A little assitance if you please with expresstools

[HullDrafter]

I am unable to access expresstools. I was told they were loaded onto my computer and I have admin rights, but, I can't find them. I don't need all of them. Trust me, I would love to have them, but I only have one immediate need. Can anyone tell me where to find a macro that will flatten 3d objects. I am working on replacing other commands as I remember them, I just need flatten to work on drawings as they come in.

Thank you

HD

[p_mcknight]

Have you tried flatshot?

[p_mcknight · Accepted solution]

Also, to load the express tools do a cuiload and browse to find acetmain.cuix.  Mine is in C:\Users\pmcknight\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2014\R19.1\enu\Support\ .

[Jay_B]

Try entering EXPRESSTOOLS @ command line. This might add the express tools panel on the ribbon.

[HullDrafter]

I kept trying the Expresstools at the command line, it said unknown command. The weird part, are the solution from p_mcknight, it still says unknown command. But, I now have expresstools anyway. Thank you for the assistance.

HD

[HullDrafter]

I had completely forgotten that command. In this case, it didn't work. I have a mostly 2D drawing but, someone from the past turn several walls into 3d walls. I wanted to just do the flatten command to flatten just those walls. But, didn't have expresstools. Thank you for reminding about the Flatshot. I used to do quite a bit 3d drawing, but haven't seen 3D for a year and a half.

HD

[HullDrafter]

I love this. I found the acetmain.cuix, and loaded it. Now, it loaded the pulldown, just............................no tools. The commands are all "unknown commands". There isn't anything there. I restarted autocad, and the toolbar stayed, and it looks impressive. I have all the icons. I just don't have any tools.

I love this. It looks great, just no substance. Thank you for the assitance anyway.

Sorry for the rant......................just frustration after getting the tools I wanted, just.............................

Anyway, thank you all for the assistance. I will hit Cadalyst, see if there is a command there I can use.

I'd try AutoLISP, but my skills aren't there yet.

HD

[p_mcknight]

Did you check to make sure that the express folder was in your support file search paths.  If not, then even though the express tools are loaded AutoCAD will not be able to find them.  Attached is a picture of the my support paths.  Boxed in yellow are the two folders I believe you will need to make sure are in yours as well.  Once added I would restart ACAD for good measure.

[HullDrafter]

I am missing the second folder (Expresstools). I know that without it, I don't have the tools to make the tool bar work. Thank you for your assistance anyway. I suspected I was out of luck. I am pretty sure I searched it out before.

Thank you for your assistance.

Time to find my AutoLISP lessons and find out how to write the commands that I need.

HD

[p_mcknight · Accepted solution]

If you have administrative privileges on you computer it is easy enough to modify the AutoCAD installation to include express tools.  If you uninstall/change AutoCAD you can repair the install and select it to include express tools.  This should install the folders necessary.  In my experience, if you didn't do it when the install was first done then you will still have to do the cuiload and manually add the support paths but you should get what you need.  I know I screwed around with the express tools quite a bit in the past until I figured out where everything was.  Prior to that, you are right, it was very frustrating anytime someone in the office would have issues with express tools.

[HullDrafter]

Thank you for your patience and assistance.

Between your assistance, this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2XL_etNhm8 and AutoCAD Help, I have all of my Expresstools.

Thank you again for your suggestions and your knowledge.

HD

[3d-labor]

My experiences with the installation of the Express Tools:
(hope all terms of the explanation are right, I work with the German version)

As shown in the video:

Go to system panel --> programs and features

Look for AutoCAD

Right click at it

Choose "Add or remove features"

On the next window you can see a little red cross beside ExpressTools --> it is not installed yet

Click to mark it and click "Update"

(please note that the source of the original installation path has to be mounted, for example if you did install it via network)

Leave Installation window and start AutoCAD

Load acetmain.cuix with cuiload or _cuiload

(on my machine it was located in: C:\User\User\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD2015\R20.0\deu\Support)

Express menu should now be in the menu or the ribbon

Go to _options and add the path of the ExpressTools to the "Searchpath for support files"

(mine was C:\Program Files\autodesk\autocad2015\express)

Restart AutoCAD

Express tools should work now

Oh yeah, my good old SSX, I love it....