The New 2017 Interface

[oneyankfan1]

I can see where new users may find the new unified layout simpler to learn but in my opinion it slows work flow.  There are things I really like in 2017 however you'll have a very hard time convincing me that in the "Standard" interface does anything to improve work flow or efficiency.

 

Simple Trim 2 Entities:

 

  2017 Interface:

     Click WIREFRAME tab on left of screen

     Move to right end of ribbon bar, click Trim Break Extend 

     Move all the way back to the left side of the screen and select Mode: Trim then Type: Trim 2 Entities 

     Move back to the graphics window to complete trim 

     Move back to the Trim Break Extend panel on the left again, click the green check

 

 

  X9 Design Interface:

     Click Trim Icon

     Move down slightly to ribbon bar, select  Trim 2 Entity icon

     Move to graphics window to complete trim

     Move back to the ribbon bar and click green check

 

2017 has WAY MORE mouse travel and 2 more clicks to get same results as in X9! 

 

The QAB gets me closer to X9 efficiency but true user configured tool bars would be a huge improvement.

 

But hey, that's just my opinion.

 

John

+1000

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I can see where new users may find the new unified layout simpler to learn but in my opinion it slows work flow.  There are things I really like in 2017 however you'll have a very hard time convincing me that in the "Standard" interface does anything to improve work flow or efficiency.

 

Simple Trim 2 Entities:

 

  2017 Interface:

     Click WIREFRAME tab on left of screen

     Move to right end of ribbon bar, click Trim Break Extend 

     Move all the way back to the left side of the screen and select Mode: Trim then Type: Trim 2 Entities 

     Move back to the graphics window to complete trim 

     Move back to the Trim Break Extend panel on the left again, click the green check

 

 

  X9 Design Interface:

     Click Trim Icon

     Move down slightly to ribbon bar, select  Trim 2 Entity icon

     Move to graphics window to complete trim

     Move back to the ribbon bar and click green check

 

2017 has WAY MORE mouse travel and 2 more clicks to get same results as in X9! 

 

The QAB gets me closer to X9 efficiency but true user configured tool bars would be a huge improvement.

 

But hey, that's just my opinion.

 

John

 

My customized X9 interface:

  <ALT>+<T> (customized hotkey.  <T> still works to toggle toolpath visibility if the cursor is over the ops mgr.)

  <2> (if needed)

  click, click

  <ESC>

 

Takes less than one second start to finish.

 

If I didn't have the customized hotkey:

  <ALT>, <E>, <T>, <T>

  <2> (if needed)

  click, click

  <ESC>

 

Took about two seconds since I'm not used to doing it that way.

 

The big key here is that you keep your mouse pointer on the work.  Just like keeping your tool down by the part, going for an icon or to click on a menu selection is like a full retract and wastes time if it can be avoided.

 

How much time does it take you guys to trim two entities with your preferred interface style?

[Newbeeee™]

 

 

 

The big key here is that you keep your mouse pointer on the work.  Just like keeping your tool down by the part, going for an icon or to click on a menu selection is like a full retract and wastes time if it can be avoided.

 

How much time does it take you guys to trim two entities with your preferred interface style?

 

Nice analogy Matt.

[Thad]

 

My customized X9 interface:

  <ALT>+<T> (customized hotkey.  <T> still works to toggle toolpath visibility if the cursor is over the ops mgr.)

  <2> (if needed)

  click, click

  <ESC>

 

Takes less than one second start to finish.

 

If I didn't have the customized hotkey:

  <ALT>, <E>, <T>, <T>

  <2> (if needed)

  click, click

  <ESC>

 

 

Didn't someone say that Esc no longer exits the current function in 2017?

[CJep]

Didn't someone say that Esc no longer exits the current function in 2017?

 

The "esc" key works on my install.

[CJep]

Does anyone know where they hid, at least, these two

Functions/Buttons?

 

or can you turn this row of buttons on?

 

.

 

No that row of buttons cannot be toggled on.

Is this what you are looking for?  :see attachment:

[Thad]

Didn't someone say that Esc no longer exits the current function in 2017?

 

 

The "esc" key works on my install.

 

From Pg.12 of the Mastercam 2017 thread...

 

 

Is it just me or is the escape key not backing you out of functions? I backplot a tool and hit escape and it does nothing. If I click back inside the backplot window it then works. Level manager and planes ( old wcs manager ) escape will not close them have to click on the "x" to close. Before you could just get out of any function by hitting escape.

 

 

It's not just you. Seems to work that way now.

Kevin K.

[crazy^millman]

From Pg.12 of the Mastercam 2017 thread...

 

It drove me crazy that esc closed the levels manager and other things. Back out of other functions like backplot and such is good. Find the balance some of us like and some of dislike.

 

Kind of don't miss software development and supporting it.

[Thee Rickster ™]

No that row of buttons cannot be toggled on.

Is this what you are looking for?  :see attachment:

 

No Sir.

 

the WCS button on the right(in X7) would open a menu.

