Rolling out new CAD machines.

We are finally about to roll out a dozen new CAD machines all with 2011LT. Is there any way to put the same templates, plotters, plot styles, company tool palettes etc on the computers so all users automatically import these settings?

The IT guys are going to set up one machine then image the hard disk then put that image on all the machines to save doing repetitive things and I thought maybe I could do the same.

I know it isn't particularly difficult to do this and I could email the guys with new computers to do it themselves but I just want to know we are all working off of the same templates etc rather than having to put up with a hissy fit later on because I didn't explain it well enough or they didn't understand what I said.

Place these items on the server and point the installs/machines to these directories. Can't open my ACad at the moment or I would so a picture. It will be under Options and Files. You will then set the locations for these items based on their server locations. Just make sure the users can access these folders.

I already point the template option at the server but I have to do this manually on each machine I was wondering if there is a way of creating a setup file similar to a script of if there was a way of setting up one machine and copying a file between users.

Trouble is I'm already massively busy with my own cadding and don't have time to spend ten minutes plus at each machine at the moment. I'll do it if I have to as we have been through so much hassle to get them we can't mess about or the rest of the department won't get the new workstations.

You might be able to have this set up in an install deployment. Check into this.

You can use lisp to do your configuration. Set up your servers first.

Note even though we ghosted all our pc's each individual user has a unique profile so preloaded all core software and started autocad and did each configure

setting paths etc

eg

; This sets a reference to the install path of your product
; the gets are their for info maybe other use
(vl-load-com)
; make temp directory
(vl-mkdir "c:\\ACADTEMP")
(setq *files*  (vla-get-files  (vla-get-preferences (vlax-get-acad-object))))
; savepath
;(vla-get-AutoSavepath *files*)
(vla-put-AutoSavepath *files* "C:\\ACADTemp")
; custom icons
;(vla-get-CustomIconPath *files*))
(vla-put-CustomIconPath *files* "S:\\Autodesk\\ICONS")
; printers config
;(vla-get-PrinterConfigPath *files*)
(vla-put-PrinterConfigPath *files* "S:\\AutoDESK\\Plotting\\Plot Styles 2011")
; printers style sheet
;(vla-get-PrinterStyleSheetPath *files*)
(vla-put-PrinterStyleSheetPath *files* "S:\\AutoDESK\\Plotting\\Plot Styles")
; printer drv's
;(vla-get-PrinterDescPath *files*)
(vla-put-PrinterDescPath *files* "S:\\AutoDESK\\Plotting\\Drv")
; print spooler
;(vla-get-PrintSpoolerPath *files*)
(vla-put-PrintSpoolerPath *files* "C:\\ACADTemp\\")
; template location
;(vla-get-QnewTemplateFile *files*)
(vla-put-QnewTemplateFile *files* "S:\\Autodesk\\c3d Templates\\cogg.dwt")
;make new support paths exist + new
(setq paths (vla-get-SupportPath *files*))

(setq coggpaths 
 "S:\\autodesk\\supportfiles;
 S:\\autodesk\\lisp;
 S:\\autodesk\\fonts;
 S:\\autodesk\\hfs fonts;"
 )
(setq newpath (strcat coggpaths paths))
(vla-put-SupportPath *files* newpath)
; Tempdirectory 
;(vla-get-TempFilePath *files*))
(vla-put-TempFilePath *files* "C:\\ACADTemp\\")
; template  path
;(vla-get-TemplateDwgPath *files*)
(vla-put-TemplateDwgPath *files* "S:\\Autodesk\\c3d Templates")
; xref temp path
;(vla-get-TempXrefPath *files*))
(vla-put-TempXrefPath *files* "C:\\ACADTemp\\")
; end use of *files*
(vlax-release-object *files*)
; exit quitely
(princ "All Done")

Thanks for the helps guys.

I'd love to use the LISP code AL but I'm we're all on LT. I have found a massive time saver though, I can drag and drop all my tool palette export files directly into the tool palette.