2006 LDT custom network deployment problem for new users

[Anonymous]

When I create my admin images for LDT, I create network paths to plotters & ctb, templates, etc. I've also added an enterprise CUI file. Most of these settings do not come through in the deployment.

It worked this way in 2004 and I got around it by writing a batch file that updated the profiles. But I had to do it every time a new user logged on to a machine under their logon. Inevitably, users logged on without my knowledge and, ignorant to the problem, inadvertently used incorrect templates, etc.

I was hoping it would be resolved by 2006 but it seems to have gotten worse.

Autodesk has set it to where there is no sdsk.dfm file in the installation process anymore. It is created by a secondary installer each time a new user logs on. I have customized the sdsk.dfm to manage our companies block library.

I am told by Autodesk that this was done because of access conflicts with XP for users. I got around this by re-setting the access on the AutoCAD installation directory.

Not to mention all of the little tweaks that I like to set in the options GUI are not editable through a deployment.

Has anyone had success creating a customized deployment of LDT that installs in such a way that it initializes the way it was intended for any new user who logs on to a computer for the first time and fires up AutoCAD?

You would think if Autodesk is trying to get their customers to upgrade on an anual basis, they would make the process work a little better.

[Anonymous]

I created an acad.lsp to do a good portion of this customization for ldt,
and added that file to the deployment as a custom file. Inside the
acad.lsp, you can do things like set support paths, load profiles, create
folders, set variables, etc.

Sincerely,
Drew Burgasser
CAD Masters, Inc.



wrote in message news:4883820@discussion.autodesk.com...
When I create my admin images for LDT, I create network paths to plotters &
ctb, templates, etc. I've also added an enterprise CUI file. Most of these
settings do not come through in the deployment.

It worked this way in 2004 and I got around it by writing a batch file that
updated the profiles. But I had to do it every time a new user logged on to
a machine under their logon. Inevitably, users logged on without my
knowledge and, ignorant to the problem, inadvertently used incorrect
templates, etc.

I was hoping it would be resolved by 2006 but it seems to have gotten worse.

Autodesk has set it to where there is no sdsk.dfm file in the installation
process anymore. It is created by a secondary installer each time a new user
logs on. I have customized the sdsk.dfm to manage our companies block
library.

I am told by Autodesk that this was done because of access conflicts with XP
for users. I got around this by re-setting the access on the AutoCAD
installation directory.

Not to mention all of the little tweaks that I like to set in the options
GUI are not editable through a deployment.

Has anyone had success creating a customized deployment of LDT that installs
in such a way that it initializes the way it was intended for any new user
who logs on to a computer for the first time and fires up AutoCAD?

You would think if Autodesk is trying to get their customers to upgrade on
an anual basis, they would make the process work a little better.

[Anonymous]

Hi Drew,



I like the idea of creating and adding an acad.lsp to the deployment. Just
out of curiosity, how are you handling the acad.lsp after installing the
deployment? I guess you could have the routine erase the acad.lsp after
setting up the various features.



Thanks,



Kyle Vargas

Morton & Pitalo, Inc.


"Drew Burgasser" wrote in message
news:4885246@discussion.autodesk.com...
I created an acad.lsp to do a good portion of this customization for ldt,
and added that file to the deployment as a custom file. Inside the
acad.lsp, you can do things like set support paths, load profiles, create
folders, set variables, etc.

Sincerely,
Drew Burgasser
CAD Masters, Inc.

[Anonymous]

Hi Kyle,

I actually leave the acad.lsp there. Depending on what you're doing with
the acad.lsp, this may or may not be okay.

If you are loading a profile, you can say if the profile does not exist,
load it. Leaving the acad.lsp there would not be an issue in this case.

You could add a network path to the top of the support file search path,
place a different acad.lsp there (that does something different or very
little), and use that acad.lsp from then on.

Sincerely,
Drew
CMI


"Kyle Vargas" wrote in message
news:4885291@discussion.autodesk.com...
Hi Drew,



I like the idea of creating and adding an acad.lsp to the deployment. Just
out of curiosity, how are you handling the acad.lsp after installing the
deployment? I guess you could have the routine erase the acad.lsp after
setting up the various features.



Thanks,



Kyle Vargas

Morton & Pitalo, Inc.


"Drew Burgasser" wrote in message
news:4885246@discussion.autodesk.com...
I created an acad.lsp to do a good portion of this customization for ldt,
and added that file to the deployment as a custom file. Inside the
acad.lsp, you can do things like set support paths, load profiles, create
folders, set variables, etc.

Sincerely,
Drew Burgasser
CAD Masters, Inc.