Fail proof / idiot proof method of loading company customization?

Got company lisp / menu on a network server.
User logs in and login script setups drive letters.
User runs autocad. Autocad has company pulldown menu menuloaded.
Menu loads customization.

Now things sometime fail and I get calls that the pulldown menu is missing or the fonts do not work or the shortcut keys
are missing. That is because something has failed in the loading of the company customization. So I need to revise my
approach for loading the company customization.

I believe that customization should be an addon to the stock installation of autocad regardless of version or
installation location. That being said I am categorically opposed to any solution that involves autocad profiles,
desktop or start menu icons or modifying / adding files to the C:\Program Files\<autocad> folder locations. Ideally I
would like to install autocad (any version). Click something else and be done forever with any need for further messing
with the end users desktop in any way. All Autocad configuration changes, etc... would then be handled by the company
standard customization on the network.

So my question is, how can I make my customization load 100% of the time with no future interaction of the user or
myself. How can I make sure that if the server goes down or the machine crashes or the windows profile gets reset or
whatever disaster happens that my customization will continue to run the next time autocad is ran.



David

 

I may be wrong about this, but you can give ONLY the mnc and mnr files on each users computer. These are the computer
language files that have been compiled from the mnu and mns files. DO NOT load the mnu or mns files on users' computers
which can be edited.
Then YOU keep the mnu and mns files safely tucked away. (Better have another person have access in the dreaded event
something should happen to you and there is need for further customization).

 

what I did at my old job was I editted the standard acad.mnl file with some
code to change the support paths to what I wanted/needed - putting the
company paths first. This would only fire if the computer could see the
network drives where all the company stuff was. Then i setup the company
stuff to recognize a "new" install and would make any other changes such as
loading the menus and the like.

So a new user would start Autocad and it would change support paths, and
start the loading of the company stuff. Not everything would get loaded so
it would give an (alert "...") and tell the user to restart AutoCAD. Any
other changes were made and they were ready to go. So all I had to do was
install AutoCAD and make the change in the acad.mnl file.

In my routines it would always look to see if things were loaded (such as
menus) and try to correct it. It wasn't absolutely fool proof but worked
fairly well.

cj

or the fonts do not work or the shortcut keys

company customization. So I need to revise my

of autocad regardless of version or

solution that involves autocad profiles,

done forever with any need for further messing

etc... would then be handled by the company

with no future interaction of the user or

crashes or the windows profile gets reset or

 

I haven't automated this task completely, but it is worth exploring as it
would help save time supporting CAD users. To do it within the intial
Install you would most likly have to create a custom acad.msi (using
AdminStudio) that adds to/edits the registry accordingly. Or maybe a custom
login script that modfiies the registry if AutoCAD is installed.

You could have an install utility using something like
http://www.cadwerx.net/Free/CxAcadInstall.asp that users can run which sets
everything up.

I have setup a routine within AutoCAD (that users would have to appload and
run) that sets everything up.

-Dan

 

sorry, way beyond mns mnr type issues

Walt Engle <>
|>I may be wrong about this, but you can give ONLY the mnc and mnr files on each users computer. These are the computer
|>language files that have been compiled from the mnu and mns files. DO NOT load the mnu or mns files on users' computers
|>which can be edited.
|>Then YOU keep the mnu and mns files safely tucked away. (Better have another person have access in the dreaded event
|>something should happen to you and there is need for further customization).


David

 

I want to avoid modifying anything installed by autodesk.

I want to stick to the stock autocad as much as possible

I already have the menu's, settings, paths, etc... set by a startup routine.
The question is how to get the routine to run no matter what.

