How do I move a custom submenu from one icon-menu DAT file into the standard NFPA DAT?

[aaron_robertsLV97S]

I created a custom panel icon-menu using the Icon Menu Wizard, and ACADE generated a new .DAT file for me (all of my custom blocks are grouped under one submenu).

Everything works great in my custom menu file.

Now I'd like to merge that entire submenu into the standard NFPA icon menu (ACE_NFPA_MENU.DAT), so that the NFPA menu shows my custom submenu as an additional category.

I’m confused about the best way to move a single submenu from one DAT to another without breaking the menu structure.

[arshdeepsingh404]

Hi @aaron_robertsLV97S 

Usually i would recommend to do this through icon menu and modify the ACE_PANEL_MENU_NFPA.DAT file for panel icon menu.

arshdeepsingh404_2-1763692749072.png

But since you have already created a new .dat file and might not want to repeat adding the icons again to ACE_PANEL_MENU_NFPA.DAT file, You can try merging the icon menu .dat files by opening them in notepad and copy pasting the panels you want. I just did a quick test and here is where you need to look.

The .dat files are located under C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\AutoCAD Electrical 20##\R##.#\enu\Support

Please make sure to create a backup copy before modifying.

Copy the main headers from D0 section

arshdeepsingh404_0-1763692491672.png

And copy the M## section for your panel

arshdeepsingh404_1-1763692571349.png

[aaron_robertsLV97S]

Thanks for your response,

I have copied over part of my menu, however I cant seem to see any changes after manually modifying the .dat file.

Do I need to run a command to update the path/file the icon menu is pulling from in the project?

[arshdeepsingh404]

Hi @aaron_robertsLV97S 

No you don't need to run any commands, The icon menu should update after you successfully save the .dat file.

Here are the steps I followed as a test to copy a PID menu section to Panel icon menu.

NFPA Panel Icon Menu before Modifications

arshdeepsingh404_0-1763929517711.png

Opened ACE_PID_MENU.DAT file and copied the menu heading for flow arrows under D0 section.

arshdeepsingh404_1-1763929577901.png

Pasted the Flow Arrows section under D0 of the ACE_PANEL_MENU_NFPA.DAT

I believe the M## code has to be unique.

arshdeepsingh404_2-1763929672993.png

Searched and copied the M19 section for Flow arrows from ACE_PID_MENU.DAT file 

arshdeepsingh404_3-1763929756553.png

Pasted the M19 section code to the ACE_PANEL_MENU_NFPA.DAT file

arshdeepsingh404_4-1763929803698.png

This didn't work right away but then I changed the D2W code to D6W and it worked.

I don't about these codes in too much detail but here is quick Google AI Search results.

arshdeepsingh404_5-1763929910193.png

Updated NFPA Icon menu next time I launched it.

arshdeepsingh404_6-1763929966884.png

[aaron_robertsLV97S · Accepted solution]

Ok thanks for the response.

I am still unable to get the Icon Menu to update after making changes to the .DAT file I am working with. I am having to active another project, then open the Icon Menu, which has a different .DAT file, then re-activate the project calling my modified .DAT file in order to see my changes.

How ever I ran into another issue which did not allow me to just copy and paste all of my custom menus because some of the menu numbers were already being used, for example **M101 is already in use so I had to create new menu numbers for everything. It's pretty tedious work but still faster then using the Icon Menu Wizard. 

If you do end up using duplicate menu numbers stuff will end up under other menus.

Another key aspect to this is the order of the menu numbers in the file, if I just copy and paste everything at the end of the .DAT file the program will not recognize the menus, it must be in numerical order.

For example..

M1
M10
M101
M1011
M2
M20
M201
M2011
....

As for the menu organization

aaron_robertsLV97S_1-1765382469911.png

**M300 this is my first sub folder from the main menu.

aaron_robertsLV97S_2-1765382605432.png

With in that sub folder I have 12 different sub folders.

aaron_robertsLV97S_3-1765382622085.png

If I want to move my Air Conditioners folder, which is $S=M301. I had to renumber that subfolder menu because it was previously $S=M101, which was already used in my new destination folder, to 301. This means I have to now logically organize this folder in the correct numerical order in the .DAT file, it has to come after **M31.

aaron_robertsLV97S_4-1765382852319.png

If you want more submenus with in that folder you will then define using more $S=M*** designations. One your completed with you subfolders and you want to add drawings all you do it put the path under the specific folder, for example **M312 Menu is Named Allen-Bradley and then all those paths under there are the actual .DWG files that will be pulled. You can verify Menu numbers under the properties in the Icon Menu.

aaron_robertsLV97S_5-1765383136937.png

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[chsafi_met]

When you’re merging submenu structures between DAT files, the safest approach is to open both files in a plain-text editor and compare the category headers. ACADE relies heavily on the exact formatting—especially the  lines and the numbering sequence—so copying a block of entries without matching the category index can cause the menu to break or simply not show up.

If you're used to organizing visual elements or categories in other design tools, the process is similar to maintaining a consistent hierarchy. For example, when I work with surface-finish films, I often reference how Samsung Interior Film keeps their materials structured clearly, which helps avoid mix-ups. You can see how they organize things here.