 

.

 

cheers

[Thee Rickster ™]

Does any one now how to do this in 2017??

 

.

 

 

thanks in advance

rick

[crazy^millman]

Does any one now how to do this in 2017??

 

.

 

 

thanks in advance

rick

 

Alt-f9 like previous versions. Must have an active machine to see both. In design like the previous versions you still only get the upper left one.

[crazy^millman]

 

No Sir.

 

the WCS button on the right(in X7) would open a menu.

 

.

 

cheers

 

That is gone and it has been requested, but the overall thought it now that the planes manger is better these types of functions were not needed is what I have gathered in conversations on the official forum.

[Thee Rickster ™]

i can get used of the new way, its just less convienient

 

alt - f9 for the win!

 

Thanks Ron

[David Colin]

i can get used of the new way, its just less convienient

That is the major issue with this release... we are able to do the same as X9 but not as fast.

[Guest]

I have been using the new interface for awhile now.....like many of you I felt it slowed me down out of the gate....

 

I am to the point now after these months I feel that while I am not fully back where I like to be, still hunt for things on occasion, it has become more intuitive.

 

Like I used to say about the change from V9 to X...seat time, it is all about seat time

 

It does get better

[Thee Rickster ™]

I agree, i have found that some things i needed fixed  in x4 x5 x6 x7 x8 x9 are finally

working properly in 2017.

 

I just wish they added steep/shallow to the change common parameters page.

and a way to select all the geometry on the screen and apply it to several paths at once.

(rather than drag and drop to each and every path, one at a time)

 

These are severely time consuming when you do as many Engineering changes as i do.

 

Once I get a few new molds down start to finish, i'll be alright....

[Matthew Hajicek - Singularity]

I have been using the new interface for awhile now.....like many of you I felt it slowed me down out of the gate....

 

I am to the point now after these months I feel that while I am not fully back where I like to be, still hunt for things on occasion, it has become more intuitive.

 

Like I used to say about the change from V9 to X...seat time, it is all about seat time

 

It does get better

 

 

How long does it take you to trim two lines?

[Guest]

How long does it take you to trim two lines?

 

About 1 sec......I still live HEAVILY on my RMB

[John Hill @ Poplar Hill Machine]

A new interface is good when it improves on usability, efficiency and productivity.

 

Learning and becoming more comfortable with a new interface doesn't equal an IMPROVED interface.  If it takes more clicks, mouse travel, additional hot keys or additional hands on keyboards to accomplish the same task as in previous versions...I consider it a step backward.

 

...just my opinion 

[Guest]

A new interface is good when it improves on usability, efficiency and productivity.

 

Learning and becoming more comfortable with a new interface doesn't equal an IMPROVED interface.  If it takes more clicks, mouse travel, additional hot keys or additional hands on keyboards to accomplish the same task as in previous versions...I consider it a step backward.

 

...just my opinion 

 

RMB, it's always right where your cursor is

 

Stop travel all over..I gave up hot keys, except for Level Manage, shading and Toolpaths years ago

 

Many of the same complaints came in about X....

 

Whenever you have a mature platform that gets changed, people get upset.....you will learn, new habits and routines that will in the end work better

 

I always laid down the challenge when teaching classes to guys who complained V9 was faster.....bring your drawing, you do it in V9 and I'll do it in X, let's see who's faster...no one ever showed up to disprove me....

 

This will get better.....at any rate, like V9, there is no going back.......in the not too distant future, X9 will look like V9, outdated and out moded.

[Thee Rickster ™]

A new interface is good when it improves on usability, efficiency and productivity.

 

Learning and becoming more comfortable with a new interface doesn't equal an IMPROVED interface.  If it takes more clicks, mouse travel, additional hot keys or additional hands on keyboards to accomplish the same task as in previous versions...I consider it a step backward.

 

...just my opinion 

 

A video i watched on the other Matercam forum that they put on the main page

to tell ppl some of the reasons for change, basically it was to get on board with

Microsoft type interface for marketing.

 

I got from the video that they were mostly interested in new users interests.

Which only means that they have better dexterity then us old ppl to

click a lot more and look through menus faster.....

 

i also use the right 'menu click' for most of every thing I do

[Guest]

If you could go back and read some of my early comments on this interface in Beta......it would not paint of pretty picture of what I thought about it then.....

[John Hill @ Poplar Hill Machine]

RMB & QAB are loaded!  

[Thee Rickster ™]

For x6 and x7 i was able to put a chook  (viewfit) in the dll and chook folder and assign

a keyboard shortcut. ctrl 1,2,3,4 for the 4 views. (Since the chook was made in X2 i have

never used the alt 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 method)

 

It doesnt appear that I can do that now, as it does not come up in the catagories like x7

 

Unless i just cant find the way to do it.

 

Does anyone know how to do this?

 

.

[Thee Rickster ™]

If you could go back and read some of my early comments on this interface in Beta......it would not paint of pretty picture of what I thought about it then.....

 

i'll bet