Top menu bar with options ('File', 'Edit' and 'Object') are missing in XD on windows.

[henryyjjames]

Hi,

I recently became very interested in Adobe Xd and I just discovered this problem. Mine does not have the bar at the top of the page with the File, Edit, Object View, etc.... This is annoying and is very hard to work without. It is also hard to work with tutorials on projects. I noticed this in a youtube video on how to do something. Here is a screenshot from my computer:

Here is a screen capture fro youtube:

I don't know if this has to do with it being in Beta stage or windows vs. mac, but this is highly annoying.

Thanks,

H.

<The Title was renamed by moderator>

[melmel05]

Yes. Most professional organizations are not using Macs for their designers. They're using a PC just like everyone else in the building. How horrid would it be for those designers to have to make a worse product for their company because Adobe couldn't get it's head on straight? They're just not going to do it. They'll use another program.

People are already frustrated with Adobe and Xd is an exciting new program that could help people get behind the company again, but not if Adobe insists on squandering the opportunity.

[MistahJayMe]

Honestly, I'm so over this whole 'Pen and Touch' and 'UWP Apps' hype train Microsoft keeps trying to push on us. The fact is it sucks compared to classic windows apps UI found in programs such as photoshop and illustrator. I'm not using a stylus or my FINGERS for professional design work where pixel-perfect accuracy matters. You know what I'm using? A good ol' keyboard and mouse. And I'm going to take a wild guess here and say that probably like, 99% of other user's using Xd are doing the same.

Yes a touch interface is great for sketching out ideas/wireframes or creating digital artwork and sculpting. But for accurately placing content and TYPING out headings, text fields etc. I'm not going to be using a stupid stylus. Sorry. It's just so much faster with a trusty keyboard and mouse. These new UI's with a single hamburger menu for 'File' and every other function hidden in sidebars and right-click context menus or hotkeys is horrible. I spend more time hunting around looking for the function/features I want (A lot of the time it's faster to just Google and see if anyone else has figured it out. Because I'm almost guaranteed someone else has been just as puzzled about it before me) when I could have added 2 more sections of content in that time!

Not to mention we lose screen real estate because every panel, menu and button has to be so much damn bigger to make the whole interface 'touch friendly'. Please don't let Xd or future Adobe products turn in to a watered down 'Microsoft Paint 3D' of an app just to suit Microsoft's horrible UI/UX Design choices 😕

[Ishank_Jhatsd740xe]

Bravo Man, I feel ya!

[trieudh]

I'm using Windows 10 Pro.

It's now September 2018 and I still cannot find the File, Edit,... options in Menu side bar.

No such thing called "Mask with Shape" feature was found.

Try googling around and got nothing.

Can someone help?

[elainecc]

The UI on Win is different than the UI on Mac. Mask with Shape on Windows can be found in the context menu – simply select two objects (one of them a basic shape like a rectangle, ellipse, or closed path), and then right click on the objects to find Mask with Shape.

-Elaine

[trieudh]

Thank you. I did it. But can you explain why in windows we don't have other menus (edit, file, object, etc.)?

[elainecc]

XD conforms to UWP design patterns, which means that there is no top level menu, and the File info is under the hamburger menu on the upper left.

Hope that helps!

[LookRefresh]

this UWP you are going for can't be the right decision. Just go back to how you have always done it, there still isn't any object menu nor edit or file when I am using this program.

[carlt2018]

Great that UWP is the scheme for the moment . . .  I'm not a full-time designer, still relatively new to design and use a mouse and keyboard.

After all this time, there is no way to add a top menu in the Windows version to choose as an option?  Really, the design team couldn't think of a way to do this?  The answer is to blame Microsoft? Good design is not a plan based on a trend. Nor is good design the act of making an excuse for bad design because the default setting of the platform being used doesn't have a feature that meets the needs of customers.  Tell me if I'm wrong, but isn't one reason a software company has developers is that they can modify or add to the core product those features that maximize the experience for the customer?   

I originally chose Xd because I generally have a high opinion of Adobe. However, Xd is way to frustrating to use.  There are so many other alternatives out there for wireframes and prototyping that also allow for importing of assets that the need for an Adobe-related product is not really that high.   

[forwindows]

Hello Carlt,

I'm relatively new with these whole Adobe things and I've been doing a lot of reading and digging so pardon my lack of knowledge but would you mind providing me with other alternatives to XD that are user-friendly. Clearly, Adobe lacks any time of vision or respect for its customers and I'm just done with this frustrated feeling that Adobe is always trying to push consumers into using and buying the overpriced and limited Mac hardware. I don't care that Microsoft is pushing people and developers to use their touch UI crap as all of the other software's of Adobe have the top menu bar with the "edit, object..." options. WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ONE FOR NOT HAVING IT?

[carlt2018]

Hi forwindows,

It wouldn't be appropriate for me to suggest specific tools on this page.  I simply did a search a few months back for free or inexpensive wireframe tools. Take a look to see what works best for what you are trying to accomplish.

[forwindows]

The hamburger menu doesn't have any of the settings you are speaking about, can you provide a photo from a windows machine that includes proof and clear indications that all those edits are available there?

