Tool palettes

On a tool palette you can add blocks, hatches and commands in a tabbed window.

Drag a tool from the palette to the graphic screen to launch the related tool.

Opening the Tool Palettes panel

Do one of the following:

  • Hover over a toolpanel (Windows) or an empty toolpanel area (Windows and Linux), then right-click and choose Palettes > Tool Palettes in the context menu.
  • Launch the TOOLPALETTES command.

Setting the view options

  1. Right-click an empty space of the icon area on the Tool Palettes panel and choose View Options... in the context menu.

    The View Options dialog appears.

  2. Drag the Image Size slider to adjust the image size.
  3. Set the viewstyle: Icon with text, Icon only or List view.
  4. Choose either Current Palette or All Palettes from the Apply to list button.
  5. Click the OK button to confirm.

Customizing tool palettes

Note: The default folder for tool palettes is defined by the TOOLPALETTEPATH system variable.

Opening the Customize dialog box

  1. Move the cursor to the icon area of the Tool Palettes panel, then right-click.

    A context menu appears.

  2. Choose Customize Palettes in the context menu.

    The Customize dialog box appears.

Importing a tool palette

  1. In the Palettes pane, right-click and choose Import in the context menu.

    The Import Palette dialog box appears.

  2. Select a folder, then select a palette file (*.atc, *.btc or *.xtp).
  3. Click the Open button or double-click to import the palette.

    The palette is added in the Palettes list.

  4. Click the Close button to close the Customize dialog box.

Creating a palette group

  1. Place the cursor on the Palette Groups root folder name.
  2. Right-click and choose New Group in the context menu.

    A new group folder is created.

  3. Type a name for the new group.

Creating a palette subgroup

  1. Place the cursor on an existing group name.
  2. Right-click and choose New Palette in the context menu.

    A new group folder is added as a subgroup of the selected group.

  3. Type a name for the new group.

Adding a palette to a group

  1. Place the cursor on a palette.
  2. Select a palette, then drag the palette onto a palette group name.

Removing a palette from a group

  1. Select the palette in the group.
  2. Right-click and choose Remove in the context menu.

Setting a palette group current

  1. Select the palette group in the palette groups tree.
  2. Right-click and choose Set Current in the context menu.

Deleting a palette group

  1. Select the palette group in the palette groups tree.
  2. Right-click and choose Delete in the context menu.

Renaming a tool palette

  1. Right-click tool palette tab and choose Rename Palette in the context menu.
  2. Type a new name for the palette in the Name field.
  3. Press Enter to confirm.

Deleting a tool palette

  1. Right-click tool palette tab and choose Delete Palette in the context menu.
  2. Click the OK button on the Confirm Palette Deletion box.

Managing tools

  1. Right-click the tool.

    A context menu appears.

  2. Choose an option:
    • Cut: Removes the item from the palette. Open another panel, then right-click and choose Paste in the context menu.
    • Copy: Copies the tool. Open another panel, then right-click and choose Paste in the context menu.
    • Delete: Deletes the tool. A dialog box appears, asking you to confirm the deletion.
    • Rename: Type a new name for the tool.
    • Update tool image: Updates the image if the image source file has been modified.
    • Specify Image…: Allows you to replace the default image.

      Choose a new image in the Select Image File dialog box, then double-click or click the Open button.

    • Remove Image…: Restores the default image.
    • Properties: When you click an item on a tool palette, a command is launched. The properties of the tool palette item control the execution of the command.

      The available properties on the Tool Properties dialog box depend on the tool type: Command, Hatch, Block or Component.

      Edit the tool properties, then click the OK button.

Creating a new tool palette

  1. Move the cursor to the icon area of the Tool Palettes panel, then right-click.

    A context menu appears.

  2. Choose New Palette in the context menu.

    A new tab is added.

  3. Type a name for the new palette in the Name field.

Adding items to a tool palette

The following items can be added to a tool palette:

  • Hatch patterns
  • Blocks
  • Components
  • Commands

Adding hatch patterns

  1. Select the palette you want to add a hatch pattern to in the Tool Palettes panel.
  2. Open the Hatch and Gradient dialog box.
  3. Select either Predefined or Custom from the Type list button.
  4. Double-click the Swatch field on the Hatch and Gradient dialog box.

    The Hatch Pattern Palette appears.

  5. Select the hatch pattern you want to add, then right-click and choose Add to Current Tool Palette.

    The hatch pattern is added on the selected tool palette.

  6. (option) Repeat steps 4 and 5 to add more hatch patterns.
  7. (option) Drag-and-drop patterns to change their order on the palette.

Adding blocks

Blocks can be added from:

  • the current drawing.
  • any drawing.
  • all drawings in a selected folder.

Adding blocks from the current drawing

  1. Open the Drawing Explorer dialog box.
  2. Select Blocks.
  3. Select the block(s) you want to add. Hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple blocks.
  4. Right-click and choose Add to Current Tool Palette in the context menu.

Adding blocks from any drawing

  1. Open the Drawing Explorer dialog box.
  2. Select Folders in the left hand pane.
  3. If not already available, click the Add local folder… button to add the containing folder to the Folders list.
  4. Select the drawing in the Local Folders list.
  5. Click the Expand icon (+) of the containing drawing and click the Blocks icon.

    All blocks in the selected drawing are displayed in the Details pane.

  6. Select the block(s) you want to add. Hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple blocks.
  7. Right-click and choose Add to Current Tool Palette in the context menu.

Adding a drawing as a block

  1. Open the Drawing Explorer dialog box.
  2. Select Folders in the left hand pane.
  3. If not already available, click the Add local folder… button to add the containing folder to the Folders list.
  4. Select the drawing in Local Folders list.
  5. Right-click and choose one of the following in the context menu.
    • Add to Current Tool Palette as block.

      Blocks are inserted using the INSERT command.

    • Add to Current Tool Palette as component.

      Components are inserted using the BMINSERT command.

Adding all blocks from multiple drawings

This procedure collects all blocks in each of the drawings of the selected folder and adds them to a palette of the drawing name. New palettes are created if necessary.

  1. Open the Drawing Explorer dialog box.
  2. Select Folders in the left hand pane.
  3. If not already available, click the Add local folder… button to add the containing folder to the Folders list.
  4. Select the folder, then right-click and choose Add blocks to Tool Palettes in the context menu.

Adding commands

  1. Open the Customize dialog box.
  2. In the Available Tools pane, on the Customize dialog, expand a menu group (e.g. BricsCAD).

    All toolboxes in the selected menu group are listed.

  3. Expand a toolbox.

    All commands in the selected toolbox are listed.

  4. Right-click a tool and choose Add to Current Tool Palette in the context menu.