Enterprise.cui + Main.cui

[Anonymous]

Hopefully this is in the appropriate forum. I've looked this up but I 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).

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.

[mdhutchinson]

I use the approach from Robert Bell (Working Enterprise CUI In Front of your Eyes.) from AU in the past.

We have personal network drive mapped to each user. A < P > drive. No other user can see your personal network drive...

In our standard 'starter' Profile I load the following:

Main Cui file ... "P:\User_Cad\User.Cuix"

Enterprise Cui ... is at "X:\CompCad\2012\Menu_Sys\Company.Cuix"

Rob Bell has the core cuix files and 3rd party cuix loaded into the enterprise.cui as partials... this works well for us... I've imported the OTB core workspaces into the enterprise.cui Workspace node... that way the user can use these if they wish... when loaded in Enterprise... they stay write protected.

I place a starter WorkSpace in User.Cuix that is essentially a copy of a Company starter WorkSpace that remains write protected. The WorkSpace is generic enough that it works for all users... (all palettes and toolbars are docked and locked) when they start up for the first time... they tweak their own WorkSpace... I've trained them to do a WSSave command... and call it "FirstName LastName"... that WorkSpace is stored in the Main Cui that is at "P:\User_Cad\User.Cuix"

The after they tweak both the WorkSpace... and Profile... I have them export their profile: "FirstName LastName"...   As a company standard it is exported to "P:\User_Cad\Profile\FirstName LastName.arg"...

Then in their startup Icon... include /p switch like this

/p "P:\User_Cad\Profile\FirstName LastName.arg"

Then as a standard procedure... if they ever have a bad start... network drives aren't there for some reason...they know to start autocad.... delete their profile... close and restart from the icon they always use...

Since they have been trained to export their profile and save their workspace... the profile and workspace is called in cleanly.

As for the error you are getting... you most likely have the same Partial Customization File(s) trying to load in both the Main and the Enterprize Cui... some third party apps look to see if their menu is loaded and if not 'they' load it on startup... if you already have it loaded in Enterprise... then AutoCAD complains with the standard 'That customization Group name already exists'...

[nbittner]

Those are good suggestions that I am taking into consideration on our firm's Architecture 2013 launch. I have two questions:

1. Does it matter if you make a copy of the Company Standard workspace from the enterprise CUIx into the User main CUIx since the user will just create a new named workspace that supercedes both? I found it was redundant to copy to the main if the enterpise workspace was already serving as the default and current per Robert Bell's instructions. I want to make sure I wasn't missing something.

2. When I correct the profile name in the start icon's target, I typically only include the file name and not the network address. What have you found to be the benefit of this?

[mdhutchinson]

I have startup Icon target set with the following profile switch:

/p "P:\User_CAD\Profile\username.arg"

Our P drive is setup by IT on boot... P drive is maped to a user specific network location.

Then if the users have a bad startup, or there profile and or workspaces get hacked up.... I tell them to delete the bad profile, close and restart using that startup icon. this way their 'good' profile gets pulled in. Of course the user is incouraged to export their profile once they have it setup the way they want.

note that the path and file name is used... you also need the file extension.

[mdhutchinson]

On your second question... When we roll out new software I create a couple standard workspaces in the enterprise.cui. Most of the time I dock all the toolbars and palettes. This then gives the user a place to start. When their happy with the workspace, they do a WSSAVE. That workspace definition goes in the main.cui file... this is stored on their personal network drive P. Then I tell them to export their profile as well.. To get the workspace saved you need both the profile and the workspace definition in the main cui file... I also have them store a copy of there P:\UserCad\ folder to an appropriate location in the CAD Standards folder on the network... this way they have a backup copy just in case.

As I understand it the Workspace definition in the cui file stores just what is turn on and the profile stores just where toolbars and palettes are at in the workspace.

[nbittner]

Thanks again for the advice. As a follow-up, does the user typically start from the start-up icon you outlined or do they use another one with a P switch that is just the profile name?

[mdhutchinson]

This is shortened from what we use... I took out some third party software and MEP specific stuff... but essentially this is it. The user uses this to start their AutoCAD. Note the slash P switch... this is the complete path and file name with extension. When you use this to start... Autocad will check for a Profile named LoginName. If it isn't there, AutoCAD pulls it in from the user's p drive. So long as the user exports his profile with the same name after he makes Profile and/or Workspace changes, he is good to go. If for some reason the profile or workspace gets hosed... then he deletes the damaged profile from Option > Profiles, closes and restarts. (Optionally, he can delete the damaged profile and them do the Import rather then the restart).

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2012\acad.exe" /p "P:\User_CAD2012\Profiles\LoginName.arg"