Tool Palette Groups

Is it possible to load (and make current) a Tool Palette Group which is stored on a network drive ?

Preferably this would be done via a script file, as I have users who are using LT.

By the way, I have a .xpg file I wish to load and make current; if that is of any assistance.

Yes it is possible and it can be done with a macro.

Now you expect me to tell you how to do it right? I can't. Sorry. But if you are a member of AutoDesk University online you can read how to do it.

The course title is The Productivity Power of AutoCAD Tool Palettes - Revealed! and the instructor/author is Matt Murphy. The course ID is GD315-5. Year: 2008. Go to page 11 and look for the heading Managing Tool Palettes. Read pages 11-13. I think you'll find what you are looking for. It specifically mentions demand loading of tool palettes from a network drive.

Let me know if you have any problems. I recently joined AU Online. It is a very useful site.

Hmmm, I've tried that particular method in the past; but unfortunately it is not what I was looking for; thanks for the reminder about AU Online and their content, however.

Anybody else have a different solution ?

Is it possible to load (and make current) a Tool Palette Group which is stored on a network drive ?

Preferably this would be done via a script file, as I have users who are using LT.

By the way, I have a .xpg file I wish to load and make current; if that is of any assistance.

You should be able to with no problem. Go to options and under the Files tab, go down to tool Palettes File Locations and add the location of where the tool palettes are located. Afterward, bring up your tool palettes window and right-click, customize palettes. Right-click in the palette groups to add your .XPG file for a full palette setup, or right-click in the palettes window to add the .xtp files for individual palettes.

It would be preferable to create a Palette group .XPG. file so that all the palettes are set up the way you want them to be on every computer. Then just import that .XPG file and it will bring everything in for them. Also, when you update the .XPG file on the server, then the other users can just restart ACAD and their systems will automatically update with the new file.

Short version...basically, it works the same pulling from a server as it does your own computer.

******EDIT******

I have been working with Tool Palettes for a while now and I love using them and customizing them for all my blocks. The cool thing about it is that if you have custom hatches, or pre-defined dimensions or anything else like that, they are super easy to add to the tool palette. Whenever you use a certain hatch a lot, you can just click on the icon in the tool palette and then click in the space you need it and voila! the proper hatch with the correct layer and everything!

I use tool palettes a lot...maybe too much. My computer cannot keep up with me most of the time.

Thanks for the elaboration brawleyman; I have already done that; but I was looking for a more programmable method; which is pretty much idiotproof.

Whilst we have some good users of CAD here; we also have some right numpties who would not implement TP's; so I was just looking to run a script if possible.

Thanks for the elaboration brawleyman; I have already done that; but I was looking for a more programmable method; which is pretty much idiotproof.

Whilst we have some good users of CAD here; we also have some right numpties who would not implement TP's; so I was just looking to run a script if possible.

Ah, you want to basically override their defaults so that the tool palettes are always there? I wonder why they don't want to run the Tool Palettes? It saves so much time and are super easy to use. I have mine set up so that it is off to the right of the screen and automatically hides when the cursor is off of it.

Sorry. I don't know anything about running scripts.

I've been working on the same thing. We work on LT 2009/2010, i've set up centralised Toolpalettes on the network. The palettes load without a problem by setting the filepath in options (or a reg key tweak). Groups however are supposedly only local to the user and have to be imported. This is a problem when laptops leave the network, the groups are there with no palettes when they are away from the office, they come back to the office and the palettes are back but the groups saved in the profile don't have any palettes and have to be deleted and reloaded.

Importing them changes the settings in the user profile, along with all the other dialogue boxes. Remember, LT only allows one profile.

My suggestion would be to set up AutoCAD LT the way you want users to see the dialogue boxes (This doesn't change the Menus and toolbars, this is controlled through workspaces now, ours are also on the network). Close AutoCAD, this writes to the profile. Find the file called profile.aws.

This is where i run out of steam, I've tested it locally, and will trying it on the network soon.

There are 2 ways to do this, 1 is to Reg tweak CAD so it looks to the network for the profile, this could cause issues as CAD tries to overwrite the file when it closes, so you won't be able to make it read only, and god forbid everyone leaves the office at 5:30 and closes cad at the same time.

