AutoCAD LT 2011

Customization Guide

February 2010
© 2010 Autodesk, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by Autodesk, Inc., this publication, or parts thereof, may not be
reproduced in any form, by any method, for any purpose.

Certain materials included in this publication are reprinted with the permission of the copyright holder.

Trademarks
The following are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc., and/or its subsidiaries and/or affiliates in the USA and other countries:
3DEC (design/logo), 3December, 3December.com, 3ds Max, Algor, Alias, Alias (swirl design/logo), AliasStudio, Alias|Wavefront (design/logo),
ATC, AUGI, AutoCAD, AutoCAD Learning Assistance, AutoCAD LT, AutoCAD Simulator, AutoCAD SQL Extension, AutoCAD SQL Interface,
Autodesk, Autodesk Envision, Autodesk Intent, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk Map, Autodesk MapGuide, Autodesk Streamline, AutoLISP, AutoSnap,
AutoSketch, AutoTrack, Backburner, Backdraft, Built with ObjectARX (logo), Burn, Buzzsaw, CAiCE, Civil 3D, Cleaner, Cleaner Central, ClearScale,
Colour Warper, Combustion, Communication Specification, Constructware, Content Explorer, Dancing Baby (image), DesignCenter, Design
Doctor, Designer's Toolkit, DesignKids, DesignProf, DesignServer, DesignStudio, Design Web Format, Discreet, DWF, DWG, DWG (logo), DWG
Extreme, DWG TrueConvert, DWG TrueView, DXF, Ecotect, Exposure, Extending the Design Team, Face Robot, FBX, Fempro, Fire, Flame, Flare,
Flint, FMDesktop, Freewheel, GDX Driver, Green Building Studio, Heads-up Design, Heidi, HumanIK, IDEA Server, i-drop, ImageModeler, iMOUT,
Incinerator, Inferno, Inventor, Inventor LT, Kaydara, Kaydara (design/logo), Kynapse, Kynogon, LandXplorer, Lustre, MatchMover, Maya,
Mechanical Desktop, Moldflow, Moonbox, MotionBuilder, Movimento, MPA, MPA (design/logo), Moldflow Plastics Advisers, MPI, Moldflow
Plastics Insight, MPX, MPX (design/logo), Moldflow Plastics Xpert, Mudbox, Multi-Master Editing, Navisworks, ObjectARX, ObjectDBX, Open
Reality, Opticore, Opticore Opus, Pipeplus, PolarSnap, PortfolioWall, Powered with Autodesk Technology, Productstream, ProjectPoint, ProMaterials,
RasterDWG, RealDWG, Real-time Roto, Recognize, Render Queue, Retimer,Reveal, Revit, Showcase, ShowMotion, SketchBook, Smoke, Softimage,
Softimage|XSI (design/logo), Sparks, SteeringWheels, Stitcher, Stone, StudioTools, ToolClip, Topobase, Toxik, TrustedDWG, ViewCube, Visual,
Visual LISP, Volo, Vtour, Wire, Wiretap, WiretapCentral, XSI, and XSI (design/logo).

All other brand names, product names or trademarks belong to their respective holders.

Disclaimer
THIS PUBLICATION AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS MADE AVAILABLE BY AUTODESK, INC. "AS IS." AUTODESK, INC. DISCLAIMS
ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE REGARDING THESE MATERIALS.

Published by:
Autodesk, Inc.
111 McInnis Parkway
San Rafael, CA 94903, USA
Contents

Chapter 1 Basic Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Overview of Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Organize Program and Support Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Overview of File Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Multiple Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Multiple Drawing Folders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Locate Customized Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Locate Plot Style Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Locate Plotter Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Locate the PMP File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Locate Support Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Locate Drawing Template Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Customize a Publish to Web Template . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Create Command Aliases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Chapter 2 Custom Linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Overview of Linetype Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Simple Custom Linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Text in Custom Linetypes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Chapter 3 Custom Hatch Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Overview of Hatch Pattern Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Hatch Patterns with Dashed Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

iii
 Hatch Patterns with Multiple Lines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Chapter 4 User Interface Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Understand User Interface Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Overview of the Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Use the Customization Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Overview of the Customize User Interface (CUI)
Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Work with the Customizations In Pane . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Work with the Command List Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Work with the Dynamic Display Pane . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
How Customization Has Changed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Customization Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Work with the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor . . . . . . . . . . 58
Create a Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Create User Interface Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Create a Quick Access Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Customize the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Create a Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Create a Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Create a Shortcut Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Customize Shortcut Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Create a Double Click Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Create a Mouse Button . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Create and Modify Workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Create a Workspace from the User Interface . . . . . . . . . 70
Create a Workspace with the CUI Editor . . . . . . . . . . . 71
Create and Manage Customization Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Basics of Customization Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Create and Load a Partial CUIx File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Create an Enterprise CUIx File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Find and Replace Commands and Text in a CUIx File . . . . . . . 86
Customize Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Overview of Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Create, Edit, and Reuse Commands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Create Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Overview of Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Use Special Control Characters in Macros . . . . . . . . . . 104
Pause for User Input in Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Provide International Support in Macros . . . . . . . . . . 108
Repeat Commands in Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Use Single Object Selection Mode in Macros . . . . . . . . 110
Use Macros to Swap User Interface Elements . . . . . . . . 110
Use Conditional Expressions in Macros . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Control the Display of Command Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Assign Search Tags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

iv | Contents
 Create Tooltips and Extended Help for Commands . . . . . . . . 122
Create Status Line Help Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
Assign, Create, and Manage Images for Commands . . . . . . . 129
Assign Images to a Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
Create and Edit Custom Images for Commands . . . . . . 132
Manage, Import, and Export Custom Images . . . . . . . . 134
Customize User Interface Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Quick Access Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Ribbon Panels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
Ribbon Tabs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180
Ribbon Contextual Tab States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Create and Edit Toolbars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Add Flyouts to a Toolbar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Add, Remove or Switch Toolbar Controls . . . . . . . . . . 207
Pull-down and Shortcut Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Overview of Pull-Down and Shortcut Menus . . . . . . . . 212
Create a Pull-Down Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Create a Shortcut Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Create Submenus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Reference Pull-Down or Shortcut Menus . . . . . . . . . . 229
Swap and Insert Pull-Down Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . 230
Quick Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Rollover Tooltips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 241
Keyboard Shortcuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Shortcut Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248
Temporary Override Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Double Click Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Overview of Double Click Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Double Click Action Object Names . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Examples of Double Click Actions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
Mouse Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Overview of Mouse Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270
Accept Coordinate Entry in Button Menus . . . . . . . . . 271
Legacy Interface Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Create Tablet Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
Customize Tablet Buttons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274
Create Image Tile Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
Customize Workspaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Overview of Workspace Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Control User Interface Elements Outside the CUI Editor . . . . . 293
Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor . . . . . . . . 296
Control the Appearance of Palettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Transfer and Migrate Customization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316
Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor FAQs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319

Contents | v
Chapter 5 DIESEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Customize the Status Line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
Overview of the MODEMACRO System Variable . . . . . . . . . 325
Set MODEMACRO Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
DIESEL Expressions in Macros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Catalog of DIESEL Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
+ (addition) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
- (subtraction) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
* (multiplication) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
/ (division) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
= (equal to) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
< (less than) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
> (greater than) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
!= (not equal to) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 333
<= (less than or equal to) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
>= (greater than or equal to) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 334
and . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
angtos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
edtime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
eq . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
eval . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
fix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
getenv . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
getvar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
if . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
nth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
or . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
rtos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
strlen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
substr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
upper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342
xor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
DIESEL Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343

Chapter 6 Slides and Command Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345

Create Slides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
Overview of Slides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 345
View Slides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Create and View Slide Libraries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
Create Command Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Overview of Command Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 350
Run Scripts at Startup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
Run Slide Shows from Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354

vi | Contents
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359

Contents | vii
viii
Basic Customization
1
Your dealer can offer you independently developed applications that can further tailor
AutoCAD LT to your needs.

