BricsCAD Application Window Explained
Last updated: July 20, 2026. Verified against Octave’s official V26 documentation.
Note: The exact layout you see is controlled by your current workspace, so not every component below will necessarily be visible by default in every workspace.
Quick answer: BricsCAD’s application window has 12 main components, from the title bar down to the status bar, and nearly all of them can be shown or hidden individually. Beyond that, you can also switch between a light and dark colour theme, and use Clean Screen mode to hide a whole set of interface elements at once.
The 12 Components of the Application Window
| Component | What it does | How to toggle it |
|---|---|---|
| Title bar | Shows the application name and your current licence level | Not togglable |
| Menu Bar | Main menus at the top of the window | Right-click a toolbar, ribbon, or panel and choose Menu Bar, or set the MENUBAR system variable |
| Toolbar | Icon-based command groups, floating or docked to any edge | Run TOOLBAR, or right-click and choose Toolbars |
| Ribbon | Tabbed toolbars grouped by function | Run RIBBON or RIBBONCLOSE, or right-click > Panels > Ribbon |
| Document tabs | A tab for each open drawing, plus the Start page | Set the SHOWDOCTABS system variable |
| Panels | Currently active panels; click an icon to open one | Run the specific panel’s command, or right-click > Panels |
| Drawing area | The canvas itself | Not togglable |
| LookFrom control | Preset view orientations (orthographic, isometric); top-right corner by default | Position and behaviour are configurable, though the control itself isn’t hidden |
| Scroll bars | Off by default | Shift+F4, or run SCROLLBAR |
| UCS Icon | Shows the current coordinate system | Display controlled by UCSICON, position by UCSICONPOS |
| Command line | Prompts and a command input field | Run COMMANDLINE or COMMANDLINEHIDE, right-click > Panels > Command Line, Ctrl+9, or Shift+F2 |
| Status Bar | Model and layout tabs, plus tool status | Right-click a toolbar, ribbon, or panel and choose Status Bar |
Customizing the Interface Further
Interface Settings: a button in the top-right corner of the Ribbon (its visibility is controlled by the RIBBONSETTINGSENABLED system variable) opens the Interface Settings dialog, where you can manage your workspace’s overall display.
Colour theme: set the COLORTHEME system variable to 1 for light or 0 for dark, right-click a toolbar or ribbon panel and choose Dark Interface, or pick a theme from the Interface Settings dialog.
Clean Screen mode: the CLEANSCREENON command hides a whole set of interface elements at once, which elements exactly is controlled by the CLEANSCREENOPTIONS system variable. Ctrl+0 toggles it on and off.
If you’re on an AZERTY keyboard, that shortcut needs a slightly different approach: don’t use the numeric keypad, and don’t hold Shift when pressing the number key.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my BricsCAD window look different from a colleague’s? Layout is controlled by the current workspace, so different workspaces can show different combinations of these components by default.
How do I quickly hide most of the interface to focus on my drawing? Ctrl+0 toggles Clean Screen mode, hiding a configurable set of elements at once rather than needing to toggle each one individually.
Why isn’t Ctrl+0 working for me? If you’re on an AZERTY keyboard, avoid the numeric keypad and don’t hold Shift when pressing the number key.
Where do I see my current licence level in the interface? The title bar displays it alongside the application name.