New CAD Doc Assistant

[davidjb82]

Hi guys.
I wonder if anybody could help me?
I need to add certain menus and applications into CAD, but I haven't done work like this for so long, my mind has gone blank.

I need to know where to place the following files within the standard CAD directory, so when I load the cui file, it will know where to take the information from. This is all inherited, so I understand if it isn't as simple as I hope it will be!

The files are:
.dll
.cui
.mnr
.stb
.mnl
.xml
+ a standard titleblock .dwg

Obviously, if just placing them in directories isn't going to work, then I'll have to get in touch with the company that originally created the files. I just wanted to avoid doing that if possible.

Thanks, I hope you can help.

[DANIEL]

some will be in the root, some will be in the support and other under printer support and such. if you go to your options and go to the 'files' tab, you'll be able to see where its looking for these things, you can put them there or redefine where it looks for that stuff.

[davidjb82]

Thank you for your help.

I do have another quick question, if you could help.
I'm now using the custom files to give me pull down menus and blocks etc that I can use in CAD, but There is a.mnu file within the root, but I know that I'm using the standard ACAD.mnu
Now, I load all the support paths under options, then use the cuiload command to input them into CAD. Does AutoCAD take parts of the customised .mnu file without unloading the standard ACAD.mnu, or is the file only there in case people want tro use the customised version?

I know that this is difficult to answer without having the information in front of you, and I can try to explain further if anymore information is needed.

[BIGAL]

Its sounds like it would be better to pull all your customisation out of a std ACAD.mnu and make it a partial menu by replacing the default acad.mnu you may be losing advanced commands from the menu they will still be there but you would have to use the command line. Partial menu's are easy. Can live anywhere. Sorry no example wrong computer.

A cui can load lots of menu's and then you can create workspaces that in turn only show some of the menu's that are loaded. even down to individual commnds on/off You can also steal bits from other mnus and add to a custom menu without having to have the whole pop pull down menu. We have a acad+civ3d in a workspace which has all the day to day stuff but at any time we can flip to the full menu.

[DANIEL]

you might also look into making some custome toolbars for yourself, you might find them better suited for alot of commands.

[davidjb82]

Cheers Guys.
I'm in the process of 'tweeking' a copy of the ACAD.mnu now, as well as writing a new .cui
Thank you for your suggestions. I'll be sure to let you know how I get on, and if it works. I can't test it currently because we don't have a server to put it on yet. Long story!

[BIGAL]

You dont need a server to test ? run local

[davidjb82]

The computer I'm currently working on has a different file structure to what the new server will be, so I don't really want to edit the .cui and re-path it so I can test it, then change it back again. I know most of it will work as I've pulled it out of previous custom .cui's. + I think the server will be installed sometime this week. I think they finished building it last week.
Will be nice to get it all up and running eventually.

[davidjb82]

OK, Everything's going well at the moment, except for accidentally crashing my computer and having I.T come and sort it.
Decided to do a save as on my .cui and edit it to my current computers file path. So far, all is well, and all my pull downs, lisp routines and blocks are working as they should be, except for 1 small matter...
I have created a pull down with text scales and dims scales, so depending on the scale of drawing you are using, you will always have a uniform text to use. (Annotative text can't be used due to client restrictions).
Now, I originally had the text set to romanS, but upon a discussion, we now need to use arial narrow. It looks better and takes up less room, apparently.
CAD doesn't have an SHX file for this, so I have used the Windows TTF and renamed it to arialn, as that is the system name, but when reloading the .cui with this simple text alteration, it has reduced all my custom icons to clouds with question marks, and will only give me text in arial, not arial narrow.
I'm starting to regret offering to do this job!
If anyone has had an issue like this before and knows of a solution, please let me know.