Overview of Customization
AutoCAD LT can be customized in simple ways. For example, you can change
the directory structure or move a button from one toolbar to another. If you
want to change the interface further, you can edit the CUIx file and use DIESEL
code to create customizations with your own commands.
The list that follows is arranged from least to most complex:

■ Organize files. You can organize program, support, and drawing files. For
example, you can make a separate folder for each project that includes only
the support files that project needs.

■ Customize Tool Palettes. You can create a tool by dragging objects from
your drawing onto a tool palette. You can create a tool palette by
right-clicking on the Tool Palettes title bar and selecting New Palette. For
information about customizing tool palettes, see “Customize Tool Palettes”
in the User's Guide.

■ Create custom templates. Use templates to define common parameters when

you publish a drawing using the Publish to Web wizard.

■ Define command aliases. You can define simple abbreviations, or aliases,

for frequently used commands from within AutoCAD LT by adding the
command to the PGP file acadlt.pgp. For example, you might want to start
the BLOCK command by entering b.

1
 ■ Create custom linetypes and hatch patterns. You can create linetypes and
hatch patterns that conform to your company standards and working
methods.

■ Customize the user interface. The CUIx file controls many aspects of the
user interface, including the behavior of your pointing device buttons and
the functionality and appearance of pull-down, tablet, and image tile
menus, toolbars, and accelerator keys. You can edit or create a CUIx file
to add commands or combine commands and assign them to a menu,
toolbar, or other location.

■ Customize the status line. You can use the DIESEL string expression
language and the MODEMACRO system variable to provide additional
information at the status line, such as the date and time or system variable
settings.

■ Automate repetitive tasks by writing scripts. A script is an ASCII text file

containing commands that are processed like a batch file when you run
the script. For example, if a set of drawings needs to be plotted a certain
way, you can write a script that opens each drawing, hides and displays
various layers, and issues PLOT commands. You can use scripts with slides
to create automated presentations like those used at trade shows. A slide
is a “snapshot” of the drawing area that cannot be edited. Slides can also
be used in image tile menus and dialog boxes.

See also:

■ “Organize Program and Support Files”

■ “Toolbars”

■ “Customize a Publish to Web Template”

■ “Create Command Aliases”

■ “Custom Linetypes”

■ “Custom Hatch Patterns”

■ “User Interface Customization”

■ “DIESEL”

■ “Customize the Status Line”

■ “Slides and Command Scripts”

2 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUSTOMIZE
Customizes tool palettes and tool palette groups.

System Variables
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.

Organize Program and Support Files

You can change the default directory structure for the program and support
files to suit your needs.

Overview of File Organization

®
AutoCAD LT uses support files for purposes such as storing customization
definitions and describing text fonts.
The default directory structure for the AutoCAD LT program and support files
is designed to efficiently organize those files into logical groups. If this
organization does not suit your needs, you can change it. However, some
applications look for certain files in specific locations, and you should verify
that your modifications do not conflict with the requirements of those
applications. Without the full path, including drive and directory, AutoCAD
LT can locate only those files that are found in the library search path.
The location of the support folder changed in AutoCAD 2004. The location of
local customizable files is stored in the LOCALROOTPREFIX system variable.
The location of roamable customizable files is stored in the
ROAMABLEROOTPREFIX system variable. If a network supports roaming,

Organize Program and Support Files | 3

 customizable files in the user's roaming profile are available on the machine
the user is logged onto.

Library Search Path

The library search path specifies where the program searches for files when
you do not specify a full path name, as follows:

■ Current directory. (This is typically determined by the “Start In” setting

in your shortcut icon.)

■ Directory that contains the current drawing file.

■ Directories listed in the search path specified on the Files tab in OPTIONS.
(See Specify Search Paths and File Locations in the User's Guide.)

■ Directory that contains the AutoCAD LT program files.

Depending on the current environment, two or more directories may be the

same.
If a file is not in this search path, you must specify both its path name and
file name before AutoCAD LT can find it. For example, if you want to insert
the part5.dwg drawing into your current drawing and it is not in the library
search path, you must specify its full path name, as shown here:
Command: insert
Enter block name or [?]: /files2/olddwgs/part5
If the drawing exists in that location, AutoCAD LT prompts you to finish the
INSERT command in the usual manner.

Directory Structure
AutoCAD LT uses tree-structured directories and subdirectories. It is
recommended that you keep supplemental files (such as third-party
applications and customization files) separate from the AutoCAD LT program
and support files. This makes it easier to track possible conflicts and to upgrade
each application without affecting the others.
You can create a new directory on the same level as the main AutoCAD LT
directory and store any customization files or third-party applications in
subdirectories on the next level.
If you want to store drawings by job, you can create a third directory on the
same level. Subdirectories for each job could contain drawing files and a
subdirectory for related support files.

4 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

Command Search Procedure
When you enter a command, AutoCAD LT goes through a series of steps to
evaluate the validity of the command name. A command can be a built-in
command or system variable or an alias defined in the acadlt.pgp file.
Commands can also be defined by a device driver command. You can enter
a command on the command prompt or choose a command from the
appropriate menu. Commands can also be entered from a script file.
The following list describes the search order AutoCAD LT uses to validate a
command name.

1 If the input is a null response (SPACEBAR or ENTER), AutoCAD LT uses

the name of the last command issued. HELP is the default.

2 AutoCAD LT checks the command name against the list of built-in

commands. If the command is in the list and is not preceded by a period
(.), AutoCAD LT then checks the command against a list of undefined
commands. If the command is undefined, the search continues.
Otherwise, the command is run, unless another reason prevents it from
doing so. Running it transparently or in Perspective mode might be
impossible.

3 AutoCAD LT checks the command name against the names of commands

defined by a device driver, and then by those defined by the display
driver.

4 AutoCAD LT checks the command name against the list of system

variables. If the command name is in the list, AutoCAD LT executes the
SETVAR command, using the input as the variable name.

5 If the command name corresponds to a command alias defined in the

program parameters file, AutoCAD LT uses the expanded command name
and continues the search, starting a new search against the list of built-in
commands.

6 If all the preceding steps fail, the search terminates with a warning
message about illegal command names.

See also:

■ “Specify Search Paths and File Locations” in the User's Guide

Overview of File Organization | 5

 Quick Reference

Commands
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

System Variables
LOCALROOTPREFIX
Stores the full path to the root folder where local customizable files were
installed.
ROAMABLEROOTPREFIX
Stores the full path to the root folder where roamable customizable files were
installed.

