Topic: Sharing AutoCAD menus over a network

[CADaver]

I too, must disagree with Andrea.  

We have been using common network menus for quite some time.  We have a default basic menu that is based on the ACAD menu that ships with the software with considerable customization for layer control of text and dims.  

Then we MENULOAD a heavily customized general tools menu with several pull-downs and toolbars.  

Behind that we MENULOAD discipline specific tools menus.  And finally we have a personal menu MENULOADed.  The PESONAL menu is kept on the user's hard drive and can be modified at the user's descretion, within guidelines. Each menu has it's own associated MNL file to insure support for functions.

So far we've had exceptional success utilizing the above concept.

[ML]

As far as I can see,

I ditched the .mnu file forever, I have the .mns, I menuload the .mns, all users load the .mnc file.

Whenever I change the .mns file, the users see the changes next time they open AutoCAD, it seems to work real well.

If you have multiple versions of AutoCAD, you place a copy od the updated .mns file in a seperate directory (folder)    ie  ACAD_2002, ACAD_2005 etc.

If you are replacing the old menu, then overwrite the mns and delete the mnr and mnc, they will be re compiled after you menuload or open AutoCAD back up.

Sound Good?

[ronjonp]

If you are replacing the old menu, then overwrite the mns and delete the mnr and mnc, they will be re compiled after you menuload or open AutoCAD back up.

This is exactly what I do. Same concept except the mns file is located on the user's machine and it is updated from the network via batch at startup.

:UPDATES LISP AND MENU
del      "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\*.mnc"
del      "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\*.mnr"
del      "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\*.dll"
xcopy  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\Menu\*.*" "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q
xcopy  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\LISP\*.*" "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\LISP\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q

Ron

[M-dub]

Here's what we do:

Acad:
Remains in the support directory on each local machine

Custom Company Partial Menu:
Remains in a directory on the network and the MNS is MENULOADed onto each machine.  Modifications are only done by me and if everything checks out ok, it gets added to the MNU file.  No one else is to make any changes to it because...

Personal Partial Menu:
I created a base menu with a few handy items in it...it's very small, but if anyone wants to make custom toolbars, they do it to their own personal menu.  I created copies of these menus that are named for each CAD Person and all related files such as profiles and things like that go into a directory on the network named after them.

We've only had one meltdown, but that was a long time ago...R14 or soon after the 2000 upgrade.  Bugs have been worked out and so far, everything seems to be running smoothly.

For what it's worth....

[CADaver]

Personally I feel the best way to work with standard files is to copy the files to a users directory when the user's log on. This can be achieved with a batch file that's runs from the "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup" (I have an example that I can post tomorrow if anyone wants).

Doing this way will make sure that:

1) Everyone has the latest menu's and programs.
2) You'll only have to edit the menu once because if you delete the .mnc file from the directory it will compile the same in 2002 and 2004.
3) You'll prevent file locking by users so you can update them whenever you want.

I'm not saying this is the best way but it's the way I like it.

We just keep the standard menus in a network directory with limited rights and accomplish all the above without all the copying.  This way also prevents the user from changing something in the menu that is based on the client specific standards.  Were the menu kept local, the could have access, for us that's a bad idea.

[TR]

We just keep the standard menus in a network directory with limited rights and accomplish all the above without all the copying.  This way also prevents the user from changing something in the menu that is based on the client specific standards.  Were the menu kept local, the could have access, for us that's a bad idea.

The only problem I have with that is I can't update anything while the users have AutoCAD open.

And as far as them changing menus, it doesn't bother me at all. When the boot-up the next day everything will be back to normal <g>.

[CADaver]

We just keep the standard menus in a network directory with limited rights and accomplish all the above without all the copying.  This way also prevents the user from changing something in the menu that is based on the client specific standards.  Were the menu kept local, the could have access, for us that's a bad idea.

The only problem I have with that is I can't update anything while the users have AutoCAD open.

