Macros

[dbroada]

I have had a set of drawings sent to me from our sister company and whenever I open one I get this message.

 

 

Where is the macro coming from and is there a way to determine what macro is trying to load?

 

I know the draughtsman hasn't deliberately included any macros and file returned is a copy of a file we sent to them and that opens without the message.

 

Any clues to what is happening?

[Dadgad]

What additional info is offered in the MORE INFO link?

What software are they working on?

2014 has some loading safety stuff built into it,

and alerts one to lisps from outside the normal safe load paths

before loading.

It looks like you have your variables set to warn about macros,

have you never seen this warning before?

[dbroada]

MORE INFO = "The Page You Were Looking for Was Not Found"

I am using 2013 Electrical, Laren is probably using 2008 Electrical.

I have never seen this warning on any drawings generated in horsham but have had it a few times from one of the Scotish machines. I thought now was a good time to investigate.

Actually, we have had similar messages from some drawings generated here but they were all from one particular draughtsman no longer employed by us.

There is nothing in this drawing to suggest the need for macros and I am confused by what the mechanism is that causes a macro to load. I thought you had to load them manually or use ACAD.LSP which is unique to each machine.

[Tyke]

Have you opened the VBA Manager (VBAMAN)? Check to see if any macros are embedded in the drawing. Embedded macros go with the drawing and don't need to be loaded manually.

 

If you have an embedded macro use the EXTRACT button in the VBA Manager to remove it.

[ReMark]

The subject (Macro Virus Protection) should be covered in your Help file. Here is a link to the AutoCAD 2010 user documentation as an example.

 

http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2010/ENU/AutoCAD%202010%20User%20Documentation/index.html?url=WS1a9193826455f5ffa23ce210c4a30acaf-5273.htm,topicNumber=d0e328711

[dbroada]

Have you opened the VBA Manager (VBAMAN)? Check to see if any macros are embedded in the drawing. Embedded macros go with the drawing and don't need to be loaded manually.

 

If you have an embedded macro use the EXTRACT button in the VBA Manager to remove it.

Tyke, thanks. I didn't realise you could embed a macro within a drawing. Actually I probably knew but never bothered to think about it.

 

Extract does indeed remove it but if I go directly into the VBA editor there is no code, only a "ThisDrawing" object. Is there a way of seeing the code or do I assume there is none.

 

And on a wider note, do you know of a command line method to "extract" the macro and how can I stop that machine attaching them in the first place?

[Tyke]

Hi Dave,

 

When you click the "Extract" button you should get the option to export the macro before deleting it, do that and try opening it in the VBA Editor. It could well be password protected and you might not be able to see the source code. Let me know if it is password protected. You could always make a copy of the drawing and delete all of its content and email me the empty copy so I can have a look at the macro for you. Also get the template file checked out that your colleague is using, it could well be embedded in there and then would automatically come with the new drawing. But if he is returning a file you sent to him it is unlikely to be a macro. Have you checked any blocks that he has inserted, they could have an embedded macro if he inserted a DWG as a block.

 

I know of no way to extract the macro from the command line, perhaps someone else may know. If you can export the macro you will see its name (if you don't already see it in the VBA Manager) and you could do a search on the remote machine and remove it. If it is doing a self install it could be a virus and be doing unpleasant things. Some viruses embed the macro if it is present on the machine and if it is not present they then simply create a new one. I would be careful with this one and definites get the problem sorted out as it could spread.

[dbroada]

Tyke, it extracts as an empty macro.

 

I have asked Lauren to (findfile "acad.lsp") and send me the results so hopefully that will reveal what is happening. I would be very surprised if it turns out to be a virus but you never know.

[Tyke]

Tyke, it extracts as an empty macro.

 

I have asked Lauren to (findfile "acad.lsp") and send me the results so hopefully that will reveal what is happening. I would be very surprised if it turns out to be a virus but you never know.

 

Do you have a name for the macro?

[dbroada]

actually, there is no macro. I extract to "project.dvb" which is empty when loaded into a drawing. I'll go and look at it in notepad in a minute.

[dbroada]

notepad shows nothing "exceptional".

 

(findfile "acad.lsp") returns "nil" on the remote machine so at least that is not the culprit. I think I'm the only one here who uses a template, nearly everybody else empties an existing drawing (as I do at times) so there is plenty of scope for something to spread but I doubt if it is a corupt template.

 

What other files get loaded if found when AutoCAD starts? I would like to see it any are on that machine.

[Tyke]

ACADDOC.LSP loads each time a drawing is opened, ACAD.LSP when AutoCAD starts up.

 

Have you looked in the "Start Group" when the "APPLOAD" window opens? You can place macros and LISP routines in there so that they are loaded automatically.