Multiple Configurations
If you use more than one pointing device or use different plotters, you can
set up more than one configuration file to make it easy to switch between
devices.
When you configure AutoCAD LT for a pointing device and plotter drivers,
the information you supply is recorded in a configuration file.
Typically, only a single configuration is necessary, but you may need multiple
configurations. For example, if you use a mouse for most of your work but
occasionally require a large digitizing tablet, you can set up your system to
handle multiple configurations rather than reconfiguring each time you change
a device.
The configuration file stores the values of many AutoCAD LT system variables
and the configuration options defined in the Options dialog box. If you want
different settings for these system variables and operating parameters, you
can save those values to different configuration files. For a list of the system
variables and where they are stored, see System Variables in the Command
Reference.
To take advantage of multiple configurations, you must set up AutoCAD LT
to use different configuration files. Use the /c switch to specify alternative
configuration files at startup.

6 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

 See also:

■ “Customize Startup” in the User's Guide

Quick Reference

Commands
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

Multiple Drawing Folders

Keeping your drawing and other associated files in separate directories makes
it easier to perform basic file maintenance.
Keeping your drawing files and other associated files in separate directories
makes it easier to perform basic file maintenance. The scenario described in
this topic is based on the sample directory structure described in Overview of
File Organization on page 3, but you can expand or alter it to meet your
needs.
You can set up the /AcltJobs directory to contain your drawing subdirectories.
The drawing subdirectories can contain other subdirectories that hold related
support files for that particular drawing type or job. The /AcltJobs/Job1/Support
directory can contain blocks and other files specific to the drawing files in
/AcltJobs/Job1. Specifying support (with no path prefix) in the Support path
adds the support directory within the current directory to the Support path.
Notice that if you use the Options dialog box to specify a directory, AutoCAD
LT creates a hard-coded path to that directory. To use the relative naming
convention previously described, you must specify the Support path with the
/s switch on the command line. See “Customize Startup” in the User's Guide.
To make sure that the required drawing directory is the current directory when
you start AutoCAD LT, and that all files and subdirectories in that directory
are easily accessible, you can create a program icon or a Start menu item that
specifies the correct working directory for each job. This functionality works
only if you set the AutoCAD LT system variable REMEMBERFOLDERS to 0.
You can use a batch program as an alternative to using icons or menus. With
batch programs you can create new job directories automatically. The following

Multiple Drawing Folders | 7

 batch program verifies that a specified directory exists, sets that directory to
be current, and then runs AutoCAD LT.
@echo off
C:
if exist \AcltJobs\Jobs\%1 goto RUNACLT
echo.
echo *** Creating \AcltJobs\Jobs\%1
echo *** Press Ctrl+C to cancel.
echo.
pause
mkdir \AcltJobs\Jobs\%1
:RUNACAD
cd \AcltJobs\Jobs\%1
start C:\ AutoCAD LT\acadlt.exe

Using an ASCII text editor (such as Notepad), save the batch program to a file
named acadlt.bat. Be sure to change the drive and directory names to match
those on your system. Place this file in a directory that is on your system search
path (for example, C:\winnt). You can run this batch program using the Run
command on the Start menu or by double-clicking the file in Explorer. If you
saved the file as acadlt.bat, use the following syntax:
acltjobname
where jobname is the name of the job directory to make current.

Quick Reference

Locate Customized Files

Beginning with AutoCAD LT 2004, the location of some of your customized
files has changed. The reasons for the file location changes include the
following:

■ Limited user rights on a workstation. You can run AutoCAD LT as a limited

user. This means that you no longer need power user or Administrator
permissions to run AutoCAD LT once it is installed.

■ Roaming profiles. Roaming profiles allow you to log on to any computer

within a network and retain your user settings. Some files, such as your
personal settings and documents, follow you from computer to computer,
while other files, such as templates (including Publish to Web templates),
reside only on your system.

8 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

 If roaming profiles are allowed on your network, your “roamable” files are
located in the \Application Data\Autodesk\<Product Version> folder, and
your “nonroamable” files are located in the \Local Settings\Application
Data\Autodesk\<Product Version> folder.

NOTE In some operating systems, the folders that are located under your profile
are hidden by default. To display these files, you may need to change your display
settings. On the Start menu, click Control Panel ➤ Folder Options. In the Folder
Options dialog box, on the View tab, click Show Hidden Files and Folders.

Locate Plot Style Files

Beginning with the AutoCAD KT 2004, the default location of your plot style
files has changed. For information about the default location of these files,
see Locate Customized Files on page 8.

To locate your plot style files

1 Do one of the following:

■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Printer Support File Path.

4 Click the plus sign (+) to the left of the Plot Style Table Search Path file.

5 Under Plot Style Table Search Path, click the path name to view the
location of your plot style files.

NOTE You can also locate your plot style files by entering stylesmanager on the
AutoCAD LT command line.

Locate Customized Files | 9

Locate Plotter Files
Beginning with AutoCAD LT 2004, the default location of your plotter files
has changed. For information about the default location of these files, see
Locate Customized Files on page 8.

To locate your plotter files

1 Do one of the following:

■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Printer Support File Path.

4 Click the plus sign (+) to the left of Printer Configuration Search Path.

5 Under Printer Configuration Search Path, click the path name to view
the location of your plotter files.

NOTE You can also locate your plotter files by entering plottermanager on the
AutoCAD LT command line.

Locate the PMP File

Beginning with the 2004 Autodesk prodcts, the default location of your PMP
file has changed. For information about the default location of this file, see
Locate Customized Files on page 8.

To locate your PMP file

1 Do one of the following:

■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

10 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

 2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Printer Support File Path.

4 Under Printer Description File Search Path, click the path name to view
the location of your PMP file.

Locate Support Files

Beginning with AutoCAD LT 2004, the default location for some of your
support files has changed. For information about the default location of these
files, see Locate Customized Files on page 8.
Support files include the following:

■ Customization file (acadlt.cuix)

■ Custom icon files

■ Help and miscellaneous files

■ Font mapping file (acadlt.fmp)

■ Alternate font file (simplex.shx)

■ Support path files (acadlt.dcl, acadlt.lin, acadlt.pat, acadlt.pgp, acadlt.psf,

acadlt.unt, acadltiso.lin, acadltiso.pat, and gdt.shx)

To find the default location of the customization files

1 Do one of the following:
■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Customization Files.

4 Click the plus sign (+) to the left of Main Customization File.

Locate Customized Files | 11

 5 Under Main Customization File, click the path name to view the location
of your main customization file.

6 Click the plus sign (+) to the left of Enterprise Customization File.

7 Under Enterprise Customization File, click the path name to view the
location of your enterprise customization files.

NOTE By default, the path to an enterprise customization file is empty until

you define the file. For more information about defining a customization file,
see “Customize the User Interface” in the Customization Guide.

To find the default location of the custom icon files

1 Do one of the following:
■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Customization Files.

4 Under Custom Icon Location, click the path name to view the location
for the custom button image files used with your customization files.

To find the default location of the Help and miscellaneous files

1 Do one of the following:
■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Help and Miscellaneous File Names to expand the list.