The second is to use group policy to overwrite profile.aws every morning when the user logs on. This is my personal favourite as it doesn't stop the user making any changes, but they will get tired of doing it every morning, the less experienced user won't even notice. If you wish to change the profile, make changes to you system and upload the new file to the server. When a laptop is away from the office they get no group policy from the server and revert to standard cad palettes, when they next log onto the network the profile is reloaded.

As i say, i've not quite tried the group policy bit yet but the overwriting the profile bit works, it's just the delivery that needs work.

Please let us know if this helps and how you get on.

The second is to use group policy to overwrite profile.aws every morning when the user logs on.

Does this overwrite any other settings, or anything else?

I don't understand why Autodesk doesn't allow for mass customization for each and every aspect of the application. What do huge corporations do that have hundreds or thousands of seats that need to be configured?

Yes you can do this!

Question, can you make a button with a macro in it? Like in a toolbar or so?? or maybe a menu item, anything that fires up a macro...

Now make two items, one to set your own toolpalette and one to get bach the autocad macro.

Then add this as your macro to the first item:

^C^C(command "*_TOOLPALETTEPATH" "F:/MYFOLDER")

NO SPACES !!

The second item this:

 
^C^C(command "*_TOOLPALETTEPATH" (strcat (getvar "RoamableRootPrefix") "/Support/ToolPalette/Palettes"))

AGAIN NO SPACES !! (One long sentence)

This will work defenitely for I use it myself. Oh yeah: MYFOLDER is the folder where your toolpalette is stored. Mind the "/" and not "\".

Good luck with it.

MarcoW.

Marco, that won't work with older versions of LT, as the 'command' TOOLPALETTEPATH is unknown; nor does your suggestion help with importing tool palette groups

Marco, that won't work .....nor does your suggestion help with importing tool palette groups

Yes, I was talking about pushing TP groups to dozens of users. Thanks NBC.

WHat a nice reaction, thanks pals.

This almost worked perfectly the way MarcoW suggested.... But.... when I clicked the second macro, my tool pallet reverted back to the original engineering tool palette.

My office tool palettes are located on our network drive, and I would like to have a macro to copy them to my local drive.

Any suggestions?

Candie

If tool palettes are created on the server add the path to the Tool Palettes Search Path on your workstation.

I tried use the second method where I up date profile.aws when ever i add a new group to the file but it alway jack-ups the stock file? Can give me more detail on witch file you are copy or what you are modify inside the file.

Thanks for the help.

I've been working on the same thing. We work on LT 2009/2010, i've set up centralised Toolpalettes on the network. The palettes load without a problem by setting the filepath in options (or a reg key tweak). Groups however are supposedly only local to the user and have to be imported. This is a problem when laptops leave the network, the groups are there with no palettes when they are away from the office, they come back to the office and the palettes are back but the groups saved in the profile don't have any palettes and have to be deleted and reloaded.

Importing them changes the settings in the user profile, along with all the other dialogue boxes. Remember, LT only allows one profile.

My suggestion would be to set up AutoCAD LT the way you want users to see the dialogue boxes (This doesn't change the Menus and toolbars, this is controlled through workspaces now, ours are also on the network). Close AutoCAD, this writes to the profile. Find the file called profile.aws.

 

This is where i run out of steam, I've tested it locally, and will trying it on the network soon.

 

There are 2 ways to do this, 1 is to Reg tweak CAD so it looks to the network for the profile, this could cause issues as CAD tries to overwrite the file when it closes, so you won't be able to make it read only, and god forbid everyone leaves the office at 5:30 and closes cad at the same time.

 

The second is to use group policy to overwrite profile.aws every morning when the user logs on. This is my personal favourite as it doesn't stop the user making any changes, but they will get tired of doing it every morning, the less experienced user won't even notice. If you wish to change the profile, make changes to you system and upload the new file to the server. When a laptop is away from the office they get no group policy from the server and revert to standard cad palettes, when they next log onto the network the profile is reloaded.

 

As i say, i've not quite tried the group policy bit yet but the overwriting the profile bit works, it's just the delivery that needs work.

 

Please let us know if this helps and how you get on.

I know this is an old thread, but for anyone else looking, I was looking for the answer to this and I have a workaround, change the toolpalette to the group that you want to use and then create a new workspace, You can then run a macro to change the current workspace using the WSCURRENT variable. If you put the macro's on a toolpalette just make sure that the macro's for switching are included in each group