CUI Custom Menu System - Where To Start?

[Razoo]

I've avoided it for as long as I can, but it now seems inevitable that I must rise to the challenge of the AutoCAD CUI.

 

I have always run a highly customised menu in AutoCAD14, and I want to run the AutoCAD 2008 menu as similar as I can make it.

 

I have been researching the best approach to modify menus via the CUI on various forums, and my head is spinning. The only consensus appears to be that there is no consensus!

 

I wish to modify most of the basic commands (line, erase, circle, etc.) so that they auto-repeat until cancelled by the next command selected. I also want to add some more dropdown menus and change the order in which they appear on screen. I will also add a lot of lisp driven macros and additional toolbars. Ideally I would like to take a copy of (say) Acad.cui, rename it, modify it to my requirements and then load it. Is that a good/practicable approach?

 

It seems I also have to get my head around workspaces.

 

Please can someone give me the ideal starting point for developing my own menu and layout?

 

I'm sure I'm going to miss the user-friendly simplicity of a text editor and the AutoCAD14 menu system!

 

TIA

 

Razoo

[ReMark]

How is it that your customizations were not migrated to 2008?

 

Most of what is want to do is certainly within the realm of possibility given enough time and effort. I think your approach is well thought out. Go for it.

[lpseifert]

You could try and load your R14 .mnu (or .mns) file using Menuload. You may want to be sure it has a unique name first (i.e. other than Acad.mnu). This will create a CUI file that you can further customize.

If the main CUI is now Acad, I'd leave that alone and just edit the new CUI and load it as a Partial CUI.

[Razoo]

How is it that your customizations were not migrated to 2008?

 

Because I haven't customised any menus since AutoCAD14.

 

I invested a great deal of time and effort into customising AutoCAD14 and I really didn't want to start over with the new CUI system (in fact, I still don't, but I'm now experiencing some stability problems with AutoCAD14).

 

I didn't consider AutoCAD 2000, 2002 or 2004 worth upgrading to, so I stayed with 14.

 

Razoo

[tzframpton]

If you don't want to screw anything up for the default ACAD.CUI, my suggestion would be to copy/paste this file to an alternate location. Then create a new AutoCAD Profile, then change the Support Path of the default CUI file (Tools > Options > Files > Customization Files > Main Customization File).

 

Then, you can freely edit the ACAD.CUI file all you want, without messing anything up from the original. And since all the Support Paths are information that is stored via Profiles, you can always switch back to the original OOTB profile without screwing anything up. If you need help getting started with customizing the CUI just post back any questions you might have. It's tricky at first but once you get the hang of it it makes sense.... kinda..... lol

[BIGAL]

Like stykface says I have customised my std acad cui menu removed commands, added commands, re shuffled and added to toolbars, I now only have two big toolbars. Once you get the hang of the CUI editor its pretty easy.

 

The one thing though I have created partial menus for the company specific stuff these are just mini mnu's and you just use menuload and instantly they are added, no need to try importing them through the ACAD.mnu via CUI. It makes things like adding new lisps and block library updates real easy as they are edited with notepad etc.

 

Remember though to save a new profile, in my case my name, we have done this on nearly all machines here makes menu problems a click away to fix.

[SteveK]

BigAl, Just today I've actually had a go at CUI myself. I just created a partial CUI by opening up the CUI->Transfer tab->Create new icon (near top right).

My question is, how does this relate to the mnu file which keeps getting mentioned? I ask this because I too want to add lisps quickly and easily to the custom menu I created (and aside: I also want it to be only for my profile)...

[Razoo]

Like stykface says I have customised my std acad cui menu removed commands, added commands, re shuffled and added to toolbars, I now only have two big toolbars. Once you get the hang of the CUI editor its pretty easy.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Some while ago I was trying AutoCAD 2006 and I changed the order of the pulldown menus using the CUI interface. During the session they appeared in the new order along the top of the screen. However, when I next started AutoCAD, they reverted to the default order.