4 Click the plus sign (+) to the left of the file you want to locate, and then
click the path name to view the location of the files.

12 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

To find the default location of the font mapping file
1 Do one of the following:
■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Text Editor, Dictionary, and Font File Names.

4 Click the plus sign (+) to the left of Font Mapping File.

5 Under Font Mapping File, click the path name to view the location of
your font mapping file.

To find the default location of the alternate font file

1 Do one of the following:
■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Text Editor, Dictionary, and Font File Names.

4 Click the plus sign (+) to the left of Alternate Font File.

5 Under Alternate Font File, click the path name to view the location of
your alternate font file.

To find the default location of the support path files

1 Do one of the following:
■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

Locate Customized Files | 13

 2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Support File Search Path.

4 Under Support File Search Path, click a path name to view the location
of your support files.

Locate Drawing Template Files

Beginning with AutoCAD LT 2004, the default location of your drawing
template files has changed. For information about the default location of these
files, see Locate Customized Files on page 8.

To locate your drawing template files

1 Do one of the following:
■ (Windows XP) Click Start menu ➤ Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤
<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

■ (Windows Vista) Click Start menu ➤ All Programs ➤ Autodesk ➤

<AutoCAD LT> ➤ <AutoCAD LT>.

2 Click application menu ➤ Options.

3 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) to the left of
Template Settings.

4 Under Template Settings, click the plus sign (+) to the left of Drawing
Template File Location.

5 Under Drawing Template File Location, click the path name to view the
location of your drawing template files.

Customize a Publish to Web Template

You can create customized templates to use in the Publish to Web wizard by
modifying one of the Publish to Web template (PWT) files provided. Use any
HTML editor or text editor.
To create a custom template, add or modify any of the following elements:

■ Images

14 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

■ Text

■ Hyperlinks

■ Color

■ Title

■ Video, animation, and so on

There are four default Publish to Web templates that you can customize:

■ Array of Thumbnails. Creates a web page containing an array of thumbnail

images.

■ Array Plus Summary. Creates a web page containing an array of thumbnail

images and summary information about each image.

■ List of Drawings. Creates a web page containing a list of drawings and an

image frame.

■ List Plus Summary. Creates a web page containing a list of drawings, an

image frame, and summary information about a selected image.

NOTE You must be familiar with HTML syntax to customize the Publish to Web
templates.

You can make changes or additions to the look and feel of a template, but
you cannot change the arrangement of images within it. For example, in the
Array of Thumbnails template, the images are presented across the page in rows.
You cannot alter the presentation of the images, but you can wrap text and
graphics around the table of images.

WARNING To ensure that you do not overwrite the default Publish to Web
template files, back up those files before you make any changes to them.

To create quick access to the Publish to Web templates

1 Click Tools menu ➤ Options.

2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) next to
Template Settings. Then click the plus sign next to Drawing Template
File Location.

3 Move the cursor to the path name that is displayed and click inside it,
and press F2, and press CTRL+C to copy it.

Customize a Publish to Web Template | 15

 4 Click OK or Cancel to close the Options dialog box.

5 Click File menu ➤ Open.

6 In the Select File dialog box, right-click an empty area in the vertical
panel on the left side, and click Add on the shortcut menu.

7 Enter a name in the Item name box (for example, Templates).

8 Press CTRL+V to paste the path into the Item Path box, and click OK.
You can now access the Template folders by clicking the button in the
left panel of the Select File dialog box.

To customize a Publish to Web template

1 Browse to the Publish to Web template folder, click File menu ➤ Open.
See To create quick access to the Publish to Web templates on page 15.

2 Double-click the PTWTemplates folder to open it. The following folders

are displayed. Each contains a Publish to Web template and preview
images (BMP) that you see when you run the Publish to Web wizard.
■ Template1. Contains the Array of Thumbnails template and a preview
image

■ Template2. Contains the Array Plus Summary template, a preview image,

and HTML frames

■ Template3. Contains the List of Drawings template, a preview image,

and HTML frames

■ Template4. Contains the List Plus Summary template, a preview image,

and HTML frames

3 Right-click the folder you want to use, and click Copy.

4 Press ALT+2, right-click the PTWTemplates folder, and click Paste.

5 Reopen the PTWTemplates folder, and right-click the new folder and
rename it.

6 Right-click the new folder and click Open to display its contents.

7 Rename the Publish to Web template (PWT) file with an .htm or .html file
extension.

8 Open the template file in an HTML editor or a text editor.

16 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

 The template file contains comments that help you determine which
areas of the code you can modify to create your new web page.

9 Review the comments and make changes to the parts of the template
you want to customize.

10 Save the template with a .pwt file extension. Make sure you save the file
to the template folder you created in step 3.

NOTE Each template folder can contain only one PWT file. If you create a
new PWT file, make sure you delete any other PWT files that exist in the same
folder.

When you run the Publish to Web wizard, the new template is displayed
in the list of templates.

Quick Reference

Commands
PUBLISHTOWEB
Creates HTML pages that include images of selected drawings.

Create Command Aliases

A command alias is an abbreviation that you enter at the command prompt
instead of entering the entire command name.
For example, you can enter c instead of circle to start the CIRCLE command.
An alias is not the same as a keyboard shortcut, which is a combination of
keystrokes, such as CTRL+S for SAVE.
The acadlt.pgp file defines command aliases. You can change existing aliases
or add new ones by editing acadlt.pgp in an ASCII text editor (such as
Notepad). In addition to command aliases in acad.pgp, you will also find
comment lines which are preceded by a semicolon (;). Comment lines allow
you to add textual information to acad.pgp, such as when or who revised the
file last.

NOTE Before you edit acadlt.pgp, create a backup so that you can restore it later,
if necessary.

Create Command Aliases | 17

 To define a command alias, add a line to the acadlt.pgp file using the following
syntax:
abbreviation,*command

where abbreviation is the command alias that you enter at the command
prompt and command is the command being abbreviated. You must enter an
asterisk (*) before the command name to identify the line as a command alias
definition.
If you can enter a command transparently, you can also enter its alias
transparently. When you enter the command alias, the full command name
is displayed at the command prompt and the command is executed.
You can create command aliases that include the special hyphen (-) prefix,
such as those listed here, that accesses the version of a command that displays
command prompts instead of a dialog box.
BH, *-BHATCH
BD, *-BOUNDARY

NOTE You cannot use command aliases in command scripts. Using command
aliases in menu files is not recommended.

If you edit acadlt.pgp while AutoCAD LT is running, enter reinit in order to

use the revised file. Restarting AutoCAD LT automatically reloads the file.

To open the program parameters file (acadlt.pgp)

■ Click Tools ➤ Customize ➤ Edit Program Parameters (acadlt.pgp)

Quick Reference

Commands
REINIT
Reinitializes the digitizer, digitizer input/output port, and program parameters
file.

18 | Chapter 1 Basic Customization

Custom Linetypes
2
AutoCAD LT® provides a library of standard linetypes in the acadlt.lin and acadltiso.lin files.
You can use the linetypes as they are, modify them, or create your own custom linetypes.

