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The Alias Workspace

The Alias application comprises the following fixed elements:

  • App header - displays the current file name and path. When the app is wide enough, this is integrated to the Menu Bar and displayed on the right side.
  • Menu Bar - operational and admin tools, visualization, animation and help tools.
  • Prompt line - instructions for using the current tool and alert messages when a tool or menu item could not complete a task. Additional tools for snapping, stages and displaying the current tool.
  • The View Window / modeling space - shows the ground plane grid (X and Y) and the default up direction, Z. Has the ViewCube and Navbar tools for managing the view.

Workspace

In addition to the fixed elements, tool palettes and editors can be opened and docked to create a curated Workspace.

The Default Alias Workspace has:

  • Palette - selection, modeling and evaluation tools.
  • Control Panel - tools for controlling the display and parameterization of curves and surfaces.
  • Control Panel Shelf - quick access to the Cross Section Editor and the Transform CV tool.
  • Diagnostic Shade panel - box shading for subdivisions, evaluation shading for surface quality.
  • Layer Bar - quick access to layers and layer tools
  • Workspaces Bar - shows current user preference profile and workspaces.

Optional shortcut tools are also available in the form of hotkeys, marking menus and custom tool shelves.

For more information on docking tool and editor windows see Docking Editor Windows.

Note: Alias 2024 Workspaces combine the two concepts of workflow and workspace that were used in previous Alias versions.

Multiple Workspaces

All tools and shortcuts are available in each Workspace. Having different Workspaces simply means having different arrangements of tools open on the screen.

Working in the Default Workspace

Many users will work in the default workspace all the time, dynamically opening and closing tools as the workflow requires.

This has the advantage of being a consistent layout that becomes very familiar to work with, and therefore quick to learn and use. Optionally, you can delete any workspaces you don't want to use. Ensure that you save or export your Preference Profiles so that your Workspaces can be restored at anytime.

Any changes you make to your layout or custom tools will be saved with the Default Workspace.

Switching Workspaces

Alias provides three additional example Workspaces that you can use, or customize to your preferred workflow.

Using different Workspaces is useful if you want to have tools set out in different layouts for different tasks, and be able to quickly switch between them.

Click on the Workspace title to switch to that workspace.

Each Workspace has all the marking menus and shelves and hotkeys available.

One marking menu can be used in each workspace, and any number of shelves. These are selected and displayed with a blue checkmark on the relevant menus:

For more information on setting up and selecting Marking menus and shelves, see the following:

Workspaces and User Preference Profiles

Workspaces are a sub-set of the User Preference Profile. Understanding what each 'container' saves is helpful when deciding to use Workspaces or not.

User Preference Profile

User Preference Profiles save every setting in the application, including :

  • All Workspaces
  • All Customized Interfaces - Marking Menu sets, Shelf sets, Hotkey assignments.
  • General Preferences & Tool Settings.
  • Color theme

For more information, see Preferences > User Preferences.

Workspace Elements

A single workspace is a subset of the User Preference Profile and will allow you to switch:

  • Selected Customized Interfaces - One Marking menu set and any number of Shelf sets.
  • Which tool windows and editors are open and docked on the screen - Layer Bar, Control Panel, Object Lister for example.
  • View window layout - 4 windows or 1 window for example.
  • Show Menu - Grid on/off

For more information, see New Workspace replaces Workflow.

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