The User Interface panel controls the appearance, layout and interaction behavior of the ARCHLine.XP user interface.

Use these settings to configure the application language, view arrangement, icon sizes, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, dockable panels, navigation controls, mouse behavior and other interface-related options.

Location:
File > Options > User Interface

General User Interface Settings

Language (requires restart)

Defines the language of the ARCHLine.XP user interface.

After selecting a different language, ARCHLine.XP must be restarted before the new language is applied.

The language setting affects menus, dialogs, commands and other localized elements of the user interface.

View arrangement

Defines how the open project views are arranged in the ARCHLine.XP workspace relative to the main interface panels.

This setting determines the layout of the graphical work area and is especially useful when several views are open simultaneously.

Two arrangements are available:

Views arranged on right – 2 columns

The graphical workspace is divided into two columns, allowing multiple views to be displayed side by side.

This arrangement is useful when working simultaneously with different representations of the model, for example:

• Floor Plan and 3D View,
• Floor Plan and Section,
• Different 3D views

The two-column layout makes it easier to compare views and observe the result of model modifications in another view.

Recommended use: wide-screen and high-resolution monitors, or workflows where two or more views are frequently used at the same time.

Views arranged on right

The graphical views are arranged in a single column on the right side of the workspace.

This arrangement gives each view more horizontal space and is suitable when the user primarily works in one view at a time or when the available screen width is limited.

Recommended use: smaller displays, narrower application windows, or workflows where maximum width of the active view is preferred.

Note: The View arrangement setting changes only the organization of views in the user interface. It does not modify the project, model geometry or the content of individual views.

Interface icon size (pixel)

Defines the size of icons used in the main ARCHLine.XP user interface.

For example:

32 Medium

displays interface icons at the corresponding medium size.

Larger icons can improve visibility on high-resolution monitors, while smaller icons leave more space for commands and the drawing area.

Design Center primary icon size

Defines the size of the primary icons displayed in the Design Center.

Primary icons are used to visually represent the main items and content displayed in the Design Center. Changing their size allows you to adjust the Design Center according to the available screen space and your preferred working style.

Three icon sizes are available:

Small

Uses a compact icon size.

This option is useful when you want to display as many Design Center items as possible within the available panel area.

Recommended use: smaller screens, narrow Design Center panels, or large libraries where compact browsing is preferred.

Medium

Uses medium-sized icons.

This provides a balance between visual recognition and efficient use of screen space and is suitable for most workflows.

Large

Uses large icons.

Larger icons make graphical previews easier to recognize and can be particularly useful when browsing visually oriented content such as objects, materials or other library elements.

Recommended use: high-resolution or large monitors and workflows where visual identification of Design Center content is more important than displaying many items simultaneously.

Note: Changing the Design Center primary icon size affects only the appearance of items in the Design Center. It does not change the size, scale or properties of the corresponding objects or other project content.

Design Center secondary icon size

Defines the size of the secondary icons displayed in the Design Center.

This allows the primary and secondary levels of Design Center content to use different icon sizes. For example, primary items can be displayed with larger icons for easier visual identification, while secondary items can remain smaller to provide a more compact list.

User Interface Customization

Create user toolbar

Click Edit to create or modify a custom user toolbar.

A custom toolbar provides quick access to frequently used commands and allows the workspace to be adapted to individual workflows.

Keyboard shortcut settings

Click Edit to open the Keyboard Shortcuts configuration.

Keyboard shortcuts provide an alternative and faster way to execute frequently used commands. ARCHLine.XP supports customized shortcut sets that can be saved as profiles. 

Alternate keyboard shortcuts

Defines which predefined keyboard shortcut scheme is used by ARCHLine.XP.

This option allows users to choose between the standard ARCHLine.XP keyboard shortcuts and an alternative shortcut scheme designed for users who are familiar with Autodesk Revit-style keyboard commands.

Two options are available:

ARCHLine.XP

Uses the standard ARCHLine.XP keyboard shortcuts.

This is the default shortcut scheme and is recommended for users who are already familiar with the ARCHLine.XP working environment.

Commands are activated using the keyboard combinations defined for the standard ARCHLine.XP workflow.

RVT like shortcuts

Activates a keyboard shortcut scheme designed to provide a more familiar working environment for users accustomed to Revit-style shortcuts.

Where an equivalent ARCHLine.XP command is available, commonly used Revit-style key sequences are assigned to the corresponding ARCHLine.XP function.

