Topic: Migrate Custom Commands via partial CUI?

[jnieman]

I'm trying to figure out how to do this the best way.

I'm going to be using the Ribbon to set up our block library as well as some common custom commands that would be required for day to day use, such as plotting routines, and some handy macros I'd written up for use in our environment.

I'm trying to organize my customizations as best as possible.

I copied ACAD.CUI and renamed it to CASE.CUI (company name) and started there.  I deleted the unnecessary junk... very little, but trimmed the fat.

I have created a partial CUI for my custom Ribbon panels and tabs that will contain the company-specific stuff.

Next I need to know how to isolate my custom commands.  That, or is there a better way?  I feel like I'm having a Friday afternoon brain fart.

It looks to me like whenever I put a custom command into my Ribbon, those custom commands are then inserted into the Ribbon.cui file I created.  Because now I have doubles... an instance in my CASE.cui, and another in my Ribbon.cui...

What am I doing here..

I need to figure out the best way to keep CUI and customizations on the server in a central location, and have all computers mapped to it, so all tools are accessing a uniform, central location, and I can update it when necessary, once, and all will be updated when all users reload Autocad.

[Crank]

Some things are always copied to the main .CUI. For example the QAT (quick access toolbar) must be present in your main .CUI.

But this doesn't count for ribbons. I thought they had fixed this with SP1...
You can try to protect your CASE.CUI by making it main and enterprise when you compile you partial .cui's.

BTW.: Did you modify a .CUI that was made before SP1? There can be issues when you do that, but there are some workarounds:

After you apply SP1, you may experience the following ribbon customization-related problems:

An Incorrect or Missing Ribbon Tab

Known Issue: When you display a ribbon tab from a partial of Enterprise CUI file, on the ribbon, the ribbon tab displays incorrectly or is missing. 

Workaround: To correctly display a ribbon tab, recreate the workspace used to display the ribbon tab from scratch. Do not duplicate or attempt to update the workspace. Once you create a new workspace, set the workspace current. The ribbon tab should display correctly.

For a partial CUI file, before you add a ribbon tab to a workspace, use the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor to change the customization group name of the file. The customization group name is represented by the uppermost node of the tree in the Customization In pane.

A Blank Image for a Command

Known Issue: On a ribbon panel, the image associated with a command defined in the Command List pane displays as a blank icon.

Workaround: To recreate a ribbon command item on a ribbon panel, delete it. Then, from the Command List pane, add the command to the ribbon panel.

[jnieman]

yar... main and enterprise?

I think I did that, but I'm not sure if I'm on the same page as you, because I'm not sure I'm clear on those terms.  I searched through 'help' and theswamp for topics but fell a bit short I guess.

I looked through a couple AU handouts that were available online too, but it wasn't geared towards what I am doing...

Maybe I should start from the beginning and ask the first question, instead of starting from the middle.

If you were to create a custom user interface for the company, how would you use the CUI to do so?

[mjfarrell]

If using a network license, I would configure the Enterprise cui to be used in the client image.

That being said to begin that process one starts locally with a cui, and adds subtracts or otherwise modifies the menu items.
I'm of mixed thoughts on how much should be entirely in the worksapce, and how much one should pull from partial workspaces.

Here are the exact order of operations:

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.

It is suggested that one start with a new customization file, use the Transfer tab to create a blank customization file. This way one can add items incrementally to the CUI and TEST as you go.

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.
WarningEven 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.
 

[Crank]

Before you start customizing Acad2009, be sure that SP1 is installed. It fixes many issues with the ribbon:

When acad.CUI is loaded as a partial CUI, some buttons in the multiline text (mtext) ribbon contextual tab fail.
On a ribbon panel, you may not be able to move items between rows.
A ribbon panel continues to display after it is removed from a ribbon tab.
A button image used on a ribbon panel that is loaded from a resource DLL file lacks a transparent background.
If you transfer a ribbon panel and a tab, buttons display small.
Enterprise, main, and partial CUI files display multiple ribbon tabs in workspaces.
You cannot control a ribbon tab when you use more than one non-AutoCAD CUI file.
A ribbon tab and/or menu macro may not function properly when referenced from multiple CUI files.
If you load a CUI file that references a missing BMP file, a fatal error displays.

I haven't customized 2009, but in 2008 I have the custom.cui as the main menu.
The company.cui, acetmain.cui and acad.cui are partial. I don't use enerprise, because all .cui's are located in a read only folder. Those partial .cui's are compiled one by one, so no cui references another. After that they are moved to the read only folder.
With a local custom.cui as main the user can make his own custumizations while other .cui's are protected.

[jnieman]

Ok then.

I think I need to start over after reviewing some of this.  I thought I was fine with the CUI because I was able to save and customize my own computer's files.  When I try to do so in a more organized manner so I can keep the files on the server, and have all computers point at them... now I get cross eyed.

I'm going to keep my CASERibbon.cui that contains the additional tabs and panels.

I'm going to start over completely with the CUI.  I'm restoring the default acad.cui that comes installed in C:\Documents and Settings\*user*\Application Data\Autoc... \Support\acad.cui

I will add the partial CUI's I create, such as the CASERibbon.cui.  I think I can actually get by with -just- the CASERibbon.cui because it will contain the custom commands I need to use the buttons/flyouts I'll create, as well as all the new panels/tabs I created.  I may split it into two partial CUIs, and keep the block library separate from the ribbon tabs that are for in-house macros for plotting, pdf'ing, title blocks, styles, and standard... but similar process.

So I think, for the sake of simplicity, every user will maintain their own CUI, locally, and also load the read-only partial CUI from the server.

Does this seem a sound idea?  I'm mainly going off of your advice, Crank, because I think it would fit our environment better than having an enterprise CUI on the server that every is somewhat locked into.  None of my users will ever customize the CUI anyways... I'm pretty much the only one that knows what the CUI is.

I'm also going to be giving a little refresher on "workspaces" because I think that'd take care of anything existing users want to do.

I appreciate your input, both of you.  You've helped me get a little more understanding on how to use the CUI in a more sharing way

[Crank]

I agree with using the default acad.cui as partial: If you don't and modify it, you'll have to start all over again with the next release.
But you have to do whatever works best for you: every company is different.

My users also don't customize the menu, but they do make their own workspaces and those are stored in the main .cui.
I can imagine in Acad2009 they also want to change the QAT.
That's the reason we have custom.cui as main and everything else read only.