Feature Request - Work Environment

[alexliz]

It would be nice if Grids & Background settings could be included in what is saved within the Work Environment. This would be very useful, for instance, when importing Autocad drawings and need to have a black background to maintain Autocad pen colors, but keep the white background when working in the normal project .pln file.

Also, the last state and position on screen of Element Settings dialogs, as well as pet-palettes etc. This way, I can create different WE setups for use at different locations where I may have my laptop's screen only or (at the office, where I also have) an external display extending my desktop.
Currently, when I arrive at the office or at home, the first time I open a project file I have to relocate *every single window* (ie the main AC window, then also any element settings dialog, pop-up or pet palettes etc) from the wrong location or from the wrong monitor. It's doable but tedious.

[runxel]

Regarding the second half:

It already kinda does this, it is saved in the Workenvironment-Scheme. However, the display detection of AC sux and it gets confused when you happen to have a multimonitor setup and then take your laptop with you and open up AC again. Then the offsets are all wrong and calculated from the wrong display.

So yeah, definitely something that needs to be fixed!

It somewhat helps already to have different WEs for one-vs-multimonitor setups. It still gets confused from time to time.... 😞

[alexliz]

Do you mean Work Environment > Workspace Schemes? If so, then this does store location of toolboxes and palettes; it doesn't store Element Settings and pet-palettes' information though. At least, not for me.

[runxel]

Yes most probably, the naming in the German version might be different; sorry for my confusing translation.

What PET-palette option do you use? Do you have yours in a fixed position or the original "pet" (as in animal) option?

The position of the PET and the element setting should be stored tho – it's just that a multi-monitor and multiple open Archicads seems to have a negative effect here.

[alexliz]

Your English is just perfect, thank you.

I fix the pet-palettes somewhere in the top-left of my working screen. AC does remember the position, but places them in the wrong monitor. Here's what happens, in some detail:

At home, I only use my laptop. Single screen.

At work, I place the laptop to the right of my large, desk monitor. The laptop screen is on but I don't use it with Archicad.

When I return home and launch Archicad, the pet-palettes/Elements' Settings dialog boxes/other windows such as Properties manager etc are drawn on my laptop screen at the very left edge of the screen - probably because Archicad is attempting to place them on the large desk monitor which used to be to the left of the laptop while at the office.

I then have to reposition those windows, once for each one of them as they appear at the wrong place.

The reverse happens when I will next be at work - Archicad will place them in my laptop screen, even though the laptop is hooked to its external display at left. I will then have to, once again, reposition each and every one of those windows to the large monitor.

[runxel]

Do you have 2 different Work Environments for Laptop only and multi-monitor setup?

That's what I do and in general it does help a bit.

[alexliz]

I would. But it doesn't work, as per my OP.

Key point to remember is: I am referring to the inability to register and restore position of:

Elements Settings dialog boxes;

Pet-palettes;

Property Manager;

Classifications Manager; and the like.

I am not referring to the position of the Toolbox, Toolbars and Palettes. These do get recorded and restored in the Workspace Scheme just fine. 

[SeaGeoff]

I run into this all the time. I use my MacBook Pro both on its own and connected to a second monitor. In the two monitor arrangement I like to have dialog boxes for tools, layer settings, etc. open on the built-in display while keeping the main Archicad workspace maximized on the 2nd monitor. I also increase the resolution of the built-in display when using it alone. I have saved workspace schemes for each arrangement. It works pretty well, but most of the modal dialogs done't remember their position after I plug or unplug the 2nd monitor. I'm sure GS could figure this out if they cared to spend the time. Same for the remaining glitches in Dark Mode.

BTW, I added a Workspace Schemes submenu to my Window menu so I can switch schemes without having to open the Work Environment dialog. Not sure why that is not included by default.

[Barry Kelly]

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@SeaGeoff wrote:

BTW, I added a Workspace Schemes submenu to my Window menu so I can switch schemes without having to open the Work Environment dialog. Not sure why that is not included by default.

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If you have your own custom Work Environment, you have to add commands to it yourself.

They won't add automatically even if they are in the default Graphisoft template Work Environment.

I have added one to my toolbar as a pop-out menu.

Have been doing this since at least version 22 as you can see here.

Barry.

[SeaGeoff]

I understand that Barry. My WEs are highly customized, including the menus. In fact they look nothing like the ones supplied by Graphisoft. I was only commenting that I find it odd the GS WEs do not include the Workspace Schemes submenu. Most users do not customize their WEs like we do so they are missing out on this simple convenience that IMHO should be a standard part of the Window menu.