recovering settings in AutoCAD

[Strix]

Since we've had a contractor in, some of our settings have mysteriously changed themselves so we are having problems such as the text appearing hollow (TEXTFILL now = 1 again)

Is there any way to see the history of changed settings or to restore them without resetting to a default, instead of waiting for the problems to emerge and tackling them one?

[ReMark]

Settings that have mysteriously changed can be due to LISP routines that do not reset values. Does this "contractor" use a number of custom LISP routines? If so, perhaps you can require, as a part of their contract, that they rewrite their code so that it does not negatively affect your standard settings.

[dbroada]

I'm not aware of a method to determine what has changed - I change some settings many times a day so tracking could be a nightmare. No particular help to you at the moment but once you have your settings to your likeing make sure you export your profile (if LT allows this). Then at least you can restore to a known point in the future.

[Strix]

Thanks ReMark :)

is there anywhere I can look for custom LISPs?

We're reluctant to approach this agency supplied CAD operator as some of the misleading info he gave on handover and his use of ebay during working hours may be a better indication of what's gone on ;)

[dbroada]

Are you all on LT? If so LISP doesn't come as standard. While Mark is correct in pointing out that bad programming can leave settings all over the place accidental keystrokes also happen. (And I'm convinced AutoCAD does it itself sometimes - just because it can).

[Strix]

yes, it's 2006LT

Autocad doesn't re-number your drawings for you (and their title blocks) and disappear one off to a different file either ;) , but yes, I can see how settings can accidentally change (currently wrestling with a ghosty background OS map that should be printing 'louder' - but think we've cracked that now)

[dbroada]

does the new drawing name match an ebay reference?

To answer your question, all lisp files have a .LSP file extension so you can do a file search for those but as LT doesn't support LSIP (without an addon) you shouldn't have any.

(from somebody also recovering a subbies efforts. If only they got less pay than me!)

[Strix]

he he - no it doesn't.... it was just a rehash of the previous drawing numbers, which stopped the accompanying word doc from being correct too... Grrrr

PS - I can't complain, as I'm a subby too, but it's all swings and roundabouts :S

(is there a list of useable smilies somewhere? I'm a bit lost without my usual set!)

[ReMark]

Is the contractor using the same version of AutoCAD that you are (LT) or is he using a full version and executing a "save as"? If so, could something be going awry by doing so? Does the contractor use any macros?

Question: Can macros be used with AutoCAD LT? Isn't this the way AutoDesk added functionality to early versions of AutoCAD before the introduction of LISP?

[dbroada]

Strix - :)
Smilies are down the bottom once you have clicked on the advance edit button.


Question: Can macros be used with AutoCAD LT? Isn't this the way AutoDesk added functionality to early versions of AutoCAD before the introduction of LISP?Not sure. I can remember AutoLISP being part of release 2.6 so it's been around a long time. The only macros I have seen are just LISP but without the compile into memory part so they are slightly slower if used often. Certainly the one time I tried LT command line LISP didn't work.

[Strix]

He's been using this CAD station I'm sat at

If you type LISP at the command line 2006LT responds 'unknown command'

(I found some smilies having clicked advanced, but they seemed to attach to the message header rather than embed in the text :( )

[dbroada]

:shock:
the ones over there ---> come into the message body.

LISP is the programming language, it isn't a command in itself. Type the following in the command line


(alert "Hello")

If LISP is recongnised you will have a "Hello" message in the middle of your screen. If you don't get the message then LISP isn't accepted on that machine. :cry:

[Strix]

"alert LISP command is not available"

Hmmm, I think there's a setting somewhere to enable smilies in VBulletin :suspect:

... or do you get smilies at a certain posting level? :?



EDIT: Smilies switched on :oops:

[ReMark]

Macros definitely were in use before LISP. I remember somone making the following analogy when LISP was introduced.

Macros are down and dirty, like a heavyweight fighter. No finesse...just get the job done.
LISP is like a lightweight fighter. Clean and efficient.

LISP was introduced in AutoCAD version 2.18. Before that time there was no AutoLISP interpreter included with AutoCAD; programming, as it was defined, was limited to the use of macros.