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About CUI file


Pietari

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I want to be able to transfer my customised CUI file to other workstations, including all the commands, images, panels, tabs etc. I have made and/or changed in the CUI.

 

But how to do this? (Not asking for the actual export / import or loading)

 

Autocad 2013 itself has the acad.cuix file but do I change stuff in there? Or need I make my own CUIX file? And setup my programs in there?

 

And, what is a partial cui file? Should I keep the acad.cuix as is and only modify in a pertial menu? I am stuck and can't seem to find the right links that explain.

 

Any help is appreciated.

Edited by Pietari
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what I do - which is probably not the corrct way but it works for me is...

 

start the CUI command.

press the transfer tab

drag whatever you want from the "Main" (LH) window to the "New" (RH) window.

Save the "New" file with its own name to a network folder

 

On destination machine open the new file and transfer from there to the main file.

 

I assume I should be starting a new Main file but I was too far advanced doing it this way before I realised that.

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Thanks Dave.

 

Okay... I have not started really doing anything but I know I have my own cuix file.

It is generated when loading my mnu / mnl file... somehow...

 

I do not understand the concept of the CUI at all. Are the workspaces, images and commands (on the panels), all saved in tha CUIx file?

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I really don't know a great deal about it either but it appears to be the only place toolbars and workspaces are stored. I assume menus too although I don't use them so can't confirm. I basically use it to create my own toolbar which I then "export" with the transfer tab and load it on other machines the same way. I haven't yet tried loading my workspace on to another maching to see how that goes (yet :rofl: ).

 

--------------------

search paths and preferences appear to only be stored in your profile so you need to keep tracks on both of these for full customisation across several machines.

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Dave, Thanks again.

 

I will think about it... still unsure about what to do.

Maybe I should just go ahead and try some things.

Then I will know :-)

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that's what I did!

 

the trouble with doing it that way is you end up knowing A way rather than the BEST way.

 

however, that is still better than not working out the best way

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So now I am thinking about he whole thing. Please bear with me while I try to explain...

 

I have some lisp routines wich are used for various actions. All working fine, no probs whatsoever (this is not about lisp). But to be able to have them accessable from the ribbon I will need an icon for it: "something to actually click on".

 

What would be the way to set it all up? I will try to name as much as comes in my mind. The goal is to be able to send it to other computers so others can install my programs / icons etc.

 

Should I make my changes in acad.cuix?

Or in my own cuix?

And / or what is partial cuix?

 

Parts of my programs are loaded with an .mnl file wich causes acad to creat a cuix file wich is the same name as the mnl file only the extension is different.

Should I use that cuix file to modify things?

I also could delete that part where the mnl loads: I should then use the acaddoc.lsp file to load my lisps upon start of each drawing. Would that be a better way than using mnl file?

 

To create Icons I have not found a good and fast way: acad needs bmp files so what I do is drag a block to a toolpalette. Automatically there is created a png file wich I copy and rename to bmp. But the images are not great. Anyone got other ideas besides png/jpg/bmp-out?

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I am adding my commands to the acad.cuix but I am sure you should be making a copy and then adding your stuff to the copy. Give your copy a new name and that can then be loaded on all your machines. As I said before, I am only find what works for me and there are some much more knowledgable people here who will hopefully tell us the correct way to do this.

 

I haven't used an mnl file for a very long time but I would suggest that if AutoCAD wants to create a cuix file, that should be the one to use.

 

And I only use small icons modified from the AutoCAD default set so can't comment on what you are doing.

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from the help files:

 

Create, load, or unload partial customization files as you need them. Loading

and using a partial CUIx file allows you to create and modify most user

interface elements (toolbars, menus, ribbon panels, and so on) in a separate

CUIx file without having to import the customization to your main CUIx

file.

 

Allows customization without importing those customization into your main CUIx file...

 

That is why we should use the partial CUIx: when transferring my "so called program" (Cuix+lisp+all other stuff) the original users CUIx (wich may be modified by the user earlier) remains as is. So my part becoms an add-on to what is.

 

So far so good.

 

I guess the best idea is to create a new partial CUIx file right before changing anything to the CUIx at all. In my case I would have to take evey modification out of the acad.cuix file and transfer them to MyVersion.cuix.

 

I am using the method where all lisp routines are loaded upon every drawing session: this is accomplished by loading the mnl file. Because the mnl file causes Acad to create a custom cuix file, it may be best to use another approach: load all isp by adding a small code to the acaddoc.lsp file.

 

It is starting to make sense... I guess..

 

About the changes in the CUIx:

I have 200+ custom blocks wich I import / insert in a drawing by keyboard command. If I want it to be on a toolpalette I drag the block onto the palette. A custom image is created wich is a .png file.

 

When adding a command to the CUI I need a bmp file. Swapping / renaming does work but not in all cases. It seems some bmp's are being shown odd.

