Menu Bar

[darrenguillory]

Every time I start Autocad I have to toggle the Menubar pull down menu. I like having the pull down menu but it is annoying to have to toggle this every time I start the software. Is there a setting I'm missing somewhere that will have the menubar already loaded when I start Autocad?

[rkmcswain]

You could add this to your "Acad.lsp" file

(setvar "menubar" 1)

But it sounds like something else may be doing this, and setting it to 0 (hidden). You might check for that first.

[ian.mag]

Hey @darrenguillory 

@rkmcswain  suggestion is very great! Just set the system variable MENUBAR to 1. A step further to this is to save that workspace (gear icon in the status bar), so you don't have to to toggle each time.

You'll just need to switch to your saved workspace that incorporates one of your many custom settings.

[darrenguillory · Accepted solution]

Thanks to those who responded so quickly. The fix was even simpler than I thought. Under Workspace Settings if you set it to Automatically save Workspace changes it remembers the menubar pulldown menus. See photo below.

[Lispler]

I face the same issue, but saving the work space has no effect.

I have a customised workspace and cuix. If I use the AutoCAD global profile the MENUBAR variable is saved and restored correctly, but if I use my own profile it does not save it. Any ideas what could cause this?

[cadffm]

Hi,

1. <"If I use the AutoCAD global profile the MENUBAR variable is saved and restored correctly,"

    Menubar setting and Menubar visible or not, are different things

    I am 100% sure the setting works with every profile.

But are you

2. >"Any ideas what could cause this?"

      I am sure your tests (global profile vs another profile) are not did the same way

      or you didn't take account to the current workspace.

Or you have a general trouble with write access, or there is a customization what forces the problem.

I am unsure how to start to help you, Workspace(s) or Profiles?

And if you are refering to "switch profiles during a session", bad news for you, because the profiles concept isn't working 100& the way the most thinking.

If we don't talk about profile switch, just about a clean program start:

I would ask for the informations we need, but not sure if you are able to answer them well, so let us know:

Your custom Profile is current.. What is the name? I will name it 'YourP' for now.

a) Do you have a saved workspace with menubar visible? What is the name? I will name it 'YourWS' for now.

     Please use WSSAVE and choose a new ws name. It's just a BackUp for your current setting.

      Use WSCURRENT and set YourWS current.

      You can see the menubar?

b) Close AutoCAD

c) Start AutoCAD, Version 2025 for example(What is yours?), by this way:

    [Win]+[R]

     Open: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2025\acad.exe" /product "ACAD" /p "YourP"

Is menubar visible?

Is WS YourWS current?

HEY!?

I saw older post from you in ARCHITECTURE board, so are we talking about Architecture installation or plain AutoCAD Install?

For Architecture: Open: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2025\acad.exe" /product "ACA" /p "YourP"

[pendean]

---

@Lispler wrote:

I face the same issue, but saving the work space has no effect....

---

The other reply was an option for you to try too:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/menu-bar/m-p/9243204/highlight/true#M1005688

[Lispler]

Thank you for your fast and very detailed answer. I will try to deliver the missing information as good as I can.

1. I am not 100% sure about Menubar setting and visibility.

My understanding:

• There is the system variable "MENUBAR" which toggels the visibility
• There is the part in the cuix that defines what is part of my menubar

If I open AutoCAD with my Profile the variable "MENUBAR" is 0.

1. I thought the workspace changes accordingly to the profile.

To see if my profile is causing the issue I set the "AutoCAD Architecture (global)" as current, closed AutoCAD and opend it again by double-click on a drawing (cause I thought it will start it with the last settings used)

In this szenario the "MENUBAR" did not change it's value.

I set "MENUBAR" = 1

I saved my currentWS to "test"

Used WSCURRENT to set MyWS current

Menubar is visible

Closed AutoCAD

Started AutoCAD by "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\acad.exe" /product "ACA" /p "MyProfile"

Menubar not visible

"MENUBAR" = 0

Extra infomation:

Using AutoCAD Architecture 2022

How I usually start my AA:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\AecBase.dbx" /p "C:\HSCAD\Architecture\MyProfile.arg" /product "ACA" /language "en-US"

The MyProfile.arg contains:

…

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R24.1\ACAD-5104:409\Profiles\MyProfile\Editor Configuration]

…

"MENUBAR"=dword:00000001

…

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R24.1\ACAD-5104:409\Profiles\MyProfile\EditorConfiguration]

…

@pendean :
I know that this will fix it, but it will not explain why my application behaves this way.

