topic Re: Lock CUI in AutoCAD Forum

Lock CUI

Anonymous — Wed, 13 May 2015 17:43:29 GMT

Hi,

I would like to know if there is any way to look the user options / customizations of Autocad, so I can choose one and then nobody can change.

Thanks!

Re: Lock CUI

Patchy — Wed, 13 May 2015 17:58:15 GMT

in Options, go to PROFILES tab, then use EXPORT to save a the .arg

if someone else uses the same PC and set to their own settings, when you use it, import your .arg

Re: Lock CUI

dgorsman — Wed, 13 May 2015 18:08:48 GMT

As in CUIx content (workspaces)? Set the CUIx as Enterprise and keep it in a network location with limited rights.

As in Options dialog settings (system variables)? Create an initialization procedure called by an ACAD.lsp file, again located in a network location with limited rights. Of course, some of those are per-drawing which will need to be dealt with as well.

Either way there will be ways for clever users to get around it. The best implementations will make using them almost transparent such that its much more convient to do it right than to do it wrong.

Re: Lock CUI

Anonymous — Wed, 13 May 2015 18:15:17 GMT

yes! this looks like what I want.

So, if I got it right, I need to export the current CUI file, save it in a network location and then in each ACAD go to Options-> Files-> Custumization Files and erase the main and change the ENTERPRISE to the network file?

Re: Lock CUI

dgorsman — Wed, 13 May 2015 20:02:29 GMT

Essentially correct. You may need to add partial CUIx files to the one you are using as Enterprise to support various things like the OOTB AutoCAD and Express tools functions.

Each user should have their own Main CUIx stored on their computer or a personal folder on the network. That will allow them to save their personal workspace settings e.g. Properties docked left instead of floating right; Layers floating right instead of docked left, and so on. You can force them to only use the workspaces you have defined in the Enterprise, but that creates a LOT of grumbling.

Re: Lock CUI

ukdxb012 — Wed, 13 May 2015 20:14:50 GMT

Great advice provided by everybody previously! We essentially use the custom.cuix for the user and a business unit.cuix for the enterprise. Loaded into the Enterprise is the standard acad.cuix, acetmain.cuix etc which makes the OOTB cuix's read only.

Your clever users will learn quickly that if the load the enterprise as the main they can then edit it, one edit will the effect all referencing.

Just a thought but what about hosting the CUI's on a shared network location in a folder where users only have read options and no write. Then even if the switch the enterprise and main they still won't be able to edit it.

You could then look at DFS as a replication solution for your standard content and share from one master location to all, this will aid the update process.

To load everything, we then use a drag and drop LISP that loads a profile on demand, preconfigured for AutoCAD. This loads the cuix's needed and writes to the custom.cuix a copy of the master workspace to the custom.cuix, essentially it's a copy of the master which is editable. If that were to become corrupt, select the master which is read only and overwrite that for the user workspace.

Re: Lock CUI

pendean — Thu, 14 May 2015 12:33:33 GMT

If you want to lock a user out of a primary CUI file, you need to create/use/implement an ENTERPRISE CUIx file, and give the user a local CUIx file to edit locally. They will NOT be able to edit or touch your Enterprise CUIx file or edit it's content.

Yes, you need to have a server for this ability.