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Manual / Interface & settings

The MCAD 2026 interface

Learn the parts of the MCAD 2026 screen - the Ribbon, file tabs, drawing area, command line, Status bar and palettes.

Screen overview

MCAD 2026 main window
MCAD 2026 main window

Part Location Purpose
Menu bar Top File, Edit, View, Tools, Help
Quick Access Toolbar Next to the MET logo New, Open, Save, Undo, Redo
Ribbon Below the menu The Draw, Parametric, Insert, Annotate, View, Manage and Output tabs. See Ribbon and menus.
Licence status Top right For example LICENSED - PERPETUAL
Quick Properties bar Below the Ribbon Layer, Color, Linetype and Lineweight for new objects or the selected objects
File tabs Above the drawing area One tab per file (* = not saved yet)
Drawing area (canvas) Centre of the screen Draw and edit here. It has the X/Y axis icon and the ViewCube (TOP).
Model / Layout tabs Below the drawing area Switch between model space and the paper layout
Prompt bar Below the Layout tabs Shows the next step of the command. It has a Cancel Esc button.
Command line Below the prompt bar The last 3 lines of command history and the box where you type commands
Status bar Bottom Cursor coordinates, selection count, the GRID/SNAP/ORTHO/POLAR/OSNAP/OTRACK/DYN/LWT buttons, Annotation scale, Workspace
Properties palette Left The properties of the selected objects
Content Browser Right The block and symbol libraries. See Symbol Library.

Using the mouse

Action Result
Left-click Select an object / specify a point.
Drag left to right Window selection (selects only objects that lie entirely inside the box).
Drag right to left Crossing selection (selects objects that cross the box).
Roll the mouse wheel Zoom in or out around the cursor position.
Hold the wheel and drag Pan.
Right-click The context menu. See Clipboard.
Double-click text Edit the text in place.

Try it: Draw a doormat and watch the screen respond

The quickest way to learn the screen is to draw something small and watch what each part tells you. Try an 800 x 500 mm doormat.

  1. Move the mouse in the drawing area. The X/Y coordinates on the left of the Status bar follow it.
  2. Type REC. The Prompt bar tells you the next step. Type 0,0 Enter, then 800 Tab 500 Enter. The file tab at the top now shows *, meaning not saved yet.
  3. Inner border: REC 50,50, then 700 Tab 400.
  4. Click the outer rectangle. The Properties palette on the left shows Area 400000 and Perimeter 2600 under Measured.
  5. While it is selected, change its colour on the Quick Properties bar below the Ribbon, then roll the mouse wheel to zoom in.

800 x 500 doormat with an inner border and WELCOME
800 x 500 doormat with an inner border and WELCOME

Challenge: Drag a crossing window from right to left over the inner border and read the selection count on the Status bar.

See also