Dockable Palettes

[Anonymous]

I just saw a review of AC 9 from a link posted here and noticed the new space saving palette layout.

I use two monitors and I am hoping that the palettes can be unattached from the floor plan? I would think so, but since I just ordered two new monitors it would be nice to know.

Thanks,
Don Lee

[David Pacifico]

Yes you can detact them.
You can set them up however you like, and then save your pallet layout.

[Dwight]

But as a long time two display sidebyside user, the main function palettes - things with numbers and the info box, should remain close to the floor plan view. Less immediate things can be offset, but you'll see that having a full plan window on one display exclusively can be hard on the eyes.

I put the immediate palettes at the top of the main display, above the floor plan. Remember, I'm fifty, and while I can still kick, shimmy and strut, my continuously variable glasses reduce peripheral vision - lot of head turning now.

But that is a 21" solution - In future, when the 30" displays arrive, I'll probably put them in an over/under configuration - works fine if you detach the keyboard and have no desk surface directly in front - with a full floor plan above and palettes at the top edge of the bottom display. This will be great for longitudinal sections.

I see a captain's chair with wireless keyboard telephone and mouse sitting in front of this huge surface that descends below a typical desk height.

If you are getting smaller displays - say 17" - and plan to work side by side, it is much easier to see everything at once than with 21"....

[Anonymous]

Thanks for replies. Dwight, I too use variable glasses (if I am not lazy I use my contacts w/ readers) and keep my plan and main tool palettes on the monitor directly in front of me.

The second 19" lcd I keep to my left and tilted towards me so that it's a little easier to see. I do see what you mean by moving your head and the virtures of stacking monitors as it is much easier to move your eyes up and down rather than side to side.

A structural engineeer friend (despite my advice) bought a 32" Samsung "monitor"/video screen to use for cad and found it to be too large and the resolution not high enough. With screens getting larger all the time, there is a whole ergonomic thing involved that I have not given much thought to.

I just recently ordered two 20" Dell lcds (on sale) to go with a soon to be decided on new Mac.

I guess this probably belongs in the hardware section.....

Don


G4 2-1.25, AC 8.1

[Dwight]

20" are about right if they can be pushed close together but with my plan for the 30" pair, sidebyeach is not going to work. I will look like one of those back window doggies on a rough road.

The wider Browning Gun Safes seem like a good place to keep these babies but I can't decide on the charging bear scene or the rampaging elk.

A lot of guys got fooled by big pixels displays - Apple has decided that 100 ppi is about right and after having seen a medical display with 200 ppi, they are right. Everything else is just a TV.