AutoCAD custom icon reverting to older version during mini setup

[jpcadconsulting347236]

Hey gang, hope this is the right forum for this.

A while back I created a deployment for AutoCAD 2014. It places a custom icon on the desktop that calls a standard arg in the following location using the following text:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\acad.exe" /p "\\ny-server\cad_common$\AutoCAD 2014\MVVA 2014 Standard r00.arg"

Now, since the deployment was created, the server has been upgraded and its name is now ny-fs01, not ny-server. No problem, new arg, modified the deployment. Done.

New installs work fine, existing installs work fine (after the icon has been updated).

However, when a new user logs onto a workstation for the first time (think new employee) and runs AutoCAD for the first time on a a machine where AutoCAD was deployed prior to the server switch, the icon that is placed on the desktop has the old text and therefore throws "bad profile" errors. Likewise if I delete the reg key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D004:409" to force a mini setup, the icon placed on the desktop is the old icon.

My question:

Where is AutoCAD hiding this information locally on the workstation? There must be a "default" profile that AutoCAD is using to populate the registry with default settings (and the old text in the icon) when a new user runs AutoCAD for the first time.

Any help is appreciated.

-JP

[BlackBox]

Hey gang, hope this is the right forum for this.

A while back I created a deployment for AutoCAD 2014. It places a custom icon on the desktop that calls a standard arg in the following location using the following text:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\acad.exe" /p "\\ny-server\cad_common$\AutoCAD 2014\MVVA 2014 Standard r00.arg"

Now, since the deployment was created, the server has been upgraded and its name is now ny-fs01, not ny-server. No problem, new arg, modified the deployment. Done.

New installs work fine, existing installs work fine (after the icon has been updated).

However, when a new user logs onto a workstation for the first time (think new employee) and runs AutoCAD for the first time on a a machine where AutoCAD was deployed prior to the server switch, the icon that is placed on the desktop has the old text and therefore throws "bad profile" errors. Likewise if I delete the reg key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D004:409" to force a mini setup, the icon placed on the desktop is the old icon.

My question:

Where is AutoCAD hiding this information locally on the workstation? There must be a "default" profile that AutoCAD is using to populate the registry with default settings (and the old text in the icon) when a new user runs AutoCAD for the first time.

Any help is appreciated.

-JP

Which Desktop... Where specifically is the application icon located within the client machine... %UserProfile%\Desktop, or %Public%\Desktop...?

An instance of the former is required for each-and-every-single user that logs into the client machine, whereas only one (correct) instance is needed for all users with the latter. Speculatively on my part, it sounds as though your ..\netlogon\<YourLoginScriptName>.bat is replicating the bad application icon to user's Desktop, rather than the simpler, aforementioned alternative.

More information is needed.

Cheers

[dgorsman]

Check for a hidden Default user. We have a similar LNK file there, except it calls a BAT to handle the initial set-up rather than an AutoCAD launch-with-profile.

[BlackBox]

Check for a hidden Default user. We have a similar LNK file there, except it calls a BAT to handle the initial set-up rather than an AutoCAD launch-with-profile.

Funny enough, I thought the 'common' location was Default at first (I have hidden shown), but couldn't recall the environment variable to that location... A quick search pointed me towards Public instead.

In any event, and I think you're correct that the problem .LNK may be located there, resulting in the copying of same to each-and-every user's Desktop... To my mind, Public is still a better location for ease of maintenance if nothing else (fix once, and done for all).

Cheers

[dgorsman]

Funny enough, I thought the 'common' location was Default at first (I have hidden shown), but couldn't recall the environment variable to that location... A quick search pointed me towards Public instead.

In any event, and I think you're correct that the problem .LNK may be located there, resulting in the copying of same to each-and-every user's Desktop... To my mind, Public is still a better location for ease of maintenance if nothing else (fix once, and done for all).

Cheers

For an AutoCAD or other day-to-day shortcuts, agreed. Our BAT initializer is a bit different - I want it to disappear after the first run (it does some user-specific stuff along with calling for the standard set of desktop shortcuts). If I did this in the Public folder deleting the shortcut to the BAT would mean all future users wouldn't have anything to start it with. If it was left in place all users would have this pesky Initialize shortcut they'd be tempted to delete themselves.

[BlackBox]

For an AutoCAD or other day-to-day shortcuts, agreed. Our BAT initializer is a bit different - I want it to disappear after the first run (it does some user-specific stuff along with calling for the standard set of desktop shortcuts). If I did this in the Public folder deleting the shortcut to the BAT would mean all future users wouldn't have anything to start it with. If it was left in place all users would have this pesky Initialize shortcut they'd be tempted to delete themselves.

Certainly; rather than replicating this initialization to each Client's Default (particularly if in a large organization with myriad [virtualized?] client machines), you could perhaps instead port this procedure to ..\netlogon\<YourLogonScript>.[bat [vbs]] file, which could check for registry key, folder exist, etc. in order to distinguish who has, and has not been initialized.

That said, I've often learned a great deal from you, so if you've elected not to do such I trust that it was to your benefit nonetheless, of course.

Cheers



[Edit] - Wonder how the OP's getting on? *shrug*

[jpcadconsulting347236]

Sorry for the delay - the forum does not seem to be notifying me via email as I requested.

The icon is locate din the Public desktop.

I believe it is being copied form the Default or Default user folder, but I do not have access to it and IT is pretty unresponsive.
I have a line in login.bat that copies the correct icon to the public desktop on login but domain users do not have write access to the public desktop, and again, our IT is slow to respond.

Once they do this should be a non issue.

Thanks as always for all your help.

[Wanderer]

Sorry for the delay - the forum does not seem to be notifying me via email as I requested.

Sorry. This issue is evidently a result of our recent server switch. It has been reported and is being worked on and should be resolved soon.

[jpcadconsulting347236]

Thanks for the heads up Melanie.