Clearly, Adobe lacks any time of vision or respect for its customers and I'm just done with this frustrated feeling that Adobe is always trying to push consumers into using and buying the overpriced and limited Mac hardware. I don't care that Microsoft is pushing people and developers to use their touch UI crap as all of the other software's of Adobe have the top menu bar with the "edit, object..." options. WHAT IS SO DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS ONE FOR NOT HAVING IT?

[danet62615298]

So, is this going to change anytime soon? It's been over a year

[henryyjjames]

This is an old post and since then, it has been solved. I found that because the time I posted this, the application was still in beta testing and this was an issue with it then.

[carlt2018]

Hi henryyjjames,

I'm not sure what you mean the issues are resolved.  I am Windows user and when I access XD CC, I see neither a top menu nor do I see a menu. Also, the hamburger menu has none of the menu items described and I don't see Object, Edit, View, etc.

[johnh71198280]

Adobe if you're listening: I feel like the solution would be to do what Firefox does.  Hitting "Alt" toggles the traditional menu on and off at the top.

Sometimes we users get frustrated trying to dig for something when there's a time crunch.  It's often a better experience to fall back on muscle memory in these cases, so please consider this.

[Colin Holgate]

Firefox, Safari, and IE 11, all can use the Alt trick to show the menu bar, but more recent apps like Edge or Chrome can't work that way. Here's a long thread begging for a menu bar in Edge:

Displaying Menu Bar in Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Community

If you can find a solution for showing a menu bar in either Chrome or Edge, maybe the same thing could work for XD. But if it's a hard enough challenge that neither Google or Microsoft can provide a solution, maybe it will be hard for Adobe too.

[johnh71198280]

Interesting, although that thread is from 2015 and the newest overhaul of Firefox (Quantum) was released less than year ago.  It does the Alt trick just fine.  If Mozilla can do it, I have faith in Adobe.  I think the issue here is probably a matter of design vs "can we do it", but it seems like the best of both worlds to be able to toggle the menu.

[Disent81]

lol both crap browsers...forcing the removal of functionality is a core problem with this "new normal" in computing - striping away as much from the user as  possible so they can do a very limited number of things all designed to control the user and send their money to those creating the software. Windows 10 is so frustrating because its bascially trying to control you, not just sit their idelly and be an operating system for other apps...No i dont want to use Edge  microsoft, no i dont want ads in a OS i paid for, no idont want to use spotify, not i dont want to use skype...etc,etc 2020 is forcing a lot of change on us and im just about done with it. XD, is truly the worst piece of software adobe has ever created, because its represents the shift to this "new normal" more than any of their other tools and im forced to use it at home over these holidays on my windows machine~ and its so pauinful dam it! I'm done with microwosft and im done with Adobe, neither will ever get a cent from me again....

[carlag41864985]

I'm honestly quite shocked with the disrespect shown for the users! I was happy to learn this new program when i started to notice the discrepancies   between my interface and the tutorials I was following. I'm drooping this right now  and looking for a better solution.    And whoever is making the decisions here is not having anyone best interest in mind but they own twisted business inclinations! Hoping for better days!

[BillyBowyer]

HOLY ######!!! I just Bought a new Microsoft Surface Studio to cross over from Mac, I have just set it all up, and now discover that XD is Microsoft crippled!?

What the actual?

Where are all the functions that I used with MAC?

Hamburger menu? Hamburger menus are the worst! It's super ironic that a UI software is making basic UI blunders like hiding stuff from its users, instead of putting it where we've all learned it to be!

What is going on there at ADOBE?!!!

I'm just lost for words and in disbelief.

Bring back the standard menu! And for crying out loud - update the software so it's on par with the Mac version!! Unbelievable!!!!

[litonfiredesign]

Hey Billy,

I was frustrated at first too, but I realized that everything is here now, its just contextual.

Select the objects that you would normally go to a menu option for, then right click, you will see the options there.

Hope that helps 😉

-Kyle

[philj79623447]

The irony here is palpable. It's apparent that Adobe, a company which mainly focuses on creating tools that improve design, usability and user experience, is drinking the M$ Kool-Aid and taking UI/UX advice from a company who's new products are flopping at every turn (e.g. Windows Phone = dead, IE = dead, Edge scrapping their product and using Chromium).

Microsoft in it's current state lacks vision and innovation, they're just mimicking every successful product they can put a team behind.

Adobe, do what you do best, focus on tools that augment a users efficiency and artistic ability. Having a hamburger drawer just adds extra unnecessary steps. If you're taking design advice, take it from innovative and successful UI/UX designers:

[Commercial blog links with advertising removed by moderator]

[jamilav44925403]

It's been a couple of years. C'mon Adobe.

Can we get a menu?

There's still no Object > Mask?

I right click, don't see it.

I look in the hamburger, don't see it.

It can only be done using a shortcut.

Worst user experience ever.

This is poor. I only use this software because my team uses it. It's otherwise useless.

[kaylag50825411]

I am in complete agreement with the above. There is SUCH a lack of consistent UI design in the Adobe Suite. It's ironic really that designers use these programs to design things that make things easier for the world, yet countless times, updates and versions later, Adobe continues to make assumptive, unfounded in research decisions. At least point it out! 

It really interferes with all of our workflows immensely!