Overview of Linetype Definitions

Linetypes are defined in one or more linetype definition files that have a .lin
file extension.
The linetype name and definition determine the particular dash-dot sequence,
the relative lengths of dashes and blank spaces, and the characteristics of any
included text or shapes. You can use any of the standard linetypes that AutoCAD
LT provides, or you can create your own linetypes.

examples of linetypes
A LIN file can contain definitions of many simple and complex linetypes. You
can add new linetypes to an existing LIN file, or you can create your own LIN
file. To create or modify linetype definitions, edit the LIN file using a text editor
or word processor or use LINETYPE at the command prompt.
When you create a linetype, you must load the linetype before you can use it.
The LIN files included in AutoCAD LT are acadlt.lin and acadltiso.lin. You can
display or print these text files to better understand how to construct linetypes.

19
 Quick Reference

Commands
LINETYPE
Loads, sets, and modifies linetypes.

System Variables
MEASUREINIT
Controls whether a drawing you start from scratch uses imperial or metric
default settings.

Simple Custom Linetypes

Each linetype is defined on two lines in a linetype definition file. The first
line contains the linetype name and an optional description. The second line
is the code that defines the actual linetype pattern.
The second line must begin with the letter A (alignment), followed by a list
of pattern descriptors that define pen-up lengths (spaces), pen-down lengths
(dashes), and dots. You can include comments in an LIN file by beginning
the line with a semicolon (;).

Linetype Definition Format

The format of the linetype definition is
*linetype_name,description
A,descriptor1,descriptor2, ...

For example, a linetype called DASHDOT is defined as

*DASHDOT,Dash dot __ . __ . __ . __ . __ . __ . __ . __
A,.5,-.25,0,-.25

This indicates a repeating pattern starting with a dash 0.5 drawing units long,
a space 0.25 drawing units long, a dot, and another space 0.25 drawing units
long. This pattern continues for the length of the line, ending with a dash 0.5
drawing units long. The linetype would be displayed as shown below.
__ . __ . __ . __ . __ . __ . __ . __
LIN files must be saved in ASCII format and use an .lin file extension. Additional
information about each field in a linetype definition follows.

20 | Chapter 2 Custom Linetypes

Linetype Name
The linetype name field begins with an asterisk (*) and should provide a
unique, descriptive name for the linetype.

Description
The description of the linetype should help you visualize the linetype when
you edit the LIN file. The description is also displayed in the Linetype Manager
and in the Load or Reload Linetypes dialog box.
The description is optional and can include

■ A simple representation of the linetype pattern using ASCII text

■ An expanded description of the linetype

■ A comment such as "Use this linetype for hidden lines"

If you omit the description, do not insert a comma after the linetype name.
A description cannot exceed 47 characters.

Alignment Field (A)

The alignment field specifies the action for pattern alignment at the ends of
individual lines, circles, and arcs. Currently, AutoCAD LT supports only A-type
alignment, which guarantees that the endpoints of lines and arcs start and
stop with a dash.
For example, suppose you create a linetype called CENTRAL that displays the
repeating dash-dot sequence commonly used as a centerline. AutoCAD LT
adjusts the dash-dot sequence on an individual line so that dashes and line
endpoints coincide. The pattern fits the line so that at least half of the first
dash begins and ends the line. If necessary, the first and last dashes are
lengthened. If a line is too short to hold even one dash-dot sequence, AutoCAD
LT draws a continuous line between the endpoints. For arcs also, the pattern
is adjusted so that dashes are drawn at the endpoints. Circles do not have
endpoints, but AutoCAD LT adjusts the dash-dot sequence to provide a
reasonable display.
You must specify A-type alignment by entering a in the alignment field.

Simple Custom Linetypes | 21

 Pattern Descriptors
Each pattern descriptor field specifies the length of segments making up the
linetype, separated by commas (no spaces are allowed):

■ A positive decimal number denotes a pen-down (dash) segment of that

length.

■ A negative decimal number denotes a pen-up (space) segment of that

length.

■ A dash length of 0 draws a dot.

You can enter up to 12 dash-length specifications per linetype, provided they

fit on one 80-character line in the LIN file. You need to include only one
complete repetition of the linetype pattern defined by pattern descriptors.
When the linetype is drawn, AutoCAD LT uses the first pattern descriptor for
the starting and ending dashes. Between the starting and ending dashes, the
pattern dash specifications are drawn sequentially, beginning with the second
dash specification and restarting the pattern with the first dash specification
when required.
A-type alignment requires that the first dash length be 0 or greater (a pen-down
segment). The second dash length should be less than 0 if you need a pen-up
segment and more than 0 if you are creating a continuous linetype. You must
have at least two dash specifications for A-type alignment.

To create a simple linetype from the Command prompt

1 At the command prompt, enter -linetype.

2 Enter c (Create).

3 Enter a name for the linetype and press ENTER.

The linetype name can include up to 255 characters. Linetype names can
contain letters, digits, and the special characters dollar sign ($), hyphen
(-), and underscore (_). Linetype names cannot include blank spaces.

4 In the Create or Append Linetype File dialog box, select an LIN linetype
library file from the File Name box and choose Save.
If you select an existing file, the new linetype name is added to the
linetype names in the file.

5 Enter text that describes the new linetype (optional).

22 | Chapter 2 Custom Linetypes

 6 At the Enter Pattern prompt, specify the pattern of the line. Follow these
guidelines:
■ All linetypes must begin with a dash.

■ Enter zeros for dots.

■ Enter negative real numbers for spaces. The value defines the length
of the space in drawing units.

■ Enter positive real numbers for dashes. The value defines the length
of the dash in drawing units.

■ Separate each dot, dash, or space value from the next with a comma.

■ Use a space between a dot and a dash.

7 Press ENTER to end the command.

NOTE When you create a linetype, it is not loaded into your drawing automatically.
Use the Load option of LINETYPE.

To add a simple linetype to a LIN file

1 Open the acadlt.lin or acadltiso.lin file in a text editor that saves in ASCII
format (for example, Notepad).

2 Create a header line that includes an asterisk and a linetype pattern name.
The name of the linetype pattern is limited to 31 characters.

3 (Optional) To include a description in the header line, follow the linetype

pattern name with a comma and description text.

4 Create a descriptor line that includes:

■ All linetypes must begin with a dash.

■ Enter zeros for dots.

■ Enter negative real numbers for spaces. The value defines the length
of the space in drawing units.

■ Enter positive real numbers for dashes. The value defines the length
of the dash in drawing units.

■ Separate each dot, dash, or space value from the next with a comma.

■ Use a space between a dot and a dash.

Simple Custom Linetypes | 23

 Quick Reference

Commands
LINETYPE
Loads, sets, and modifies linetypes.

System Variables
MEASUREINIT
Controls whether a drawing you start from scratch uses imperial or metric
default settings.

Text in Custom Linetypes

Characters from text fonts can be included in linetypes.
Characters from text fonts can be included in linetypes. Linetypes with
embedded characters can denote utilities, boundaries, contours, and so on.
As with simple linetypes, lines are dynamically drawn as you specify the
vertices. Characters embedded in lines are always displayed completely; they
are never trimmed.
Embedded text characters are associated with a text style in the drawing. Any
text styles associated with a linetype must exist in the drawing before you
load the linetype.
The format for linetypes that include embedded characters is similar to that
for simple linetypes in that it is a list of pattern descriptors separated by
commas.

