Too many .ctb files are driving us crazy... any ideas on how to deal with it?

[Anonymous]

We are an interior firm specializing in restaurant design using r2000.

As the CAD Manager I created 7 .ctb files that met our in-house needs. Now,
as the years go by, there are more than 30 .ctb files in the "Plot Styles"
folder. Some were sent from clients, some where created for a special need
on a particular project, some appear to be custom-made by users for
god-knows-what-reason, some are a complete mystery.

I want to shut off access to the "Plot Styles" folder for the users but I
can't since the users may need to be able to dump a .ctb into that folder
for use on particular projects. It would be nice to be able to keep project
specific .ctb files in the project folder but r2000 does not appear to
support this.

Any ideas on how to clean up this mess? The only solution I can think of is
to shut off access - then make the users come to me so that I can put the
.ctb files in the folder in a coherent manner. I think it would be nicer if
AutoCAD would DEFAULT to this main "Plot Styles" folder but allow .ctb files
to be stored in other locations also. Do releases 2002 or 2004 support
this?

James LeVieux

[Anonymous]

Map your users to their local drive c:\program files\application name\plot
styles.
Now place only your standard ctb's in a network folder and programmatically
add
a shortcut to everyone's local plot styles folder which points to your
network folder.
Now users can dump project specific ctbs in their local folder without
confusing everyone
else on the network.

RLB


"James LeVieux" wrote in message
news:99299734328CE3BDB0B06A99DF72EF91@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> We are an interior firm specializing in restaurant design using r2000.
>
> As the CAD Manager I created 7 .ctb files that met our in-house needs.
Now,
> as the years go by, there are more than 30 .ctb files in the "Plot Styles"
> folder. Some were sent from clients, some where created for a special
need
> on a particular project, some appear to be custom-made by users for
> god-knows-what-reason, some are a complete mystery.
>
> I want to shut off access to the "Plot Styles" folder for the users but I
> can't since the users may need to be able to dump a .ctb into that folder
> for use on particular projects. It would be nice to be able to keep
project
> specific .ctb files in the project folder but r2000 does not appear to
> support this.
>
> Any ideas on how to clean up this mess? The only solution I can think of
is
> to shut off access - then make the users come to me so that I can put the
> .ctb files in the folder in a coherent manner. I think it would be nicer
if
> AutoCAD would DEFAULT to this main "Plot Styles" folder but allow .ctb
files
> to be stored in other locations also. Do releases 2002 or 2004 support
> this?
>
> James LeVieux
>
>

[Anonymous]

Had the same problem, I decided to consolidate and network all the ctb,
I made a directories just for ctb's , if you goto tools, options, files
click on printer spooler file path, than pick plot style table search path
and browse to your networked location, I have three ctb's, 11x17, full size
color, full size black,
by keeping them on your network everyone will have the same ctb's I also
locked the files
so only I can control the tables.

did the same with pc3's also,

you can take it one step future and creat a company profile, than copy to
each station,
this will save the paths

good luck
Karl Detrick
Cadd Manager
"Richard binning" wrote in message
news:8021F6905E91A913F73B16DA8FC05544@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> Map your users to their local drive c:\program files\application name\plot
> styles.
> Now place only your standard ctb's in a network folder and
programmatically
> add
> a shortcut to everyone's local plot styles folder which points to your
> network folder.
> Now users can dump project specific ctbs in their local folder without
> confusing everyone
> else on the network.
>
> RLB
>
>
> "James LeVieux" wrote in message
> news:99299734328CE3BDB0B06A99DF72EF91@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> > We are an interior firm specializing in restaurant design using r2000.
> >
> > As the CAD Manager I created 7 .ctb files that met our in-house needs.
> Now,
> > as the years go by, there are more than 30 .ctb files in the "Plot
Styles"
> > folder. Some were sent from clients, some where created for a special
> need
> > on a particular project, some appear to be custom-made by users for
> > god-knows-what-reason, some are a complete mystery.
> >
> > I want to shut off access to the "Plot Styles" folder for the users but
I
> > can't since the users may need to be able to dump a .ctb into that
folder
> > for use on particular projects. It would be nice to be able to keep
> project
> > specific .ctb files in the project folder but r2000 does not appear to
> > support this.
> >
> > Any ideas on how to clean up this mess? The only solution I can think
of
> is
> > to shut off access - then make the users come to me so that I can put
the
> > .ctb files in the folder in a coherent manner. I think it would be
nicer
> if
> > AutoCAD would DEFAULT to this main "Plot Styles" folder but allow .ctb
> files
> > to be stored in other locations also. Do releases 2002 or 2004 support
> > this?
> >
> > James LeVieux
> >
> >
>
>

[Anonymous]

It will search subdirectoriesso you could create a subdirectory for a
specific job and then you would know down the road what it was for and
delete it.

