Saving Tool Palletts

[MikeKovacik4928]

How do you save tool palletts you have created, so you can copy them

over to another computer, without having to do the whole lot again

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocd 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

(Impossible only means you haven't
found the solution yet)

[DannyNL]

One way is to export the palettes you want to copy (right-click titlebar of ToolPalettes -> Customize ToolPalettes -> Right-Click on name --> Export) and import it on the other computer.

Other options would be to copy the whole folder structure including the files of the ToolPalette location or for network connected computers to use a common network share for the company ToolPalettes and add that network location to the profile.

[Scottu2]

Here is a tip:

On the customize dialog box (right side) right click create a new group and set it current.

On the customize dialog box (left side) Import one pallet and drag it to the right side under the new group.

With the customize dialog box sill open, drag and drop ALL the exported palettes to under the new group, using the file explorer.

Note: Imported palettes use the original drawing path from the computer it was exported from.  So if computer#1 had the source block on the C: drive Documents directory and created an exported palette then the Computer#2 that imports that pallet would get an error message can not access.

As DannyNL mentioned, using a common network directory would solve the above problem.

With the source drawing file stored on the network Computer#1 have to create a new tool palette for each one.  Then create the Export file.

Then Computer#2 can import the tool palettes.

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks Danny & Scott

I have managed to export my .xpg (palette group file) to the other computer.

Still haven't figured out how to import it. I see the import function, but can't figure out

exactly what to do, when I import the .xpg nothing seems to happen.

Both computers have the same paths ;\ie c;/unispan/blocks

even though the C refers to hard drives of different computers.

Scott I will read your reply and try again tonight

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocd 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

(Impossible only means you haven't
found the solution yet)

[DannyNL · Accepted solution]

Hi Michael,

When you export your tool palette group you do not export the contents of the tool palettes themselves. The only thing an export of a tool palette group is (to my knowledge) is letting AutoCAD know that tool palette A, B & C belong to Group 1. But you do not export the contents of the tool palettes A, B & C with it.

So you will also need to export the tool palettes A, B & C themselves from the left column in your 'Customize Palettes'. On you other computer then first import the separate tool palettes files and and after that import your tool palette group.

[MikeKovacik4928]

okay

thanks Danny

finally worked it out, and got it working.

My locations are the same on each computer ie C:\Unispan\blocks

so everything works okay

Had to export the tool pallet files .xtp first, before the Palette Group files .

Michael Kovacik

AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman/Designer

Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocad 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

Impossible only means you haven't found
the solution yet

[Scottu2]

Just another two things to take note of:

Make sure to close the autocad session when the toolpalettes are setup the way you like it, because autocad updates the registry upon exit.

Opening another active autocad session will redifine tooolpalettes based on the current registry values.

Depending on access rights, windows 10 may perform an update one day that removes user access to the c:\ root directory.

Move the files to the c:\users\UserName\documents\Unispan\blocks.

Delete related imported tool palettes.

And redefine them for each station.

or

Use Notepad to change the path definition in the export files .xtp

   the path sits between <SourceFile>c:\unispan\blocks</Sourcefile>

   change it to read <SourceFile>c:\users\UserName\documents\unispan\blocks</Sourcefile>

Then re-import the .xtp files

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks Scott

Will take note.

No Windows 10 users, I tried a while back and switched back to Windows XP, too many issues

We have no standard procedure, everbody uses their own blocks, no central "library"

on the server. Server is only really used for storage of completed drawings.

I don't think anybody uses tool palettes. I am just experimenting from home, to see how they

compare, and whether they speed up the job. I have my own licensed copy at home, so Autocad & Inventor

are my hobbies as well as my job!

I am liking what I see, and might eventually use them myself

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocd 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

(Impossible only means you haven't
found the solution yet)

[DannyNL]

A good populated tool palette can save you tons of work.

You can also use multiple entries of a dynamic block in them, like i.e. one dynamic block with 2 visibility states. One button in your tool palette will insert the block with visibility state A, while the other uses state B.

You can also use the tool palette to easily draw according to some design rules and include your draw commands in them, like i.e. a line on layer X in linetype Y, etc. Just draw the line in your drawing with all the right properties and after you are done, drag 'n drop it onto your tool palette. All the settings will be included and also for the other draw commands (click the small black arrow). Anytime in any drawing you click that button, the line will be drawn in the same properties. If the layer doesn't exist in that drawing it will be created, if it uses a linetype not loaded in that drawing it will be created (yep...created, not loaded).

