New Ribbon interface, what do you think?

Hi people.

Was talking about the Connect interface with and old work mate from previous office.
Looks like both agree. Ribbon interface is a catastrophic decision.

Personally, I've really felt disconnected with Bentley's vision on how MS should evolve, I love MS, SS3 is like a Ferrari tunned for race so don´t think I'm here for Autodesk fanboyism.


I got into MS after Acad swtiched to Ribbon. I loved Bentley systems because its unique approach to engineering soft with supper serious and practical interfaces, super powerfull design environment, great 3d modelling tool, the keyboard shorcuts that allow you to super quickly change tools etc...


I could not believe Bentley would EVER switch to  Ribbon. I'm so dissapointed. What do you people think? you like it?.

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  • I have my own gripes with the ribbon but before everyone throws CONNECT under the bus there are options.

    Options:

    1. Toolbars - For those very old school you can turn on any of the original toolbars.  Ctrl-T will bring up the list of all toolbars and then you can turn on whichever you like and dock them all over the screen.  Not my favorite way of working but I still see a number of users that work this way.  This is still available in CONNECT.

    2. Task Navigation - If you want to use the Task Manager you can.  Simply turn it on (via configuration variable) and then turn on the Positional Mapping and you get back the flow of V8i.  I'm not sure this is a long term solution since I've heard rumblings this could get removed.  (I have no inside information on this so take it as simply rumor).  At least for the moment this is a solution.  There are posts here that explain it but if you want it in a pdf description send me an e-mail.  My company is Archway Systems and the e-mail address is simply mike at my company name (all run together).

    3. Screen Menus - this is something I thought might get removed in CONNECT and instead it's been enhanced which makes me think it's here for the long haul.  If you spend some time you can make a very nice screen menu that will give you access to the stuff you use most very efficiently.  I attach screen menus to a button on my mouse.  One click of a mouse button and I have a graphical menu available for selection right at the cursor.  My screen menus are simple test case screen menus so nothing exciting to share but they only took 30 minutes or less to create.  Spend a day or two on this I'm sure you could come up with a really nice one.

    4. Search - the search in CONNECT is great for those commands that you use infrequently.  Just type the name of the command and launch it directly without having to go to the menu.

    5. Task Navigation Workflow - CONNECT comes with a Task Navigation workflow that has most of the tools laid out like the Drawing Task from V8i.  If you turn on Positional Mapping for this workflow the key sequences match those of V8i.  You press F3 to invoke the shortcuts followed by all of the normal shortcuts Q1 - Smartline, E1 - for circle, etc.  One drawback on this, when you press F3 you have to wait for the lettering of the shortcuts to appear.  On some computers this is really quick.  On my souped up desktop it is really slow, which is odd.  This for me personally is unusable but may work well for others.

    6. Customize keys - CONNECT is easier to customize, in my opinion, than V8i for a variety of reasons.  It only takes a minute or two to customize keyboards options.  In reality it would probably take a day or two of thinking thru the overall shortcut structure you want and then creating the customization to match that.  

    7. Right click menu - The right click (and hold) menu is still available and can be customized.  Same amount of work as V8i to customize, which isn't too bad.  If you have commands you need very accessible you can put them on this popup up menu.  Likely you will want to limit this to a handful of critical commands.

    8. Customize ribbon workflow - CONNECT is geared to allow you to customize the ribbon workflow.  Create one of your own that has exactly the commands you use.  You can assign your own shortcuts letter combinations to your custom ribbon.

    9. Learn it the way it is - If you want to learn how to use CONNECT as is you will want to start by learning some of the key shortcuts.  \ to change the workflow, F2 to show/activate the Ribbon tab keys, F3 to show/activate ribbon tools key combinations.

    Why bother with CONNECT?

    1. It's the direction Bentley has taken MicroStation.  I can certainly see for some tools why they've done this but I do understand the learning (re-learning) curve.  For me, I'll try to figure out how to make it work for me.  Others may choose a different path.

    2. There is some new functionality in CONNECT which I really like.  Examples:

         a. The new Table option is really nice, and a good example of where the ribbon can be useful.

         b. the new parametric design constraints is really nice and can be used both in 2D or 3D.

         c. I like the unified Properties (aka Element Information) where everything from element info to file info is shown in a similar fashion.

         d. I like the backstage with all non-graphical stuff in one location and especially love the new Workspace Configuration.  The search and sizability of the dialog is really nice.

         e. I like the redesigned Workspace levels, it's now what it should have been originally.  A little bit of work to understand but worth it.

    Hopefully some of you can find something useful out of this long post.

    Mike

  • Late to this party...
    So when I go to Connect, my function key menus (that I've used for literally decades) will no longer work?
    I see you talking about all kinds of function key shortcuts...I've seen another thread talking about a <space> shortcut...

    I'm glad the toolbars are not going away right now and happy to hear that screen menus are still supported at this point, but y'all have me worried about my accudraw shortcuts and my function key menus.

    Fortunately, at the rate my industry in my region adapts to new technology, I may be about to retire when Connect finally crosses my desktop.