Character Descriptor Format

The format for adding text characters in a linetype description is as follows:
["text",textstylename,scale,rotation,xoffset,yoffset]

This format is added as a descriptor to a simple linetype. For example, a

linetype called HOT_WATER_SUPPLY is defined as
*HOT_WATER_SUPPLY,---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ----
A,.5,-.2,["HW",STANDARD,S=.1,U=0.0,X=-0.1,Y=-.05],-.2

This indicates a repeating pattern starting with a dash 0.5 drawing units long,
a space 0.2 drawing units long, the characters HW with some scale and
placement parameters, and another space 0.2 drawing units long. The text

24 | Chapter 2 Custom Linetypes

characters come from the text font assigned to the STANDARD text style at a
scale of 0.1, an upright rotation of 0 degrees, an X offset of -0.1, and a Y offset
of -0.05. This pattern continues for the length of the line, ending with a dash
0.5 drawing units long. The linetype would be displayed as shown below.

Notice that the total upstroke length is 0.2 + 0.2 = 0.4 and that the text origin
is offset -.01 units in the X direction from the end of the first upstroke. An
equivalent linetype would be
*HOT_WATER_SUPPLY,---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ---- HW ----
A,.5,-.1,["HW",STANDARD,S=.1,U=0.0,X=0.0,Y=-.05],-.3

The total upstroke is still 0.1 + 0.3 = 0.4, but the text origin is not offset in the
X direction.
Additional information about each field in the character descriptor follows.
The values to be used are signed decimal numbers such as 1, -17, and 0.01.
text The characters to be used in the linetype.

text style name The name of the text style to be used. If no text style is
specified, AutoCAD LT uses the currently defined style.

scale S=value. The scale factor to be used for the text style relative to the scale
of the linetype. The height of the text style is multiplied by the scale factor.
If the height is 0, the value for S=value alone is used as the height.

rotation U=value, R=value, or A=value. U= specifies upright or easy-to-read

text. R= specifies relative or tangential rotation with respect to the line. A=
specifies absolute rotation of the text with respect to the origin; that is, all
text has the same rotation regardless of its position relative to the line. The
value can be appended with a d for degrees (degrees is the default value), r for
radians, or g for grads. If rotation is omitted, 0 relative rotation is used.
Rotation is centered between the baseline and the nominal cap height.

Text in Custom Linetypes | 25

 NOTE Drawings containing legacy linetypes that do not use the U (upright)
rotation flag can be updated to the latest linetype definition by reloading the
linetype from the LIN files. Custom linetypes can be updated by changing the R
(rotation) flag to the U (upright) flag prior to reloading a linetype definition. For
information on loading a linetype, see Load Linetypes.

xoffset X=value. The shift of the text on the X axis of the linetype, which is
along the line. If xoffset is omitted or is 0, the text is elaborated with no
offset. Use this field to control the distance between the text and the previous
pen-up or pen-down stroke. This value is not scaled by the scale factor defined
by S=value, but it is scaled to the linetype.

yoffset Y=value. The shift of the text in the Y axis of the linetype, which is at
a 90-degree angle to the line. If yoffset is omitted or is 0, the text is elaborated
with no offset. Use this field to control the vertical alignment of the text with
respect to the line. This value is not scaled by the scale factor defined by
S=value, but it is scaled to the linetype.

To include text characters in linetypes

1 Create a simple linetype, as described in To add a simple linetype to a
LIN file on page 23.

2 Add the text character descriptor within the linetype pattern, using the
following format:
["text",textstylename,scale,rotation,xoffset,yoffset]

Quick Reference

Commands
LINETYPE
Loads, sets, and modifies linetypes.

System Variables
MEASUREINIT
Controls whether a drawing you start from scratch uses imperial or metric
default settings.

26 | Chapter 2 Custom Linetypes

Custom Hatch Patterns
3
AutoCAD LT® provides a library of standard hatch patterns in the acadlt.pat and acadltiso.pat
files. You can use the hatch patterns as they are, modify them, or create your own custom
hatch patterns.

Overview of Hatch Pattern Definitions

In addition to using the predefined hatch patterns that are supplied, you can
design and create your own custom hatch patterns.
In addition to using the predefined hatch patterns that are supplied, you can
design and create your own custom hatch patterns. Developing a hatch pattern
definition requires knowledge, practice, and patience. Because customizing
hatches requires familiarity with hatch patterns, it is not recommended for new
users.
The hatch patterns supplied by AutoCAD LT are stored in the acadlt.pat and
acadltiso.pat text files. You can add hatch pattern definitions to this file or create
your own files.
Regardless of where the definition is stored, a custom hatch pattern has the
same format. It has a header line with a name, which begins with an asterisk
and is no more than 31 characters long, and an optional description:
*pattern-name, description

It also has one or more line descriptors of the following form:

angle, x-origin,y-origin, delta-x,delta-y,dash-1,dash-2, …

The default hatch pattern ANSI31 shown in the Boundary Hatch and Fill dialog
box looks like this:

27
 and is defined as follows:
*ANSI31, ANSI Iron, Brick, Stone masonry
45, 0,0, 0,.125

The pattern name on the first line, *ANSI31, is followed by a description: ANSI
Iron, Brick, Stone masonry. This simple pattern definition specifies a line
drawn at an angle of 45 degrees, that the first line of the family of hatch lines
is to pass through the drawing origin (0,0), and that the spacing between
hatch lines of the family is to be 0.125 drawing units.
Hatch pattern definitions follow these rules:

■ Each line in a pattern definition can contain up to 80 characters. You can

include letters, numbers, and the special characters underline (_), hyphen
(-), and dollar sign ($). However, you must begin a pattern definition with
a letter or number, not a special character.

■ AutoCAD LT ignores both blank lines and text to the right of a semicolon.

■ Each pattern line is considered to be the first member of a line family,

created by applying the delta offsets in both directions to generate an
infinite family of parallel lines.

■ The delta-x value indicates the displacement between members of the

family in the direction of the line. It is used only for dashed lines.

■ The delta-y value indicates the spacing between members of the family;
that is, it is measured perpendicular to the lines.

■ A line is considered to be of infinite length. A dash pattern is superimposed

on the line.

NOTE A blank line must be placed after the last hatch pattern definition in a PAT
file. If a blank line is not placed after the last hatch pattern definition, the last hatch
pattern definition will not be accessible when creating a hatch fill.

The process of hatching consists of expanding each line in the pattern

definition to its infinite family of parallel lines. All selected objects are checked
for intersections with any of these lines; any intersections cause the hatch
lines to be turned on and off as governed by the hatching style. Each family

28 | Chapter 3 Custom Hatch Patterns

of hatch lines is generated parallel to an initial line with an absolute origin
to guarantee proper alignment.
If you create a very dense hatch, AutoCAD LT may reject the hatch and display
a message indicating that the hatch scale is too small or its dash length too
short. You can change the maximum number of hatch lines by setting the
MaxHatch system registry variable using SETENV and entering a number
between 100 and 10000000 (ten million).

