a whole new CAD standard, including document control

[NBC]

extracted from chat forum thread

Thanks for all the good wishes.

There is a heck of a challenge with the new job - lots to do, and never enough time to do it.

Basically, I have to set-up, and implement a whole CAD standard, including document control.

I also have to bear in mind, that it must cover at least 4 different versions of CAD (including various versions of LT, I might add), at least 2 other offices; and also take account of non-dedicated CADdies (i.e. Engineers doing their own drawings )

I would really like the standard not to be just a piece of a paper, or a page (or however many) on the company intranet; but a simple and easy to use system that is part of CAD itself. I'm thinking along the lines of palettes initially.

Any thoughts ?

[ReMark]

A while back StykFacE was asking around about CAD standards and I provided him with some links. Try a search; you're sure to pull up the thread. A few other good offers and suggestions were made by other forum members.

 

WAIT!

 

I found the thread for you. Here...

 

http://www.cadtutor.net/forum/showthread.php?t=25973&highlight=CAD+standards

[Skeeps]

yeah mate you're back. wwoohooo!!!

Yeah I'd go for palettes, however if the company intranet was decent enough, it could be just as effective.

 

Make sure you stamp your authority, they're running a muck over here.

[rustysilo]

You might consider the use of an enterprise cui along with all the networked tool palettes, plot configs, etc. You can set up a standards file and reference all your templates to it so whenever someone tries to defy the standards they get the annoying little message. This might put a target on your back, but hey, it just might work over time!

[NBC]

Hi rusty, I'm wondering if LT would 'support' the use of the CUI like you wrote ?

I am not really sure, so would love some guidance on the matter please.

[rustysilo]

From the help file (type "enterprise" in the search box of the help):

 

Create an Enterprise CUI File

An enterprise CUI file typically stores customization information that is shared by many users, but is controlled by a CAD manager. Enterprise CUI files make maintaining and modifying customization data easier for the individual responsible for controlling company standards.

Create an enterprise CUI file by performing the following tasks:

• Create an enterprise CUI file from an existing CUI file or a new CUI file. Make a copy of the main customization file (acad.cui) or another customization file of your choice that contains all the base user interface elements you need. If you want to start with a new customization file, use the Transfer tab to create a blank customization file.
  
• Designate the new file as your main CUI file. Using the Options dialog box, you must load the customization file as your the main customization file so you make edits to all of the different user interface elements. Make sure to note which customization file is currently designated as the main customization file, as you will need to restore it later.
  
• Modify the contents of the enterprise CUI file. Once the customization file is designated as the main customization file, you can change the customization group name and modify the CUI file contents as needed. Changing the customization group name allows you to load more than one CUI file in the program at one time. CUI files with the same customization group name cannot be loaded into the program.
  
• Replace the main CUI file. Using the Options dialog box, replace the previous customization file that was designated as the main customization file.
  
• Save the enterprise CUI file to a shared network location. When you save the new enterprise file to a shared network location, all of your users that have access to the specified location can access the file. NoteThe folder where you place the enterprise CUI file should be in a shared location that your users can access. To learn more about creating a network share, see “How to Create a Network Share” in the Network Administrator's Guide.
  
• Specify the enterprise CUI file location. The program automatically designates an enterprise customization file as read-only when you specify its file location in the Options dialog box. Specifying the enterprise customization file location can be done on individual workstations or in the Deployment wizard. For more information about setting the location in the Deployment wizard, see “Select Search Paths and File Locations” in the Network Administrator's Guide. Warning Even though the Customize User Interface (CUI) editor loads the enterprise customization file as read-only, this still doesn’t completely protect the file from being modified. The enterprise customization file could be loaded as the main customization file and then modified. To protect the enterprise customization file, the location where it is stored be marked as read-only and write access should be limited to those you want to be able to edit the file.

[Dipali]

Hi rusty, I'm wondering if LT would 'support' the use of the CUI like you wrote ?

I am not really sure, so would love some guidance on the matter please.

 

Recently one of my client gave us there library for use on their projects with set of instructions on how to load it. it asked us to load 2 cui files & all the customised pallets got loaded automatically.

So it does work in LT as well.

[A1DWG]

Standard Templates with predefined layers, linetypes etc cant be a bad start. I am supposed to be producing a similar document too, I have a few sample documents which you may want to 'borrow' - pm me.

[NBC]

How do I control the support paths (e.g. the location where plot styles [.ctb] are stored) ?

I aim to have a directory structure on the network - but how do I get AutoCAD to point to it, without myself physically going to every computer and doing it?

Please bear in mind, that a lot of our 'users' are using LT so the use of LISP, VBA and suchlike are out of bounds.

Also, I think our registry is as robust as it can be; i.e. I don't wish to change settings of AutoCAD via regedit in anyway (if I can get away with not doing so).

So far, all I have come up with is using setenv a number of times within a script file. The problem with that is that it won't run automatically on every drawing. How do I get around this ?

 

Last question, but not least.

Is there a way to 'lock down' any search path changes that I make ?