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Saving settings to duplicate blocks on another machine

spaulus
Advocate

Saving settings to duplicate blocks on another machine

spaulus
Advocate
Advocate

This is a broad question.

 

I have been using AutoCAD for years creating pipe inspection drawings for a client, I have tweaked it here and there and created blocks as I need them and at one point created a tool palette and managed to copy most of my common blocks to my tool palette. Now I am having to help set up another user that is going to be doing the same kind of drawings as myself across town. I am not sure what I need to send him other than my blocks and a existing drawing that he can open that contains the border.

 

I never got around to setting up a template file (same as start-up drawing?) I typically open a existing drawing and save it as the next number, erase content and then start drawing.

 

I think the design center will help me but have never used it much and not sure where to start with it.

 

Thanks,

Steve

 

 

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imadHabash
Mentor
Mentor

Hi,

 

>> I never got around to setting up a template file (same as start-up drawing?) I typically open a existing drawing and save it as the next number << 

for me ... this the best practical way to work with , you may find many ways to start your drawings. since you send all blocks that it will used and your CAD dwg's in a good condition then you grantee to get good results at the end.

 

Good Luck..

Imad Habash

EESignature

john.vellek
Alumni
Alumni

Hi @spaulus,

 

I don't recommend using an old file, deleting some of the contents and then moving forward.  This practice can lead to lots of problems such as drawing corruption, drawing bloat, etc.

 

I would take a moment to create a file (whether or not you name it as a template) that you can use to store your objects, styles, layers, Page Setups, etc.

 

Design Center is a great way to access such content. For instance, if you have a block in your "standard" file, you can simply browse to the file, locate the block and drag it into your current file.  This also give you an advantage when sharing or collaborating with others as you can hand them the one file so they have your standards too.

 

Design Center can also be used to quickly populate Tool Palettes. For instance, If you create a new empty palette, you can drag items straight from Design Center into the palette. As long as the content in that file is always available then your palettes will work great.

 

If you like, you can share some of your content and I am happy to create a video or steps to go through any of these suggestions.

 

 

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.


John Vellek


Join the Autodesk Customer Council - Interact with developers, provide feedback on current and future software releases, and beta test the latest software!

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dieters
Autodesk
Autodesk

Steve,

 

To add to the other recommendations, I'd suggest that it's super easy to use Save As and save a cleaned up, purged, drawing file as a drawing template (dwt) file. You just need to specify "AutoCAD Drawing Template (*.dwt) from the drop-down list.

 

Savedwt.png

 

The first time you specify it (on the Start tab, click Templates under Start Drawing), you can choose it as the default for when you next click Start Drawing. You can create several dwt files as starting points.

 

template.png

 

Hope this helps,

 

Dieter

 

Dieter Schlaepfer
Principal Learning Experience Designer
Autodesk, Inc.
San Rafael, California

gotphish001
Advisor
Advisor

You can also go into options and see where your palettes are being grabbed from. You can send him those files and he can point options to where he saves them and he'll have your palettes too.



Nick DiPietro
Cad Manager/Monkey

spaulus
Advocate
Advocate

Thank you John, I don't know much about design center and pretty much don't know where to start, I have a machine with a old version of AutoCAD 2014 on it which is the one that I have used for years, couldn't tell you much of any of my settings, I just get in it open a existing drawing, save it as the new drawing and start pulling blocks off a tool palette that I managed to create awhile back. Now I have a new machine with 2018 on it and I would like to set it up right and then I will need to send files to another guy so he is on the same page as myself. I have located all my blocks on my old machine.

 

Can I export my tool palette from my old machine (or should I even try?).

 

What do you recommend?

 

Thanks,

Steve

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john.vellek
Alumni
Alumni
Solución aceptada

Hi @spaulus,

 

These are the steps I have used in the past to help the staff I supported.

 

Create library files for your blocks. The files can help to contain and organize your blocks which makes them easy to maintain and access over time. I usually create a separate drawing for each type or discipline of block. For instance, I had a drawing that contains just annotation symbology, another for site blocks, one for plumbing, one for electrical, etc.

 

Once each of these library drawings are set up they can be audited and purged of anything unnecessary. I then place the library blocks into a shared folder on my network that is accessible to staff (read-only). Then, I use Design Center to create my palettes. I made a short video to help you understand this process. In the video I show you first a sample library drawing. I then create a new palette and use Design Center to show the blocks in the library file. I drag them onto my new palette and I can adjust insertion properties.  You  can also use this to bring in dimsytles, linetypes, layers and more!

 

I hope this gets you started.  Just realize that the location of the library file must remain consistent of the palettes will break.

 

 

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.


John Vellek


Join the Autodesk Customer Council - Interact with developers, provide feedback on current and future software releases, and beta test the latest software!

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spaulus
Advocate
Advocate

When you say a library, that is just a drawing with a bunch of blocks in it?

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john.vellek
Alumni
Alumni

HI @spaulus,

 

That is exactly what I meant. I apologize if I was not clear on this.


John Vellek


Join the Autodesk Customer Council - Interact with developers, provide feedback on current and future software releases, and beta test the latest software!

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spaulus
Advocate
Advocate

John, I have some block libraries made now how do I get them in the design center and how do I create tool palettes?

 

 

Sorry for all the questions.

Stevebw fittings.JPG

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john.vellek
Alumni
Alumni

Hi @spaulus,  Please take a closer look in my video. I open the Design Center, and then on the left hand side I browse to where my library file is located. Once I see it in that little navigator window, I can select it and then on the right browse to see the blocks contained in the file.

 

 

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.


John Vellek


Join the Autodesk Customer Council - Interact with developers, provide feedback on current and future software releases, and beta test the latest software!

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spaulus
Advocate
Advocate

Thank you again John, I think I am getting the hang of some of this stuff. I took my BW Fittings Library, which is a drawing with all these blocks on it. I pointed the design center to it and saw all the blocks appear then selected them and drug them over to the new tool palette. Seems to be working pretty good.

 

Steve

john.vellek
Alumni
Alumni

HI @spaulus,

 

I am checking back to see if my post helped you with your problem or question. Please mark a post or posts as accepted solutions if they resolved the issue or give me a bit more detail on this issue so we can continue to work towards getting this solved.

 

 

 

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts solves your issue or answers your question.


John Vellek


Join the Autodesk Customer Council - Interact with developers, provide feedback on current and future software releases, and beta test the latest software!

Autodesk Knowledge Network | Autodesk Account | Product Feedback

spaulus
Advocate
Advocate

Thanks again John.

 

I have been putting off digging into the design center issue because it is just a big unknown for me. You helped me break the surface and got me started, hopefully I can continue to dig and learn new stuff.

 

Once I get all my blocks cleaned up and create all my block libraries and tool palettes, i will need to learn how to create buttons on the tool palette to automate some of my tasks. Like a simple button that I can pick and create isometric text of a fixed size with a middle justification and so forth.

 

Steve

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