search field, AutoCAD dynamically filters the search options to display all CUI entrees that include the word LINE (Linetype, Command Line, Line, Multiline, etc). You can click on a listed item to launch the associated command.

In addition to command access, the Menu Browser enables you to view and access recent or open documents. You can display the document names with icons or with small, medium, or large preview images making them easy to identify.

Hovering the cursor over the document name automatically displays a preview image and other document information. You can view the recent documents as an ordered list or you can group them by date or file type.

In addition to recent documents, the Menu Browser offers easy access to recent actions. You can view a list of the recent actions and then select one to repeat it.

Right-click menus within the Menu Browser offer additional controls including the ability to pin a recent document or action so that it remains on the list. You can also clear the Recent Documents or Recent Actions lists from the right-click menu.

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