The Drafting User Interface
With Creo Elements/Direct 18.0, a Fluent user interface has been introduced for Drafting. The Fluent user interface facilitates faster access to commands by grouping the commands according to their functionality.
The Creo Elements/Direct Drafting consists of the following elements:
• File Tab
• Ribbon
The Drafting User Interface
1. File tab
2. Quick Access Toolbar
3. Ribbon
4. Part Browser
5. Command Mini Toolbar
6. Context menu
7. Drawing area
8. Command line
9. Status bar
You can middle-click to perform the following operations:
• Middle-click to end a command.
• Middle-click and rotate to zoom.
• Middle-click and drag to pan.
Refer to Creo Elements/Direct Drafting Quick Reference Card for more information.
File Tab
The File button in the upper-left corner of the Creo Elements/Direct Drafting window opens the File menu. The File menu contains the following commands:
• New Session: Opens a new drafting window.
• Open: Opens a drawing from the file system.
• Open From Database: Opens a drawing from the database which is connected to the Drafting current session. If no database is activated, this command is not available.
• Save or Save As: Saves a drawing to the file system.
• Save To Database: Saves a drawing to the database which is connected to the Drafting current session. If no database is activated, this command is not available.
• Database: Offers commands that are specific to the database which is connected to the current Drafting session. The name of this command changes depending on the database. For example, if you activate Drawing Manager, Database changes to Drawing Manager. If no database is activated, this command is not available.
• Import/Export: Imports or exports files. For more information, see Storing, Loading, and Filing.
• Modules: Activates or deactivates one of the following database modules:
◦ Design Data Management
◦ Drawing Manager
◦ Windchill Workgroup Manager
◦ Integration for SAP ERP
You can also activate the Hidden and Parametric modules.
• Settings: Changes the draw and system settings. For more information, see Preparing the Drawing Environment.
• Options: Opens the Quick Access Toolbar settings for adding or removing commands in the Quick Access toolbar.
• Exit: Exits Creo Element/Direct Drafting.
• Search for Command: Type the name of the command and then select the relevant command from the list to start the command.
Quick Access Toolbar
The Quick Access toolbar is by default at the top of the Creo Elements/Direct Drafting window. It provides quick access to frequently-used commands. You can customize the Quick Access toolbar by adding commands (buttons and menus) to it.
Ribbon
The ribbon contains commands organized as a set of tabs. On each tab, related commands are grouped. The following figure shows the different elements of a ribbon.
Ribbon
1. Tab
2. Group
3. Button
4. More button
1. Tab: The tabs available on the ribbon are:
◦ Drafting
◦ Modify
◦ Structure
◦ Compare
◦ View
◦ Hidden
◦ Parametric
◦ Annotation
◦ ADU
◦ Miscellaneous
To activate the Hidden module, the Parametric module in Creo Elements/Direct Drafting:
a. Click > .
b. Click one of the following:
▪ 
Hidden to activate the Hidden module.
Hidden to activate the Hidden module.▪ 
Parametric to activate the Parametric module.
Parametric to activate the Parametric module.You can customize the ribbon to display the following additional tabs:
◦ Annotation
◦ ADU
◦ Miscellaneous
For more information about customizing the Creo Elements/Direct Drafting ribbon, see Customizing the Creo Elements/Direct Drafting Ribbon.
2. Group: Commands are placed within groups according to their functionality.
 | The Utilities group is available on all the tabs except the following tabs: • View • Annotation • ADU • Miscellaneous |
3. Button: Each button on the ribbon represents a command and consists of an icon and a label. Some buttons also contain an arrow along with an icon and label.
The ribbon has the following types of buttons:
◦ 
or 
(Large or small button with an icon and a label): Click this button to execute an operation.
or (Large or small button with an icon and a label): Click this button to execute an operation.◦ 
or 
(Large or small button with an icon and an arrow not separated by a line): An arrow indicates the existence of a list. Click this button to open a list of related commands. When no line separates a button, the icon and arrow perform the same action.
or (Large or small button with an icon and an arrow not separated by a line): An arrow indicates the existence of a list. Click this button to open a list of related commands. When no line separates a button, the icon and arrow perform the same action.◦ 
or 
(Large or small button with an icon and an arrow separated by a line): A line, or separation, between the icon and arrow indicates that the icon and arrow perform different actions. Click the icon on this button to execute an operation. Click the arrow to open a list of related commands. The icon of the last-selected command in the current session is displayed on the button.
or (Large or small button with an icon and an arrow separated by a line): A line, or separation, between the icon and arrow indicates that the icon and arrow perform different actions. Click the icon on this button to execute an operation. Click the arrow to open a list of related commands. The icon of the last-selected command in the current session is displayed on the button.| | • The label remains unchanged irrespective of the last selection. • The tooltip displays the name of the command that the icon represents. • The procedural topics assume that the icon of the default command in a list is displayed on a button though you may see the icon of your last-selected command. |
4. More: The rarely-used commands are listed at the end of each group under the More button to optimize the user interface.
Status Bar
The status bar is at the bottom of the Drafting window and has the following buttons:
• 
: Confirms a command or selection.
: Confirms a command or selection.• 
: Ends the current command.
: Ends the current command.• 
: Cancels the current command.
: Cancels the current command.• 
: Highlights the active part in the graphics area.
: Highlights the active part in the graphics area.• 
: Switches the full screen mode on and off (alternatively, you can press F11). For more information, see Viewing a Drawing in the Full Screen Mode.
: Switches the full screen mode on and off (alternatively, you can press F11). For more information, see Viewing a Drawing in the Full Screen Mode.• 
: Defines a new viewing window.
: Defines a new viewing window.• 
: Displays the last view.
: Displays the last view.• 
: Fits the content into the viewport.
: Fits the content into the viewport.The status bar also displays the coordinates at which the cursor is placed in the drawing area, the name of the current part, and the catch range. For more information on catch, see Changing the Drawing Environment and Making Measurements.
Drawing Area
The drawing is displayed in the drawing area. The drawing area is in between the ribbon and the status bar.
Part Browser
The part browser displays the assembly structure with the parts and subparts, the unique ID, part-sharing information, scale, and symbol for the part or the subpart. Click Structure and then, in the Parts group, click 
Browser (alternatively, press F12) to show or hide the part browser.
Browser (alternatively, press F12) to show or hide the part browser.Command Mini Toolbar
Creo Elements/Direct Drafting opens the Command Mini Toolbar (CMT) when you select any element in the drawing area in the preselection mode. Depending on the current context and the selected object, the elements on the CMT change. The CMT helps you to quickly execute a command from the viewport. The first command on the CMT is the command executed upon Drag and Drop of the element. For more information, see Command Mini Toolbar.
Context Menu
The context menu opens when you right-click an element in the drawing area in the preselection mode. Depending on the current context and the selected object, the commands on the context menu change. The first command on the context menu is the View command. If you right-click the drawing area without selecting any element, the context menu contains only the View buttons. For more information, see Context Menu Commands.
Prompt Line
The Prompt Line tells you how to proceed to complete the current operation. In the absence of the Prompt Line, Creo Elements/Direct Drafting displays the prompt in the status bar.
You can enable or disable Prompt Line by clicking or clearing the Prompt Line check box under 
Toolbars in the Viewing group on the View tab, respectively.
Toolbars in the Viewing group on the View tab, respectively.Command Line
In the Command Line (user input line) you can type the required values, when prompted.
You can enable or disable Command Line by clicking or clearing the Command Line check box under Toolbars in the Viewing group on the View tab, respectively.
Toolbars in the Viewing group on the View tab, respectively.