This can reduce the learning effort for users migrating from Revit or using ARCHLine.XP alongside Revit.

For example, familiar command sequences can be used for frequently performed modelling and editing operations instead of learning a completely new shortcut system.

Note: RVT like shortcuts refers to the keyboard interaction style. It does not mean that every Revit shortcut has an exact ARCHLine.XP equivalent. Only commands for which a corresponding ARCHLine.XP function and shortcut mapping are available can be used.

Custom keyboard shortcuts

The predefined scheme selected under Alternate keyboard shortcuts works together with the keyboard shortcut configuration available through:

Keyboard shortcut settings > Edit

This allows users to review and customize keyboard assignments according to their individual workflow.

The Keyboard shortcuts, Custom user interface profiles option can also be used to manage the active customized keyboard and user-interface profile.

Tip: For users moving from Revit to ARCHLine.XP, selecting RVT like shortcuts can provide a more familiar starting point. Users can then customize individual shortcuts where necessary to match their preferred workflow.

Keyboard shortcuts, Custom user interface profiles

Defines the active user interface and keyboard shortcut profile.

For example:

Default

uses the standard ARCHLine.XP interface configuration.

Profiles make it possible to maintain different interface and shortcut configurations for different users or working methods.

Magnifier

Click Edit to configure the Magnifier function.

The Magnifier provides an enlarged view of the area around the cursor, helping with precise selection and editing when working with small or densely positioned drawing elements.

Design center split view

Enables the split-view layout of the Design Center.

When enabled, the Design Center can simultaneously display category navigation and the corresponding library content.

The Design Center is designed to provide quick access to objects and other project resources, and its layout adapts to the available panel width. 

Reset interface to factory default

Restores the ARCHLine.XP user interface to its factory-default configuration.

Use this command when customized panel positions, toolbars or other interface settings need to be returned to their original state.

Important: Customized interface settings may be lost when the factory-default configuration is restored.

Panels

The following options control which major ARCHLine.XP interface panels are available or visible.

ARCHLine.XP panels can be docked to the application window, and supported panels can also use Auto Hide to maximize the drawing area. 

Design center

Displays the Design Center, which provides access to library items, objects, materials, styles and other reusable project content.

Project navigator

Displays the Project Navigator.

The Project Navigator provides structured navigation between project content such as floors, views, sections, elevations, layouts and other project-related items.

Dashboard

Displays the Dashboard.

The Dashboard provides quick access to frequently used commands related to the active view. Users can also add commands and frequently used styles to create a customized command collection. 

Styles

Displays the Styles panel, providing quick access to predefined element styles.

Info

Displays the Info panel.

Reference

Displays the Reference panel.

Move

Displays the Move panel.

Help

Displays the Help panel.

The Help panel provides context-sensitive information about the currently selected tool and can include instructions and graphical information.

AI

Displays the AI panel.

2D edit

Displays the 2D Edit panel.

System browser

Displays the System Browser panel.

View and Interface Controls

Show view selection tabs

Controls the visibility of the View Selection Tabs.

View tabs provide direct access to open views. Clicking a tab activates the corresponding view. 

Show status-bar

Displays the Status Bar at the bottom of the application window.

The Status Bar provides access to frequently used status and input functions. In the redesigned interface, several view-dependent commands have been moved from the Status Bar to the View Control Bar. 

Information bar visible

Displays the Information Bar.

The Information Bar provides contextual information related to the current operation or application state.

Enter / Escape bar visible

Displays the Enter / Escape Bar, providing graphical access to the equivalent of the Enter and Esc keyboard actions.

In ARCHLine.XP, Enter can be used to finish an active command or subcommand, while Esc cancels the current command and returns the application to command-selection mode. 

Display persp. view with camera icon on floor plan

When enabled, the position of a perspective view is represented on the floor plan using a camera icon.

This helps identify the location and viewing direction of saved or active perspective views directly from the floor plan.

Navicube

Displays the NaviCube navigation control.

The NaviCube provides an interactive graphical tool for changing the orientation of the 3D view and navigating between standard viewing directions.

View Control Bar

Displays the View Control Bar in graphical views.

The View Control Bar is located at the bottom of the active view and provides quick access to view-dependent commands. The available tools automatically change according to the active view type. 

For example, in a floor plan it can provide access to:

• Level Up / Level Down,
• Design Phases and Phase Filters,
• Level of Detail,
• Architectural Scale,
• Show Line Weights.

