Utilities Management - Any Out There?

[omorah]

Since AutoCAD 2006, I have been transferring menus from one version to another and renaming them as well. Version 2010 is on its way and I will have to set up another set of files or folder for that too. I know that would be a better and more efficient way to be more organized. How?

Normally, I have the ????09.CUI, ????09.LSP, ????09.MNL, etc. I have read a few topics on managing my list routines.

My goal is to have a "standard" name for my utilities to be linked to any version of AutoCAD in the system, with a name not specific to any version. Am I on the right track?

Also, I would need advice on what to put in which file (LSP & MNL) and what not to; or just what people think works better.

I load most of my routines in my ???08.LSP / ???09.LSP / ???09.MNL while some routines are just stand alone (either long or short ones).

Just curious! Is there any utility out there one can use to manage routines, as in a dialog box-controlling utility? Hope am not just dreaming?

[ccowgill]

Since AutoCAD 2006, I have been transferring menus from one version to another and renaming them as well. Version 2010 is on its way and I will have to set up another set of files or folder for that too. I know that would be a better and more efficient way to be more organized. How?

Normally, I have the ????09.CUI, ????09.LSP, ????09.MNL, etc. I have read a few topics on managing my list routines.

My goal is to have a "standard" name for my utilities to be linked to any version of AutoCAD in the system, with a name not specific to any version. Am I on the right track?

Also, I would need advice on what to put in which file (LSP & MNL) and what not to; or just what people think works better.

I load most of my routines in my ???08.LSP / ???09.LSP / ???09.MNL while some routines are just stand alone (either long or short ones).

Just curious! Is there any utility out there one can use to manage routines, as in a dialog box-controlling utility? Hope am not just dreaming?
2010 will transfer your 09 cui file to the new cuix format (making its own copy) as for the rest of what you are asking, I dont quite understand. The way we do it is we have one set of lisp routines that are made to be compatible with any version, and if it is something that is newer, we add a check before the program loads to verify that the proper version is running so we dont get any errors in the older versions. I dont use mnl files. the only thing I am aware of that you have to keep separate are the tool palette files, as supposedly a tool palette created in a newer version is not compatible with older versions, and at least thru 2009 64bit palettes are not compatible with 32 bit, although I have been told this has been corrected in 2010.

[omorah]

Yes, I am going to get rid of my MNL file anyway.
In the past week or so, I have been compiling my list routines and removing redundant ones to have a comprehansive file.
Can a 32bit tool palette be converted to work on 64bit?

My curiousity is if there is a way to keep tab of all routines one have. I thought I saw something like that some time ago. It was kinda a dialog box that "tracks" all routines one have. Well, maybe I was sleep walking when I saw that.

[ccowgill]

32 bit tool palettes work fine on a 64 bit system, it just doesnt work the other way around. but like I said they said the fixed it in 2010, I have to wait to see until I get it installed on a 32 bit system.

to keep tabs of what I have, I have an excel file, if I get a new routine, I put its name in the file, and what it does, and how to call it. It is manual, but easy to do after it was initially created.

We load all of our LISP routines from one central loading routine, it loads ones we use all the time, and autoloads ones that need to be called by the user. there are several threads in the forums that discuss how different companies are set up.

[therealjd]

I create a folder specific for each version of autocad and copy the lisp, cui, vlx, arx, and whatever else was in the older version's folder. Then i start to prune my list of lisps to see what's compatible with the new version. Sometimes lisps need to be updated, or removed because of features added. Once i've done pruning, i then have a folder that i know works on a particular version. As for tracking them? I had an excel spreadsheet too... but I find less need for it now because i have a system for naming lisps based on function. I always add info into the comments at the beginning of the lisps for changes i've made to my lisp routines and the dates they were done.

[RobertB]

I create a folder specific for each version of autocad and copy the lisp, cui, vlx, arx, and whatever else was in the older version's folder. Then i start to prune my list of lisps to see what's compatible with the new version. Sometimes lisps need to be updated, or removed because of features added. Once i've done pruning, i then have a folder that i know works on a particular version. As for tracking them? I had an excel spreadsheet too... but I find less need for it now because i have a system for naming lisps based on function. I always add info into the comments at the beginning of the lisps for changes i've made to my lisp routines and the dates they were done.Blech. (Sorry.) And what do you do when you need to revise an application that now exists in 3 different flavors?

[andrea.andreetti]

for my own..

each drafter have same first and second folder path in the acad search path directory to ensure to load the respective programs and find all needed program file for each department.

i've made a routine that export all profiles, cui, pgp, etc...in a network drive
and it make a backup automaticly on each 10 AutoCAD open session.

This allow us to change user PC and retreive all required config, menu, pgp, Lisp etc.. in a simple click. It also allow to import a specific user config for testing or when having new employee.

Costum Menu are in Network folder with ISO filename strategy.
By department/client/version etc...

Some department use LISP in MNL file.

LAPTOP have same configuration with folder mapped to same letter drive when they aren't on the network and they auto-snchronize when connected.

I did Lot of work...but it save me lot of headhake. ;-)

[rkmcswain]

My goal is to have a "standard" name for my utilities to be linked to any version of AutoCAD in the system, with a name not specific to any version. Am I on the right track?

Yes. No need to rename anything. In summary, leave the Autodesk supplied files in place and set up AutoCAD to use YOUR files. You can store your files anywhere, just make sure where ever you store them is at the TOP of the support file search path.

For more details, see: http://cadpanacea.com/node/34


Also, I would need advice on what to put in which file (LSP & MNL) and what not to; or just what people think works better.

Use "acad.lsp" for things that need to be loaded once per session, and "acaddoc.lsp" for things that need to be loaded once per drawing (such as lisp files). MNL files can contain code that is specific to a menu file.