Topic: 2008LT Migrate Settings Problem?

[craigr]

We have upgraded lately from LT2005 to LT2008.

I first set up my workstation. Migrated all of my customizations into LT2008.

Once I got mine all set up, I exported my settings using the 'Migrate Settings, Export Settings' that comes with LT2008. - Everything went great. I then used the 'Import settings' to set up everyone else's workstations. Again, everything went great.

Since then, I have added several macros / icons and have exported the settings to new .zip files.

One of our Engineers got a new workstation a while back and when I tried to again import my files to his new workstation, it 'craps out', I mean the program doesn't run. It IS in the Task Mangager, but doesn't appear on screen. So I started exploring and discovered that my Exported file is corrupted. So, I used older revs of my backup files and all imported fine. So I determined that there is something wrong with my installation and can no longer use that utility, which is not a good thing.

I don't want to uninstall / reinstall my CAD because I would lose my newer settings. But, I can no longer pass those updates on to my coworkers.

Now today, another coworker got a new workstation and I can't even export my settings. So I tried importing my Original export and even IT won't import. So I went to another workstation to create an export file and now it won't export either. The third workstation I tried, I was able to export the settings and import them to the new workstation. So, he is up and running but without my newest macros / icons.

I have posted my earlier problems with this on the AutoDesk Web site and go nothing.

Have any of you used this program and found problems with it?
When the program worked it was GREAT! Much easier than the old way.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

craigr

[Bob Wahr]

Give them your CUI.  Load it.  Am I missing something?

[pmvliet]

When you migrate settings or export settings, are you getting one file?
Do you know if contains both registry entries and specific files?

I'm going to guess that it contains both registry items and specific files.

You could probably do this manually yourself and get it to work...

Pieter

[craigr]

That SOUNDS very easy, (hoping it is).

What is this CUI file? Where do I find it?

craigr

[Bob Wahr]

The CUI file is your menu.  Autocad made it when you brought in you old mnu.  You should be able to find it in your "documents and settings\username\application data\autodesk\autocad lt 2008(?)\rxx.x\enu\support" folder, more or less.

[craigr]

When you migrate settings or export settings, are you getting one file?
Do you know if contains both registry entries and specific files?

I'm going to guess that it contains both registry items and specific files.

You could probably do this manually yourself and get it to work...

Pieter

We did think about that, but when we unzipped the created .zip file was empty, though properties showed it 3.13mb. So, I extracted the zip file to another folder and it DOES indeed have the files in there. So, would it be safe to simply copy those over to another workstation?

But...

That STILL leaves me with the problem of not having the 'Migrate settings' thingy work. And I don't like it when I have to work around a program that SHOULD work.

craigr

[Bob Wahr]

You're not using it for what it was intended for though, IMO.  You got the old stuff migrated in.  Sharing the CUI with other computers is, again IMO, the proper way to do it, NOT a work around.

[Kate M]

Sorry I can't help you with the "migrate settings" stuff...haven't used it...yet.

If you have custom macros/icons/menus/toolbars, I would highly recommend using the Transfer tab of the CUI editor to pull them all out into a new CUI file that you can keep on your network or back up as required.

I believe I also posted the instructions for pulling LT setting data out of the registry to be imported onto other machines, a method which I have been using with great success for several years.

I know this doesn't answer exactly what you asked, but this *is* AutoCAD...there's always more than one way to skin the cat.

Bob's got a point -- it's probably for a one-time transfer, not for sharing settings between users.

[pmvliet]

Bob's got a point -- it's probably for a one-time transfer, not for sharing settings between users.

Do you think LT disables this utility once it is used once or twice?

Yes, you could manually copy the files to the next computer.
You can then do the registry edits that Kate talked about as well.
I think that would work and you could somewhat automate this, or at least document it
easily to be repeated by yourself or others in a month or a year.

Yeah, it would be nice for a given solution to always work, we've all seen instances that it doesn't
and the software supplier doesn't do anything to help you...

Pieter

[Shinyhead]

I would check things out for errors because we use the export/import to transfer customizations an a nearly weekly basis with all our LT stations.

I keep two logins on my computer, the master, where I work and customize.  I will then export the latest settings to the other login where I clean up and tweak the customizations for general use.  Then I export that setup to the other workstations.  Just acts as a failsafe in case I hose my master setup and it allows me to test things and clean them up as I have some things others don't need/want.

[craigr]

I would check things out for errors because we use the export/import to transfer customizations an a nearly weekly basis with all our LT stations.....

My current workstation has always been 'flakey' though our IT Dept. denies this. So, I thought it was just my workstation, but then it happened on another machine, so I don't know.

The 'transfer CUI thingy might work, I will explore that further. If I started messing with the Registries, our IT Dept. would have a stroke over it, (with good reason).

craigr

[craigr]

Give them your CUI.  Load it.  Am I missing something?

I was able to transfer the .cui file, but it doesn't have the icons in the correct locations. The Toolbars are spread all over the screen, undocked. I guess this could work as a last resort, but definately not my first choice.

It appears that the .cui file is not the only thing I need.

On to other options, yet to be determined.

craigr

[Shinyhead]

There are a few options, we are playing with a few choices on this as well.
We have a directory called aclt support on each computers c drive.  This has an icon directory and a few others that LT is mapped to (avoiding the user specific directory).
I copy that directory to each machine when I am setting them up.
Since your having issues with your machine, I would do it on another machine.
Now the dangerous part. Proceed at your own risk and be ready to restore from backups!
I set up a clean machine with all the directories and such mapped to the final setup I want.
Make sure all palettes, command line, properties, etc are in the middle of your primary screen so that it is not an issue for other machines to "find them". If you have some dual moniter stations this can be an issue.   If you are running dual moniters, make sure your dialog boxes are coming up in the middle of the primary screen.  This position WILL export with your settings and can be a pain. (We had that problem with the Layer dialog box)
Close LT
Back up your CUI file Do this as many times as you can during this process. It will probably fail at some point till you get it exactly right and don't trust my directions exactly. Its been almost a year since I set this up this way.
Fire up an xml editor (eegads NO)  do this at your own risk, but it worked for me.
Open the cui file in the editor.
find any path statements for your custom icons.
find and replace the path portion that directs the images to specific directories with nothing, leave just the names of the icon files.
Save your CUI
Open LT and make sure it works. Double check your file support paths to make sure they survived the xml edit.
Close LT and export settings.

I would strongly consider importing those settings back to your machine and seeing if that does not fix your export settings issue.

Check and recheck how well LT functions as you go.  Direct editing of the CUI with an XML editor is NOT recommended, but this is how I modified the icon paths for us.

[craigr]

Editing the .CUI file appears to be beyond my capabilities at this time - Though I may have to learn.

On the other front...

I extracted the .zip file that was created from the 'Export 2008 Settings' program, to a Temporary directory so I could figure out which directories / files were being exported. Then, using that as a guide, I copied those directories from my workstation, then REPLACED those directories on another workstation. All of my customizations came up, but the user preferences did not.

Previously, when we used the Export & Import programs from AutoCad, even my user preferences came along, such as colors, pointer size, etc....

I am definately getting closer though.

My goal is to create my own batch file to do the export thingy, since the AutoCAD one no longer works for me.

craigr

[Kate M]

Toolbar/menu/palette locations are now stored in workspaces. The CUI you were transferring probably didn't have your desired configuration saved as a workspace.

If you want to do more reading on the CUI, look for Robert Bell's stuff from AU last year. (Or other CUI-based classes -- his was just the one I went to.)