Lock down the palettes in VW

[Kaare Baekgaard]

The 'rearrange palette feature' is the worst mistake by VW decision-makers in the 3 decades, I have used this software

 

I would like the feature to disappear, but I guess that is not going to happen.

 

So can I please have a button to lock down the palettes in any configuration?

 

I am willing to pay extra for this, because I waste hours every week trying to locate fragments of a palettes, that have been accidentally torn off.

 

Can anyone provide a fix?

 

Any third party programmer?

[Kaare Baekgaard]

I am going to bump this.

 

I do not think Vectorworks developers have a clear idea about how fast full-time users like myself actually draw.

 

It is not: "Hmm - now I am going to use this tool to perform that task..."

 

The reality is: "Clicketyclickclickclick clicclickyty clickclickelick clickclicketyclick" In a very, very brisk pace.

 

As a result, fragments of palettes are constantly being torn off left and right, because not all clicks fall at the exact, intended location.

 

So every few minutes I have to relocate pieces of palettes and re-attach them in their proper position.

 

Do anyone working at Vectorworks comprehend how desperately frustrating this is?

 

Will anyone tell them, so I can get a fix?

 

 

Edited June 3, 2021 by Kaare Baekgaard
spelling

[fabrica]

doesn't solve your problem, but making a custom workspace with all the repeating tools you use across the top (or preferred location) has been a great help to me.

Also custom right & left click commands and custom hot keys way to go! 

 

I'm only clicketyclick speed though......!!!

[MarcelP102]

Yes please give us the possibility to lock all the pallets. A lot of time I resize or move them unwanted.. 

Edited June 5, 2021 by MarcelP102

[E|FA]

Another alternative would be the ability to restore palette positions to a saved layout.  I've never really understand what the "Save Palette Positions" command actually accomplishes, since there's no complimentary "Restore Palette Positions" command.

[Pat Stanford]

Normally palette positions are saved when you successfully Quit VW.  If you use Save Palette Positions, that data is written to the preferences immediately. That way if you have a crash, the palettes will reopen in the correct positions.

 

Not worth a whole lot, but better than nothing.

[E|FA]

@Pat Stanford That makes more sense - currently the saved palettes are saved as a preference that is unrelated to the permanent layout of the Workspace.  The bit I don't understand is the notification after saving palette positions that it is being saved to the Workspace.   It looks like this is not the case, though it would be much more useful.

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by E|FA
Added screenshot

[Pat Stanford]

I think it is being saved to the workspace. But the next time you quit VW, (unless you crash during the quit), whatever the then current location of the palettes will be saved.  So the positions you manually saved get over written.  :-(

[Khenry]

It is extremely frustrating working pallets are not locked into place. The font and icons are so small that is it very easy to catch a tab with your mouse and disrupting your pallets setup. I spend more time in a day re-setting up my workspace, finding where tabs are. I'm on a mac, using duel screens and have been a VW user for over 15 years. I'm not sure why this is such a problem now. It never use to be and is really making working really inefficient. I would love an option to lock them in place.

[Matt Overton]

Having just managed to tear off a palette I wasn't anywhere near I fully support stopping the madness. 

[Kaare Baekgaard]

We must have gotten this in VW 2022?

 

I cannot find it, where is it?

[Andy Broomell]

[Ian Lane]

Kaare,

 

Sorry to hear that you've been having trouble with the feature.  Early on we made some changes to make it harder to accidentally detach the tabs but some users reported that they were still having problems, while many other didn't have an issue at all.

 

As Andy shared (thanks!), we added a new Lock tabs option in the utility menu of the palettes.  When this is turned on you won't be able to detach or rearrange the tabs.  Turning this on won't set things back to the way that they were, so you can move tabs around or detach them and then lock them how you want them to avoid accidental changes in the future.

 

Hopefully this helps you out and thanks for your continuing feedback.

 

-Ian

[mike m oz]

I'd like a way to lock down docked pallets as well.  

 

I regularly accidentally undock the Basic tool palette and I wish there was a way of stopping that happening.

[Andy Broomell]

5 minutes ago, mike m oz said:

I'd like a way to lock down docked pallets as well.  

 

I regularly accidentally undock the Basic tool palette and I wish there was a way of stopping that happening.

Agreed. At the very least, palettes need the same treatment that tabs got last year in regards to needing a more deliberate click and drag before they start moving. I accidentally move or undock palettes all the time…

 

And now with the “Set All Attributes By Class” utility being in the menu bar of the Attributes Palette, I’m even more prone to accidentally undocking it. 

[Kaare Baekgaard]

15 hours ago, Andy Broomell said:

 

 

Thank you, that is great!

[Kaare Baekgaard]

10 hours ago, Ian Lane said:

Kaare,

 

Sorry to hear that you've been having trouble with the feature.  Early on we made some changes to make it harder to accidentally detach the tabs but some users reported that they were still having problems, while many other didn't have an issue at all.

 

As Andy shared (thanks!), we added a new Lock tabs option in the utility menu of the palettes.  When this is turned on you won't be able to detach or rearrange the tabs.  Turning this on won't set things back to the way that they were, so you can move tabs around or detach them and then lock them how you want them to avoid accidental changes in the future.

 

Hopefully this helps you out and thanks for your continuing feedback.

 

-Ian

I meant tabs, Ian. I am not a native english speaker, so some words become muddled.

Thanks 🙂

[Ian Lane]

11 hours ago, Kaare Baekgaard said:

I meant tabs, Ian. I am not a native english speaker, so some words become muddled.

Thanks 🙂

 

Glad to hear it and hopefully it helps out!

[scottmoore]

On 9/15/2021 at 7:42 PM, mike m oz said:

I'd like a way to lock down docked pallets as well.  

 

I regularly accidentally undock the Basic tool palette and I wish there was a way of stopping that happening.

I would absolutely agree with that. It's frustrating to accidentally undock a palette or inadvertently  stretch a palette across your entire workspace.  I've got them set up the way I want, now stay there!  

[Kaare Baekgaard]

The 'Lock Tab' only works within the OIP & Navigation palettes.

 

And it is still frustratingly easy to dislodge palettes, that are supposed to remain docked together.

 

Some days my workzone resembles a messy bedroom within minutes – with dislodged palettes all over the place.

 

I am sorry for fellow VW users, if my previous ranting on this subject has led to animosity at VW in granting this very basic wish:

 

An option to lock docked palettes.

 

Still not fixed in VW2023

 

Can we please get that in SP1?

 

Ml, 

[Ian Graham]

On 9/15/2021 at 3:47 PM, Ian Lane said:

Kaare,

 

Sorry to hear that you've been having trouble with the feature.  Early on we made some changes to make it harder to accidentally detach the tabs but some users reported that they were still having problems, while many other didn't have an issue at all.

 

As Andy shared (thanks!), we added a new Lock tabs option in the utility menu of the palettes.  When this is turned on you won't be able to detach or rearrange the tabs.  Turning this on won't set things back to the way that they were, so you can move tabs around or detach them and then lock them how you want them to avoid accidental changes in the future.

 

Hopefully this helps you out and thanks for your continuing feedback.

 

-Ian

I have been hoping for locked palettes forever . Ian