spaulus Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 I have been using AutoCAD 2002 and had a menu with toolbars for all my blocks. I am going to AutoCAD 2014 within 2 weeks and not sure the best way to do my blocks. I have been told that toolbars are the old way and tool palettes are the new way? any suggestions? Thanks, Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 You were told correct, spaulus. When you get AutoCAD 2014 up and running, type DC at the command line to open the Design Center. Under the Folders tab, browse to the location of your Blocks, highlight them, right-click and select "Create Tool Palette" option. This is the quickest way to create Tool Palettes on the fly. Additional info to read up on: http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2014/ENU/index.html?url=files/GUID-B3EE3EDA-2B10-4F0E-B049-7D7A1CE63307.htm,topicNumber=d30e507429 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaulus Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Great!!! Thanks very much tzframpton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 TIP: Once you get your Tool Palettes created, you can right-click > Properties each block to see a whole set of predefined options for your blocks. For instance, predefined layer control, rotate, explode on insert, etc. Tool Palettes are great. You can drag/drop just about any AutoCAD entity on a Tool Palette and customize it for future use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaulus Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 we use to have several lisp routines that loaded with the menu...looks like it was originally done in r13, now i am using 2002 and some of the programs don't work anymore...don't know if autocad changed or if the code got screwed up...i am doing piping isometrics and use to i could pick on a gate valve and it would determine the isoplane you were in and insert the correct block...it would also break the line out and allow you to place some text above or below the valve and prompt you to enter the size of the valve...is this something that can be done on the tool palette now if i knew the programming part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tzframpton Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Tool Palettes are a container for AutoCAD Entities, including blocks. LISP routines are not directly related to Tool Palettes. You'd have to consult with some of the programmers that hang out in the customization section of this forum, located here: http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?21-AutoLISP-Visual-LISP-amp-DCL Post up some inquiries over there, along with some of the LISP routines and I'm sure you'll get some support. - Tannar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaulus Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Thanks again Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resullins Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 Tool palettes are awesome... and the AutoDesk University site has some great online video classes in regards to them! Just search for Palettes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyke Posted February 17, 2014 Share Posted February 17, 2014 You can create a command button on a tool palette and get it to run a LISP routine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMXerScott Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 So I just created a tool palette for my block library; but some of the tool images are grayed out and when I try to insert these I get a notice telling me that the block references itself. They insert via the INSERT command without any problems. This happens for some of my blocks, but not all of them. Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 They work inside the drawing you created them in but not in any new drawing right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMXerScott Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 They don't work in any drawing - even after purging. I found a work around but it's a going to be quite laborious. Maybe I should mention that I created my palette by right clicking on Blocks directory in the Design Center and selecting "Create Tool Palette". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Have you considered exploding/recreating the blocks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMXerScott Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I have not, thanks for the tip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm sure the thought would have crossed your mind eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMXerScott Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I ended up creating a tool palette with the individual, offending block. Then I copied it into my main tool palette and deleted the other block that wasn't inserting correctly and also deleted the tool palette I created with the individual block. That seemed to work and was probably just as much effort as recreating the block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReMark Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Something doesn't sound quite right with that approach but if it works for you then who am I to find fault. Good luck and thanks for updating us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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