Right-Clicks

ActiveDwg Right-Clicks Page
This article reviews the use of various right-click shortcut menus.

In the beginning of Windows-Enabled AutoCAD, we simply forced the right mouse button to act as it always had: as 'Enter' or 'Repeat Last Command'. Since then, and in keeping with AutoCAD's deeper integration with Windows, AutoCAD has developed a full repertoire of shortcut menus. Here, we help you get configured to make use of them and then have a brief look at a few to get you started.

The Setup:
To begin, go to 'Tools>Options>User Preferences'. Check the two boxes in the 'Windows Standard Behavior' section and click on the 'Right-click Customization' button. Here you will presented with the 'Right-Click Customization' dialog:

The 'Default Mode' section assigns right-button behavior if no objects are selected and there is no command is active. Click the radio button next to the 'Shortcut Menu' option.
The 'Edit Mode' section assigns right-button behavior if objects are selected and no command is active. Click the radio button next to the 'Shortcut Menu' option.
The 'Command Mode' section assigns right-button behavior if a command is active. Click the radio button next to the 'Enter' option.
Now click the 'Apply & Close' button. Click the 'OK' button on the 'Options' dialog to return to the drawing editor.

These settings may also be entered by changing the 'SHORTCUTMENU' system variable. It may have a single integer value based on the options you want:
'0' - Disables 'Default', 'Edit', and 'Command' mode shortcut menus,
'1' - Enables 'Default' mode shortcut menus,
'2' - Enables 'Edit' mode shortcut menus,
'4' - Enables 'Command' mode shortcut menus,
'8' - Enables 'Command' mode shortcut menus only when command line options are available.
If you wish to enable multiple modes, simply assign the 'SHORTCUTMENU' variable the sum of their values. That is, to enable 'Edit' and 'Command' mode shortcut menus, 'SHORTCUTMENU' would be '6'; to enable all menus, 'SHORTCUTMENU' would be '15'.

The Basics:
Open a drawing and we'll begin exploring the right-click options. First, simply right-click anywhere in the drawing editor. This will pop-up the 'Default Mode' shrortcut menu:

The top section allows you to repeat the most recent command. The 2nd section allows you to manage clipboard operations Cut/Copy/Paste. The 3rd section provides basic drawing management and viewing. The bottom section provides session management options.
'Quick Select' presents you with the 'Quick Select' dialog, 'Find' presents you with the familiar 'Find and Replace' dialog, and 'Options' is the same as clicking through to 'Tools>Options' on the menu.

Exploring Your Options:
Here are some specific areas where the right-click shortcut menus can be activated and the resulting menus that will be displayed:

Right-clicking over any toolbar allows you to toggle the visibility of the available toolbars and the entry into customization mode:	Right-clicking over any layout tab provides you with layout management functions.	Right-clicking over the command line window provides access to the 6 most recent commands, your standard 'Options', and command history management.

Right-clicking over a blank toolbar space provides access to all loaded menu group toolbars:

Right-clicking while an entity is selected and grips are active provides basic command selection:	Right-clicking while in the Layer Property Manager provides a layer management menu:	This is a detail of the layer management menu:

We have presented a few specific right-click shortcut menus. You should explore a bit and keep in mind that most dialogs that contain 'white space' will yield a right-click menu, including the file dialogs and most text entry fields. These can come in quite handy and save you a little bit of time here and there.