NOTE When changing the value of MaxHatch, you must enter MaxHatch with
the capitalization as shown.

To create a simple hatch pattern

1 Open the acadlt.pat or acadltiso.pat file in a text editor that saves in ASCII
® ®
format (for example, Microsoft Windows Notepad).

2 Create a header line that includes an asterisk and a pattern name. The
name of the hatch pattern is limited to 31 characters.

3 (Optional) To include a description in the header line, follow the pattern

name with a comma and description text.

4 Create a descriptor line that includes

■ An angle at which the line is drawn

■ An X,Y origin point

■ A delta-x of 0

■ A delta-y of any value

Quick Reference

Commands
ADCENTER
Manages and inserts content such as blocks, xrefs, and hatch patterns.
FILL
Controls the filling of objects such as hatches, 2D solids, and wide polylines.

Overview of Hatch Pattern Definitions | 29

 HATCH
HATCHEDIT
Modifies an existing hatch or fill.
SOLID
Creates solid-filled triangles and quadrilaterals.

System Variables
FILLMODE
Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled
in.
HPANG
Sets the angle for new hatch patterns.
HPBOUND
Controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY.
HPDOUBLE
Specifies hatch pattern doubling for user-defined patterns.
HPNAME
Sets the default hatch pattern name.
HPSCALE
Sets the hatch pattern scale factor.
HPSPACE
Sets the hatch pattern line spacing for user-defined patterns.

Hatch Patterns with Dashed Lines

To define dashed-line patterns, you append dash-length items to the end of
the line definition item.
To define dashed-line patterns, you append dash-length items to the end of
the line definition item. Each dash-length item specifies the length of a
segment making up the line. If the length is positive, a pen-down segment is
drawn. If the length is negative, the segment is pen-up, and it is not drawn.
The pattern starts at the origin point with the first segment and cycles through

30 | Chapter 3 Custom Hatch Patterns

the segments in circular fashion. A dash length of 0 draws a dot. You can
specify up to six dash lengths per pattern line.
The hatch pattern ANSI33, shown in the Boundary Hatch and Fill dialog box,
looks like this:

and is defined as follows:

*ANSI33, ANSI Bronze, Brass, Copper
45, .176776695,0, 0,.25, .125,-.0625

For example, to modify a pattern for 45-degree lines to draw dashed lines with
a dash length of 0.5 units and a space between dashes of 0.5 units, the line
definition would be
*DASH45, Dashed lines at 45 degrees
45, 0,0, 0,.5, .5,-.5

This is the same as the 45-degree pattern shown in Overview of Hatch Pattern
Definitions on page 27, but with a dash specification added to the end. The
pen-down length is 0.5 units, and the pen-up length is 0.5, meeting the stated
objectives. If you wanted to draw a 0.5-unit dash, a 0.25-unit space, a dot, and
a 0.25-unit space before the next dash, the definition would be
*DDOT45,Dash-dot-dash pattern: 45 degrees
45, 0,0, 0,.5, .5,-.25, 0,-.25

The following example shows the effect of delta-x specifications on

dashed-line families. First, consider the following definition:
*GOSTAK
0, 0,0, 0,.5, .5,-.5

This draws a family of lines separated by 0.5, with each line broken equally
into dashes and spaces. Because delta-x is zero, the dashes in each family
member line up. An area hatched with this pattern would look like this:

Hatch Patterns with Dashed Lines | 31

 Now change the pattern to
*SKEWED
0, 0,0, .5,.5, .5,-.5

It is the same, except that you have set delta-x to 0.5. This offsets each
successive family member by 0.5 in the direction of the line (in this case,
parallel to the X axis). Because the lines are infinite, the dash pattern slides
down the specified amount. The hatched area would look like this:

To create a hatch pattern with dashed lines

1 Open the acadlt.pat or acadltiso.pat file in a text editor that saves in ASCII
format (for example, Notepad).

2 Create a header line that includes an asterisk and a pattern name. The
name of the hatch pattern is limited to 31 characters.

3 (Optional) To include a description in the header line, follow the pattern

name with a comma and description text.

4 Create a descriptor line that includes

■ An angle at which the line is drawn

■ An X,Y origin point

■ A delta-x of any value if you want to offset alternating lines in the

line family

■ A delta-y of any value

■ A value for a dash length

■ A value for a dot length

■ An optional second value for a different dash length

■ An optional second value for a different dot length

32 | Chapter 3 Custom Hatch Patterns

Quick Reference

Commands
ADCENTER
Manages and inserts content such as blocks, xrefs, and hatch patterns.
FILL
Controls the filling of objects such as hatches, 2D solids, and wide polylines.
HATCH
HATCHEDIT
Modifies an existing hatch or fill.
SOLID
Creates solid-filled triangles and quadrilaterals.

System Variables
FILLMODE
Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled
in.
HPANG
Sets the angle for new hatch patterns.
HPBOUND
Controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY.
HPDOUBLE
Specifies hatch pattern doubling for user-defined patterns.
HPNAME
Sets the default hatch pattern name.
HPSCALE
Sets the hatch pattern scale factor.
HPSPACE
Sets the hatch pattern line spacing for user-defined patterns.

Hatch Patterns with Dashed Lines | 33

Hatch Patterns with Multiple Lines
Complex hatch patterns can have an origin that passes through offsets from
the origin and can have multiple members in the line family.
Not all hatch patterns use origin points of 0,0. Complex hatch patterns can
have an origin that passes through offsets from the origin and can have
multiple members in the line family. In composing more complex patterns,
you need to carefully specify the starting point, offsets, and dash pattern of
each line family to form the hatch pattern correctly.
The hatch pattern AR-B816 shown in the Boundary Hatch and Fill dialog box
looks like this:

and is defined as follows with multiple lines describing the pattern:

*AR-B816, 8x16 Block elevation stretcher bond
0, 0,0, 0,8
90, 0,0, 8,8, 8,-8

The following figure illustrates a squared-off, inverted-U pattern (one line up,
one over, and one down). The pattern repeats every one unit, and each unit
is 0.5 high and wide.

This pattern would be defined as follows:

*IUS,Inverted U's
90, 0,0, 0,1, .5,-.5
0, 0,.5, 0,1, .5,-.5
270, .5,.5, 0,1, .5,-.5

The first line (the up bar) is a simple dashed line with 0,0 origin. The second
line (the top bar) should begin at the end of the up bar, so its origin is 0,.5.
The third line (the down bar) must start at the end of the top bar, which is at

34 | Chapter 3 Custom Hatch Patterns

.5,.5 for the first instance of the pattern, so its origin is at this point. The third
line of the pattern could be the following:
90, .5,0, 0,1, .5,-.5

or
270, .5,1, 0,1, -.5,.5

The dashed pattern starts at the origin points and continues in the vector
direction given by the angle specification. Therefore, two dashed-line families
that are opposed 180 degrees are not alike. Two solid-line families are alike.
The following pattern creates six-pointed stars.

