New in AutoCAD 2017: Dialog Box Enhancements

Lucky number 7 in the list of top new AutoCAD 2017 features! It’s always nice when we can knock off a top AUGI wish list request and, with AutoCAD 2017 software, we consign #3 to the dustbins of history. AutoCAD 2017 increases the default size of some dialog boxes, enables you to resize others, maintains the individual sizes the next time you launch the application, and removes unnecessary tools and tooltips from the scrolling window of several dialog boxes. These enhancements ensure you can view more information with less scrolling.

Check out some of the new dialog box highlights in the AutoCAD 2017 User Interface Enhancements video.

For specifics on each AutoCAD dialog box improvement… read on!

AutoCAD 2017: Select File dialog box

Access the Select File dialog box from nearly any tool that enables you to select files. These tools include New, Open, Save, and Save As, just to name a few.

Accessing the Select File dialog box

The size of the preview pane in the Select File dialog box is increased, and the link to Autodesk® Buzzsaw® has been removed from the Places list.

Select File dialog box

AutoCAD 2017: Insert dialog box

Access the Insert dialog box from the Insert panel of the Insert ribbon tab. When you click Insert, the Gallery view displays the available blocks by default. To display the Insert dialog box, you can click More Options or set GALLERYVIEW to 0 (off).

Accessing the Insert dialog box

The Insert dialog box is enlarged and reorganized to display a larger preview image and more characters in the Name field. You can resize the Insert dialog box to display an even larger preview image.

The Name field now supports AutoComplete. As you begin typing a block name, it automatically fills in the rest of the name, minimizing the need for you to scroll through the block list.

Insert dialog box

AutoCAD 2017: Page Setup Manager

Access the Page Setup Manager by right-clicking a layout tab.

Accessing the Page Setup Manager

You can increase the height (in addition to the width) of the Page Setup Manager to display more page setups at one time.

Page Setup Manager

AutoCAD 2017: Object Grouping dialog box

Access the Object Grouping dialog box from the Group panel of the Home ribbon tab.

Accessing the Object Grouping dialog box

The height of the Object Grouping dialog box is increased. It now displays 17 groups at one time, compared to 11 groups in previous releases.

Object Grouping dialog box

AutoCAD 2017: Layer States Manager

Access the Layer States Manager from the Layers panel of the Home ribbon tab.

Accessing the Layer States Manager

With our AutoCAD dialog box enhancements, you can increase the size of the Layer States Manager to display more layer state information at one time.

Layer States Manager

AutoCAD 2017: Edit Attributes dialog box

Access the Edit Attributes dialog box with the ATTEDIT command.

The height of the Edit Attributes dialog box is increased. It now displays 15 attributes at one time, compared to 8 attributes in previous releases.

Edit Attributes dialog box

AutoCAD 2017: Enhanced Attribute Editor

Access the Enhanced Attribute Editor from the Block panel of the Insert ribbon tab.

Accessing the Enhanced Attribute Editor

You can increase the size of the Enhanced Attribute Editor to increase the widths of the panels and fields, as well as the list of attributes visible at one time.

Enhanced Attribute Editor.

AutoCAD 2017: Move or Copy dialog box

Access the Move or Copy dialog box by right-clicking a layout tab.

Accessing the Move or Copy dialog box

Resize the Move or Copy dialog box to display longer names and more layouts in the layout list.

Move or Copy dialog box

AutoCAD 2017: Drawing Properties dialog box

Access Drawing Properties from the Drawing Utilities list in the Application menu.

Accessing the Drawing Properties dialog box

You can resize the Drawing Properties dialog box to display wider fields, more Comments text, and more properties at a time. Column sizing is now remembered on the Custom tab.

Drawing Properties dialog box

AutoCAD 2017: Security Options dialog box

Access Security Options from the System tab of the Options dialog box. The display of Trusted Paths is updated. AutoCAD now trusts any files and folders under Program Files, which is under the operating system’s UAC protection. This is indicated by displaying these implicitly trusted paths in the Trusted Paths UI and graying them out. Previously, the implicit Trusted Paths were not displayed.

Security Options dialog box

AutoCAD 2017: Load/Unload Applications dialog box

Access the Load/Unload Applications dialog box from the Applications panel of the Manage ribbon tab.

Accessing the Load/Unload Applications dialog box

You can resize the Load/Unload Applications dialog box to see more information and files without scrolling. Resizing occurs equally between the folder browser window and the Loaded Applications/History list windows.

Load/Unload Applications dialog box.

AutoCAD 2017: Open VBA Project dialog box

Access the Open VBA Project dialog box from the Load Project tool on the Manage ribbon tab. If you have not already done so, you must first install Microsoft® Visual Basic® for Applications (VBA) software—it is not installed by default.

For more information, visit the AutoCAD VBA download page.