Digital Drawing for Designers

AutoCAD 2009 Ribbon Workspace

AutoCAD 2009 was introduced with a dramatically changed user interface similar to the “ribbon style” interface adopted by Microsoft Office in 2008. While this new interface is intended to create a more intuitive workspace, many students and faculty have asked for instructions to restore AutoCAD’s classic workspace.

Download a printable PDF of the AutoCAD 2009 Classic Workspace Guide for future reference.

NOTE: Regardless of which workspace you chose, the AutoCAD commands and concepts introduced in Digital Drawing for Designers are compatible with AutoCAD 2009.

Restoring AutoCAD’s Classic Workspace

The following steps will restore the classic workspace found in all versions of AutoCAD before the release of AutoCAD 2009.

• Open AutoCAD 2009.
  
• Step 1: Using the mouse, click once on the ‘A’ AutoCAD Icon at the top left of the AutoCAD interface.
• Step 2: click once on the Tools menu item.
• Step 3: click once on the Workspaces menu item. This will expand the menu to display multiple workspace options.
• Step 4: click once on the Autocad Classic menu item. This will restore AutoCAD’s classic interface.

Restoring AutoCAD Classic Colors

The Options dialog box contains the parameters and settings for the majority of AutoCAD’s visual interface.

• To open the Options dialog box, type the command OPTIONS and press ENTER. You can also open the Options dialog box by selecting Options from the Tools menu.
• Step 5: Using the mouse, click once on the display tab at the top of the Options dialog box.
• Step 6: click once on the Colors… button. This button opens the Drawing Window Colors dialog box.

• Step 7: click once on the Restore Classic Colors button.
  
• Step 8: click once on the Apply and Close button.

You may be presented with a confirmation dialog box asking if you want to 

“…restore all classic colors in the context, 2D model space”.

• Step 9: click once on the Restore button.
• Close the remaining dialog boxes.
• You have completed the conversion of AutoCAD 2009 to the classic workspace.