"CJ Follmer" <cjfollmer@NOT - SO - h_o_t_m_a_i_l_.com>
|>what I did at my old job was I editted the standard acad.mnl file with some
|>code to change the support paths to what I wanted/needed - putting the
|>company paths first. This would only fire if the computer could see the
|>network drives where all the company stuff was. Then i setup the company
|>stuff to recognize a "new" install and would make any other changes such as
|>loading the menus and the like.
|>
|>So a new user would start Autocad and it would change support paths, and
|>start the loading of the company stuff. Not everything would get loaded so
|>it would give an (alert "...") and tell the user to restart AutoCAD. Any
|>other changes were made and they were ready to go. So all I had to do was
|>install AutoCAD and make the change in the acad.mnl file.
|>
|>In my routines it would always look to see if things were loaded (such as
|>menus) and try to correct it. It wasn't absolutely fool proof but worked
|>fairly well.
|>
|>cj
|>
|>
|>
|>|>> Got company lisp / menu on a network server.
|>> User logs in and login script setups drive letters.
|>> User runs autocad. Autocad has company pulldown menu menuloaded.
|>> Menu loads customization.
|>>
|>> Now things sometime fail and I get calls that the pulldown menu is missing
|>or the fonts do not work or the shortcut keys
|>> are missing. That is because something has failed in the loading of the
|>company customization. So I need to revise my
|>> approach for loading the company customization.
|>>
|>> I believe that customization should be an addon to the stock installation
|>of autocad regardless of version or
|>> installation location. That being said I am categorically opposed to any
|>solution that involves autocad profiles,
|>> desktop or start menu icons or modifying / adding files to the C:\Program
|>Files\<autocad> folder locations. Ideally I
|>> would like to install autocad (any version). Click something else and be
|>done forever with any need for further messing
|>> with the end users desktop in any way. All Autocad configuration changes,
|>etc... would then be handled by the company
|>> standard customization on the network.
|>>
|>> So my question is, how can I make my customization load 100% of the time
|>with no future interaction of the user or
|>> myself. How can I make sure that if the server goes down or the machine
|>crashes or the windows profile gets reset or
|>> whatever disaster happens that my customization will continue to run the
|>next time autocad is ran.
|>>
|>>
|>>
|>> David
|>


David

 

agreed. Hopefully it will be
install os
join domain
login
run autocad and its completely configured and unbreakable.

This would cut down on IT tasks and support calls.

You think AcadInstall 1.5 & Install Shield can make a msi?

"Dan Elkins" <delkins at johnsonfain dot com>
|>I haven't automated this task completely, but it is worth exploring as it
|>would help save time supporting CAD users. To do it within the intial
|>Install you would most likly have to create a custom acad.msi (using
|>AdminStudio) that adds to/edits the registry accordingly. Or maybe a custom
|>login script that modfiies the registry if AutoCAD is installed.
|>
|>You could have an install utility using something like
|>http://www.cadwerx.net/Free/CxAcadInstall.asp that users can run which sets
|>everything up.
|>
|>I have setup a routine within AutoCAD (that users would have to appload and
|>run) that sets everything up.
|>
|>-Dan
|>


David

 

David,
AFAIK there is no foolproof way of keeping bad things from happening.
Profiles are a feature of ACAD and unless you are willing to rule with
an iron hand by deleting errant profiles from the registry, the user can
mess up anything you create. The user can also add desktop icons
that use different profiles. The menu and menuload commands are
still available and can be inadvertently used to lose custom menus.

For my classroom, I have a network program rewrite the critical
arg files at login and reload the profiles each time the user loads
AutoCAD so that users see the same menus from station to station.
That works well for me. Its still not foolproof.

I doubt anyone can help much unless you are willing to be more specific
about how you are loading the company customization. Post your code.

Regards,
Doug

 

You think AcadInstall 1.5 & Install Shield can make a msi?

Last time I used it, it was only able to make exe's.

-Dan

 

You maybe already doing this....

One way is to always make sure your custom stuff gets loaded first. On a network
created a folder
to hold all of your custom routines, menus, etc. With your startup function,
position the "Support File
Search Path" with your customization at the top of the list.

Gary

the fonts do not work or the shortcut keys

company customization. So I need to revise my

autocad regardless of version or

solution that involves autocad profiles,

forever with any need for further messing

etc... would then be handled by the company

no future interaction of the user or

crashes or the windows profile gets reset or

 

I don't experience problems with our customizations loading. Once in a rare
while, I get a question about something that's mysteriously not working,
which should have been automatically enabled -- maybe once every 6 or 8
weeks, out of about 25 users. I tell them to close and reopen Acad, and it
doesn't recur. Just another random, infrequent glitch that's not troublesome
enough to worry about.

Per Doug, it would probably take a lot more detail for anyone to speculate
about the problems you're seeing.

 

Gary,
Are you sure about the first/last relationship? I find that given
two definitions of the same command in lisp, the last one loaded
is the one that sticks. Later definitions overwrite earlier ones.

The important thing is the order of the folders in the search path.
Customization folders should be first in the support files list.

