topic Re: Default Template for New Drawing in AutoCAD Electrical Forum

Default Template for New Drawing

dbrblg — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 09:44:17 GMT

Is there a way to set the default template location for the New Drawing dialog you get when you right click on the active project and choose New Drawing (second text box down)?

Thanks

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

jseefdrumr — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 10:48:33 GMT

At the command line, type OPTIONS. Click on the FILES tab. Expand 'Template Settings'. The first item under there defines where ACAD looks for dwt files. See attached image.

I glanced over my .env file just now, saw no mention of .dwt or drawing templates. So, I'm pretty sure this is the only place to control this particular thing.

Jim

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

dbrblg — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 11:26:19 GMT

I wondered about this however this only points to a folder location not a specific drawing template. On the plus side though it does go straight to the template folder when you click browse so it's not all bad

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

jseefdrumr — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 12:38:18 GMT

On my system, it always defaults to the last template used from that folder. If you only use one template, then after the first time you run through that dialog it should just always be selected for you. We're on 2017 here.

Jim

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

TRLitsey — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 14:48:04 GMT

Hi there,

Your work flow sounds a little different than mine but here is what I do ... and I use this quite often. At this company we keep all of the drawings for the project bundled under individual projects. So the pneumatic and electrical schematics have one template while the assembly and fabrication drawings use another template style. The slick trick is that both template styles use the same Title Block Attributes so when we add a project note or revision change or anything else that is project wide, all of the drawings will update at the same time with the Title Block Update tool.

Good luck

Select New Drawing for Active Project ...

Then select the template in the New Drawing window ...

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

TRLitsey — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 15:08:12 GMT

Hi there,

It looks like my first post went to vapor ware?? One more time. Your workflow seems a little different than mine but this is what I do. I use this tool quite often. At this company each project gets its own bundle. So electrical, pneumatic, assembly and fabrication drawings are all bundled within a project. Elec and pneu title blocks have one style while the assm and fab drawings use another template style. The slick thing about this is that both template styles use the same Title Block Attribute definitions. When we need to update the project with something like notes or dates all of the drawings can be updated at one time with the Title Block Update tool.

Good luck

Select the New Drawing tool for the active project ...

Select the path and/or the template you want to use ....

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

Icemanau — Tue, 27 Jun 2017 23:21:43 GMT

Under the Templates entry there should be at least 4 entries depending on what version of ACADE you are using.

This shot is from 2008 but the entries are still existing in 2018.

As you can see, there is an entry to set the Templates FOLDER (Blue Explanation) and an entry to select the default QNEW Template (Red Explanation)

QNEW stands for Quick NEW dwg and creates a dwg without adding it to the project or setting up any of the dwg properties/settings. It just uses the named template to quickly start a new dwg with the settings saved in the template. Useful when you need to have the ribbon or Project Commands active without opening a project dwg or to do a quick sketch without going through the hassle of adding it to a project.

The New Dwg button in the Project Menu actually adds the dwg to the active project and brings up the New Dwg Settings dialog which has the ability to choose a different Template if required as shown by @TRLitsey.

This template choice is saved as the new default template for this method of dwg creation from session to session. This allows the user to select a new template according to client requirements which the QNEW system doesn't.

Regards Brad

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

dbrblg — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 06:26:03 GMT

I do have a template named for QNEW and do use this frequently. I know there are going to be some of us who will right click on the project and see the new drawing option when they are using other features.... so they might want to use it. They'll expect the default template to be easy to find (or already filled in!!). But, if this is the way it is, then that is the way it is.

I'll just have to deal with this as you describe - different functions for different features I find if the difference in functionality can be explained, most of our lot generally accept it even if they don't see the need or accept it.

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

rhesusminus — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 11:21:52 GMT

The setting for the new drawing sheet is saved in the registry, here:

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

dbrblg — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 06:29:09 GMT

@rhesusminus The registry change seems to do the trick 🙂 At least for the first time of use - if anyone changes the template, ACADE remembers the changed file. This isn't a problem but it is something that needs to be remembered!!

How did you find that? Is it documented?

Re: Default Template for New Drawing

rhesusminus — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 06:37:00 GMT

It not documented as far as I know. As a programmer I just like to lurk around in the registry.
And, yes, this is where AcadE saves the "last used template", so it will be overwritten if the user select something else.

Maybe you could do some lisp-code that runs on startup, that sets his variable to a default value?