Enterprise.cui + Main.cui

[Pierre P]

Hopefully this is in the appropriate forum.
I've looked this up, but can't find the answer I'm looking for.

CONTEXT
Inherited the role of cad manager and working with ACA 2012.
I'm currently setting up, what I believe to be, fairly elaborate 'office standards'.
My plan is to set up the otb aca.cui with the MAIN customization file; and use the ENTERPRISE option for office standards (both the MAIN.cui and ENTERPRISE.cui will be on our network).

I'm choosing to do this for a few reasons:
1. To help me 'protect' the office standards from human mistakes
2. I can continue working on the office standards while the rest of the office keeps working on 'real' projects and can easily update them as they evolve.

PROBLEM
In one word: Workspaces

All of us have different screen setups:
We all work with 2 screens, but they all vary in sizes.

SO

If I set up a standard workspace on MY computer, it won't 'fit' on other computers (palettes will overlap, etc...) and every user will need to 'readjust' their workspace each time they star CAD - very annoying and time consuming.
Since the Enterprise.cui is read-only, my coworkers won't be able to create their own workspace.

Also (I'm in the testing period now), I get an error message saying:
'Unable to load customization file: That customization Group name already exists'

From what I understand, that means elements are repeat in both the Main.cui and Enterprise.cui, but I can't figure out what those elements are...

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Cheers!
Pierre P.

[BlackBox]

You may find this to be useful:

A Working Enterprise CUI in Front of Your Eyes

Separately, when creating your Enterprise CUI(x), use the CUI Editor's Transfer Tab to create a new (read empty) CUI(x) file to start with. Then only add your aptly named 'Enterprise' functionality to the Enterprise CUI(x).

HTH

[dgorsman]

ACA may work a little differently with respect to partially loaded CUIx files, so YMMV. I would recommend keeping *all* of your standard CUIx content under Enterprise (custom stuff in the actual Enterprise, ACA.CUIx as partial) while keeping the Main per user and completely blank except for a starting-point workspace. If the Main is to be on the network then it should be individual per-user so they can save workspaces and QAT settings, otherwise keep it on the workstation.

[Pierre P]

RenderMan,

Thank you VERY much for that.
Very helpful!

Pierre P.

[Pierre P]

dgorsman,

Makes a lot of sense, I’ll be going about it as you suggested.
Thanks for that!

If I understand what you are saying, I’ll need to create a profile for every user: Each would be composed of the 'office.cui’ AND the ‘individuals.cui’. So, if I were to continue the office customization, I’d update the ‘office’s cui’. Which is exactly what I want - Awesome!

However, the only glitch I can foresee is the toolpalette, since they are profile dependant. This would give every employee the opportunity to modify the ‘office’ toolpalette. Which is what I don’t want. This has nothing to do with your proposal really, but it is an issue.

Any thoughts on how I could ‘protect’ the toolpalettes?

[Coloradomrg]

Put the palettes in a folder that you have full control over, but other users only have read access. This will prevent unauthorized modifications to the palettes.

I keep all of my blocks, details, pc3, ctb, and all shareable support files on the server (read only to all but me) because of past issues with some users thinking they could 'fix' something themselves.

I'm not smart enough to figure out how to push out custom profiles, so I have a company profile that once updated I have each user (only 3-5 others in my case) import it. I then go to each machine and manually change their main cui to their personal cui with all of their custom commands/toolbars. I'm pretty sure there is a way to automate this though.

[Wanderer]

Pierre, yes, this is an issue faced by CAD Managers, but, I decided to go ahead and move your post from that forum to this one (AutoCAD CUI Menus forum), as it might be better served here.
Cheers.

Hopefully this is in the appropriate forum.
I've looked this up, but can't find the answer I'm looking for.

[dgorsman]

A profile-per-user is OK for a few users, but more than that and its just headaches - especially if there are multiple third- or in-house applications involved. I've got multiple profiles, each centered around its own application (e.g. third-pary piping design app, in-house electrical design app, third-party structural design app, blah blah blah...). Each profile has its own Enterprise in a central read-only location, and has the ACAD, Express, Raster Design, etc. CUIx's as partial. Each user has their own set of Main's, one for each application. Because each user has their own Main for any given application, they get to manage their own workspaces and I don't need to mess around guess what the profile is called on any given computer (also useful for knowing which third-pary application is running, too). Users don't need to know about manual profile selection/switching, just the basics about how to set up and save a workspace - which is difficult enough.

[BlackBox]

We operate in a similar fashion to what Dgorsman describes. I'd also add that each of the user's Main CUI(x)'s are stored on the user's personal network space which makes their individual customizations available no matter which computer they log in at (think IT replacement, etc) or which office they go to (apparently my company does a lot of internal travel - I know!?!).

Separately, to the point of managing profiles, I've found it incredibly advantageous to setup a 'shell' profile that is loaded via the /P switch, which simply puts ACAD.lsp in the Support File Search Paths (SFSP), and manage the profile at startup. I've also incorporated an 'update' application via ACADDOC.lsp which prompts the user that an update is available, and typically provides the user the option of updating now, or at the next session open (depending on the nature of the update of course). This gives the users flexability to continue working if up against a tight deadline.

HTH

[Pierre P]

'update' application via ACADDOC.lsp !!! Sounds sexy...

I don't use acaddoc.lsp. Someone on the Autodesk discussion board convinced me it wasn't necessary:
http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCA...u/td-p/3299195

Anyway, my follow up question is rather simple and I'm pretty sure I know the answer...
If, as discussed, I'm using an Enterprise.cuix, I can't modify it while it's being by others, right?
Which means that I would need to create an Enterprise 2.0.cuix and update the original Enterprise.cuix when everyone is gone.

Or, can I update the Enterprise.cuix while everyone is using it and have automatic updates as they come?

---------------------------------------------

Turns out we had a problem with the network antivirus
I can edit the Enterprise.cuix now