How to quickly update everyone's .cui files?

[cargo33us120260]

Bear with me, I'm trying to get up to speed on using the cui's. I've watched the tutorials, and I'm still not clear on the quickest way to do this.....
In my former pre-2006 life, I would just edit the CustomStuff.mns files in notepad, and then send them out and tell everyone to overwrite.
Is there a way to do this with the .cui's? Do I *have* to edit using the interface? I've tried editing some commands and then reloading the menu and it didn't update.

We/they are not using workspaces, so maybe that has something to do with it.

And should our CustomStuff.cui menus be loaded as an Enterprise file, or just loaded under the main Acad.cui area?

TIA,
cargo

[Glenn Pope]

Do you have a central location on a network to place the CUI file? That way you can point everyones computer to that CUI. When you make updates you don't have to worry about sending it out to everyone. Its already done.

Your company CUI should be the enterprise or a partial menu loaded into which ever CUI you make enterprise.

Have you check out the following thread?
Notes on the philosophy of CUI (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=18955)

[cargo33us120260]

So that brings up Dumb Question #5.....If I put the CUI somewhere on the server, will it look to that spot EVERY time AutoCAD is opened? What happens if we aren't connected to the server?

My confusion is that I edited a CUI file, and then gave it to another user, had him overwrite his old one, but nothing updated. Do I have to go in manually and unload and reload the cui every time I change something?

Yes, I did read parts of the 'Philosophy' thread.....I glazed over about page 3 though. Plus it is a year old and I'm not sure when it was updated, so I just thought I'd ask about my specific situation.

Thanks!



Do you have a central location on a network to place the CUI file? That way you can point everyones computer to that CUI. When you make updates you don't have to worry about sending it out to everyone. Its already done.

Your company CUI should be the enterprise or a partial menu loaded into which ever CUI you make enterprise.

Have you check out the following thread?
Notes on the philosophy of CUI (http://forums.augi.com/showthread.php?t=18955)

[Glenn Pope]

So that brings up Dumb Question #5.....If I put the CUI somewhere on the server, will it look to that spot EVERY time AutoCAD is opened? What happens if we aren't connected to the server?

My confusion is that I edited a CUI file, and then gave it to another user, had him overwrite his old one, but nothing updated. Do I have to go in manually and unload and reload the cui every time I change something?

Yes, I did read parts of the 'Philosophy' thread.....I glazed over about page 3 though. Plus it is a year old and I'm not sure when it was updated, so I just thought I'd ask about my specific situation.

Thanks!
You'll have to set each computer to look at the right place on the server. But that only needs to be done once. After that it will look every time. If you not connected to the server then the CUI will now load. So if you network goes down all the time then this wouldn't be a option. Of course if your network goes down a lot then you have a lot of problems ;)

Not sure why the updates are not showing. They should. You should see the changes when you restart AutoCAD. Make sure that the updated CUI is the one being loaded.

The info in the Philosophy thread is still very valid. They change much 2007 to make a difference. Also RobertB has even gone back and edited his original post recently. Lots of good info in there and really worth the time to sit and read it.

[sinc]

Not sure why the updates are not showing. They should. You should see the changes when you restart AutoCAD. Make sure that the updated CUI is the one being loaded.

Also keep an eye on your support paths. Some people make a copy of the default Autocad CUIs in the network location, then start changing them there. This isn't really good practice - it is better to leave the Autodesk CUIs alone and create your own custom ones - but it can lead to issues where the default copy on the user's computer is being used instead of the modified one on the server. If this sounds like it might apply to you, check the support file path in OPTIONS and make sure the directory to the CUI files on the server is listed BEFORE the default user support directory (the Support directory tucked deep inside the "user home/Application Data" directory.

[cargo33us120260]

After thinking about it, CUI files on the server won't be an option. We all need to be network non-dependant.
But from what you're telling me, I should be able to just have the cui files on the same place on everyone's computer, and then tell them to drop the new file in and overwrite the old one, and it should update when they open AutoCAD. Right? I can live with that.

I'm sure I can figure out why they aren't loading....or where they're loading from....now that I know that they *should* be updating.

Yes, I'll have to go back and re-read the 'philosophy' thread. Most of it is lost on me now since I'm just starting to understand what the deal is with the cui stuff.

Thanks for all the help!!!
cargo



You'll have to set each computer to look at the right place on the server. But that only needs to be done once. After that it will look every time. If you not connected to the server then the CUI will now load. So if you network goes down all the time then this wouldn't be a option. Of course if your network goes down a lot then you have a lot of problems ;)

Not sure why the updates are not showing. They should. You should see the changes when you restart AutoCAD. Make sure that the updated CUI is the one being loaded.

The info in the Philosophy thread is still very valid. They change much 2007 to make a difference. Also RobertB has even gone back and edited his original post recently. Lots of good info in there and really worth the time to sit and read it.

[Opie]

After thinking about it, CUI files on the server won't be an option. We all need to be network non-dependant.
But from what you're telling me, I should be able to just have the cui files on the same place on everyone's computer, and then tell them to drop the new file in and overwrite the old one, and it should update when they open AutoCAD. Right? I can live with that.

I'm sure I can figure out why they aren't loading....or where they're loading from....now that I know that they *should* be updating.

Yes, I'll have to go back and re-read the 'philosophy' thread. Most of it is lost on me now since I'm just starting to understand what the deal is with the cui stuff.

Thanks for all the help!!!
cargo
I'm a little :confused: If you are on a network but you need to be network non-dependant, where do you store your drawings? How do you back them up? IMHO, if you have a network, use it to its fullest. If you are not using the network, why have one? The network will make these type of changes the easiest for the CAD Manager or designated customizer.