Topic: Sharing AutoCAD menus over a network

[ML]

Hello,

In work we are creating a custom menu, macros etc., and we are going to roll it out in a few weeks. I have been testing the menu over the network. I have always loaded the menu files on a local ard drive but never on a shared network.

I was wondering if anyone has also done this and can offer good advice?

I removed the mnu file from the directory as it really isn't serving a purpose and it really lessens if not eliminates the risks of the menu being overwritten.

I have found from the tests I've done that if I make a change to the mns file, the other people on the network will see the change once they close and open, kind of the way an x-ref works.

I have also found that when I load the .mns that the mnc and mnr are re created and vice versa, if I have just have the mnc file in the path and load it, it will re create the mns and mnr files.

Also, we mostly use 2002 in work but we are testing 2005. I have found that if I load the mns in 2005, it doesn't want to load in 2002, so I need to then delete the mnc and  the mnr, then I can load it.

I was also wondering if someone had a good fix for this?

Any help with the above would be really appreciated.

Thank you

Mark

[ML]

We have like 10 people that we want to map to the same custom menu

Thank you again

Mark

[ronjonp]

You need to have separate menus for 2002 and 2004+.  As far as sharing this menu, just make sure the search paths in ACAD show the location of your menu and menuload. Look for AcadInstall, InnoSetup, and IStool to make an installer to do all of this for you. These 3 tools combined are great for easily distributing menus\programs into AutoCAD.

Ron

[CADaver]

I have found from the tests I've done that if I make a change to the mns file, the other people on the network will see the change once they close and open, kind of the way an x-ref works.

A word of warning, when you re-compile the menu in this manner it saves the toolbar settings and locations.  Depending on how you're set up, this may "relocate" the user's custom toolbar display.

Also, we mostly use 2002 in work but we are testing 2005. I have found that if I load the mns in 2005, it doesn't want to load in 2002, so I need to then delete the mnc and  the mnr, then I can load it.

I was also wondering if someone had a good fix for this?

You'll need two separate menus.

[andyanderson]

For a primer on menus, go to Mark Middlebrook's site about menus at:

http://www.markcad.com/autocad/acadmenus.htm

He recommends that, first of all, dump the .mnu file.  As far as networking the menu(s), you'll have to talk to an IT guy who knows what he's doing.  AutoCAD has a nasty habit of looking at the local hard drive unless you path it differently.  Which brings up other issues such as support files, drivers, etc.

Keep in mind that most guys customize their menus to make them what they are used to seeing.  I happen to be a mouse guy but others are keyboarders with zillions of hot keys and, oddly enough these days, tablet types.

I've got custom buttons out the ying-yang that call special lisp routines that AutoCAD doesn't supply you.  I've also got a bunch of 3rd party programs that I can insert into my menu at the top.  I think you'll find that you will have a lot of resistance to try and 'standardize' menus for everyone.  A worthy and lofty goal but, alas, not practical unless you''re a control freak and don't mind hiring a bodyguard

Will my menus work for everybody?  Hell no.  Thank goodness.  I don't want everybody to be like me.  Now, you might use profiles so that people can customize their own menus while still retaining the 'original' setup.  But then why try to have a 'standard' menu in the first place?

[ML]

Yes,

I am aware that having seperate directories for both menus (it is 2002 +2005) and seperate pathes is the key but I wish I didn't have to update two seperate menus every time Imake a change.

I am very curious about these  installer programs, are they shareware? Can I find them on The Net? Do I get them from Autodesk?

Thank you

Mark

[ML]

Hey CADaver,

I have already covered that base, there will be no toolbars involved, all customization is via pulldowns. Whatever people do in their acad.mns file is their business, our menus have different names and are in different directories then AutoCAD

I have learned about bitmaps and toolbars the hard way. I can manage them but they are apain in The *

If you are going to do custom bitmaps and toolbars, then you can make a resource dll file I think it is called? You do it in VB but I am not going down that path. All Pulldowns.

Thanks

Mark

[andyanderson]

What are installer programs?  I use tools>customize>menus and insert the menu from the proper directory.  Now, with 2002 you can use the 'appload' command to load an arx program but in 2004+ you can't use that command.  There's a work around but I forgot what it is.

