Datasheet

You can dock, as the name implies, dockable windows or have them float like a toolbar.

However, when docked or floating, a dockable window can still take up a moderate

amount of space in AutoCAD, which can reduce the available space you have for the

drawing window. That’s why you can auto-hide dockable windows. The Auto-hide set-

ting collapses the dockable window when the cursor isn’t over it, which helps to reduce

it to the same size as a docked toolbar. Figure 1-6 shows the common controls that all

dockable windows have in common. Manipulating the position and display of a dock-

able window is similar to manipulating a toolbar.

Exercise 1-8: Manipulating the Display of a Dockable Window

For this exercise, open a drawing (a new one or one from a previous exercise). Practice

displaying, auto-hiding, and repositioning a dockable window.

1. Choose Tools➪Palettes➪Properties.

2. If the Properties window is currently docked, click the gripper bar and drag it

over the drawing window.

3. Click the Auto-hide control on the title bar.

The dockable window collapses, and only the title bar is displayed. Moving the

crosshairs/cursor over the title bar causes it to expand.

4. Click the title bar and drag the palette to the right of the drawing window. Release

the mouse button when the preview of the palette changes to dock the palette.

Hold down Ctrl when dragging a toolbar or palette to keep it from docking along

the edge of the application window.

Close button

Auto-hide control

Title bar

Auto-hide control

Gripper bar

Close button