[cadffm]

> My understanding:
> There is the system variable "MENUBAR" which toggels the visibility
Yes AND NO! This can't be answered so easy! It's depending on some things.
In theory and without going into profiles and work areas: Yes

> There is the part in the cuix that defines what is part of my menubar
That's right, but the <current Workspaces> and the saved workspaces are
storing the information about available GUI parts are visible or not.

>>"If I open AutoCAD with my Profile the variable "MENUBAR" is 0."
The way I showed above (or with a desktoplink with the same content) ?
It is important how you open ACAD, how to force the Profile and if you used the /w parameter or not.

But the variable MEENUBAR should be 1, like you leaved the profile with this setting!

Please try this:
Set menubar to 1, close acad, open acad by doubleclick on a .dwg file
Right profile loaded, right WS loaded -> Check MENUBAR again.
1 or 0 ?

If 0, it does not work as it should! We have to find the issue first.

> I thought the workspace changes accordingly to the profile.
The full story needs a lot of sentences (as you can see by my reply)
If you are talking about to switch a profile during a session,
see my note above: bad news for you, because the profiles concept isn't working 100& the way the most thinking.
(when toggle profiles)

Toggle profiles does not a full "set workspace current" like WSCURRENT would do that,
or better: The profile does not change alle the stored settings.
MENUBAR is stored in Profiles, but if you switch from one(0) to another(1) profile,
menubar will not set to 1.

There are other things too, a nightmare how adesk handles profile toggles:
Loaded applocation, SYSVARMON and Workspaces - I don't know what more.

TEST: Toggle your profile,
followed by WSCURRENT<enter><enter>

> To see if my profile is causing the issue I set the "AutoCAD Architecture (global)" as current,
So you toggle a Profile during the session..

>closed AutoCAD and opend it again by double-click on a drawing (cause I thought it will start it with the last settings used)
Right!

>In this szenario the "MENUBAR" did not change it's value.
Perfect
But the same will happen with your profile!
Set your profile current, set menubar =1 and make sure it is visible
close acad
start acad by doubleclick on .dwg
Menubar should be 1 and visible

>Used WSCURRENT to set MyWS current
No need, it is current after wssave

>Menubar is visible
>Closed AutoCAD
>Started AutoCAD by "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\acad.exe" /product "ACA" /p "MyProfile"
>Menubar not visible
>"MENUBAR" = 0

I would say, this is not the case with a standard installation

>How I usually start my AA:
>"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\AecBase.dbx" /p "C:\HSCAD\Architecture\MyProfile.arg" /product "ACA" /language "en-US"

>The MyProfile.arg contains:

Thanks for sharing
You know that, onced created a profile "MyProfile", the .arg file is out the game. ARG-file content is used just for the first time, if no profile with the name is available

[Lispler]

Thank you for the hint about the .arg

"Please try this:
Set menubar to 1, close acad, open acad by doubleclick on a .dwg file
Right profile loaded, right WS loaded -> Check MENUBAR again."

I did. MENUBAR = 0

[cadffm]

Thx. For my knowledge this is not a standard behavior.

while your "yourcustomprofilename"  profile is active,

Set Menubar 1

close Acad

Start AutoCAD by this string [Win]+[R]

Open: "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2022\acad.exe" /product "ACA" /p "yourcustomprofilename" /safemode

?

[Lispler]

I did as you suggested.

MENUBAR = 0 after open via [Win]+[R]

[cadffm]

Is it possible that you have write-right problems?

If so, there are more problems than just menubar, I guess it would ignore changes

of all seetings which are stored at the same place, perhaps more than that.

Close ACAD

Check out your profile data [Win]+[R] öpen: RegEdit

Navigate to

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R24.1\ACAD-nnnn:409\Profiles\<yourprofilename>\Editor Configuration\

Is there an item => MENUBAR ?

If not, it is set to 0

It should be

[Lispler]

In Regestry:

MENUBAR = 1

PICKAUTO = 1

In AutoCAD:

MENUBAR = 0

PICKAUTO = 1

When I change PICKAUTO the value in Registry changes accordingly.

When I change MENUBAR there is no change in Reg.