In 2001, we released AcadXTabs^TM, the original and very first 100% native-code MDI document tab extension for AutoCAD 2000. Initially available free of charge, AcadXTabs quickly became the most popular AutoCAD add-on ever created, with tens of thousands of copies in use world-wide.

Since then, AcadXTabs has been imitated and cloned by many, each adorned with bells and whistles to distinguish them from the original. It rapidly became a real 'me-too' thing :), and as a result, AcadXTabs is arguably the most imitated and cloned AutoCAD extension in existence, with even Autodesk itself getting in on the act. Well, thanks for the complement.

Today we raise the bar, introducing a completely new AcadXTabs with powerful new features and productivity-enhancing functionality that you will not find in any AcadXTabs 'knock-off', document tab extension, or AutoCAD extension of any kind (or at least, not until the imitators are able to copy or clone them)

Introducing AcadXTabs 2010

AcadXTabs 2010 is a completely new, built from-the-ground-up product with significant new features and powerful functionality enhancements you will find nowhere else.

The focus and theme of the original AcadXTabs was in a nutshell, document navigation. AcadXTabs 2010 expands the focus of its predecessor to include document-centric user interface navigation, and multiple document settings management as well. Document tabs and document navigation is just the tip of the iceberg of productivity-enhancing functionality offered by AcadXTabs 2010.

This new release of AcadXTabs is designed exclusively for AutoCAD 2010 or later. Not only does AcadXTabs 2010 leverage many new features of AutoCAD 2010, it actually makes using some of them feasible.

AcadXTabs 2010 comes bundled with the CADD PowerToy Collection, a professionally developed set of AutoCAD tools and enhancements that are not available separately.

Current AcadXTabs licensees who purchased a new license or a license seat upgrade on or after 01/01/08, as well as all Enterprise licensees, are eligible for a free upgrade to AcadXTabs 2010 (upon request). This offer expired on 10/01/09, the initial release date of AcadXTabs 2010. Please note that simple version upgrades that were purchased during this period are not eligible for free upgrades.

AcadXTabs 2010 is now shipping. The ordering pages are currently under construction and should be up in a few days. If you can't wait, please contact us via and we'll be happy to take care of you immediately. 

Please note that the initial release of the CADD PowerToy collection is near-completion, and will be made available to all eligible licensees in the coming weeks.

AcadXTabs 2010 with CADD PowerToys Pricing and Ordering

For the most up-to-date news and information about AcadXTabs and CADD PowerToys, please visit the AcadXTabs Development Log located at the following link:

The AcadXTabs Development Log: Late Breaking News & Information

Features

Here is a brief summary of new features included with AcadXTabs 2010. This summary is not complete.

Drag & Drop Tab Reordering and Tab Sorting

The most popular wish list request from current AcadXTabs users is drag and drop tab reordering. AcadXTabs 2010 delivers on that request fully, and also offers sorting of tabs based on document usage data or filename. While holding down the ALT key, you can drag any visible tab to any position. Tab sorting options are available from the Documents menu.

64 bit Support

AcadXTabs 2010 fully supports both 32- and 64-bit environments.

Document and Layout Thumbnails

While AutoCAD's QuickView Drawings/Layouts feature offers elaborate, graphical depictions of layouts and drawings complete with animation, many find these features extremely sluggish and not terribly 'Quick'.

AcadXTabs 2010 offers the option of displaying both layout and document thumbnails on document tab context menus and the document overflow dropdown menu, without the stupid pet tricks.

New Document Tab

This is a small tab that appears to the right of the last visible tab. When clicked, it reveals a dropdown menu showing all template (*.dwt) files located in the AutoCAD templates folder (as configured via the Files tab on the Options dialog). Selecting one of the template files opens a new document based on the selected template file.

Document Overflow Dropdown

This dropdown button located on the right side of the AcadXTabs control bar provides access to all open documents, including those whose document tabs are not visible.

Documents Dropdown

This dropdown button located on the left side of the AcadXTabs control bar provides access to a variety of application-level commands and functions that apply to all open documents. Commands available from this dropdown include Close All, Save All, and more.

Navigation Controls

These Internet Explorer-style forward and back buttons allow you to easily navigate the recently active documents and layouts. You can configure these controls to navigate documents only, or documents and layouts.

Open Last Document Set

This command provides an easy way to reopen all documents that were open when AutoCAD was last exited.

Open From Recent Folder Menu

This menu, available from the Documents dropdown on the AcadXTabs control bar, offers a handy way to open drawing files located in folders containing other recently-used files. The recent folders menu can vastly reduce the need to navigate folders in AutoCAD's Open file dialog. When you select a folder from the Open From Recent Folder submenu, the AutoCAD OPEN command starts with the contents of the selected folder shown in the Open file dialog.

Open, Insert, and Attach From Containing Folder

These commands are available from the context menu that appears when you right-click on a document tab. The Open From Containing Folder command is simply an alternative way of using the AutoCAD OPEN command, but with the added benefit that the initial folder shown in the Open file dialog is set to the folder containing the document whose tab context menu was used to access the command.

Similarly, the Insert From Containing Folder and Attach From Containing Folder items start the AutoCAD INSERT and XREF commands with the initial folder shown by the file dialogs available from those commands set to the folder containing the document whose tab was used to start the command.

