copying prefs

[donest]

We upgraded my machine from 32-bit Win XP Pro to Win7 64-bit. I saved all of my preferences from the old install. Will they work on 64-bit? Mostly, I'm concerned with marking menus and hot keys.

[Ruediger-Ambs · Accepted solution]

Hello donnest,

Please refer to the Article out of the Alias Knowledge Base.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=13645058&linkID=12268768

Transferring user preferences to a new version

Issue

You want to know how to transfer your UserPrefs folder to a new version of Alias.

Solution

Typically, the UserPrefs folder is the location that stores all the preferences that you set in Alias. For example, Marking Menus, Hotkeys and Shelves are included in this UserPrefs folder.

When you install a newer version of Alias, upon the first Alias program launch, a menu will display, giving you the option to copy preferences from an older version. You may also choose to create a new UserPrefs. However, if you're installing Alias on a different machine, the preferences must be copied over.

To copy the preferences correctly, please be sure that you're able to view hidden files and folders from within Windows. To accomplish this, please do the following:

1. In Windows, click on My Computer.
2. Click on Tools and then Folder Options.
3. Click on the View tab and then scroll down to Show Hidden Files and Folders. Be sure to click within the circle to activate the option.

Now, you're ready to copy your preferences.

1. In Windows, click on My Computer.
2. On your c:\ drive, navigate to, C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserID\Application Data\Autodesk\AliasStudio.This is the location of your UserPrefs2009 folder. These are the preferences for Alias 2009. Other preferences will be located in this location as well. For example, UserPrefs2008, etc.
3. Copy this folder to a flash drive or other external device to transfer to your new machine.

After copying the folder to your new machine, you'll want to place it in the same location on the new machine. For example, C:\Documents and Settings\YourUserID\Application Data\Autodesk\AliasStudio.

After installation of Alias 2010, when you launch the product, you'll be prompted to copy over your preferences. You may select Copy for this to be completed.

You should now have your previous Marking Menus, Shelves, etc.

If you are experiencing problems please let me know.

Kind regards,

Rüdiger Ambs

[donest]

Wow! Such a lengthy reply to a simple question!

1) I KNOW how to copy my prefs and where to put them

2) The question was...will my preferences (created in a 32 bit version of Surface Studio 2012) work when copied over to the fresh install of a 64 bit version of Surface Studio 2012?

I didn't want to just copy them if there was a possibility they would mess things up or I would have to reinstall Surface Studio.

[donest]

Win7 is an entirely new OS (not an upgrade), so there are no files left on my computer from XP Pro. Surface Studio therefore did not find any old prefs (they were copied to a server) so did not ask.

[Ruediger-Ambs · Accepted solution]

Hello Donest,

To keep your settings from a 32 Alias 2012  to use them in Alias 2012 64bit version should not cause any issues.

Sorry for my first answer, I just wanted to make sure that you are copying the right settings.

If you are experiencing any problems let us know and we will give you further guidance.

Kind regards,

Rüdiger Ambs

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I am trying to take my Hotkey from Surface 2012 to Automotive 2012.

I saved user preferences from Surface and loaded them up in Automotive. Only my shleves get updated not the Hotkey.

But I need to transfer my Hotkey also. Please advice.

Thanks,

Sahil.

[Ruediger-Ambs]

Hi,

there are different places where to save the settings. You can try to save a preferences set like shown in the image.

Most of the settings are getting saved in here (see second image)

Please let me know if this solves your issue.

Cheers

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the quick response Ruediger.

This is exactly what I am doing, but no joy.

I save out a .APS file and then load that same file into Automotive 2012 (Preference > User Preference > Load Preference Set). With all the options checked, as you have shown in the second image. And it loads up my shelves from Surface 2012 but not my Hotkeys.

Is there anything else I could do to solve this issue? I dont want to manually assign hotkeys again, there are too many of them.

Is it possible to make this process automated in Alias 2013? 

All the preferences autmotically stay updated between Surface, Autotive and Design?

Regards.

[Ruediger-Ambs]

Hello,

the hotkeys of each product are different, thats the reason why they are not getting loaded directly.

If you go to the folder C:\Users\__USER___\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Alias\UserPrefs2012

you will find the files

1. AutoStudio_AliasHotkeys.scm

2.Automotive_aliasHotkeys.scm

You can try this:

1. rename the Automotive_aliasHotkeys.scm to Automotive_aliasHotkeys_original.scm

2. copy the AutoStudio_AliasHotkeys.scm and rename it to Automotive_aliasHotkeys.scm

I never did this, so I'm not sure if this will work, but I think it is woth a try.

cheers

[Anonymous]

I guess you are asking me to make a copy of Surface_AliasHotkeys.scm and rename it to Automotive_AliasHotkeys.scm. I tried that. Doesnt work.

I even opened the Surface_AliasHotkeys.scm in notepad, copied everything into Automotive_AliasHotkeys.scm, and saved the notepad file. The file gets saved, no problem, but hotkeys dont get updated in Automotive.

And when I restart Automotive, the hotkeys are still not updated, but also the text in Automotive_AliasHotkeys.scm reverts back to exactly what is was before. I guess which means that everytime I restart Automotive it overwrites that .scm file and brings it back to the default state.

I can't think of anything else 🙂

We got quite a few designers switching between Surface and Automotive here. Would be nice to have hotkeys migrating between appications seamlessly.

Let me know if you could think of something else.

Thanks for you prompt help. Appreciate it.

[Anonymous]

I am on XP 64bit. Could that be a problem ?

[Ruediger-Ambs]

Hi,

no this has nothing to to with XP 64bit.

I just tried it myself and for me it is working.

Hmm, just wondering, do you work with network preferences? In this case you have to go to your server where the settings are getting saved and change there the Automotive_aliasHotkeys.scm

If you just change your local settings has no effect, because they are getting overwritten by the prefs from the Server.

As said It works for me.

cheers

[Anonymous]

Probably not. But I'll have to check.

But should'nt that be true for all the presefernces like Shelves and marking menus?  Which in my case are getting updates using Load user preferences options. Its just the hotkeys that are not updated from that .scm file.

[elldawg99]

Hello all i've been copying prefernces since i was in school and have no problem doing it however the original preference set ive been copiing from is like from version 12 of alias (not 2012.. just 12) and i want to rebuild it from the ground up over again becuase it's making the newer versions af alias kinda buggy.

My only problem is that i can't figure out how to asign toggling cv's and edit points on and off to a hotkey, its no where to be found in the hotkey window (i've looked for about an hour on several occations if you know where it is let me know!!)

My current old buggy preference set has toggle the display of cv's and edit points of selected objects assigned to the F2 key, it was given to me in school long ago and i don't know how it was created.

Does anyone know how to assign this function to a hot key? In the defualt settings its just a toggle box on the control panel.