 

How did you set the pulldown menu order in your modified Acad.cui? Is it something you set within the menu itself (e.g actually moving the pulldown definition position within the menu), or is it set externally by some reference in your profile?

 

Can I (should I) add extra pulldowns to my modified Acad.cui, or are they best added with a partial menu?

 

Razoo

[Razoo]

If you don't want to screw anything up for the default ACAD.CUI, my suggestion would be to copy/paste this file to an alternate location. Then create a new AutoCAD Profile, then change the Support Path of the default CUI file (Tools > Options > Files > Customization Files > Main Customization File).

 

Then, you can freely edit the ACAD.CUI file all you want, without messing anything up from the original. And since all the Support Paths are information that is stored via Profiles, you can always switch back to the original OOTB profile without screwing anything up. If you need help getting started with customizing the CUI just post back any questions you might have. It's tricky at first but once you get the hang of it it makes sense.... kinda..... lol

 

Thanks for the advice. I think modifying a copy of Acad.cui is the approach I will take. Can I change the filename, or does AutoCAD always have to have a file called Acad.cui loaded?

 

Where do 'Workspaces' come into all this?

 

Finally, I've given the acronym OOTB much thought, and I can't work it out. It's probably something blindingly obvious, but for the moment it eludes me.

 

Razoo (founder member of AVAUNT - Acronym Victims Against Unecessary Name Truncation) :wink:

[lpseifert]

I think modifying a copy of Acad.cui is the approach I will take. Can I change the filename, or does AutoCAD always have to have a file called Acad.cui loaded?

 

Where do 'Workspaces' come into all this?

 

Finally, I've given the acronym OOTB much thought, and I can't work it out.

OOTB= out of the box (as Autocad came, prior to customizing)

I would suggest that you keep the Acad.cui as is and as the main cui (unless you are using a vertical). Do your customizing in a separate .cui and load it as a partial. This will prevent a lot of headaches if you were to upgrade.

 

The workspace is essentially a snapshot of the screen/menus/toolbars as you see it. You can save it, then change the displayed toolbars, menus etc., save the workspace as a different name, then have the ability to toggle between the two. For example, you could have a workspace for Electrical that displays specific menus for doing electrical design, a workspace for Editing that would display menus/toolbars for editing.

[Razoo]

OOTB= out of the box (as Autocad came, prior to customizing)

I would suggest that you keep the Acad.cui as is and as the main cui (unless you are using a vertical). Do your customizing in a separate .cui and load it as a partial.

 

Thanks for the info. - I'm beginning to get the idea(s)!

 

Reading back through this thread, the original question has been answered, but as I discovered during my initial research, everyone seems to have a different idea as to what the best menu customising procedure is.

 

If I could get a few more replies, I could go with the majority....

 

Razoo

[tzframpton]

See, the problem is that there's always more than one way to skin a cat with AutoCAD. My way is different than lpseifert's way. You'll just have to go with one and/or try another until you find a way that you like, then you'll eventually learn and create your own way.

 

Like I said, me... I would create a new profile, copy/paste all the CUI files to a new location and re-path the Support directory in the Options > Files tab. Then you can mess it all up all you want but it's just really a "temporary alternative" CUI file.

[ebakalli]

I was using mnu files from 2004. I was able to transfer my old mnu file into a new cui file. After that all the proper new menus showed, however every time I open a drawing a message shows up asking _Enter name of customization file to load:_I can cancel the request and so far CAD works out fine, but that command prompt at the beginning bugs me. Other than that is there a way to restore back to the initial cui? I'm afraid I altered it by transferring the mnu file, and would like to try the other ways to load it as mentioned in this post.

[Razoo]

See, the problem is that there's always more than one way to skin a cat with AutoCAD....

 

...I would create a new profile, copy/paste all the CUI files to a new location and re-path the Support directory in the Options > Files tab. Then you can mess it all up all you want but it's just really a "temporary alternative" CUI file.

 

OK, thanks - I shall try your recommended feline excoriation procedure :wink:

 

Razoo