    MaryB

    Power GeoPak 08.11.09.918
    Power InRoads 08.11.09.918
    OpenRoads Designer 2021 R2

        

  • Thank you very much for your comments and your time.
    TASKBAR:

    Our taskbar is modified to use our own developments. Now we can not use it in CONNECT. Yes, sorry, we just have to customize our menu. Very simple and very fast, as everyone says ... ;-). It's a shame that we do not have time to re-customize our Microstation.
    The CLASSIC MENU, is this (only exists in V8, not in CONNECT):

    Yes, sorry, we just have to customize our menu. Very simple and very fast, as everyone says ... ;-).
    But, a new problem ... now the menus that form this grouping, are related to each other. In case of joining "labels" and "text", this overlap occurs:

    In V8 it did not happen. More customization work.

    By the way, the MVBA do not work either. We have put a ticket, but we have not solved the problem. They have not recommended that we go back to the V8i version.

    We have already done three installations of CONNECT (to try to solve the problems of VBA ... failed ...) and another installation of V8i (to be able to use our MVBA).

    Are we unlucky? I do not doubt it, but ...Bufffhhhh… we are exhausted… Wink


    Thanks again for your help.

  • Unknown said:
    By the way, the MVBA do not work either

    In my experience, VBA in CONNECT is little different to VBA in V8 except for the bit-ness: MicroStation CONNECT provides 64-bit VBA v7; MicroStation V8 provides 32-bit VBA v6.5.

    When any application runs a VBA macro, it first compiles it to pseudo-code.  That pseudo-code will be different for 32-bit and 64-bit hosts, meaning that you can't share the same VBA project between 64-bit and 32-bit hosts.  You must separate CONNECT and V8 VBA projects into their own folders.

    You might like to post questions about VBA to the MicroStation Programming Forum.

     
    Regards, Jon Summers
    LA Solutions

  • David - This thread's topic is "New Ribbon interface, what do you think?".  It is not a more general question, which would be a good topic unto itself entitled "What does it take to move to CONNECT?".   So all of my previous posts in this thread are regarding the ribbon and the ways to either work with it, or work around it.  I see by your latest comment that your issues go beyond just the ribbon.

    Others may have done so but I don't believe I ever said "very simple and very fast" regarding the transition to CONNECT.  I did mention it might take a couple of days to create the shortcut keys as you need them to be but that is just one part of a transition to CONNECT.

    MicroStation CONNECT is the first 64-bit version of MicroStation so many issues you will run into moving to CONNECT are less about the ribbon and more about the rewrite/port of MicroStation to be a 64-bit application.  There are a lot of differences between MicroStation V8i, a 32-bit program and CONNECT a 64-bit program. VBA, as Jon pointed out, is one of those things that has changed. 

    Any transition to CONNECT does require a game plan on the transition.  VBA code needs to be upgraded, MDL code needs to be rewritten, User Interface decisions need to be made, Workspaces need to evolve into Worksets, etc.  Again, this thread was about the ribbon thus what I was responding to.   

    It looks to me from your images that you may be using the classic toolbars and not even the Tasks.  If so, you are working with the much older interface.  The classic Main toolbar does still exist in CONNECT.  If you press Ctrl+T and then find Main in the list and check it you will get the classic Main toolbar.  I haven't tried customizing a class toolbar in CONNECT but I would think that you still could. 

    At this point we have taken this thread off topic.  I would suggest you create new forum questions, rather than replying here, with your specific questions regarding your transition to CONNECT.  V8i and CONNECT can live on the same computer so you can continue to get your work done in V8i as you explore the transition to CONNECT. 

    Regards, Mike Lazear

  • David - Tomorrow Sept 20, 2017 there is a session in Spanish on the Customizing MicroStation CONNECT.  Here is the link: https://pages.info.bentley.com/event-details-ae/?webinar=CO_WBNRB_SIG_MSE_0917&offer=CO_WBNRB_SIG_MSE_0917&eventGUID=01bbc63e-e694-40c0-9cbc-2b8d22271a50

    This is a SIG WORKSHOP.  If you see this too late you might be able to contact the instructor: Alicia Rodríguez Ramírez to see if you could get a link to the recording.

    Regards, Mike Lazear

  • Everything must be due to my clumsiness. True, CONNECT and Ribbon is wonderful.

     The interface, in my opinion, is much simpler and faster than any other, the process power, compatibility with FM20.DLL libraries and the operation of the own developments in MVBA is simply impressive.

     I have worked for over 20 years with this program and, without a doubt, this is the friendliest version. The impressive amount of videos to make the transition are interesting and educational. They are also brief and it is not necessary to spend a lot of time in seeing them. A simple and fast transition. It is also very useful to have two versions of the program installed on the computer in order to work correctly.

     I'm sorry if I could have disturbed anyone at any time. That was not my intention.

    Thank you very much for suggesting the forum change. I will do it right now.

Reply
  • Everything must be due to my clumsiness. True, CONNECT and Ribbon is wonderful.

     The interface, in my opinion, is much simpler and faster than any other, the process power, compatibility with FM20.DLL libraries and the operation of the own developments in MVBA is simply impressive.

     I have worked for over 20 years with this program and, without a doubt, this is the friendliest version. The impressive amount of videos to make the transition are interesting and educational. They are also brief and it is not necessary to spend a lot of time in seeing them. A simple and fast transition. It is also very useful to have two versions of the program installed on the computer in order to work correctly.

     I'm sorry if I could have disturbed anyone at any time. That was not my intention.

    Thank you very much for suggesting the forum change. I will do it right now.

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