AutoCAD 2004 menus will corrupt 2000i menu file

[dalej_k]

After installing my AutoCAD 2004 and custom menus, I found that none of my menus are not loading in AutoCAD 2000i. Apparently, this is caused by a new menu format in 2004.

Does anyone have more info on this? Instructions I am finding, recommend to keep menus separate. All my custom menus are separate menu files with separate paths.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Below snippet comes from an old CADManagers Guild post from Richard Binning -

<snip>
Having them both on the same machine poses no problem unless you are pointing both version to the same custom menu.
Remember that although you may have them in separate folders, if autocad finds the menu first from the wrong location , then it might load that.

Make sure you don't hve this custom menu in the search path of both versions.

If you really want to use the same menu for both versions, then you can recompile the menu on the fly!

Try this code:

1.) save the following code to a file named acaddoc.lsp so that it loads prior to the menu being loaded.

2.) add the folder containing your custom menu and this acaddoc.lsp to your support file search path and push it up to the top of the pile.

3.) modify the code below replacing the word "Personal" with the name of your custom menu. (Note: personal is both the file name and the menugroup name.

;code below

   
(vl-load-com)
(if (findfile "Personal.mnr")
  (vl-file-delete (findfile "personal.mnr"))
)
(if (findfile "Personal.mnt")
  (vl-file-delete (findfile "personal.mnt"))
)
(if (findfile "Personal.mnc")
  (vl-file-delete (findfile "personal.mnc"))
)
	 ;set the flag
(setq flag1 T)
	 ;check if the menu is already loaded
(setq loaded (menugroup "PERSONAL"))
	 ;if it is not loaded
(if (= loaded nil)
	 ;do the following
  (progn
	 ;find the menu file
	(setq temp (findfile "PERSONAL.MNS"))
	 ;if you find the menu
	(if temp
	 ;do the following
	  (progn
	 ;switch off dialogues
 (setvar "FILEDIA" 0)
	 ;load the menu
 (command "menuload" "PERSONAL")
	 ;switch on dialogues
 (setvar "FILEDIA" 1)
	 ;install the pulldown
 (menucmd "P21=+PERSONAL.POP1")
	 ;inform the user
 (prompt "\nLoading Users Personal Menu....\n")
	  )	 ;progn
	 ;menu not found, so do the following
	  (progn
	 ;inform the user
 (alert "Cannot Locate THC Menu. \nRe-Run Install.")
	 ;clear the flag 
 (setq flag1 nil)
	  )	 ;progn
	)	 ;if
  )	 ;progn
  (progn
	 ;Menu previously loaded so lets unload it now
	 ;unload the menu
	(command "menuunload" "PERSONAL")
	 ;find the menu file
	(setq temp (findfile "PERSONAL.MNS"))
	 ;if you find the menu
	(if temp
	 ;do the following
	  (progn
	 ;switch off dialogues
 (setvar "FILEDIA" 0)
	 ;load the menu
 (command "menuload" "PERSONAL")
	 ;switch on dialogues
 (setvar "FILEDIA" 1)
	 ;install the pulldown
 (menucmd "P21=+PERSONAL.POP1")
	 ;inform the user
 (prompt "\nLoading Users Personal
Menu....\n")
	  )	 ;progn
	 ;menu not found, so do the following
	  (progn
	 ;inform the user
 (alert
   "Cannot Locate Users Personal Menu.
\nRe-Run Install."
 )
	 ;clear the flag 
 (setq flag1 nil)
	  )	 ;progn
	)	 ;if found
  )	 ;progn
)	 ;if loaded

Note: Bob Bell is reporting some crashing problems with just recompiling the menu... so I added the menu load/unload sequence. I haven't had any problems since.

Running ADT33 and ADT2004 with a common custom menu.

Thanks,

Richard Binning

CADD Coordinator
</snip>

Have a good one, Mike

[dalej_k]

Mike:

Thanks for posting Richard's Input.

I am using the method outlined by Richard Binning, (my version is written in older AutoLISP code). I like the suggestion to delete the compiled menu files and will add that in. The menuload code is located in my acad.lsp file. Users reported no problems with this method in R2000i.

I have different directories and paths for all the three releases of AutoCAD (I am actually also running Map 6 and all menus corrupted in Map 6 also). I am going to try renaming one set of menus. All our custom menus have the same name. AutoCAD might be loading one set before the other as you suggested.

Autodesk suggests using the menu migration tools but they do not appear to be available for Release 2004. We do not want to install 2005 at this point.

After installing my AutoCAD 2004 and custom menus, I found that none of my menus are not loading in AutoCAD 2000i. Apparently, this is caused by a new menu format in 2004.

Does anyone have more info on this? Instructions I am finding, recommend to keep menus separate. All my custom menus are separate menu files with separate paths.

[richard.binning]

Mike:

Thanks for posting Richard's Input.

I am using the method outlined by Richard Binning, (my version is written in older AutoLISP code). I like the suggestion to delete the compiled menu files and will add that in. The menuload code is located in my acad.lsp file. Users reported no problems with this method in R2000i.

I have different directories and paths for all the three releases of AutoCAD (I am actually also running Map 6 and all menus corrupted in Map 6 also). I am going to try renaming one set of menus. All our custom menus have the same name. AutoCAD might be loading one set before the other as you suggested.

Autodesk suggests using the menu migration tools but they do not appear to be available for Release 2004. We do not want to install 2005 at this point.

The Menu Migration tools should be available under the Migration Tools program folder under Autodesk. Like this (see graphic)

[dalej_k]

Richard:

The Menu and Toolbar Porter Migration Tool for 2004 is no longer available on the Autodesk site. The one currently available states that AutoCAD 2005 must be installed in order to use it. I could not install the utility with AutoCAD 2004 installed on this machine.

My menu corruption was due to a pathing error on the system. I would advise users to be cautious when upgrading menus to AutoCAD 2004. I had to uninstall my AutoCAD 2000i.

[Mike.Perry]

Richard:

The Menu and Toolbar Porter Migration Tool for 2004 is no longer available on the Autodesk site. The one currently available states that AutoCAD 2005 must be installed in order to use it. I could not install the utility with AutoCAD 2004 installed on this machine.

Hi

I'm sure (hope) you will be happy for me to say that you are in fact incorrect about this, give the following link a try -

Migration Tools for Autodesk 2004 Products

Have a good one, Mike

[richard.binning]

Richard:

The Menu and Toolbar Porter Migration Tool for 2004 is no longer available on the Autodesk site. The one currently available states that AutoCAD 2005 must be installed in order to use it. I could not install the utility with AutoCAD 2004 installed on this machine.

My menu corruption was due to a pathing error on the system. I would advise users to be cautious when upgrading menus to AutoCAD 2004. I had to uninstall my AutoCAD 2000i.

Actually all you had to do was delete the MNC and MNR compiled versions of your menu, copy the menu source (MNS, MNU, MNL, DLL) files to a new location and reload the MNS file into your session of Acad2000i. This would have recompiled your menus.

[dalej_k]

Thanks for the link to the 2004 Conversion Tools!! I could not find this yesterday, nor could my reseller tech support!


Regarding deleting the compiled menu files and moving the menu files , yes I know all that...

Nothing seemed to work at the time. Uninstalling the AutoCAD made it easier for me to isolate the cause of the problem.

Thanks for all the feedback.