To install the new ribbon tabs for AutoCAD 2010, install the latest version of Design Master HVAC, Electrical, or Plumbing.

There are a couple of configuration options available with ribbons.

Configuring Tabs

Two new tabs will be added to the ribbon in AutoCAD. You can leave them where they are, remove them if you don’t want them, or move them if you want them in a different location in the tab list.

To remove the tab, right-click on the list of tabs and select “Show Tabs.” This will list all the tabs available to you. You can select tabs from the list to turn them on or off. If you are not actively customizing Design Master, turning off the customization tab will save some space.

To move a tab, click-and-drag the tab name at the top of the ribbon.

Configuring Panels

Each tab is a collection of panels. The panels are used to group similar commands.

If there is space available on your screen, the full panels are displayed. If there is not space available, the panels at the end of the tab are collapsed. All the commands are accessible, but it requires an additional click to get to them.

For features that you do not use, you can turn the panel off. For features that you use rarely, you can move the panel to the end of the tab.

To remove a panel, right-click on the list of tabs and select “Show Panels.” This will list all of the panels in the current tab. You can select panels from the list to turn them on or off.

To move a panel, click-and-drag the name at the bottom of the ribbon.

Vocabulary

It is easiest to talk about configuring ribbon tabs if we use the same vocabulary as Autodesk. Here is a quick definition of the three important parts of the AutoCAD Ribbons.

Ribbon: In AutoCAD, you have the ribbon. There is only one. It is a collection of tabs and panels.

Tab: There are multiple tabs on the ribbon. Each tab has a name that is listed in a row at the top of the ribbon. When you select a tab, it becomes active and the ribbons displays the panels associated with that tab.

Panel: Each tab contains multiple panels. When you select a tab, these panels are displayed. Panels contain buttons and commands. Each panel has a name that is displayed at the bottom of the ribbon.