 

--> Does anyone have a clue about how I best go from the png file (64x64 and 32x32) to 16x16? Is renaming the png to bmp sufficient? Or does a software program like paintnet need to open it and save it in another version?

 

Once the image is available one needs to create the command. Right click in the commands list, select "New command" then rename it and fill in all the various stuff. Is there a chance this may be done "programmatically"? Like importing some xls file? --> I could create 100+ lines specified / copied etc. and then import it.

Would save a lot of time but have no clue if it is accessable that way.

 

In the end... lets say my computer is "done" and I am able to tranfer all things to another pc: there is a chance it is a different acad version, a different operating system, 32 bit or 64 bit.

 

I know that compatibility in general is something that needs to be kept in mind.

Does anyone have some experience how in such cases the images in the ribbon panels would behave?

 

Thanks

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My take on the subject.

 

Customisation

Try & keep the ACAD.cuix file untouched, as this will be updated with every release. I copy the file up to the network & repoint AutoCAD to look at this file as the main menu.

I then attach our custom menu as a partial menu.

Set up the menu structure etc as required, save it to a workspace.

 

Sharing

Create a new blank menu file. This menu will be a unique main menu file for each user, so they can tinker with their own settings to their hearts content without damaging/altering the main files. Point AutoCAD to use this file as the main menu.

Add the network based ACAD.cuix menu as an enterprise menu. The partial menu will load, as it is already connected to the ACAD menu.

Use the previously saved workspace to get a menu structure in place, then a saveas to create a new workspace in the new main menu.

 

Simple as that!:?

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Try & keep the ACAD.cuix file untouched, as this will be updated with every release.

Understood and that is the way I see it too. Let's leave it as is.

However my Acad.cuix has already been touched here and there :roll:.

I will clean up the file and put them in a partial cuix.

 

I then attach our custom menu as a partial menu.

Set up the menu structure etc as required, save it to a workspace.

So create a new "own" custum cuix. Do all customisation in there.

The file is still only on my PC available.

 

Sharing

Create a new blank menu file. This menu will be a unique main menu file for each user, so they can tinker with their own settings to their hearts content without damaging/altering the main files. Point AutoCAD to use this file as the main menu.

Add the network based ACAD.cuix menu as an enterprise menu. The partial menu will load, as it is already connected to the ACAD menu.

Use the previously saved workspace to get a menu structure in place, then a saveas to create a new workspace in the new main menu.

 

Simple as that!:?

Thats where I get lost... see this link:

http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%202010%20User%20Documentation/index.html?url=WS73099cc142f4875513fb5cd10c4aa30d6b-7d8a.htm,topicNumber=d0e372649

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I keep the custom file on the network, along with the associated icons, scripts, lisp etc. I point AutoCAD to the containing folders in the support path etc.

The network folder is restricted to everyone bar myself, to avoid tinkering.

Make the main menu "t:\autocad\ACAD.cuix" initially, to add the partial menu & set up your workspace.

Then change the main menu g:\users\\user.cuix & add the t:\autocad\ACAD.cuix as an enterprise menu.

 

Main CUIX - g:\users\\user.cuix

Enterprise CUIX - t:\autocad\ACAD.cuix

Partial Menu attached to ACAD.cuix - t:\autocad\partial.cuix

 

Good luck!

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In the evening time I am trying to sort things out but my head cannot understand :cry: The whole concept of the CUI is still not clear to me. Does someone know of a link to some CUI tutorial? I have searched the internet but most say the same (looks like copies).

 

What I intent to do is to migrate some of my programs to the ribbon / panels so my lisp's can be simplyfied (less dcl).

But it needs to be transferrable to other machines. How to accomplish this without modifying the acad.cuix file? And when transferring; is the cuix file all or are the images etc. also to be send with the transferral?

 

See? I have no clue. Then the enterprise cui file: if I understand correctly it is manged by a cad manager who keeps the file and may change this on a network folder. So all users are updated if he changes things. Sounds cool but then again; i am feeling stupid.

 

Need help with this, thank you already!

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  • 1 month later...

This what I did to make my home and work look the same.

Set up 1 of your systems the way you want it. Assuming your main drive is your C drive.

Goto- C:User/"users Name"/appdata/roaming/autodesk/autocad mechanical 2013-English/r19.0/enu/acadm and look for the acadm.cuix file

Copy that file from the cpu that you want to use. Now goto the same folder on the other cpu and here you change that name to acadm.bak.cuix and then you insert the copied file with the name acadm.cuix. Then start your cad and you will have the same choices of workspaces.

 

Now I use AutoCAD Mechanical that is why there is a m on the file. If you use standard cad hen the file name is acad.cuix.

 

Becareful, if you are trying this level of adjustments I assume you have knowledge of file structure. If not then DO NOT DO IT.

 

Good Luck

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