Zorg Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 I've looked on CADTutor tutorials page and cannot find a step by step guide how to make a 'drop down' menu. Is there anyone here who can give me a good run down how to do this from start to finish? I just want one so it will run some LISPS i've got, and future addtions hopefully! Any help would is greatly welcomed! Z Quote
wannabe Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Tool >> Customise >> Interface >> Expand the menu node and right click to add new menu items. Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 I've looked on CADTutor tutorials page and cannot find a step by step guide how to make a 'drop down' menu. Is there anyone here who can give me a good run down how to do this from start to finish? I just want one so it will run some LISPS i've got, and future addtions hopefully! Any help would is greatly welcomed! Z Zorg, Here is a kind of a tutorial for drop down menus and how to load lisp files with them. I made this several years ago, So go easy me. It has a sample menu with lisps that show an alert box to let you know the menu is functioning. You can replace these with your own routines. There is a PDF file with instructions. Good Luck, The Buzzard PS.zip Quote
Zorg Posted June 17, 2009 Author Posted June 17, 2009 Nice! Thanks Buzz, that looks pretty helpful so far Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Nice! Thanks Buzz, that looks pretty helpful so far Zorg, I just happen to notice you mention CUI. The format I provided you with is for an older version 2004 back. You can still create menus in this manner and do under Tools, Customize, Import Customizations... and import your menu into the newer version. _cuiimport is the command. I do not have anything written at the moment for this, But help is available in the help section or someone else can walk you thru it. Again Good Luck, The Buzzard Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 The images below show you the procedure for importing older menus to newer versions of acad. Just simply locate the file and drag it from the left side to the right side under the menu sections. Hit apply and you are done. The images here are from ACAD 2009. Quote
Zorg Posted June 17, 2009 Author Posted June 17, 2009 Thats fantastic Buzz, cheers for the heads up with the screen dumps, i surely would have found myself ramming my head into my desk tomorrow had it not worked Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Thats fantastic Buzz, cheers for the heads up with the screen dumps, i surely would have found myself ramming my head into my desk tomorrow had it not worked I find making menus in the newer versions of CAD a bit cumbersome. I have a preference to doing them this way. At some point I going to have to get use to the idea that I am going to have to change my thinking here. For now this can get you by. I would still look into learning about how to use the methods in the newer versions if I were you. Hope it works out for you. The Buzzard Quote
Zorg Posted June 17, 2009 Author Posted June 17, 2009 Do i have to set a macro to everyone of my LISPs for it to be in my new pulldown? Quote
JeepMaster Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 When you say macro, you mean the command that calls the lisp? ie: ^c^cTEST I believe you have to have one for each lisp or else how would you call the lisp from the pull down menu. Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Do i have to set a macro to everyone of my LISPs for it to be in my new pulldown? In this example the file PS.lsp would be automatically loaded using appload. ;;;///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ;;; Function - PS.lsp Start-Up ;Describe function (defun C:PS () ;Define function (PSLOAD) ;GOTO PSLOAD function ) ;End of define function ;;;///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ;;; Function - PS.lsp Load All Programs ;Describe function (defun PSLOAD () ;Define function (load "PS1.lsp") ;Load PS1.lsp (princ "\nP1.lsp Loaded...") ;Inform user program is loaded (load "PS2.lsp") ;Load PS2.lsp (princ "\nP2.lsp Loaded...") ;Inform user program is loaded (load "PS3.lsp") ;Load PS3.lsp (princ "\nP3.lsp Loaded...") ;Inform user program is loaded (load "PS4.lsp") ;Load PS4.lsp (princ "\nP4.lsp Loaded...") ;Inform user program is loaded (load "PS5.lsp") ;Load PS5.lsp (princ "\nP5.lsp Loaded...") ;Inform user program is loaded (load "PS6.lsp") ;Load PS6.lsp (princ "\nP6.lsp Loaded...") ;Inform user program is loaded (load "PS7.lsp") ;Load PS7.lsp (princ "\nP7.lsp Loaded...") ;Inform user program is loaded (PSLOADMESSAGE) ;GOTO PSLOADMESSAGE function ) ;End of define function ;;;///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ;;; Function - PS.lsp Load Message ;Describe function (defun PSLOADMESSAGE () ;Define function (prompt "\nAll PS.lsp Programs Loaded...");Inform user all programs are loaded ) ;End of define function ;;;///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// In this example here is the PS.mns Take note to ID_003. This is the button that you click in your pull down menu to load all the programs when you are ready for them. This is the button that says Click Here To Load All Programs... ID_005, 006, 007 Have the macro to invoke the particular program to start for you at that point. // // AutoCAD menu file - C:\Program Start\PS.mnc // ***MENUGROUP=PS ***POP1 **PS ID_001 [PS] ID_002 [--] ID_003 [Click Here To Load All Programs...](load "PS")^C^CPS ID_004 [--] ID_005 [Program Start 1...]