man.. going nuts.. setting up autocad 2011

[dlxowhd]

i never had to set up the autocad because they were always set up properly by other people (teachers at school).
now i installed autocad 2011 (i was using 2008 before), every time i try to open a drawing, it complains all the time saying it's missing font, hatch pattern etc.

can someone please tell me how to properly set this up?
i have whole bunch of these files i got from my company:
shx (font)
pat (hatch)
lin (line)
lsp (don't know what they are for)
ctb (something to do with plotting i guess)

please tell me where to put them on autocad 2011,
thank you.

[ReMark]

Are the font, hatch and line type files custom made?

The file type lsp is used by AutoCAD Lisp files.

The file type ctb is a color-dependent plot style file.

By the way, what OS are you running? And is it 32-bit or 64-bit? Thanks.

[dlxowhd]

yes, i believe those are our company's own files (custom).
i'm using windows vista home premium... not sure if it's 32bit or 64bit.. but i think it's 32bit.

[ReMark]

You have a couple of choices. You can keep everything in a "company" folder (recommended) or parcel everything out to their respective AutoCAD folders. The downside to the latter is if you ever had to uninstall AutoCAD you would lose the custom files.

If you decide to keep everything in a company folder then you'll need to tell AutoCAD where to find the files it is looking for. This "path" would be added to all the default paths AutoCAD uses. Take a look under Tools > Options > Files > Support File Search Path to see what I am referring to.

[ReMark]

Example of a path:

C:\program files\Company CAD Files

I'd put everything in this one folder. Just to make life easier though you might want to put copies of your ctb (plot style files) in the folder that contains this line:

...autocad 2011\r18.1\enu\plotters\plot styles.

Unfortunately, at the moment I don't have access to a 32-bit machine running AutoCAD that I can provide the beginning of the path. I'll have to switch computers.

[dlxowhd]

it's ok to lose the file. they are on the server.
i need to parse and put each file in default autocad 2011 folders but i don't know where they are.

[ReMark]

I think this is where your ctb files would go:

C:\Documents and Settings\your computer name here\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2011\R18.1\enu\Plot Styles

I say "think" because with the 2010 release AutoDesk may have changed the locations that's why I told you to check Tools > Options > Files.

For plot styles you would have to expand the entry for Printer Support File Path and then look in Plot Style Table Search Path.

Then again, if everything is on the server why not just tell AutoCAD to go look there. I believe that would be much simpler wouldn't you?

[dlxowhd]

yes but i also need to take my laptop to home and work home sometimes so if i set autocad to look on the server, it won't work at home.
do you know where i should put shx, pat, lin files and stuff?

[ReMark]

Without knowing exactly how AutoCAD 2011 32-bit sets up its default paths I'm reluctant to provide the following without a word of advice. That is PLEASE CHECK YOUR SUPPORT FILE SEARCH PATHS BEFORE PROCEEDING!"

Fonts would go here:

C:\program files\autocad 2011\fonts

Lisp files could go here:

C:\program files\autocad 2011\support

Lin and Pat files could go here:

C:\Documents and Settings\your computer name here\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2011\R18.1\enu\support

[ReMark]

yes but i also need to take my laptop to home and work home sometimes so if i set autocad to look on the server, it won't work at home.
do you know where i should put shx, pat, lin files and stuff?

Again, why not just create a Company Folder and add it to the Support File Search Path on your laptop?