Having Trouble with PGP file aliases

[Anonymous]

I cannot figure out why my pgp file is accepting some of my pgp file customization changes, but not others.

For example I changed C to Copy by entering in "C,  *Copy" into the alias list, and that works fine.

I wanted to assigned SS to SelectSimilar using the same method, "SS,  *SelectSimilar" but when I go to type SS into autoCAD it's not running Select Similar. It comes back with the message "SS must be called from within another command" as if it's referring to something else.

I'm sure I'm missing something simple and stupid here, but I'm losing my mind because I've already done this successfully before on another machine. Any advice helps. Thanks in advance. 

[dmfrazier]

Try running another command (e.g. "LINE", or an editing command that prompts for a selection), enter "SS", and see what the result is.

My guess is that "SS" is being defined as "something else" (e.g. a "command" defined by LSP code or other) and AutoCAD gives this definition priority over your PGP definition.

[Anonymous]

Yep, gave that a whirl and it didn't work either. 

I just edited the alias to SE instead of SS and now it works, but I have no idea why that is. I tried switch it back again and it stops working. 

I see there's a list of SS commands but I'm putting the aliases at the end of the PGP file which should mean it overrides anything else, but that's not happening for some reason.

I'm in Civil 3d '18 but can't imagine why that would matter. 

[cheryl.buck]

Hi @Anonymous,

It sounds like there is a conflict with the keyboard shortcut and a preset subcommand. It may also be used by a add-on if you have any installed. 

I was able to set SS for SELECTSIMILAR in AutoCAD 2021. 

If you would like to let me know the specific version you are working in, along with installed updates, and share your PGP file, I would be happy to take a look to see where the issue may be occurring. 

Please let us know if that helped.

Likes are always welcome.

All the best,

[dmfrazier]

"Yep, gave that a whirl and it didn't work either. "

What does "didn't work" mean? The idea here was to see what "SS" does when used within another command (in the hope that it might shed light on where/how it is overriding your PGP alias).

"I just edited the alias to SE instead of SS and now it works, but I have no idea why that is."

SE works because SE is not defined as "something else" by anything else anywhere else.

"I tried switch it back again and it stops working. "

Of course it did, because this just puts things back to the way they were.

"I see there's a list of SS commands but I'm putting the aliases at the end of the PGP file which should mean it overrides anything else, but that's not happening for some reason."

Putting your alias at the end only overrides anything else defined ahead of it in the PGP file. It has no effect on things defined in other places/ways.

"I'm in Civil 3d '18 but can't imagine why that would matter. "

See @cheryl.buck 's response.

[dmfrazier]

"Yep, gave that a whirl and it didn't work either. "

What does "didn't work" mean? The idea here was to see what "SS" does when used within another command (in the hope that it might shed light on where/how it is overriding your PGP alias).

"I just edited the alias to SE instead of SS and now it works, but I have no idea why that is."

SE works because SE is not defined as "something else" by anything else anywhere else.

"I tried switch it back again and it stops working. "

Of course it did, because this just puts things back to the way they were.

"I see there's a list of SS commands but I'm putting the aliases at the end of the PGP file which should mean it overrides anything else, but that's not happening for some reason."

Putting your alias at the end only overrides anything else defined ahead of it in the PGP file. It has no effect on things defined in other places/ways.

"I'm in Civil 3d '18 but can't imagine why that would matter. "

See @cheryl.buck 's response.

[Anonymous]

I mean that I couldn't find where "SS" does anything. It's just saying "It has to be called from within another command" and I'm not sure what "another command" means. Within a few other commands that I ran it just turns red and isn't an option.

I also find it counter intuitive that any subset input should have any affect on a command alias, but apparently it does somewhere. 

I mentioned switching it back because in my near 20 years of AutoCAD use this strategy fixes about 70% of problems. Something not working/appearing? Load it/Unload it. Freeze it/thaw it. Turn it off and turn it on again. Detach the xref and reattach it, zoom in, zoom out, zoom in again, and on and on...

But this is the first time I've seen something like this. It's only happening within Civil 3D 2018 too, not regular AutoCAD. They just installed it on my machine.

"Putting your alias at the end only overrides anything else defined ahead of it in the PGP file. It has no effect on things defined in other places/ways."

So this is the part I don't understand. How do I figure out those other places and ways?

[Anonymous]

This issue is occurring within Civil 3D 2018. It was just recently installed on my machine so I imagine it has the latest updates (screen shot attached) I'm not aware of any extra add-ons installed. Regular AutoCAD worked fine with this alias. 

The forum isn't allowing me to attach a .pgp file, any suggestions for that?

[dmfrazier]

"So this is the part I don't understand. How do I figure out those other places and ways?"

@cheryl.buckcan better help you with that.

[pendean]

PGP file is he first thing AutoCAD searches for shortcuts, and it is the first thing AutoCAD forgets if it finds another identical shortcut defined elsewhere.

>>>...It comes back with the message "SS must be called from within another command" ...<<<
S0... start a command like LINE or COPY or MOVE, then type SS, hit <enter> and see what comes up, then you will know what is being called.

[dmfrazier]

What a great idea! (Wish I'd thought of that.)

[pendean]

Darn it... I thought I scrolled down all the way 🙂

What does "..it just turns red and isn't an option..." mean?

[dmfrazier]

The OP is running Civil 3D 2018.

[cheryl.buck]

Hi @Anonymous,

I was going to ask if you were in Civil 3D. There are a number of posts that are similar to yours, all occurring in Civil 3D. 

I have moved the thread to that forum as the members there will be better able to assist since it does seem to be product specific. 

All the best,  

[AllenJessup · Accepted solution]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I'm in Civil 3d '18 but can't imagine why that would matter. 

---

'SS is a defined transparent command in Civil 3D. You can't overwrite it.

https://help.autodesk.com/view/CIV3D/2021/ENU/index.html?guid=GUID-EF0CF764-A621-4B2B-B3FB-2B8A29E86881

[Anonymous]

Well that's a bummer.

Thanks for the info, at least now I feel less crazy.

[AllenJessup]

There's a possibility you could use the Undefine command to suppress it.