User Preferences
Alias automatically stores all the changes that you make to the user interface in the User Preferences.
This means that when you close Alias, the next time you start it the interface will be exactly as you left it. The exception to this are the settings values in each tool window which are reset between Alias sessions, so that Alias always starts with predictable default settings.
All the elements of the interface are saved, including:
- Which Editors and Toolboxes are open, their settings, location and docked status.
- Modifications and additions to Marking menus, shelves, hotkeys and Workspaces.
- General Preferences settings.
- Color theme.
- The list of Profiles loaded into the profiles list.
Profiles
Optionally, saving a preference Profile is a way of taking a snapshot of these User Preferences to use as a restore point. In this way you can develop a preferred interface layout that can be returned to at any time.
Profiles are managed by the user, and stored automatically by Alias in the system UserPrefs directory.
The Profile stores all the elements in the user preferences (listed above), with the following differences :
The settings for each tool are also saved with the Profile. These are the settings that are used when Alias is launched to provide a consistent starting environment.
A Profile does not store the list of other Profiles that are loaded into the profiles list.
A Profile does not store the application window size.
Exporting profiles to a backup file
Exporting the user preferences creates a named .json file that can be used as a backup Profile, or for transferring a Profile to another Alias installation.
Workflow - Saving interface preferences to a Profile
A profile called 'User Profile' is supplied on launch for you to optionally save versions of your user preferences.
To save the user preferences to the User Profile:
- Check that 'User Profile' is the active profile - shown with a blue checkmark in the Profile list in the Preferences menu or the quick access bar at the bottom-left of the screen.
- Make any interface changes that you want, for example adding tools to shelves or marking menus, setting hotkeys etc., until you have version of your preferences you want to capture.
- Use Save Profile to store these user preferences to the User Profile.
As you continue to work in Alias you will make work-in-progress changes to the interface. You then have two choices:
- To go back to your saved version of the interface by using Restore Profile, and lose any work-in-progress changes you made.
- Update the saved profile to the include the work-in-progress changes by using Save Profile.
Using additional or alternative Profiles
Additional profiles can be created and added to the Profiles list. Additional profiles can be created in two ways:
- Use Save As New Profile to copy the active profile to a new named profile, and switch it to being the current Profile.
- Use Add Profile to import a saved (Exported) Profile file. The profile is only added to list and not made active automatically.
Additional profiles can be useful for the following:
- If you want to give your Profile a different name. There is no rename function for Profiles.
- Enable other users to easily work on your machine and be able to use their own preferences.
- Create versions of your own preferences as you develop them. You may also want to use Export Profile to create backups on disk.
Workflow - Saving tool settings to a Profile
Many of the tools in Alias have a settings window, and these values are typically modified during the normal workflow.
When a Profile is saved, the values of the tool settings at that moment are also saved, and become the reset values for the following functions:
Alias launch. When you start Alias the tool settings are restored to the values last saved in the Profile.
Using the Reset function in individual tool settings window.
Utilities > Tool Resets, when using Reset rather than Factory Reset for Palettes and Menus.
To save default tool settings to a Profile
As soon as you start working in Alias, some tool settings are likely to get changed.
If you want to save interface changes to a Profile, but not save any of the tool settings changes, first use Utilities > Tool Resets and select one of:
- Reset - to return to the last saved settings for that Profile
- Factory Reset - to return to the launch default tool settings.
Then, save your Profile.
Workflow - Switching Profiles
When you switch to a different profile, you need to make a decision about the profile you are replacing:
- If you have done a Save Profile then there will be no difference between your User Preferences on screen and the saved Profile, and so nothing will be lost when you switch.
- If you have made changes to the interface since the last Save Profile, then you will be asked if you want to save those changes to the Profile before switching, or discard them.
Before a switch is made a warning message will appear about the current profile being replaced:
- Yes to update the profile before switching. This is the same function as Save Profile.
- No to discard any changes to the current user profile since the last time Save Profile was used for that profile.
- Export Active As to create a backup copy of the current User Preferences on screen to a named .json file. Note, this file will save the current User Preferences on screen and not the saved Profile version of the User Preferences.
- Cancel to not switch profiles.
Workflow - Importing Preferences from a previous version
When importing Preference Sets (.aps files) from Alias version 2023 or earlier, nearly all of your custom UI settings can be transferred to Alias 2024. Some minor edits may be required, such as setting up some custom UI colors, to completely match your Alias 2024 preferences with previous versions.
Export from previous versions
In Alias 2023 or earlier, use Preferences > User Preferences > Export Preference Set and save to a named .aps file.
Import and Merge to Alias 2024 or later
In Alias 2024, select Preferences > User Preferences > Import and Merge >
.
In the Import Preferences Options window, ensure only the preferences you want to import are selected.
Tip: To keep the new Alias 2024 Control Panel, Panel shelf and Diagnostic Shade docked group, and the four new Workspaces, don't select Workspaces in the Import and Merge options.
Because the import will modify elements of your current screen, you are prompted whether you want to save your current arrangement to the active Profile before the changes are made:
In the file lister, browse to the .aps preference set file and click OK. The Preference Set gets converted to Alias 2024 format and updates your current User Preferences.
Make any further modifications to the interface that are required, and then use Save Profile or Save As New Profile. Optionally, use Export Profile to make a backup on disk.
When the Preference Set elements have been imported, they will not appear on screen. Open, position and dock them as required:
The main shelf used in previous versions is loaded into the Windows > Shelves > Default Shelves.
The Control Panel shelves are available loaded into Windows > Shelves .
Marking menu sets are loaded into Preferences > Marking Menus.
Advanced - UserPrefs directory
As with previous versions of Alias the User Preferences are created in the following directory on your local machine:
C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Alias\UserPrefs2024.0
The User Preferences directory is managed entirely by the application and there is no user requirement to access it. In fact it is strongly recommended that it is not modified in any way as it could lead to unexpected results.
Any requirement to backup user preferences can be done using Export Profile, with the file being saved at a user selected location on disk.
Advanced - Separate preferences for Autostudio, Surface and Concept
If you have access to different versions of Alias - Autostudio, Surface, Concept or Learning Edition, then preferences are stored separately for each version.
This means that you can have the same name for a profile, but with a different set-up for each version launched.
Use Export Profile and Add Profile to copy preferences from one version to another.