^C^CPS1 ID_006 [Program Start 2...]^C^CPS2 ID_007 [Program Start 3...]^C^CPS3 ID_008 [--] ID_009 [->More Programs] ID_010 [Program Start 4...]^C^CPS4 ID_011 [Program Start 5...]^C^CPS5 ID_012 [<-Program Start 6...]^C^CPS6 ID_013 [--] ID_014 [Program Start 7...]^C^CPS7 // // End of AutoCAD menu file - C:\Program Start\PS.mnc // This example would represent the particular program you want to run. When you click Program Start 1... This program will start and display the ALERT message PS 1 is now running! just as an example. (defun C:PS1 () ;Define function (ALERT "PS 1 is now running!") ;Display Alert (princ) ;Exit quietly ) ;End of define function You must make sure that the menu and all programs are in the ACAD Search Support Path in your options menu under the File tab. How you set you menu up is entirely up to you. Read the PDF file as outlined so you may understand this better. Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Here is an image of the menu loaded in the drawing editor. Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Here is an image of the menu loaded in the drawing editor. Please take note to all the details provided in the menu file to acheive the desired result that you want. You can put as much or as little as you want. Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Nice explanation Buzzard Thanks Lee, This was an example I used at another forum. I currently use this method for myself. The program are not loaded into ACADs memory until you are ready for them. Click one button and the entire suite is loaded automatically. Once loaded your programs are available to you for the entire drawing session. Quote
JeepMaster Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Actually, I find the new version of using the CUI much more user friendly on creating menus. You don't need to know all the coding or formats. If you can click and drag stuff, you're good to go. All you need to do is this: Go to CUI, Right click on menu, New, enter a name for your menu ie:MyMenu. Now under the Command list window, click to show Custom commands. Now click and drag the "Blank" command back up to your newly created "MyMenu" To the right you'll see the Name "Blank", change it to what you want. ie:MakeLine Under the Macro line, enter the command that you would use to call the lisp. ie: ^C^CMakeLine. Now under images, pick some picture you like or edit to draw your own. Apply and done. If you don't already have the lisp loaded, you can add them in the LISP File section. Just right click and LOAD LISP. Done. Make sure you save your CUI when it's all done. It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds. Quote
The Buzzard Posted June 17, 2009 Posted June 17, 2009 Actually, I find the new version of using the CUI much more user friendly on creating menus. You don't need to know all the coding or formats. If you can click and drag stuff, you're good to go. All you need to do is this:Go to CUI, Right click on menu, New, enter a name for your menu ie:MyMenu. Now under the Command list window, click to show Custom commands. Now click and drag the "Blank" command back up to your newly created "MyMenu" To the right you'll see the Name "Blank", change it to what you want. ie:MakeLine Under the Macro line, enter the command that you would use to call the lisp. ie: ^C^CMakeLine. Now under images, pick some picture you like or edit to draw your own. Apply and done. If you don't already have the lisp loaded, you can add them in the LISP File section. Just right click and LOAD LISP. Done. Make sure you save your CUI when it's all done. It's actually a lot simpler than it sounds. Jeepmaster Your method sounds exactly like what Zorg is actually looking for. I was just explaining a method I have preference to. I would be interested as I am sure Zorg would be if you could offer more detailed advise on how to make the menus. Thanks for your input on this. Quote
Zorg Posted June 18, 2009 Author Posted June 18, 2009 Both are great, I've spent some time getting to grips with buzzard's method and although longwinded, it is very good for understadning how the menu system actually works! I'll continue until i've mastered this way of doing it then when im ready to build my first menu for actual use i will try the new way of 'dragging & dropping'. If i encounter anything that might be of use here, i will post result asap. Thanks once again Z Quote
tmcgover Posted January 5, 2010 Posted January 5, 2010 Hi, I have read all of the threads and I might be missing something. But I am trying to make a new pull down menu on AutoCAD 10. I have been able to created the pull down tree - the header, sub headers and the command (insert a block from block library) but when i go to pick the command it does not work. I am not getting it. So i guess my question is how do you make a new custom menu? I get the pull down tree part but not the command part. Can someone help me. I also have done the tool palettes and its nice but not what my boss wants. Quote
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