Menus & Networks

Hi All

I'm hoping someone can advise me here. I have made up some customised toolbars using macros etc as I only have LT2004. I have placed this custom menu along with the button BMP's onto our network so that 80 users can use these buttons.

As yet, I haven't had any trouble with people moving, deleting or changing them, but its only a matter of time before someone starts. I have now come to a point where I now need to update these buttons, and would also like to protect them a little more that just my words of 'don't move or alter the buttons'.

So:

A: Is there a way I can protect the toolbars better, and still be user friendly.

B: To update the toolbars, do I need to make sure that everyone closes CAD, delete the MNU, & MNC, update the file then re-compile the MNS?

Any help would be gratefully accepted!

Catherine

 

Place the menus in directories that do not allow the users write access. That will stop undesired editing. Then provide each user with a personal menu on their local drive (or personal network area), that they may edit as they desire.

 

A: Is there a way I can protect the toolbars better, and still be user
friendly.

Per, OC, put them in a folder the users can't write to, and give everyone
their own menu too, which thay can modify.

CAD, delete the MNU, & MNC, update the file then re-compile the MNS?

No, because theyr'e working off the one central menu.

 

Hi Caff,

Other thoughts on maintaining menus.

1 If you keep the MNU file as your primary file you can keep the Tool
tips in a sensible order making them easy to maintain. AutoCAD randomly
sorts them in the MNS file each time any one edits a toolbar in their
drawing.

2 If you put the BMP files in a DLL with a name matching the MNU file,
them you don't have to risk getting smiley faces. See the Afralisp web site
for full details of doing this.

3 As well as locking users out of the directory - not sure if this will
work with the MNS file and MNC files as they may get updated each time the
user moves a toolbar around, you could set up to regularly delete the MNS
and MNC files leaving an automatic reuse of the MNU file. This will mean
that if any user does modify the Toolbars, their modifications will be lost
soon after.

--


Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

toolbars using macros etc as I only have LT2004. I have placed this custom
menu along with the button BMP's onto our network so that 80 users can use
these buttons.

them, but its only a matter of time before someone starts. I have now come
to a point where I now need to update these buttons, and would also like to
protect them a little more that just my words of 'don't move or alter the
buttons'.

CAD, delete the MNU, & MNC, update the file then re-compile the MNS?

 

<<As well as locking users out of the directory - not sure if this will work >>

Been working for us for about 15 years.



<<the MNS file and MNC files as they may get updated each time the user moves a toolbar around,>>

I don't think so, that info is held locally at each machine, in the profile. The only time the MNC is modified is when the MNS is re-compiled. If you edit buttons, or move buttons around on toolbars, the MNS is modified, and the MNC re-compiled, but just moving toolbars on the screen will not force a re-compile.


<<This will mean that if any user does modify the Toolbars, their modifications will be lost soon after. >>

That's why each user gets a personal menu to edit as desired.

 

Hi,

Thanks, I was too lazy to experiment. My other comments remain pertinent.

I agree categorically on giving users their own menu.
--


Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

profile. The only time the MNC is modified is when the MNS is re-compiled.
If you edit buttons, or move buttons around on toolbars, the MNS is
modified, and the MNC re-compiled, but just moving toolbars on the screen
will not force a re-compile.

modifications will be lost soon after. >>

 

Hi

Thanks for you're help. I made a copy of the DIR, and as OC suggested changed the write access to the DIR via the Administrator, giving myself and administrator write access and everyone else read access only.

When I logged back in, It tried to reload the MNS file, nothing happened. Perhaps I selected the wrong write access, I'm not sure.

I had already tried ticking the 'read only' box on the MNS file, and that works to a certain point, you can still change and move the icons, but not the macro. I had also tried making the BMPs read only too but that didn't really work.

The next thing I tried was to update the copied MNS, and re-load that. All of the icons are in exactly the same place as the original DIR structure, but for some reason just fluffy clouds appear (so sad the smiley faces have gone) on all of the customised buttons in the MNS.

As you can tell I'm fairly new to this part of managing/customising the CAD system, have dipped my toes in slightly since V2.8, and now have an opportunity to really make a difference to how people work.

Thanks for the website suggestion too Laurie.

Catherine