Startup SheetSet With Template & ".dst" File

[CADdancer]

Hello AUGI Members,

I would like to startup the SheetSet manager, from a lisp routine, with a template file and ".dst" file......similar to the way we can start AutoCAD with switches for a profile and template.

Is there a simple way to accomplish this....??

Any assistance would be appreciated.....!

Regards,
Vince

[TerribleTim]

When you say "start up the SheetSet Manager", what do you mean exactly? Are you talking when you open the palette? I have my SSM palette open, so it will be started when AutoCAD opens. Or do you mean when you create a new SheetSet?

[CADdancer]

Hi Tim,

Thank you for your response...!

We have multiple offices and each office has their own printers and plotters. I am trying to setup office specific sheetset templates so that if a user in San Francisco choses a template for that office the sheetset will automatically have plotting options for that office.

Secondly we have a few different types of projects with each of these types having their own sub-groups for drawing files.

What I hope to accomplish is when a project is starting a user could pick a sheetset option from a palette and the sheetset manager will open with a template drawing file ".dwt" and sheetset ".dst" with specific sub-groups for the project drawings. Then as the drawings are created they will be placed into the corresponding sub-groups and the printer/plotter options are already defined for that office.

In other words I am trying to customize sheetsets and make it simple for anyone to begin a project using the sheetset capability.

Does this clarify things for you....?? Does this sound like a logical way to set this up....??

Regards,
Vince

[Opie]

You could link to a template file which contains Page Setup overrides for office specific plotters already setup. Doing that, you could use the SSM to print your sheets using "Publish using Page Setup Overrides".

[TerribleTim]

Opie is right with the template file being set up for the plotting options. That's how we have them here.

I don't think you are going to find any way to start the SSM from a template on a palette or from anything on a palette. Sorry. The short of it is, you have to create the SS first, then create the drawings in the SS from your template. Not create the SS from a template.

[randyspear]

I've been searching for a way to do this for awhile.
Really the commands are already there (new sheet set/from and example sheet set/specifiy path/finish), it just can't seem to be done transparently.
I have our example .dst's in a locked folder but people don't know enough about ssm to even start from an example or where to find it. It would be so much easier if it could be a tool palette tool like our dwt's.

[TerribleTim]

. . .
I have our example .dst's in a locked folder but people don't know enough about ssm to even start from an example or where to find it. It would be so much easier if it could be a tool palette tool like our dwt's.

Ouch, this one hurt to read. Isn't it the CAD/BIM Manager's job to teach them? Sounds like a good lunch & learn topic to me. I always give our newbies a crash course in SSM on day 1 and it includes "how to make a new sheet set". I also try to do a learning session when we have a lot of new people and cover the SSM in depth; where are the templates located, how do you use them, how do you set it up, what do you need to input, all that. I need them to know how to do it without me there. How else can I trust that it gets done right? Or take a vacation?