Sure you can, why not?  I do it all the time.  Once the menu is loaded into memory there's no problem changing the source.

And as far as them changing menus, it doesn't bother me at all. When the boot-up the next day everything will be back to normal <g>.

If it's networked there's no need for the re-boot to effect the change.  The next time you get out and back or open a new session,  the change is there.

[ML]

That is correct CADaver, if the users have the .mnc or .mns file loaded, I can change it anytime, then after it recompiles, the users will see the chage as well.

I am finding that the users having the .mnc file loaded seems to be best so that after I update the .mns file, it recomplies and the .mnc file is already loaded on the users machines via a shared drive.

Hey! I would love to see how you update users via a batch file, can you please post something? I use to do batch files back when DOS was the way to go but I have since lost that ability

Thanks

Mark

[ronjonp]

Hey! I would love to see how you update users via a batch file, can you please post something?

Code: [Select]


:UPDATES LISP AND MENU
del      "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\*.mnc"
del      "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\*.mnr"
del      "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\*.dll"
xcopy  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\Menu\*.*" "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q
xcopy  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\LISP\*.*" "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\LISP\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q


:UPDATES BLOCKS USED BY MENU FROM R:\AEITITLE
xcopy  "R:\AEITITLE\*.dwg" "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\DWG\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q


:UPDATES SHX FILES FROM R:\FONTCLNT
xcopy  "R:\FONTCLNT\*.shx" "%programfiles%\AutoCAD Tools\SHX\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q


:NEW FROM FOLDER BATCH COPIED TO %WINDIR%
xcopy  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\Updater\New-From-Folder.bat" "%windir%" /R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q


:UPDATES BLOCKS AND DATABASE
xcopy  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\WID Blocks\*.*" "%programfiles%\Watermark ID\Support\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q
xcopy  "S:\Watermark ID Database Updates\wid.mdb" "%programfiles%\Watermark ID\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q


:COPIES LINK TO STARTUP
xcopy  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\Updater\Auto_Update.bat" "%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\"/R/S/I/Y/K/D/Q


:APPENDS TO LOG FILE
net time  >>  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\Updater\Update-Lisp-Routines.log"
net user  >>  "S:\-AutoCAD Routines-\Updater\Update-Lisp-Routines.log"

exit

Here is a resource to see what all the switches (/R/S...) do for XCOPY.

http://www.computerhope.com/xcopyhlp.htm



 

[ML]

WOW!

I need a translator  

Thanks Ron,

I sort of get the idea

Mark

[TR]

Sure you can, why not?  I do it all the time.  Once the menu is loaded into memory there's no problem changing the source.

The problem isn't with my menus but with custom vba apps. I automatically unload them whenever possible but I have some event driven apps that need to be running constantly in every drawing.

[ML]

I see Tim

So, are they Application or Document Level Events? What do some of them do?

There are so very good CAD users where I work but I seem to be the only one that brings any programming or customization to the table which can be a good thing I guess, except:

things like VBA are still a bit taboo to them because they don't quite understand it.

Once you understand VBA a bit, it is beautiful. There is nothing you can't do with VBA except write stand alone programs.

That is also one of my concerns with VBA, I would like to write more programs but it is a pain having people needing to load, unload etc.
I would probably wite a few things and put them into the individuals Startup Suite.

I wonder if automation can load and unload VBA Modules?

Mark

[Keith™]

There is nothing you can't do with VBA except write stand alone programs.

You CAN write a VBA application entirely in VBA and then import it into a brand new VB application with almost no effort and recompile into an exe or dll. Forms will come in as designers and modules & code segments will come in as modules...you just have to supply the wrapper program to run it.

[ML]

Well yeah, you can save is out as a .bas file, then import it into Visual Basic, right Keith?

In which case it is no longer a Visual Basic for "Applications" application even though the code is the same on either platform.

Hell! YOu know what I meant Keith! LOL


OK, back to the topic    

Mark