In a 3D view it provides different controls, such as visual styles, element filters, shadows and view navigation. 

Windows Aero enabled

Enables the use of supported Windows Aero/Desktop Window Manager visual effects in the ARCHLine.XP interface.

Disabling the option can be useful when troubleshooting interface display problems or when working through environments where Windows graphical effects are undesirable.

Dialog and Selection Behavior

Activate again dialogs with 'Don't show this message again' checkbox

Reactivates warning or information dialogs that were previously disabled using the Don't show this message again option.

Use this setting when you want ARCHLine.XP to display these suppressed messages again.

Show deleted layers in layer dialog

When enabled, deleted layers are also displayed in the Layer dialog.

This can be useful when reviewing or managing layer information that is no longer part of the normal active layer list.

Cycle through overlapping objects to select the object you need

Enables selection cycling when multiple selectable objects overlap at the cursor position.

Instead of automatically selecting one of the overlapping elements, ARCHLine.XP allows you to cycle through the available candidates and choose the required object.

This is particularly useful in complex floor plans where several elements occupy the same or nearly the same screen position.

Displays the Windows common dialog box for printing

Uses the standard Windows print dialog when printing.

When enabled, printer selection and printer-specific settings are handled through the familiar Windows printing interface.

Displaying subcommands in floating menu

Controls whether available subcommands are presented in a floating menu during supported operations.

This option allows users to choose between floating contextual command access and commands integrated into the main interface.

Version note: Floating subcommand behavior has changed between ARCHLine.XP releases. Some floating subcommand menus were moved to or integrated into the Ribbon in recent versions. 

Developer mode

Enables Developer mode.

This mode provides access to functions intended primarily for software development, testing, diagnostics or advanced integration workflows.

For normal architectural and interior design work, Developer mode should generally remain disabled unless its functionality is specifically required.

Plugin manager

Click Edit to open the Plugin Manager.

The Plugin Manager provides access to installed ARCHLine.XP extensions and plugins and their available management options.

Environment fail safe reset

Resets the ARCHLine.XP working environment when interface or environment configuration problems prevent the application from operating normally.

This is intended primarily as a recovery/troubleshooting function, rather than a normal workspace customization command.

Enable sending anonymous telemetry data to ARCHLine.XP 2028

Controls whether ARCHLine.XP is allowed to send anonymous telemetry data.

When enabled, anonymous usage and technical information can be collected to help identify software usage patterns, stability issues and areas for product improvement.

When disabled, this anonymous telemetry is not sent.

For the final Help article, I recommend linking this section to the ARCHLine.XP Privacy Policy and documenting exactly which categories of telemetry are collected.

Customizing mouse behaviour

This section defines how mouse buttons behave during selection and navigation.

In Selection

Defines what action is executed when confirming a selection.

For example:

Execute Enter command

makes the corresponding mouse action behave like pressing Enter, allowing the current selection or command step to be confirmed without moving the hand to the keyboard.

ARCHLine.XP uses Enter to complete active commands and subcommands. 

Orbit on a three-button mouse

When enabled, a three-button mouse can be used to orbit a 3D view by clicking and holding the scroll wheel without pressing Shift.

This provides faster direct access to 3D orbit navigation.

CTRL + Left click: Fast Delete Command Enabled

Changes the behavior of Ctrl + Left Click.

When enabled:

Ctrl + Left Click → deletes the selected element.

When disabled:

Ctrl + Left Click → selects an element or adds it to the current selection.

This behavior is documented as Quick Delete or Select in the ARCHLine.XP keyboard and mouse controls. 

Caution: When Fast Delete is enabled, Ctrl + Left Click performs a destructive editing action rather than the standard multiple-selection operation.

Special shortcut

Use TAB or F5 to change the reference point (TAB = 2011 mode)

Defines which keyboard shortcut is used to change the reference point during supported drawing and editing operations.

This option is provided for compatibility with different ARCHLine.XP interaction conventions.

When TAB = 2011 mode is selected, the TAB key follows the reference-point behavior used by the earlier ARCHLine.XP interface.

Press Spacebar to repeat the last command you just used

When enabled, pressing the Spacebar repeats the most recently executed command.

This provides a fast workflow for repetitive modelling and drafting operations.

For example, after placing one wall or executing an editing command, pressing Spacebar can immediately start the same command again without selecting it from the Ribbon or a toolbar.