topic How to create a tool palette network? in AutoCAD Forum

How to create a tool palette network?

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 12:47:48 GMT

Hello Everyone,

I just started a new job at a company to help them create AutoCad Standards. I am creating dynamic blocks and putting them into a tool palette. Is there a way to create a file location or something, where If I updated the tool palette, everyone elses tool palette is already updated. I'm just an engineer so this is a little beyond my level. I saw an article where I can export my tool palettes into a network location (as read only), then go to Options and add a tool palette location to this file, but that doesn't seem to do anything. Please help.

Re: How to create a tool palette network?

pendean — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 13:20:06 GMT

This guide should help you get started: http://www.neit.edu/blog/index.php/2015/08/autocad-share-your-tool-palettes/

There are even more resources on the web, and youtube videos too, try a search if you get stuck.

Re: How to create a tool palette network?

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 13:42:16 GMT

This article unfortunately just shows how to export a tool palette, I am trying to setup a network location that automatically update other users to have the tool palette.

Re: How to create a tool palette network?

kadmonkee — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 15:58:48 GMT

create the network location create a TOOL PALETTE folder and place all your containers and resources in this folder

create a container for each category

Electrical Group

POWER Containers will host all Dynamic , Annotative blocks that relate to Power

LIGHTING

ONE LINE

FIRE ALARM

NURSE CALL

GENERAL ANNOTATIVE SYMBOLS

when you populate these containers on your network location you can use Design Center to create your Tool Palettes

when you browse to the location of your containers in Design center select the Blocks category in the left side, in the right side you want to select all the blocks to be included in your tool Palette- right click and select CREATE TOOL PALETTE

Once the Palette is created RENAME it (POWER) for this example.

to Rename it select the tool Palette tab , right click Rename

after you have completed creating your tool palettes you will then need to go into Options and provide the location under Files

select ADD browse to the designated location of all your containers then move that location up in the order.

this will prioritize what is seen first.

After you have created your Palettes you can now create a group to organize them for easy access.

right click on the tool palette side bar and select Customize Tool Palttes

in the right side close all other groups and select a blank space and right click select NEW GROUP Name IT ELEC CUSTOM all of my ELECTRICAL tool Palettes will become part of this group

then drag the tool Palette from the left side to the ELEC CUSTOM group on the right side.

after you have populated your group you should export that back to your Network TOOL PALETTE folder.

repeat steps for each TOOL PALETTE AND GROUP

now you can isolate the tool Palettes by group right click on the sidebar and select the group you want to display

Re: How to create a tool palette network?

pendean — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 17:21:12 GMT

Yes, you EXPORT your TP to a central server location for others to share. Alternate steps if you have no TP content to start with is well addressed in the reply above.

Dive it, get started, post back if you get stuck. This is not going to be an easy task on your part to do.

Re: How to create a tool palette network?

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 18:42:13 GMT

once its setup on a network location a simple lisp function can be devised to call that tool palette or the OOTB or allow the user to define his own local palette alternating between the different palettes as desired.

(princ "\n                 ToolPalette Utilities...")
(defun c:tpcs () (command "*_toolpalettepath" "N:\\ACAD2015\\CS\\Palettes\\cs" "toolpalettes"))
(defun c:tpstd () (command "*_toolpalettepath" "C:\\Users\\%USERNAME%\\AppData\\Roaming\\Autodesk\\AutoCAD 2015\\R20.0\\enu\\Support\\ToolPalette"  "toolpalettes"))
(defun c:tpmy () (command "*_toolpalettepath" "C:\\Users\\%USERNAME%\\AppData\\Roaming\\Autodesk\\AutoCAD 2015\\R20.0\\enu\\Support\\ToolPalette_2"  "toolpalettes"))
(princ "   ... Loaded")
(princ "\n      Use TPSTD for Standard ACAD Palette")
(princ "\n      Use TPCS  for Civil-Structural Palette")
(princ "\n      Use TPMY  for Personal Palette")
(princ)

The "N:\\ACAD2015\\CS\\Palettes\\cs" in the code above is our dept. network customization location, edit that bit to match yours.

You can use the above to access numerous "standard" palettes for "families" of tools.

Check out Matt Murphy at AU2015

Re: How to create a tool palette network?

kadmonkee — Thu, 29 Jun 2017 18:45:11 GMT

thanks for that @Anonymous

I dont do well with programming lisps.

a huge help for consistent access.