And of course you can create your own custom commands as well.

Tool Palettes are heavily underrated in my opinion (with all the AutoCAD users that I know) 

[MikeKovacik4928]

The more I see & experiment, the more I like!

I can definitely see possibilities here.

I assume you can load lisps from here as well.

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman/Designer
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocad 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

Impossible only means you haven't found
the solution yet

[DannyNL]

Yes, you can.

But in that case you would first had to define a custom command (use Customize Command instead of Customize Palette in the right-click menu) to load a LISP and optionally run a command from your lisp.

Syntax for your custom command would be something like:

^C^C(if (null c:YOURCOMMAND)(load "LISPWITHYOURCOMMAND.LSP"));YOURCOMMAND;

Once the custom command is created in the commandlist, you can drag 'n drop it onto your tool palette.

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks

Works a treat!!

Tried it with one of the  lisps I use.

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocd 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

(Impossible only means you haven't
found the solution yet)

[MikeKovacik4928]

Danny 

Thanks, once again for all your help. Tool Palettes are AWESOME!!

I have started setting up my blocks here on Tool Palettes,

as well as lisps, layer settings, block orientations 

(all in my own time and on my own software at home)

I have shown this to the drawing office manager 

(what you would call the CAD manager I suppose?)

and he wants me to give a presentation and set up

the company drawing office (8 autocad users) the same way.

This could be our first step to standardisation of procedures and blocks,

greater efficiency and quicker turnaround times!!

I will post some screenshots of what I have done, later.

I would greatly appreciate the help of all on this forum,

in getting us to the next level.

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocd 2018, Inventor Pro 2018
(and now Autocad Customisation)

(Impossible only means you haven't
found the solution yet)

[DannyNL]

Hi Michael,

For setting up standardization for multiple users, you might want to take a look at how to centralize your tool palettes so you can manage them from one location. Block libraries should also be put on a central location and the tool palettes should be modified to redirect to this new location.

As tool palettes are basically XML files, you can easily modify paths in bulk by opening them into an (XML) editor.

But it sounds good and if you need any advice or help just let it know.

[MikeKovacik4928]

Danny

Is it possible to put saved layer states into Tool Palettes

Michael Kovacik
AutoCAD 2d & 3d (29 yrs)& Inventor (7 yrs)
Manufacturing (30 yrs) Draughtsman
Autodesk Product Design Suite Ultimate 2018
Johannesburg, South Africa

Autocad 2018, Inventor Pro 2018

(and recently Autocad Customisation)

(Impossible only means you haven't
found the solution yet)

[DannyNL]

Yes, you can although not directly.

You'll need to export the layerstate to a file if you want to use it in multiple drawings.

And you will need to create custom commands for it as you will use LISP to make the calls for whatever you want to do with the layerstate(s)

See link for the available commands:

http://help.autodesk.com/view/ACD/2018/ENU/?query=layerstate&userType=Developer

Does the LISP make sense to you?

If not let me know with some additional information like layerstate name and when/where you want to save/restore and I can show some examples of the syntax you'll need for your custom commands.

[MikeKovacik4928]

Thanks

I am not a lisper, so wouldn't have a clue where to start.

I don't know how viewports are identified.

Attached see example of layer states I have created (in modelspace)

and how I use them.

Attached jpeg 001 shows some of the layer states I have made

Attached jpeg 002 shows layout in model space with all layers thawed and on.

Attached jpeg 003 shows layer state "Layout_Area 1_Deck Panels Only" made current.

What I was wondering was how to use the palette to make that layer state current.

Not knowing lisp I would need to be  spoon fed.

It would be wonderful if you could drop in standard layers too using the tool palette.

At the moment I have them documented on a master drawing, as text next to a line.

The text (giving the layer name) and the line are on the layer, so all I do is copy with

base point the line into a blank drawing and it automatically creates the layer.

I open a blank drawing and then pull in my blocks and layers from the master drawing,

which is far too big to use as a template (50 MB) but has all the blocks and layers in it,

as well as all my layout drawings for the last year, all in laid out in positions in space,

sequentially next to each other.

Therefore to answer your question, one example would be

layerstate name    Layout_Area 1_Deck Panels Only

already saved in a directory called Autocad Layer States

I would want to restore it in model space in a new blank file

after I have inserted the layers and inserted the blocks on their correct layers.

Mike