Topic: need some basic info on MNS

[CottageCGirl]

-got handed this task w/ no training-----
I edit our cusom MNS file for our pulldowns, but at the bottom (after POP 10) is this area which seems to regenerate itself, since I have never updated it, but it has current info.  We have had problems w/ bad bitmap files appering on toobars, so I am trying to clean it all up.  I have gone thru every bmp file in the custom folder and deleted any that are bad.
(see below)
How is this info generated?
Can I edit it?
What does "ICON_24_BLANK" mean?
look at line 8, see how it says button 12-, but it shows a 29-.bmp

If these questions are too vast, if anyone has any reading resources to explain this, please let me know..



***TOOLBARS
**FURNITURE
**EA_FURNITURE
ID_FURNITURE_0 [_Toolbar("ea_Furniture", _Floating, _Show, -79, 495, 1)]
ID__2          [_Button("05 matresses", "05-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/05DWG/05-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__3          [_Button("10- Swedish Home", "10-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/10DWG/10-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__18_0       [_Button("12-", "29-..bmp", "ICON1560.bmp")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/12DWG/12-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__6          [_Button("13- Collector's, Uphol..", "13-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/13DWG/13-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__15         [_Button("24- AMERICAN IMPRESSIONS", "24-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/24DWG/24-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__32         [_Button("28- HORIZONS", "28-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/28DWG/28-\\;;DRAG;\
               [--]
ID__18         [_Button("29- BRITISH CLASSICS", "29-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/29DWG/29-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__41         [_Button("30- Townhouse", "30-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/30DWG/30-\\;;DRAG;\
               [--]
ID__53         [_Button("32- Tuscany", "32-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/32DWG/32-\\;;DRAG;\
               [--]
ID__54         [_Button("33-NEW COUNTRY", "33-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/33DWG/33-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__2_0        [_Button("34-", "05-..bmp", "ICON9665.bmp")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/34DWG/34-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__55         [_Button("36- CLASSIC KIDS", "36-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/36DWG/36-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__55_0       [_Button("37-new", "36-..bmp", "ICON9249.bmp")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/37DWG/37-\\;;DRAG;\
ID__18         [_Button("38- TANGO", "38-.bmp", "ICON_24_BLANK")]^C^C-INSERT;G:/DATA/GROUP/DSPPLAN/DWG/38DWG/38-\\;;DRAG;\

[CottageCGirl]

sorry, I said line 8, but in the post, it shows as line 9

[CAB]

I'll do the easy one, the "ICON_24_BLANK"  is the fall back icon if the first one is not found. Usually the Happy Face.

Yes you can edit this.

PS this is generated by ACAD when you modify the tool bar.

[CottageCGirl]

I'll do the easy one, the "ICON_24_BLANK"  is the fall back icon if the first one is not found. Usually the Happy Face.

Yes you can edit this.

PS this is generated by ACAD when you modify the tool bar.

Thanks! thats what I thught, but before I edited 100 lines, just wanted to make sure.....

[CottageCGirl]

but I guess, I should edit the toolbars first, then see whats left.....

[CAB]

Well you are editing the tool bar when you change the mns file.

[CottageCGirl]

Well you are editing the tool bar when you change the mns file.

yes, I got that, it's just being a visual type, starting w/ the toolbars directly will be faster...I've edited the toolbars, but the MNS still looks funky, so obviously I have some underlying issues.

[Bob Wahr]

My most favoritist toolbar ever:

  | | |

[CottageCGirl]

My most favoritist toolbar ever:

  | | |

because of the work we do , I have had over 200 smiling faces.....
needless to say,they should be
(maybe that will be my default......)

[M-dub]

I'll do the easy one, the "ICON_24_BLANK"  is the fall back icon if the first one is not found. Usually the Happy Face.

Not that it matters, but I think the ICON_24_BLANK is the 'Large Icon' and you have to define it if it exists.  The first one is ICON_16_blank (the bitmap is 16 x 15 pixels) and the second, ICON_24_BLANK is 32 × 30 pixels (I think it used to be 24 x 24 pixels, but is now something like 32 x 30)
I don't use, nor do I know anyone else who uses the large icons, so I've never wasted the time creating the large ones.... Just leave it as ICON_24_BLANK and all should be ok.


One word of advice:

BACKUP

BEFORE you make the changes!  ALSO, if you load the mnU file of the same name, it will wipe out all of the changes you made to your mns file.  I generally play with the mns file until I'm happy with it, then I copy all of my changes to the mnu file and save another backup copy of it.  Most of the time, you won't touch your backups, but they're handy to have JUST IN CASE!

[M-dub]

I don't have time right now, but there are some good topics on this subject in theSwamp already.  Do a search for MNS, etc wade through the results to find what you're looking for.  When I have a little more time, I'll try to find one of the discussions that I'm thinking of...

[CottageCGirl]

I'll do the easy one, the "ICON_24_BLANK"  is the fall back icon if the first one is not found. Usually the Happy Face.

Not that it matters, but I think the ICON_24_BLANK is the 'Large Icon' ...
One word of advice:
BACKUP
BEFORE you make the changes!  ALSO, if you load the mnU file of the ...

Thanks!!
we use tooooo many icons to use the large ones anyway
I always work w/ a copy
We use a custom folder on the C drive, so if our network goes down, we can still work. I delete the MNR and MNC before I replace the MNS, but never touch the MNU, that was the tiny tidbit of info I recieved before we lost our CAD manager (yup-28 people and no CAD manager-we all take a part of the job....)

I even burn a CD 2x's a year and have it sent off site (is that tooo much?!?)

[CottageCGirl]

I don't have time right now, but there are some good topics on this subject in theSwamp already.  Do a search for MNS, etc wade through the results to find what you're looking for.  When I have a little more time, I'll try to find one of the discussions that I'm thinking of...

Thanks, the small info you guys have given me seems to have done the job.  It looks clean now.   Now I just have to install on someonesles computer to see if it will translate.....
I'll let you know

[M-dub]

Ahhh, another good search would be for "mns dll"

[CottageCGirl]

   Thanks, that was all the info I needed, it works great now.
It's as if a large light just went on.....

[Kerry]

.... I always work w/ a copy
We use a custom folder on the C drive, so if our network goes down, we can still work. I delete the MNR and MNC before I replace the MNS, but never touch the MNU, that was the tiny tidbit of info I recieved before we lost our CAD manager (yup-28 people and no CAD manager-we all take a part of the job....)

I even burn a CD 2x's a year and have it sent off site (is that tooo much?!?)

.. to belabor the point, if someone happens to reload your .MNU file, the MNS will be completely overwritten. Personally I edit the MNU.

[CAB]

I removed the mnu file so some idiot would not do that.

Wait a minute, I'm the only idiot here.

[CottageCGirl]

for good or bad, we have 2 groups here, one that knows not to do that, and one that doesn't know what (or where) the MNU is.....

[Crank]

If everyone has write permissions on the folder where your .mns is then the menu will be recompiled by accident. So when you don't work on the .mns keep your .mnc/.mnr read only. Or be sure that only you can write to the folder of your menu.

[Andrea]

When you compile your MNS file....AutoCAD create and READ the MNC.
but befor compile......you must check if your folder containing all your BITMAP icone are in your AutoCAD search path directory.
otherwise you will have....this -> ....or a cloud.

Make sur that you have write permission on your MENU folder.