--
Rodney McManamy
President
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"James LeVieux" wrote in message
news:99299734328CE3BDB0B06A99DF72EF91@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
> We are an interior firm specializing in restaurant design using r2000.
>
> As the CAD Manager I created 7 .ctb files that met our in-house needs.
Now,
> as the years go by, there are more than 30 .ctb files in the "Plot Styles"
> folder. Some were sent from clients, some where created for a special
need
> on a particular project, some appear to be custom-made by users for
> god-knows-what-reason, some are a complete mystery.
>
> I want to shut off access to the "Plot Styles" folder for the users but I
> can't since the users may need to be able to dump a .ctb into that folder
> for use on particular projects. It would be nice to be able to keep
project
> specific .ctb files in the project folder but r2000 does not appear to
> support this.
>
> Any ideas on how to clean up this mess? The only solution I can think of
is
> to shut off access - then make the users come to me so that I can put the
> .ctb files in the folder in a coherent manner. I think it would be nicer
if
> AutoCAD would DEFAULT to this main "Plot Styles" folder but allow .ctb
files
> to be stored in other locations also. Do releases 2002 or 2004 support
> this?
>
> James LeVieux
>
>

[Anonymous]

Just use STBs ! It's light years ahead.
-Raj

"James LeVieux" wrote in message
news:99299734328CE3BDB0B06A99DF72EF91@in.WebX.maYIadrTaRb...
We are an interior firm specializing in restaurant design using r2000.

As the CAD Manager I created 7 .ctb files that met our in-house needs. Now,
as the years go by, there are more than 30 .ctb files in the "Plot Styles"
folder. Some were sent from clients, some where created for a special need
on a particular project, some appear to be custom-made by users for
god-knows-what-reason, some are a complete mystery.

I want to shut off access to the "Plot Styles" folder for the users but I
can't since the users may need to be able to dump a .ctb into that folder
for use on particular projects. It would be nice to be able to keep project
specific .ctb files in the project folder but r2000 does not appear to
support this.

Any ideas on how to clean up this mess? The only solution I can think of is
to shut off access - then make the users come to me so that I can put the
.ctb files in the folder in a coherent manner. I think it would be nicer if
AutoCAD would DEFAULT to this main "Plot Styles" folder but allow .ctb files
to be stored in other locations also. Do releases 2002 or 2004 support
this?

James LeVieux

[Anonymous]

I have used the same methods as others have said with success.

One thing I wish autodesk would do is that if you placed a .ctb file next to a drawing
in the same folder that it would find that. That would be much better. Then you could
put custom project .ctb's all over the network with their projects instead of in one central
place.

"James LeVieux"
|>We are an interior firm specializing in restaurant design using r2000.
|>
|>As the CAD Manager I created 7 .ctb files that met our in-house needs. Now,
|>as the years go by, there are more than 30 .ctb files in the "Plot Styles"
|>folder. Some were sent from clients, some where created for a special need
|>on a particular project, some appear to be custom-made by users for
|>god-knows-what-reason, some are a complete mystery.
|>
|>I want to shut off access to the "Plot Styles" folder for the users but I
|>can't since the users may need to be able to dump a .ctb into that folder
|>for use on particular projects. It would be nice to be able to keep project
|>specific .ctb files in the project folder but r2000 does not appear to
|>support this.
|>
|>Any ideas on how to clean up this mess? The only solution I can think of is
|>to shut off access - then make the users come to me so that I can put the
|>.ctb files in the folder in a coherent manner. I think it would be nicer if
|>AutoCAD would DEFAULT to this main "Plot Styles" folder but allow .ctb files
|>to be stored in other locations also. Do releases 2002 or 2004 support
|>this?
|>
|>James LeVieux
|>

[MB-CAD]

All you need is one ctb per plotter. Use the same colors religously. There is no need for each job to be different colors. Put you foot down. A door is always red. A stove is always 207. Make them do it. That is what they pay you for right?
We use 1 per plotter (1 plotter, 1 printer) and that is plenty for 95% of our work. We do have specialized ones for special needs but overall, just 1 is needed!

[Anonymous]

I totally agree Dave! Autodesk should add the current directory to the .ctb
search path.... Seems like a no brainer. At least they should put the
option somewhere in the 'plotting' tab of the options dialog box.



"Dave Lewis" wrote in message
news:ad627v4162vpd6ds6vlg7vmb3ae9lfdsbj@4ax.com...
> I have used the same methods as others have said with success.
>
> One thing I wish autodesk would do is that if you placed a .ctb file next
to a drawing
> in the same folder that it would find that. That would be much better.
Then you could
> put custom project .ctb's all over the network with their projects instead
of in one central
> place.
>
> "James LeVieux"
> |>We are an interior firm specializing in restaurant design using r2000.
> |>
> |>As the CAD Manager I created 7 .ctb files that met our in-house needs.
Now,
> |>as the years go by, there are more than 30 .ctb files in the "Plot
Styles"
> |>folder. Some were sent from clients, some where created for a special
need
> |>on a particular project, some appear to be custom-made by users for
> |>god-knows-what-reason, some are a complete mystery.
> |>
> |>I want to shut off access to the "Plot Styles" folder for the users but
I
> |>can't since the users may need to be able to dump a .ctb into that
folder
> |>for use on particular projects. It would be nice to be able to keep
project
> |>specific .ctb files in the project folder but r2000 does not appear to
> |>support this.
> |>
> |>Any ideas on how to clean up this mess? The only solution I can think
of is
> |>to shut off access - then make the users come to me so that I can put
the
> |>.ctb files in the folder in a coherent manner. I think it would be
nicer if
> |>AutoCAD would DEFAULT to this main "Plot Styles" folder but allow .ctb
files
> |>to be stored in other locations also. Do releases 2002 or 2004 support
> |>this?
> |>
> |>James LeVieux
> |>
>