AutoCAD Options - Profiles - To Network or not ?

[ML0940]

Hey Zen
Man, you are right on the button as far as I am concerned.
Profiles are a great way to handle the scenario that you described.
I am assuming by pallettes, you mean menus?

Zen, this may help you out.

Are you familiar with VBScripting?

If not, it is very easy; take this code that I posted below, copy it into a new text (.txt) file, then do a saveas, then name the file and save it as a .vbs file.

After you do that, you will be able to double click the file (script) and it will open ACAD, import the profile that you want active, then it will close ACAD.

I did not do any code to check if ACAD is already open, I could if you wanted but if your user has ACAD closed and runs this, it will do what you described.

All you need to do is change the file path and Profname
Then I would test it (of course) on your machine first.
I use a profile called "Test" just to try things out.

If you like it and want something else added, just give me a holler

Hope it helps

ML

 Dim Acad,Preferences,WshNetwork,Username
 Dim FilePath,Profname
 
 Set Acad = CreateObject("Autocad.Application")
 Set WshNetwork = CreateObject("WScript.Network")
 Set Preferences = Acad.Preferences
 
 Acad.Visible = True
 
 Username = WshNetwork.UserName
 
 FilePath = "C:\Documents and Settings\" & Username & "\My  Documents\TestProf\" 
 Profname = "Test"
 
 Preferences.Profiles.ImportProfile Profname, FilePath & Profname & ".arg" , True
 
'MsgBox "The Profile " & Profname & " has been sucessfully imported", vbInformation
 
 Acad.Quit

[ZenCad1960]

That is an excellent idea. When I mentioned Palettes, I meant Tool Palettes. [CTRL]3. We have put all our standard text by scale along with the matching dimensions on a palette tab, Line work alread set to the correct layer, color and linetype broken out in the different areas we use like existing boundary lines, ie ROW, PL, CL, easements etc. We have title blocks with attributes on a palettes so the user only has to drag and drop and bam, there it is. We have grouped the tabs in each palette so it appears there are many many palettes when in fact it is one large one. Each client gets their own palette structure.

The palettes are controlled by the profiles. When everything is set for the client, just path the "Tool Palette File Locations" to the clients standards folder on your network in the "Options" Dialog Box in the "Files" Tab. Then just save the Profile as the Clients name and there you go.

Try it. I am going to try your script and see if I can't get the script as part of each users logon script so each morning it refreshes the profiles.

Thanks so much for that!

Zen

[ZenCad1960]

Yeah I think it would be excellent if it would test to see if AutoCAD was open. Also we tend to run two sessions at a time as well. Is there a what to check if two sessions are running and modify both sessions?

[ZenCad1960]

Also, how do you set a perticular Profile current using VBA or VB Script?

[ML0940]

Hi Zen
I'm sorry, I somehow missed your reply.
I changed e-mail addresses, so I may not have seen it.

So, is that script working for you?
I'm glad that you like that idea

OK, you have few questions here....

I have a nice little VBA Project that I created, it will return the profiles on your machine in a listbox, then which ever one you click on, it will set that profile current. It is really good if (like me) you switch profiles a lot.

I can send that to you if you'd like? Also, I can incorporate that into a VBScript if you'd like?

You run two sessions of Vaniila CAD at the same time, using the same profiles?

Checking to see if ACAD is open should be easy.

Also, check this out ZEN

I have a script that will write your paths directly to the registry via script. It is very cool but the key here is to set which profile you want to update to active first.

You would also need to tweak it to your paths..

So, there are a number of ways to skim the cat; if you tell me what you'd like, I can hook it up.

In this case, it would be cool to externally set the profile you want to update as active, then externally, with a script, update the paths in the registry.

So, I will give you that VBA project that I did for profiles.
Let me know if you have any querstions.
If you want to work on that script, let me know

I should be able to turn it over fairly quickly

Mark

[ML0940]

Zen,
I tried attaching that VBA Project but I don't think it worked.

Let me know if there is another was I can get it (.dvb file) to you

Mark

[ZenCad1960]

Zen,
I tried attaching that VBA Project but I don't think it worked.

Let me know if there is another was I can get it (.dvb file) to you

Mark

Mark - thanks for the help on this. I sent you a provate messate with my email contact address. I have some ideas that we can collaborate on and who knows where that might go.

Thanks and I look forward to talking with you.

Zen

[ML0940]

Hi Zen

I sent you an e-mail with the project
I would have shared it so that others can use it but it doesn't look possible

That is ok; if others are interested, they will ask, right?
M

[NBC]

I wouldn't mind seeing what you have come up with, please.

[caddcop]

I too would like to see some example arg files. I am trying to setup a network "workspace" with some luck. Like mentioned, we have multiple clients so I'll need multiple profiles to point to different client based files and folders.

I've been doing this for years with that "other" CAD software and understand its inner workings very well. It has been a steep learning curve trying to figure out the equivalent on this side of the CADD world.