Spec provides a wide variety of tools to customize the layout of the interface and modified how the data is viewed on the screen. These tools do not change what data is in the project, but simply the way it is displayed.

The first and simplest of these tools is the Zoom setting. This is located on the bottom right of the Spec window. Spec will remember this setting, even after the program is closed, and will reopen at the set zoom level. Click the minus or plus signs to adjust, hold CTRL+ up/down on the mouse scroll wheel, or click and drag the slider bar.

Column and Row Locks

A lock can be placed on the columns or rows to freeze them in place while scrolling down or across the spreadsheet.

To lock the spreadsheet columns, hover your cursor over the line just to right of the row number until you see the lock cursor. Click and drag your cursor to the right of the column you wish to lock, as shown by a thick line. Release the mouse button to place.

To remove the lock, click and hold on the lock line and drag the cursor back to the row number.

To lock the spreadsheet rows, hover your cursor over the line just below the column headers until you see the lock cursor. Click and drag your cursor to the bottom of the row you wish to lock, as shown by a thick line. Release the mouse button to place.

To remove the lock, click and hold on the lock line and drag the cursor back to the column header.

Customizing Layouts

Catalog Information

The Catalog Information panel is pinned on the left side of the Spec window by default. Click the pin icon to unpin the panel and collapse it to the left. Once collapsed, it can be accessed by hovering your cursor over the tabs, which will temporarily pop the panel back out. Click the pin icon to re-pin the panel.

This panel can also be docked to different locations or float out separately from the Spec window. To view the docking options, click and hold the top bar of the panel and drag your cursor into the spreadsheet area. An icon will appear showing the docking options. Drag and hover your cursor to one of the yellow squares in the icon, this will preview docking locations in blue. Once docked, you can left click and drag to adjust the size of the windows. You can also simply pull it away from the left side to have the window float on its own. 

The Details tab also has the option to dock at different locations. To toggle between the different commonly used locations, use the keyboard shortcut Alt + F12. To see all the docking options, click and hold the tab and drag the cursor into the spreadsheet area. An icon will appear showing the docking options. Drag and hover your cursor to the yellow square in the icon to preview desired location.

When you have created a window layout that you'd like to use again in the future, navigate to the Tools tab and open Settings. On the Spec tab, click Save Layout. This will save as a .xml file. Use the Load Layout button to load this layout in future projects. To undo the changes made, click Reset Layout to return to the default layout settings.

Spreadsheet View

The View tab offers several tools to modify the look of the spreadsheet in the Spreadsheet View section.

Spreadsheet - Switches to the Spreadsheet view or tab.

Details - Click to toggle between the different commonly used dock options for the Details tab. (As also seen with the shortcut Alt + F12.)

Reporting - Switches to the Reporting view or tab.

Refresh - Refreshes the spreadsheet view and may fix minor glitches caused by making modifications.

Adjust Columns - Opens the Adjust Spreadsheet Columns dialog where Built In Templates can be accessed and User Templates can be created and accessed.

Click the radio button next to a Built In Template to select it. The columns that are included in the spreadsheet view in that template are indicated with checkboxes in the list to the left. Click Apply to temporarily apply the template and close the dialog. Click Save for Spec to remember and open with that template view.

To create a User Template:

1. Click the green plus sign.
2. Enter the template name on the Add Template dialog that appears and click OK.
3. Check the boxes for any columns to show in the template, and uncheck any to be excluded. Excluding a column from the template does not exclude the information, it will just not be displayed.
4. Double click a column name to modify the text. While this cannot be undone and the original text cannot be recalled, the Default Template can be used as a reference.
5. Click Deselect All to uncheck all the column selections or click Select All to check all the column selections.

Minus - Will delete a selected User Template.

Star - Will designate a selected User Template as "My Favorite".

Save - Will save the new User Template, or any changes made to an existing User Template and close the dialog. This will be the view that appears the next time Spec is opened.

Apply - Will apply the modifications to the current spreadsheet without saving them to a Template and close the dialog.

Cancel - Will close the dialog without saving or applying the changes made.

Autosize Columns - Automatically adjusts the width of all columns to fit the content.

My Favorite - Applies the User Template designated as "My Favorite" to the current spreadsheet.

Built In Templates - A drop down list of the Built In Templates. Click to select and apply to the current spreadsheet.

User Templates - A drop down list of the User Templates. Click to select and apply to the current spreadsheet.

Other Spreadsheet View Tools

Move Row Up - Moves a selected row up one record line.

Move Row Down - Moves a selected row down one record line.

Gridlines - Check to show or uncheck to hide the gridlines of the spreadsheet. This does not affect the Spreadsheet Print format.

Highlight Price Columns - Highlights the columns that contain pricing information in shades of blue and grey. These highlights will remain with the associated columns, even if they are moved to different locations.

Hide Options - Hides any columns associated with Options from the current spreadsheet view.

Hide Tags - Hides any columns associated with Tags from the current spreadsheet view.

Display Options Vertically - When checked, option columns will display their data on individual lines stacked vertically. When unchecked, the data will be displayed horizontally. Each option will be separated by the | sign. This can help create a more condensed view of the spreadsheet. However, long lines of option data can be hidden if the column is narrower than the data. When this occurs, Tooltips can be used to view the entire contents of a field.

Compact Row - Applies tighter top and bottom margins to the record lines, creating a more compact view. Having Display Options Vertically unchecked can help minimize the row height needed. Additionally, image and status icon columns can be removed to condense the view further, such as with the Built In Template for the Compact View.