As an example of one of my custom buttons (yawn to those who have seen this a bunch of times) I use this to standardize my drawings:

^C^COSMODE 2303 DISPSILH 1 FACETRES 10 VIEWRES Y 20000 ISOLINES 21 HIDEPRECISION 1 UCSICON ON UCSICON N SNAPANG 0 SURFTAB1 12 DIMASO ON WHIPARC 1 SURFTAB2 12 DONUTID 0 DONUTOD .125 FACETRATIO 1 PROJMODE 2 SKPOLY 1 HIGHLIGHT 1 EXPERT 5 DIMLFAC 1 VISRETAIN 1 LTSCALE 1 FILLETRAD 0 DIMASSOC 2 PICKADD 1 DIMLWD -1 DIMLWE -1 UCS W HIDEPRECISION 1 INDEXCTL 3 DIMCLRD 256 DIMCLRE 256

[ML]

Hi Andy,

I really appreciate your input but may be I wasn't clear on a few things?
I have been customizing menus for a long time now, I do create support pathes, I do put the menus in directories under then C with no problem.

The person doing this with me is The IT guy but we are not talking about just putting the files on the network for back up, we are talking about sharing one menu file amongst all users.

Also, we are not, and I would never try to enforce a way or a menu on people. We are simply creating tools in one pull down that will path to all our resources and will contain macros to automate otherwise long and repetitive tasks.

IE   Inserting title blocks that are  attributed, inserting blocks to a scale factor and all sorts of tools that will stream line people's work.

I always encourage people to customize their environments how they want, we just want them to utilize one pulldown to its fullest.

As far as custom pulldowns, you should see mine  LOL, you think yours is bad?

Mine loads and runs VBA projects, Lisp routines, my own custom macros, it even goes to get me lunch  

Thanks

Mark

[ML]

Hey Andy

As of today I did get tired of the .mnu fiel and I did dump it.
i see no need for it anymore, do you?
If you do need it, you can do a save as with the .mns file and save as an mnu file.

I did that earlier, loaded it and it did re compile all the other files but still I see no need for the mnu like you said

Mark

[ronjonp]

I am very curious about these installer programs, are they shareware? Can I find them on The Net? Do I get them from Autodesk?

They are shareware:

http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php

http://www.istool.org/

http://www.cadwerx.net/?path=AcadInstall

And as for creating a resource dll easily:

http://www.users.on.net/johnson/resourcehacker/

A word of warning, when you re-compile the menu in this manner it saves the toolbar settings and locations. Depending on how you're set up, this may "relocate" the user's custom toolbar display.

The pulldown menu files and toolbar locations are not affected by this. Their locations are stored in the registry. I've been doing this to my menus for over a year now and no problems.


HTH

Ron







 

[SPDCad]

A partial menu on a network drive would allow for you to have a common menu where all the work tools, blocks, etc can be found.  The partial menu also allows for the individual to have his own customized menu on his hard drive.
   I have set up the 10 cad station at my work to read a partial work menu off of the network drive ‘\Cad Standards\’ directory. The cad standards directory is locked and only certain people with permission can access the directory. Therefore the standard menu can not be altered by everyone. Everyone at my office has a their own customized menu and the standardized work menu to work with.

   I think I posted at one time how to make quick and dirty partial menus, unfortunately I think I posted it at the old Cadalog.

[Andrea]

not recommended......

why ??

What happening when some one would like to modify a setting ?
What happening when some one would like to load another custum menu?

Also, you can not have same menu for 2000 2002 2004 and 2005.

so if someone work in 2002 and another in 2004 and the one who have 2004 had made modification on this menu....you have to make the same thing in 2002...see ?

many configuration have to be set with the !"/$% ICON toolbars also.


so if you really need to have same menu.......good luck !!

[TR]

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.

[ML]

Ok, I appreciate everyone's replies. Ron, they look like great resources, I will look at them all, I am familiar with Resource Hacker but I am trying to avoid toolbars + bitmaps. Also, I do agree that pulldowns are the best way to go and that is what I have done.

SP, we both have the same ideas, we are developing a partial menu that will allow users to tap into all of the CAD resources we have with very few clicks and as effortless as possible. We are only developing one pulldown with all the macros we need, outside of that anyone can customize however they like.

At one point, I was talking to a friend about developing a VBA Project that would allow users to make a pullodown real easily, kind of like you can create a custom toolbar in AutoCAD real easily.

Andrea, in all due respect, I disagree. Every thing you are saying would be a problem if we were customizing The Acad.mns file but we are not. Our menu, is ourcompanyname.mns, it is not on local hard drives so no one can over write it and I got rid of the .mnu file as it is A, a waste and B. It can be loaded then overwrite other menus, so we are taking many precautions upfornt and this why I am asking you folks for input

Thanks everyone

Keep writing

Mark