Author Topic: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs  (Read 2403 times)

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Atook

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Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« on: March 16, 2017, 12:17:33 PM »
Loaded up a cuix that I'm developing, and all the ACAD toolbars in the workspace disappeared.

A quick google told me that switching workspaces back and forth might help, so I tried that. Nope, now menus are missing, such as Tools  and Draw

Reset the profile hoping everything would go back to vanilla install. No dice.

Tried reloading my CUIx and was told it was already loaded, but the menu isn't showing up. Looking in the CUI dialog, I can see the menus, but can't 'load' them into the autocad window. Is there an easy way to do this?

Along with this, do you have any good resources for understanding how CUIs work? Because at this point I'm pining for the days of MNS files, wondering why they fixed something that wasn't broken...

Edit: Sorry deleted the wrong attachment.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2017, 03:30:28 PM by Mark »

dgorsman

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Re: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2017, 01:17:37 PM »
You CAN'T see any menus there.  That's the Ribbon in a collapsed state (little arrow at the far right of that row).

Use the CUI editor, check the current workspace and see if Menus are turned off (likely the case).

Check the setting for autosaving changes to workspaces.  I keep it off, as if a partial CUIx cannot be found or some other problems, it will overwrite the stored workspace with the new settings.

By "loading a CUIx" do you mean you made it the Main?  Or did you load it partial to the Main or Enterprise?  Replacing the Main CUIx will remove all the content - including the active workspace if it's stored there.

The CUIx system takes a bit of getting used to, granted.  And the editor has some quirks.  But I really do like it better than the old system.  There's the Main CUIx - that's typically for the user.  They have full read-write priviledges to that, so it's good for per-user workspaces, plus personal toolbars, etc.  The Enterprise CUIx is typically for company-level stuff.  It's read-only by design so there's no accidental modification, even if the file is in a read-write folder.  Good for base template workspaces users can start with, or resort to if they bugger up their own badly enough.  Under the Main and Enterprise, each can have Partially loaded CUIx files to add additional content.  For example, I load up the AutoCAD, Express, and Raster Design CUIx files partial to our Enterprise.  We don't have any partials to the Main but it can be done by users if they feel like it.

Commands in the CUIx system are remarkably similar to XREFs.  You define it once (name, command-line macro, small and/or large icon) and reference it in multiple places (toolbars, menus, Ribbon).  Need to change the macro?  Change the command definition and everything follows.
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Atook

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Re: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2017, 01:54:14 PM »
Thanks dgorsman, I see it now, the menus are gone, I turned them back on via the quick access toolbar and my heart rate came down a little. Maybe more coffee would have prevented this morning's tailspin.. :oops:

I was loading a partial CUIx I think alongside the Main, (I don't even know where the Enterprise is).  I can see my partial (aid_irrigation) listed under the acad.cuix. I don't think it's replacing the acad.cuix. But loading the partial cui hid the acad toolbars and menu, as well as reloaded a bunch of other toolbars that had been previously hidden. Does that mean I'm loading it wrong?

I do like how the commands in the CUIx system work, that part I understand, it's the loading of them that's confusing to me. The CUIx file will eventually be loaded via bundle along with a .NET app, I'm hoping this won't change user's existing interfaces.

dgorsman

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Re: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2017, 02:39:41 PM »
Main and Enterprise CUIx files are located under the Options => Files tab => Customization files.  CUIx files can be partially loaded under either of these, but not both.

The Main and Enterprise show up as the two top-most nodes in the tree in the top-left box of the CUI editor.  If you don't have an Enterprise, there will only be one.  In theory you could also have only an Enterprise as well.

To determine if you have actually partially loaded your CUIx file use the tree view, not the drop-down.

Its best to have a named workspace current before partially loading like this, so you can see how it will affect the UI layout.  Items from the partial CUIx file may not be immediately visible after loading - this is where "reloading the workspace" comes in.  In older versions you could simply make the same workspace current but in newer releases you have to swtich back and forth.
If you are going to fly by the seat of your pants, expect friction burns.

try {GreatPower;}
   catch (notResponsible)
      {NextTime(PlanAhead);}
   finally
      {MasterBasics;}

ChrisCarlson

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Re: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« Reply #4 on: March 20, 2017, 02:43:15 PM »
First, are you referencing the menu or ribbon?

The menubar (File, Window, help, etc.) is hidden occasionally under the sysvar "MENUBAR"

The CUIx has an annoying bug in that additional or new tabs on the ribbon panel are not shown without unloading and reloading the CUIx file. Oddly, changes to the panels on those tabs update automatically but changes to the tab structure are not.

Atook

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Re: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2017, 03:38:33 PM »
I was referring to the menu. Dgorsman pointed out that the menubar was missing. Reset it from the quick access toolbar. MENUBAR=1 would have worked as well I suppose.

T.Willey

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Re: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2017, 06:38:28 PM »
I'm not sure I understand everything that is being asking in this topic, but if you are looking to update/fix the menubar then maybe this link will help:  https://www.theswamp.org/index.php?topic=48711.msg538030#msg538030  If this is way off topic, sorry.
Tim

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Atook

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Re: Missing menus, or... Help with insight into CUIs
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2017, 06:44:37 PM »
Oh, nice! I like the idea of reordering items on the menubar. Well done.