AnsweredAssumed Answered

Context toolbars going away too quickly

Question asked by Andy Sanders on Mar 26, 2008
Latest reply on Mar 26, 2008 by Wayne Tiffany

Like • Show 0 Likes0
Comment • 5

In Solidworks 08, I really am beginning to like and use the context toolbars that popup.

But I've been getting frustrated with how quickly they go away unless you select something immediately.

I was trying to constrain a line perpendicular to another today, and I kept wondering where the popup toolbar went. Then I noticed that indeed it was popping up, but also going away within a few seconds and I missed it.

Is there a way to extend the time this "floats" there before you respond? That would be handy for this slow designer. :-)

No one else has this question

Outcomes

5 Replies

Andy Sanders Mar 26, 2008 4:08 PM
Mark Correct
Correct Answer
I just noticed playing with it again that it all depends on where you move your mouse when the popup appears.

If I select the 2 sketch lines, it's there. If you don't move the mouse too far away from the selections it just sits there, waiting for your command.

But if you move the mouse just a little bit away, say an inch or two, then it goes bye bye.

Maybe I can train myself not to move too far with the mouse when it pops up, but it's hard when you're moving fast to get stuff done.
Like • Show 0 Likes0
Actions
- Andy Sanders @ Andy Sanders on Mar 26, 2008 4:11 PM
  Mark Correct
  Correct Answer
  Ok, another cool observation! :-)
  
  I very slowly moved my mouse away from the toolbar. It then very slowly began to fade away. I moved the mouse back again (very slowly) and it began to re-appear. Back and forth it will fade, come back etc.
  
  Can we expand this "circle of fadeability" a little more so we don't lose it too fast?
  Like • Show 0 Likes0
  Actions
  - Wayne Tiffany @ Andy Sanders on Mar 26, 2008 4:23 PM
    Mark Correct
    Correct Answer
    I'm presuming that you are picking one line, then Ctrl-picking the other line. At that point the toolbar should appear next to the current position of the cursor, in easy reach of clicking on it. The only way I have seen for it to disappear is to move your mouse out of range, hit the Alt key, or hit the Ctrl key. Are you doing any of those before selecting something from the toolbar by chance?
    
    As a sidenote, if you do find that you did unconsciously wander away and the toolbar disappeared, then putting your mouse back in the range and hitting & releasing the Shift or Ctrl key will make it reappear, unles you have jsut pressed some other key. Try it to see what I mean.
    
    WT
    Like • Show 0 Likes0
    Actions
    - Andy Sanders @ Wayne Tiffany on Mar 26, 2008 4:30 PM
      Mark Correct
      Correct Answer
      Ok, that worked (the shift key trick). That's not real intuitive, though.
      
      What would be nice is, if the selections are still highlighted, to simply move the mouse back closer again and it would come back by itself. That would make more sense to me.
      
      I don't know why I'm wandering away so much. Maybe I'm used to shooting my pointer over to a toolbar in the menus to do the same thing I could be doing with the context toolbar. Habits die hard.
      
      Thanks for the tip.
      Like • Show 0 Likes0
      Actions
      - Wayne Tiffany @ Andy Sanders on Mar 26, 2008 4:34 PM
        Mark Correct
        Correct Answer
        The reason you don't want it to just come back is you may want it out of the way, and it it kept coming back by itself, that would be even worse.
        
        I think the key is to work at learning to check that toolbar first, before zooming off to somewhere else. Steady as she goes, mate. :-)
        
        WT
        Like • Show 0 Likes0
        Actions

Context toolbars going away too quickly

Outcomes

Related Content

Recommended Content