Regards,
Doug

 

I don't want to get into specific problem troubleshooting.
I already have a startup routine that sets settings and loads up everything
I just want a more automated way to make sure that it runs no matter what.
I see programs like quik pik and the express tools. They load very consistently.
I want something more like that. I want it to work regardless of profile/version/arg/whatever.
My customization already works for any verion and any installation location.
Now I just want to make sure it gets loaded all the time no matter what.
I cannot add a (load "startup.lsp") to the registry.

"Tom Smith" <nospam>
|>I don't experience problems with our customizations loading. Once in a rare
|>while, I get a question about something that's mysteriously not working,
|>which should have been automatically enabled -- maybe once every 6 or 8
|>weeks, out of about 25 users. I tell them to close and reopen Acad, and it
|>doesn't recur. Just another random, infrequent glitch that's not troublesome
|>enough to worry about.
|>
|>Per Doug, it would probably take a lot more detail for anyone to speculate
|>about the problems you're seeing.
|>


David

 

Express Tools does not load reliable. Change profiles to one that doesn't
load Express Tools, or reset the profile. Gone. That is what we are trying
to state... as long as there are profiles, the user can muck it up.

The best bet is to make sure the install is correct, modify the shortcut
icons to load a specific profile, and write the startup code to load
everything when that profile is loaded. If you have full IT access on a
Win2000/2003 server network, you could also create a custom group policy
template to help standardization (but I've just started exploring that
option myself).

--
R. Robert Bell


I don't want to get into specific problem troubleshooting.
I already have a startup routine that sets settings and loads up everything
I just want a more automated way to make sure that it runs no matter what.
I see programs like quik pik and the express tools. They load very
consistently.
I want something more like that. I want it to work regardless of
profile/version/arg/whatever.
My customization already works for any verion and any installation location.
Now I just want to make sure it gets loaded all the time no matter what.
I cannot add a (load "startup.lsp") to the registry.

"Tom Smith" <nospam>
|>I don't experience problems with our customizations loading. Once in a
rare
|>while, I get a question about something that's mysteriously not working,
|>which should have been automatically enabled -- maybe once every 6 or 8
|>weeks, out of about 25 users. I tell them to close and reopen Acad, and it
|>doesn't recur. Just another random, infrequent glitch that's not
troublesome
|>enough to worry about.
|>
|>Per Doug, it would probably take a lot more detail for anyone to speculate
|>about the problems you're seeing.
|>


David

 

Looks like a Custom Group Policy template may be the best option.

tip: http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBL/tip5900/rh5946.htm

-Dan

 

What I do for our ~50 LDT2005 users is specify a login script in their
Windows profiles that sets everything. In the script, (basically a batch
file), I automatically copy down certain files, (.pc3, .ctb, etc.), from the
server to standard locations, to be sure they have correct/current
configurations, then force certain settings to be always loaded into AutoCAD
by using regedit /s to load a modified .arg file, containing only those
settings we want standardized in the AutoCAD profile, (support paths, loaded
menus, isavepercent, etc.), leaving user defined settings, (screen colors,
toolbar locations, etc.), alone.

So basically, whenever they log onto Windows, the script is automatically
run, assuring they have current specific files and the latest standard
settings, but leaving their personal settings alone. It's basically been
flawless for me, and whenever I need something changed, I only have to edit
the script and/or stripped down custom .arg file, (both on server), and the
next time the user logs on they have all the latest settings.

John

 

John,

How are you handling the file copying in the logon process? I've had
permission-related issues with VBScript during the actual logon.

--
R. Robert Bell


What I do for our ~50 LDT2005 users is specify a login script in their
Windows profiles that sets everything. In the script, (basically a batch
file), I automatically copy down certain files, (.pc3, .ctb, etc.), from the
server to standard locations, to be sure they have correct/current
configurations, then force certain settings to be always loaded into AutoCAD
by using regedit /s to load a modified .arg file, containing only those
settings we want standardized in the AutoCAD profile, (support paths, loaded
menus, isavepercent, etc.), leaving user defined settings, (screen colors,
toolbar locations, etc.), alone.

So basically, whenever they log onto Windows, the script is automatically
run, assuring they have current specific files and the latest standard
settings, but leaving their personal settings alone. It's basically been
flawless for me, and whenever I need something changed, I only have to edit
the script and/or stripped down custom .arg file, (both on server), and the
next time the user logs on they have all the latest settings.

