Tool Palettes Problem

[garethspencer7399]

HELP!!!!

Not sure if this is the right place to post this as the AutoCAD Customization didn't really have a tread for Tool Palettes.

I have been setting up some company Tool Palettes, which is easy to do and I have them all on my machine ready to put on the network so everyone can use them.

Here is the BUT!!!!

I have been using the a Action Recorder to test AutoCAD so it will switch between Tool Palettes on the network, which I got from Matt Murphy's AU09 class Matt Murphy AU09 Class Link.
The reason I am doing this is I want to be able to give everyone the option to select the tool palettes just for them and not all the company ones. For example Structural, Civil, M&E, etc.... Then when it works create a Toolbar or Panel on Ribbon so they can simply select the one they require.

For some reason this doesn't work and I can't figure out why all I get is a blank Palette with a new tab.

The macro I have put in is as follows:
*_TOOLPALETTEPATH "//gifford/cadstandards/2010/Tool Palettes".
If I go into the options menu where the file path is stored it has created more paths (see attached image 001) and if I try to delete them I get the following message as shown in image 002.

I also having AutoCAD LT on my machine which if I change the 'Tool Palettes File Location' to read the palettes I have put on the network it works. Which is great but it reads all the palettes but am sure everyone wont want to see all the palttes or have to change the file location them selves. I sure don't want to have to log onto everyone's machines to change it.

Has anyone got any ideas why this is happening and what I can do to fix it?????

I have been using AutoCAD 2010 to set this up.

[pendean]

While you wait....

Have you explored using Palette Groups at all? A user makes active one group of palettes, and it's pretty much their only choice until they change Palette Groups. Works great for multi-discipline offices, and AutoCAD/LT environments OOTB.

All you have to do is actually set them up correctly per each department's needs (or if you must, show your users how to do it for themselves).

[LyleHardin]

I may not completely understand what's going on, but I have to agree with Dean on the tool pallettes groups.

On another note, we keep our pallettes on the network in their respective disciplines' folders.

IE: T:\CAD\BLOCKS\MECH or T:\CAD\BLOCKS\CIVIL, etc. then I only add the appropriate paths to users' Tool Pallettes Support Paths.  These folders are where each discipline can also place blocks they may create and once in a while we update the pallettes and don't have to do anything to individuals' machines.

I usually show them how to make a Tool Pallette group as well.

I know this isn't a direct answer to your question, but possibly an easier work around.

Lyle.

[garethspencer7399]

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@pendean wrote:

While you wait....

Have you explored using Palette Groups at all? A user makes active one group of palettes, and it's pretty much their only choice until they change Palette Groups. Works great for multi-discipline offices, and AutoCAD/LT environments OOTB.

All you have to do is actually set them up correctly per each department's needs (or if you must, show your users how to do it for themselves).

---

I have looked at the briefly but after doing a did of research I have not found made good reviews, a few people say it’s not a good idea.

I take it you create all the palettes as normal but then you can put the relevant palettes you wish to use in each group as you may use some of the same palettes in each group, then you can select which group is shown. (See attached image).

How do you get everyone to view them is it the same way, by putting them on the network and linking to them? Do you put each group in its own folder on the network?

[garethspencer7399]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I may not completely understand what's going on, but I have to agree with Dean on the tool pallettes groups.

On another note, we keep our pallettes on the network in their respective disciplines' folders.

IE: T:\CAD\BLOCKS\MECH or T:\CAD\BLOCKS\CIVIL, etc. then I only add the appropriate paths to users' Tool Pallettes Support Paths.  These folders are where each discipline can also place blocks they may create and once in a while we update the pallettes and don't have to do anything to individuals' machines.

I usually show them how to make a Tool Pallette group as well.

I know this isn't a direct answer to your question, but possibly an easier work around.

Lyle.

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I am trying to set up like your saying but without using groups, but then writting the relevant macro to put on a button which user can switch palettes if required. If your like my company now I am doing work for different disciplines now not just my usual structures so it would be very useful to switch them over when required. But I am having issues with the macro at the moment if I can get that to work then things will go just fine.

[LyleHardin]

It sounds like your wanting to change the Tool Palette Search Path depending on what discipline you are working with.

You could do this with Options > Profiles. Save a different profile for each tool palette path you set up.

Then, you could place Icons on the desktop (or start menu) with arguments (/P etc.) to fire up AutoCAD with the appropriate profile. You may discover some command line that will switch profiles while within AutoCAD, but I've found that if you change paths in the Options, you usually need to exit and restart AutoCAD for those paths to update. Particularly with printer paths. I bet it's the case with Tool Palettes as well.

I still think your best be is just tool palette groups. Easy, built in, and a good thing for users to know how to do.

Another Option: Workspaces....

If you make Tool Palette groups, then you can switch between Tool Palette groups by making a different Workspace for each group.

[pendean]

All TPs and TP Groups are on the server, centrally located: Groups have served well since the dawn of TPs, so I think the reviews you read were from folks having difficulties with them and not a flaw in the setup.

Organizing your TPs on the server by discipline, as the other response suggested, and tied to a PROFILE for each discipline is another great method.

Not to rain on the topic of the Action Recorder, but IMHO that is an inadequate limied-use customization tool to implement office standards and TPs. There are many better methods.

[LyleHardin]

Well, now that Dean has said it... I too, don't have a high opinion of the Action recorder. I've seldom got it to do what I wanted it to do.

[dgorsman]

Another option would be different profiles for different discipline applications.  Trying to ram differing application requirements down a single "all in one" profile can cause more problems than its worth when those applications differ significantly for each other.

[garethspencer7399]

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@pendean wrote:

All TPs and TP Groups are on the server, centrally located: Groups have served well since the dawn of TPs, so I think the reviews you read were from folks having difficulties with them and not a flaw in the setup.

Organizing your TPs on the server by discipline, as the other response suggested, and tied to a PROFILE for each discipline is another great method.

Not to rain on the topic of the Action Recorder, but IMHO that is an inadequate limied-use customization tool to implement office standards and TPs. There are many better methods.

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I have just taken my master Tool Palettes and created groups, I didnt think that would be so easy to do. I think the good thing about it you can put the same palettes in each group and then just right click on the palettes and switch group.

When you say use PROFILE's do you mean set up the palettes groups set up the PROFILE with it set to that group as save as?

Dont worry about the Action Recorder I was just trying my macro to see if it worked, it did and didnt so I doute I will be using it again.

I am creating my tool palettes in AutoCAD but we also have licences for LT, ADT, MEP, Civils 3D is this likely to cause any problems if we share them will all?

I found this link Copying Tool Palettes Groups on Autodesk website which sayings its a good idea to copy the profile.aws file to the computer(s).

[LyleHardin]

PROFILEs will control or change the paths in Options.

WORKSPACEs will control which palette groups are active.

If you use Palette groups, you won't really need to mess with the PROFILEs. Just leave all your paths in the palette support paths.

We use a mixture of all flavors of AutoCAD and the tool palettes work in all of them. It doesn't matter what flavor of AutoCAD they were created in. Just be aware if any of them call a LISP routine, it won't work in LT. DIESEL yes, LISP no.