Doing the same thing more than once (Scripts perhaps)

[NBI]

Hey, my apologize if this is not the correct forum, however here is my question:

 

There are two things in Autocad i can't figure out how to do effectively:

 

A) I want to create a copy of an existing layout, which i can do easily. However is there a way to make 30 copies without doing each one manually?

 

B) I have all my layouts set up the same way. Now i want to change all my 30 layouts in the page setup manager to print A4 instead of A3, and to print Landscape instead of Portrait.

 

Can these be done? Perhaps with some repeat scripts or something?

 

Thanks.

[Tyke]

First of all welcome to CADTutor.

 

Make a copy of your layout, then hold down the Ctrl key and pick the two layout tabs, then copy them using a right click on one of the marked tabs and select Copy and Move , being sure to place a tick in the copy box. Now you have four layouts tabs. Select the first one and then holding down the Shift key pick the last layout, so that all four layouts are marked and do the copy actions as before. Now you have eight layout tabs. If you repeat this process another twice you will have 32 layout tabs, so if you really want you can delete two of them. You will have to rename all of them indiviually

 

A similar thing with the page setup manager. Pick the first layout tab, then holding down the Shift key, pick the last layout tab, right click on one of the marked layout tabs and select Page Layout Manager, and off you go

 

I see you are using LT 2011, does it have the Action Recorder, if so you might give that a try too to repeat keystrokes.

[NBI]

Thanks for the fast response. It worked like a charm with the copying.

 

However when i have more than one layout selected, the Page setup manager button is greyed out so i cannot use it.

 

As for the actionrecorder part, i can't figure out if i have it or not. I am at work so i have a speciel customized ribbon, where the tools menu isnt on.

 

Any ideas on what i could do?

[Tyke]

Try entering this command on the Command Line: _ACTRECORD if it works LT has the Action Recorder, then do a bit of reading in the Help to find out more about it. If it brings up an error message then LT doesn't have the Action Recorder and you are out of luck.

 

You're right about Page Setup Manager. If you had a full version of AutoCAD you could do it with a LISP routine, but you don't so you're out of luck there too.

 

The only way you can customise LT is by using the DIESEL programming language, but it is limited and not too intuitive. Check this link out if you want to learn a bit more about DIESEL http://www.crlf.de/Dokumente/Diesel/Diesel.html

[NBI]

Negative, on the Actrecord sadly. Thanks for the help anyway. I'll study the diesel thingie abit, or ask my boss for a full version

[BlackBox]

Nothing against DIESEL, but push for the full version of AutoCAD.

 

^^ My $0.02

[Tyke]

Nothing against DIESEL, but push for the full version of AutoCAD.

 

^^ My $0.02

 

Mine too. I only use DIESEL in command string macros in palettes.

 

There's a good article here on how you can customise LT, but unfortunately its in German: http://www.crlf.de/Dokumente/LT-Applikationen/LT-Applikationen.html

Try popping it through Google Translator and see if what comes out makes any sense, I'd do the translation for you but quite honestly I don't have the time at the moment.

 

Not sure what can be done in the Sheet Set Manager, perhaps there are a few possibilities there?

Edited August 29, 2011 by Tyke

[NBI]

Now i got my hands on a full version.. Or i borrowed one. But the function still doesn't really work. The action recorder however seems very usefull, also for various other things im struggling with.

 

Is there any way to install it, into the Autocad LT i have atm?

[danellis]

NBI, what exactly is it you're trying to do?

 

If all you want to do is offer a way to print your layouts at A4 rather than A3 you might want to investigate saved pagesetups through the pagesetup manager: Save an A3 version and an A4 version, and pick the one you want when you print.

 

dJE

[BlackBox]

Mine too. I only use DIESEL in command string macros in palettes.

 

I used to use DIESEL in my macros, but then learned that you could use LISP instead, and have since converted all macros to call LISP functions.

 

Example:

 

^C^C^P(if (not FOO)(load "FOO"));FOO;

** For those who may not know - LISP requires Full version, not LT.

 

Not sure what can be done in the Sheet Set Manager, perhaps there are a few possibilities there?

 

SSM is very useful in my workflow. We put a fair amount of planning into our title blocks, and added several custom properties to our SSM template, so that *most* project information that is to appear on the title block(s) is actually stored in the SSM file (.DST), and is referenced within the title block(s) via FIELDs. The advantage to doing this, is that if a change is necessary (for example, the client's name has changed), you make the change once in SSM, and publish... all sheets are updated automagically.

 

I am unsure what feature limitations may exist with LT, regarding SSM.

 

Now i got my hands on a full version.. Or i borrowed one. But the function still doesn't really work. The action recorder however seems very usefull, also for various other things im struggling with.

 

Is there any way to install it, into the Autocad LT i have atm?

 

Unfortunately, no. LT is lacking in many features purposely... to *nudge* users into acquiring the Full version.

 

NBI, what exactly is it you're trying to do?

 

See the OP's specific request(s) here.

[BlackBox]

Now i got my hands on a full version.. Or i borrowed one. But the function still doesn't really work. The action recorder however seems very usefull, also for various other things im struggling with.

 

How long will you have the full version to utilize?

[NBI]

Well to begin with that was the issue. But when i was presented to the Autocad Recorder program i just thought that that would be able to make drawing alot easier for me, as it would be something i would have a use for often. That's why i wondered if it was possible to "install" it, into my Autocad LT directory.

 

The printing setup isnt really an issue anymore though, thanks to some great inputs