Open Containing Folder

This command, available from each document's tab context menu, opens a Windows Explorer view showing the folder containing the associated document.

Color-coded Tabs

Document tabs can be configured to appear in one of two color shades, depending on the associated document's saved/unsaved state. When color-coded tabs are enabled, all non-active document tabs are shaded red or green, depending on whether the associated document has unsaved changes or not.

Color-coded tabs can be disabled if default AutoCAD color theme-compatible appearance is desired.

Tab Close Buttons

Document tabs can be configured to display close buttons that when clicked, close the associated document. Tab close buttons are optional. They can be configured to appear on all tabs; only on the active document's tab (like IE7); or can be disabled entirely.

Tab close buttons are also color-coded, and change color depending on the associated document's saved state. When an open document has unsaved changes, the close button on the document's tab is red. When there are no unsaved changes, the tab close button is green.

Document tab close buttons are a quick, efficient way to close an open document, because they close documents without activating them if the document has no unsaved changes and no active command.

Tab Double-click Actions

Each document's tab can be double-clicked to both activate the associated document and perform a predefined action. Actions can include any AutoCAD menu macro, or one of several predefined actions like save or close. When using the predefined save or close actions, a document is saved or closed when its tab is double-clicked. Double-click action macros are specified on the AcadXTabs Tab of AutoCAD's Options dialog. The default double-click action saves the associated document if it has unsaved changes.

Drag-and-Drop Save

AcadXTabs provides a powerful and highly-efficient alternative to the AutoCAD SAVE command (the SAVE command saves a copy of the current document without changing the current filename or saved/unsaved state). To save a copy of any open document in its current state, simply hold down the CTRL key and drag the document's tab to any Windows folder or the Windows desktop, and drop it.

Known Issues and Limitations

Tab Position

For those previously using AcadXTabs v16 (for AutoCAD 2004-2006), AcadXTabs no longer supports positioning document tabs at the bottom of the AutoCAD Window. This restriction became necessary as a result of numerous other features and enhancements. Support for this feature was dropped in the previous release of AcadXTabs (for AutoCAD 2007-2009).

CADD PowerToys

CADD PowerToys is a continually growing and evolving collection of professionally developed, high-quality add-ins, extensions, and standalone tools, that complement and enhance the basic functionality of AutoCAD and AutoCAD based software. CADD PowerToys also includes several development tools and utilities for AutoCAD .NET programmers.

CADD PowerToys are compatible with all AutoCAD 2010-based products, including AutoCAD Architecture; AutoCAD Mechanical; AutoCAD Civil 3D; AutoCAD Map 3D; AutoCAD Electrical; AutoCAD MEP and more. As new components are introduced into the CADD PowerToys collection, subscribers receive them free of charge, for the duration of the subscription period.

A one-year subscription to CADD PowerToys is bundled with every new AcadXTabs 2010 license and license upgrade at no additional charge (Enterprise licensees receive a non-expiring subscription). CADD PowerToys is currently available exclusively with AcadXTabs 2010.

Details on the CADD PowerToy collection are available here:

Visit the CADD PowerToys Web Page

Pricing

There is new pricing for AcadXTabs 2010 (both new licenses and upgrades).

Earlier versions of AcadXTabs can no longer be ordered. If you require an earlier release, you can obtain it by ordering a new AcadXTabs 2010 license. When placing your order, please indicate what release of AutoCAD you are using, and we'll provide you with a version supporting that release.

The free upgrade offer for new AcadXTabs licenses purchased on or after 01/01/08 was valid only prior to the initial release of AcadXTabs 2010 (10/01/09), and has therefore expired.

In the unlikely event you ordered an earlier release of AcadXTabs after 10/01/09, you can still convert it to an AcadXTabs 2010 license for the difference between the amount you paid and the cost of a new AcadXTabs 2010 license for the same number of seats.

Updated web pages for ordering new licenses and upgrades are currently under construction and should be ready in several days. In the mean time, please contact us directly regarding orders for AcadXTabs 2010 new licenses and upgrades. Pricing for AcadXTabs 2010 (new license and upgrades from earlier releases) can be found at this page:

AcadXTabs 2010 with CADD PowerToys Pricing and Ordering

System Requirements

• AutoCAD 2010, or any AutoCAD 2010-based product or industry solution (including AutoCAD Architecture, AutoCAD MEP, AutoCAD Electrical, AutoCAD Mechanical, AutoCAD MAP 3D, and AutoCAD Civil3D).

• AutoCAD LT is not supported.

• Intel Pentium 4 Processor or Later

• Microsoft Windows XP w/SP2 or Windows Vista (32 or 64 bit) (note that some features of the CADD PowerToy collection may not be fully-compatible with Windows XP, and may require Windows Vista or later)

• Microsoft.NET Framework v3.5 with SP1

• 1 GB RAM minimum (3 GB recommended)

• 10 MB free disk space (for program storage)

AcadXTabs Development Log

The AcadXTabs DevLog Page is place to go for news, information and announcements relating to the ongoing development of AcadXTabs and the CADD PowerToy Collection. On the DevLog page, we post notices and information addressing issues and bugs that come to our attention, along with fixes, workarounds, general notes, tips and tricks, etc., in a blog-like format.

Visit the AcadXTabs DevLog