express tools icons are missing

[sherflor]

not only are the icons missing, express tools come back with a "TextMask command unknown". I used appload to see if I could load the app. Acetmin.MNL is there but unselected. In the window to pick app to load Acetmin is not there. When I use explore and head toward the system folder I see it. The odd thing about this is that in the Loaded Application window, where Acetmin.MNL is not selected, its path is in the program files>support. I have been at this since yesterday. I have no clue!

[jaberwok]

What version of acad?
What icons where?
Do you see the Express Tools menu tab or Ribbon panel?
Have you tried "Expressmenu"?
Do you mean Acetmin or is it Acetmain?
In Appload, Acetmain should be visible but greyed-out = unselectable.

[sherflor]

my bad, I am using ACA-08 a student verison. The icons are icons that r seen in the drop down tab of ET. Yes I see the ET menu tab. I did do expressmenu but things didnt change. Yes I met Acetmain. I thought that is the app I need since that is what is greyed out in the appload window.

[jaberwok]

Okay, you have a menu tab header "Express" and you see the text menu items but not icons? Do the functions that don't have icons (everything under "Layout tools" for example) work?

From Tools\Options is the correct path to the Express folder show in "Support File Search Path"?

The Acetmain files should be in drive:\Documents and Settings\username\Application Data\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2008\version number\enu\Support.

[RobertB]

Express Tools is not installed by default. Are you sure that Express Tools has really been installed? The Express Tools CUI file is installed even when Express Tools has not been installed so that is not a reliable indicator.

[sherflor]

I saw the Expess file menu when I went to set the path as you wrote. Hit apply-closed- went back to check if CAD did its job and the file name was now the Support File Search Path. But no cigar, I still have the "unknown command". My icons have ? marks and nothing in the ET tab works, whether ? marks or not.I am wondering if my upgrade to xp sp3 has anything to do with this? I had to reformat my pc because of a virsus and had to install everything. I also had to upgrade to the sp3. I have done all that I know.

[sherflor]

ok, then, I thought that I had to just go into menuload and load the acetmain and I would have tools. If that is not the case what is the procedure?

[RobertB]

ok, then, I thought that I had to just go into menuload and load the acetmain and I would have tools. If that is not the case what is the procedure?

Go to Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel and modify your current install to include Express Tools.

[jaberwok]

Express Tools is not installed by default. Are you sure that Express Tools has really been installed? The Express Tools CUI file is installed even when Express Tools has not been installed so that is not a reliable indicator.

Wasn't A2008 the one (vanilla) version in which ETs were installed by default?
It sounds like the text items are there but not the icons - indicating a lost dll file?

[sherflor]

RobertB and Jaberwok, you guys are Sweet! My first clue was add/remove, there was not a modify to modity. But, my second clue was that, yes other times that I had to reinstall ET was there and I had to just do a menuload. So I went ahead and and click on Add/Remove Features. And and the Select features to install window popped up, I scrolled down and ET was deselected. I selected and went through the process of install. I have my ET menu working not only that I have the help menu load too. The help menu would never come up well now I know why. I use the help in ET for aliases; I even have icons. The only icons I dont have is when I customize and select either Blocks or Text as tool bars, I still have those ? marks. But the main issue is solved. Wow what a learning expeince.