Shared Palettes - copying files

[pbrumberg]

I know this is probably a common question, but I've yet in my searches been able to find a thread to properly address the specific question with a concise direction to resolve the issue - so here goes:

I would like to create a shared tool palette that I am able to change, and after having made changes be able to automatically (upon restarting ACAD) have the changes take effect for other users without having to go through some export/import steps. In a typical office I know that this can be done by setting the palette on the network somewhere - but even at that I'm not sure I completely follow what needs to be done. To complicate matters, I have a little different problem - we all use laptops here so that we can take work with us as we please. Thereby I need to be able to take the file(s) which changes when I update the shared palette and copy it to everyone's C: drive (so they have access to the file when not connected to the office network).

I'd also like to have the users able to create their own palettes - do I need to set up two different palette files for this to occur (using a toolbar button which changes directories for the tool palette path depending on which set of palettes the user wants)? If I do not do this it seems that the individual users palettes may be overwritten when I copy around the shared palettes.

To make this simple I'm starting with just the shared palettes. I set up my palettes and have them saved to my C: drive (C:/ACAD/CustomPalettes) and set the tool palette path to match that folder. Autocad automatically creates subfolders in my CustomPalettes folder (subfolders Palettes and Images within that folder). Is it possible for me to copy the CustomPalettes folder to another user's hard drive, and change the tool palette path to that folder so that AutoCAD automatically looks there for palettes? It seems that I might need to load the palettes on each individual PC one time - if I make changes to the palettes on my PC and copy the folder again will the palette automatically update on the second PC? This is important as our shared palettes will need to continue to evolve over the next year or so as we add items.

Once I figure out the shared palettes, is it possible to do custom palettes using the same directory or will I definitely need to change the directory (using a toolbar button seems the simplest method for that). I am guessing that any customizing done in the shared palettes folder (by other users) will be overwritten when updated palette information is copied over that directory.

I'm not sure this is such a straight-forward question - so any questions in return?

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Take a look at the links provided in this post ( RE: Create a Macro to switch Tool Palette location ).

+

Plug the following into forum search facility ( hint, maybe limit your search to the AutoCAD Customization forum )...

Key Word(s): Tool + *Palette*

Personally I would do something like the following...

* Within office point all CAD users to central network location.
* When CAD users take their laptop out of the office, look to sink ( copy ) files stored on network to local drive of laptop.

Have a good one, Mike

[pbrumberg]

Mike -

I had seen those threads and posts before, but I still have some questions. I have the buttons done and working to switch the path. It looks like I lose my groups though when the path switches.

I understand what you're saying about syncing - but the trouble will be that is I won't get everyone to do that consistently. It also means reading from two different palette locations when in and out of the office. If I just store the palette information on each laptop and update it (which I've found an easy way to do using self extracting zip files) when I have changes then I only need to point to one location for in and out of office use, and I know the files are always up to date (no user input required to sync network and laptop to stay up to date).

So I guess maybe the question should be - it appears I can point autocad to two different tool palette locations at the same time by adding a path to the tool palette file location (in the options dialogue box). Doing so should allow me to have both a company shared palette and an individual's personal palette on each PC. I'm still trying to figure out where any new palettes created will be stored since there are two paths shown (I'm guessing the first path listed). My question still remains - can I just copy the whole folder (C:/ACAD/CustomPalettes) from my PC to everyone else's to provide every user with the most current palettes??

[Mike.Perry]

My question still remains - can I just copy the whole folder (C:/ACAD/CustomPalettes) from my PC to everyone else's to provide every user with the most current palettes??

Hi

Should work in theory... experiment, try it and see what happens, by doing so will give you the confidence everything is ok! and will work as expected in real world conditions.

Have a good one, Mike

[jwf]

I'm in the middle of doing the same thing. We have changed alot of our blocks to Dynamic and using TP's. I made all TP's on my PC. Then I had the IT guy set me up with a partition drive to put just our ACAD files. Then he only gave me and one other Operator full permissions. Now if anyone make changes, your were right, the added palettes goes to their first path in the search path. Without having permission the TP has the Lock icon at the bottom for them. But I still can't get an answer on, is there anyway to update TP's without having everyone import. Plus I rearranged the icons on some TP's. How do I get those change to the rest of the users? I'm trying to get away from our custom pulldowns. because the TP's let you use the Alignment function in the Dynamic blocks. But the Pulldowns were simple to update. When I made a change it would Automatically update when everyone started Acad.