Shared Network Tool Palettes Multipling

[3arizona]

Hi, I need help with pallet .ATC files multiplying. I have created a few palettes to share and placed then on our drive. I have my admin palettes where i test before i transfer to the user file (it's locked).  Everyone loaded palettes and other setting trough a profile i created. 

I need help to remove this. it's real annoying for everyone. I have deleted everything and reloaded all palettes through .XTP files that i have i have saved (templates).

Thanks,

[Anonymous]

Has this issue been solved ?
Good video from Autodesk University showing a tool palette master class can be seen at http://au.autodesk.com/au-online/classes-on-demand/class-catalog/2015/autocad/it10856#chapter=0

If still no luck maybe @john.vellek can assist ?

Thanks

[3arizona]

No Luck. I'll look at the video when i get a chance. I reach out sometime today.

Thanks

[john.vellek]

Hi @3arizona,

What kind of shared location is this? Is it a network share on a Windows server or something else?

Do you see this problem if you create the palettes directly  on this drive?  Change all permissions to full permissions to see if that stops this from happening and then gradually adjust as necessary.

[pendean]

i that shared folder location set to be read-only? It needs to be.

[3arizona]

John,

Palettes are on a windows network and ATC, file is locked. i have deleted and recreated new pallets on the weekend, when no one was around.  At one point I renamed to "AcTpCatalog copy.atc" to see what would happen, with no luck. No I still get all the same duplicate files but now it recreates AcTpCatalog copy.atc. I will try and unlock the AcTpCatalog.atc file tonight to see what happens. I'll update you tomorrow.

Thanks

[3arizona]

John,

I solved 1/2 of the problem. I have the shared AcTpCatalog.atc file locked on the server and it seems that when one of the drafters accidentally creates a new palette it also creates a AcTpCatalog_1.atc, AcTpCatalog_2.atc and so on. 

Everyone's PC point to the new network path and i removed the ACAD default path. We wanted to show the company palettes and i couldn't get groups to load to everyone's PC. 

Is there a better solution for network palettes? 

[ArchD · Accepted solution]

I posted this in another thread but it applies to here as well:

Sharing a tool palette is a bit more difficult due to this ungodly lag spike when switching palettes after making edits to the palettes. So to share it without this lag spike, I have our shared tool palettes on a shared server that is locked for read only to everyone including me. When I need to make a change:

1. I have a temporary tool palette location on my local drive and a profile that has just this single location pathed to the temporary tool palette location
2. While using this profile and with the tool palettes set to read/write I make my changes.
3. Once I have them the way I want them I export all of my palettes to an export folder in this temp palette location.
4. After the export, I shut down AutoCAD and delete the AcTpCatalog.atc and Palettes folder.
5. After those are deleted and only the export folder remains I restart AutoCAD and import each of the exported palettes.
6. Once they are all imported I close out of AutoCAD so that it writes a new AcTpCatalog.atc and Palettes folder.
7. I then set those two to read only.
8. Back on the shared server I delete the shared version of the AcTpCatalog.atc and Palettes folder then copy over the one from my local drive.

It's important to make sure that everyone has only Read permissions for the shared palettes. When you delete and copy over the new ones, you must make sure you set it to read only for yourself. If anyone has read/write permissions it will cause duplicate sets of palettes when they close their session if the tool palette was updated while they had AutoCAD open. 

When a new palette is updated, they need to be re-added to any custom palette group any user may be using them in. This is a clue to let them know that there have been changes so you may want to send out an email letting know of any changes you've made so they know of the new tools they can use.

Also, when adding a shared tool palette to user support folder paths, make sure it is added to the bottom of the list so that any personal changes they make are saved to their personal paths and not the shared path.