Context Toolbars

A context toolbar is a smart toolbar that contains only those options of the current command or app that you can apply to the pointed object.

Two types of context toolbars are available: one for options and parameters in the current app or command, and another one for the selected object.

This page discusses:

In the Current App or Command

The first time the context toolbar appears, it is linked to the object by a 3D line and is located near the object.



Tools are organized into categories. To change a tool, pause over it and select a new tool or option from the vertical context toolbar that appears.



To move the context toolbar out of the way, select one of its borders (left, right, top, or bottom) and drag it to the new location. The bigger grab areas are located on the left and right sides of the context toolbar.

Dock the Context Toolbar in the Current App or Command

This type of context toolbar can be docked into the four docking areas on the four sides of the tab. It cannot be docked into the tree area because the tree is considered as a docked dialog box.

When dragging the context toolbar near one of the borders of the tab, a drop area appears.

  • When you drop the context toolbar in this area, it is snapped to the border of the tab at the closest location. The line between the context toolbar and the geometry disappears but the context toolbar is still bound to geometry and remains contextual.
  • When vertical context toolbars are available, they are not displayed in the foreground but are detached from the active command so that they do not overlap each other.

To undock the context toolbar, drag it outside the drop area. The line between the context toolbar and the geometry is displayed.

Important:
  • The position and state (that is, docked or not) of the context toolbar in the app is stored from one session to another.
  • You cannot position a context toolbar outside the drop zone (delimited by the four docking areas detailed below). If there is not sufficient empty space in the drop zone, you cannot move the context toolbar. You can decrease the size of the items displayed in the work area to allocate more space to the drop zone and be able to move the context toolbar.

On Selection

This context toolbar usually contains action bar commands. But even though its look is similar to the above-detailed context toolbar in the current app or command, the action bar commands available depend on the selected object.

This toolbar is not linked to the selected object by a 3D line and has no vertical dimension.

When you move your mouse away from the object (or tap elsewhere on touch devices), the context toolbar gradually disappears.

Important: You cannot dock this context toolbar.

Some apps let you customize the context toolbar through Me > Preferences > Context toolbar....

For more information, see the documentation of interest.