 

John,

Here's a copy of the logon script I used for LDT2000i - it's more
illustrative than the LDT2005 version I have, ('work in progress). You'll
notice I do some stuff that's redundant at times, like making those MapCAD
folders each time, ('ignored if already there), but that's because I need it
to also function on first time new logins. I just save it as login.bat on
the network and set it to run as the logon script for all CAD users in
Windows Active Directory Users functions - specify this logon script under
each user's profile tabs. Master.reg and map.reg are just partial portions
of .arg files, retaining only those settings we want standardized. The last
line calls a batch file that runs a utility that tracks our computer
hardware and software, (Track-it from http://itsolutions.intuit.com/ ).
Watch for line wrap.
-------------------------------------------------------
regedit /s \\0ds1\DATA\Cad\master.reg
regedit /s \\0ds1\DATA\Cad\map.reg

md "C:\land projects r2\temp"
md "C:\Program Files\MapCAD\Labeling2000"
md "C:\Program Files\MapCAD\MapCheck1.5"
md "C:\Program Files\MapCAD\PlanSetMgr"
md "C:\land projects r2\templates-org"

move /y "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop R2\Template\*.*" "C:\land projects
r2\templates-org"

del /f "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop R2\Plotters\plotstamp.pss"
xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\drv" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
R2\Drv"
xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Plot Styles" "C:\Program Files\Land
Desktop R2\Plot Styles"
xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Plotters" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
R2\Plotters"
xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Template" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
R2\Template"
xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Setup" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
R2\Data\Setup"

copy /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Support\csw.mn*" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
R2\Support"
copy /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Support\*.apm2" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
R2\Data\Menu Palettes"
copy /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Support\acad.pat" "C:\Program Files\Land
Desktop R2\Support"

call track-it.bat
-------------------------------------------------------

 

I want to avoid modifying the C:\Program Files
Also the directory security in XP for users will not allow that behavior

"John Schmidt" <>
|>> John,
|>>
|>> How are you handling the file copying in the logon process? I've had
|>> permission-related issues with VBScript during the actual logon.
|>
|>Here's a copy of the logon script I used for LDT2000i - it's more
|>illustrative than the LDT2005 version I have, ('work in progress). You'll
|>notice I do some stuff that's redundant at times, like making those MapCAD
|>folders each time, ('ignored if already there), but that's because I need it
|>to also function on first time new logins. I just save it as login.bat on
|>the network and set it to run as the logon script for all CAD users in
|>Windows Active Directory Users functions - specify this logon script under
|>each user's profile tabs. Master.reg and map.reg are just partial portions
|>of .arg files, retaining only those settings we want standardized. The last
|>line calls a batch file that runs a utility that tracks our computer
|>hardware and software, (Track-it from http://itsolutions.intuit.com/ ).
|>Watch for line wrap.
|>-------------------------------------------------------
|>regedit /s \\0ds1\DATA\Cad\master.reg
|>regedit /s \\0ds1\DATA\Cad\map.reg
|>
|>md "C:\land projects r2\temp"
|>md "C:\Program Files\MapCAD\Labeling2000"
|>md "C:\Program Files\MapCAD\MapCheck1.5"
|>md "C:\Program Files\MapCAD\PlanSetMgr"
|>md "C:\land projects r2\templates-org"
|>
|>move /y "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop R2\Template\*.*" "C:\land projects
|>r2\templates-org"
|>
|>del /f "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop R2\Plotters\plotstamp.pss"
|>xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\drv" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
|>R2\Drv"
|>xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Plot Styles" "C:\Program Files\Land
|>Desktop R2\Plot Styles"
|>xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Plotters" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
|>R2\Plotters"
|>xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Template" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
|>R2\Template"
|>xcopy /q /s /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Setup" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
|>R2\Data\Setup"
|>
|>copy /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Support\csw.mn*" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
|>R2\Support"
|>copy /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Support\*.apm2" "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop
|>R2\Data\Menu Palettes"
|>copy /y "\\0ds1\DATA\Cad\Ctl\Support\acad.pat" "C:\Program Files\Land
|>Desktop R2\Support"
|>
|>call track-it.bat
|>-------------------------------------------------------
|>


David

 

use robocopy from the server resource kit
Its similar to xcopy but with more options

"R. Robert Bell" <>
|>John,
|>
|>How are you handling the file copying in the logon process? I've had
|>permission-related issues with VBScript during the actual logon.


David