This example can help you refine your skills at pattern definition. (Hint: 0.866
is the sine of 60 degrees.)
The following is the AutoCAD LT definition of this pattern:
*STARS,Star of David
0, 0,0, 0,.866, .5,-.5
60, 0,0, 0,.866, .5,-.5
120, .25,.433, 0,.866, .5,-.5

To create a hatch pattern with multiple lines

1 Open the acadlt.pat or acadltiso.pat file in a text editor that saves in ASCII
format (for example, Notepad).

2 Create a header line that includes an asterisk and a pattern name. The
name of the hatch pattern is limited to 31 characters.

3 (Optional) To include a description in the header line, follow the pattern

name with a comma and description text.

4 Create a descriptor line that includes

■ An angle at which the line is drawn

■ An X,Y origin point

■ A delta-x of any value if you want to offset alternating lines in the line
family

Hatch Patterns with Multiple Lines | 35

 ■ A delta-y of any value

■ A value for a dash length

■ A value for a dot length

■ An optional second value for a different dash length

■ An optional second value for a different dot length

5 Create a second line including all the parameters in the previous step.

6 (Optional) Create additional lines to complete the multiple-line hatch

pattern.

Quick Reference

Commands
ADCENTER
Manages and inserts content such as blocks, xrefs, and hatch patterns.
FILL
Controls the filling of objects such as hatches, 2D solids, and wide polylines.
HATCH
HATCHEDIT
Modifies an existing hatch or fill.
SOLID
Creates solid-filled triangles and quadrilaterals.

System Variables
FILLMODE
Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled
in.
HPANG
Sets the angle for new hatch patterns.
HPBOUND
Controls the object type created by HATCH and BOUNDARY.

36 | Chapter 3 Custom Hatch Patterns

HPDOUBLE
Specifies hatch pattern doubling for user-defined patterns.
HPNAME
Sets the default hatch pattern name.
HPSCALE
Sets the hatch pattern scale factor.
HPSPACE
Sets the hatch pattern line spacing for user-defined patterns.

Hatch Patterns with Multiple Lines | 37

38
User Interface
Customization 4
When you work in the program, you use a variety of ribbon panels, menus, toolbars, shortcut
keys, and other user interface elements to help you accomplish your tasks efficiently. You
can also streamline your environment by customizing these elements.

Understand User Interface Customization

Using the customization tools of AutoCAD LT, you can tailor your drawing
environment to suit your needs. Customization capabilities, including the
customize (CUIx) file format and the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor,
help you to easily create and modify customized content.

Overview of the Customization

Customization of the user interface is done by modifying the XML-based CUIx
file with the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor. The XML-based CUIx file
replaces the customization and menu files from releases prior to AutoCAD LT
2011. Instead of using a text editor to customize menu files (MNU and MNS
files) used in release prior to AutoCAD 2006, you customize the user interface
from within AutoCAD LT. You can

■ Add or change toolbars, menus, and ribbon panels (including shortcut

menus, image tile menus, and tablet menus)

■ Add and modify the commands on the Quick Access toolbar

■ Create or change workspaces

■ Assign commands to various user interface elements

39
 ■ Create or change macros

■ Define DIESEL strings

■ Create or change aliases

■ Add descriptive text for command tooltips

■ Control the properties displayed when using rollover tooltips

Customizable User Interface Elements

The editor allows you to create and manage commands that are used in the
CUIx file in a centralized location. Along with commands, you are able to
customize many of the different user interface elements. From the CUI Editor
you can customize

■ Double click actions

■ Legacy user interface elements (tablets, tablet buttons, screen menus and
image tile menus)

■ Mouse buttons

■ Pull-down menus

■ Quick Access toolbar

■ Quick properties

■ Toolbars

■ Ribbon panels

■ Ribbon tabs

■ Ribbon contextual tab states

■ Rollover tooltips

■ Shortcut keys

■ Shortcut menus

■ Temporary override keys

■ Workspaces

40 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.
CUIIMPORT
Imports customized settings from an enterprise or partial CUIx file to the
main CUIx file.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.
QUICKCUI
Displays the Customize User Interface Editor in a collapsed state.

System Variables
DBLCLKEDIT
Controls the double click editing behavior in the drawing area.
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.

Use the Customization Environment

You customize the XML-based CUIx file with the Customize User Interface
(CUI) Editor to create new commands, user interface elements, and workspaces.

Use the Customization Environment | 41

Overview of the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor
The Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor is used to customize the user
interface of AutoCAD LT. Before you start customizing your own menus,
toolbars, and other user interface elements, you should familiarize yourself
with the customization environment.

To open the Customize User Interface Editor, click Manage tab ➤

Customization panel ➤ User Interface. Once the Customize User Interface
(CUI) Editor is opened, view the contents of the loaded customization files
by expanding the elements in the tree structure, and view the properties of
the elements by selecting them.
Select the Transfer tab to see how to migrate or transfer customizations; select
the Customize tab to see how to create or modify user interface elements.
Once you are familiar with the environment, you can start to take advantage
of the capabilities of the tools. For more information about the improved
customization capabilities, see How Customization Has Changed on page 48.
Following is an example of the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor,
Customize tab. You use this tab to customize interface elements in CUIx files.

42 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Customize the user interface to make the drawing environment specific to
certain types of tasks. For example, if you want a toolbar that contains the
commands you use most often, you can create a new Favorites toolbar in the
Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor and then load the new toolbar in
AutoCAD LT.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.

Use the Customization Environment | 43

 CUIIMPORT
Imports customized settings from an enterprise or partial CUIx file to the
main CUIx file.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.
QUICKCUI
Displays the Customize User Interface Editor in a collapsed state.

System Variables
DBLCLKEDIT
Controls the double click editing behavior in the drawing area.
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.

Work with the Customizations In Pane

The Customizations In pane is used to navigate the different user interface
elements that are in the loaded customization files.
In this pane, you create and modify user interface elements such as workspaces,
toolbars, and menus. Along the top of the pane you will find tools that load
partial customization files into the main customization file, save changes to
the loaded customization files, and control how you view the loaded
customization files.
The tree view is used to create new user interface elements such as toolbars
and menus. Once a new user interface element is created, commands can then
be added by dragging them from the Command List pane. Along with being
able to create user interface elements and add commands to a user interface
element, you can change the order in which commands appear on toolbars,
menus, and ribbon panels by dragging them up and down.

44 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Work with the Command List Pane

The Command List pane is used to create and locate commands that are
contained in the loaded customization files.
Use the Create a New Command button to create a new custom command in
the CUIx file that is listed in the Customization File drop-down list at the top
of the Customizations In <file name> pane. A command must be created before
it can be associated with a user interface element in the Customizations In
<file name> pane.
Next to the Create a New Command button is the Find Command or Text
button. The Find Command or Text button displays the Find and Replace
dialog box, where you can search for or replace text strings in the Command
List pane only.
The Categories drop-down list near the top of the Command List pane contains
a listing of preset categories used to filter the commands displayed in the
Command list box. There are many different categories that you can select
from, for example

■ All Commands. Displays all of the commands for each of the loaded
customization files.

Use the Customization Environment | 45

 ■ Custom Commands. Displays the user defined commands that have been
added to the loaded customization files. These commands are not part of
a customization file that ships with AutoCAD LT.

■ Controls Elements. Displays the special controls that can be added to a

toolbar or ribbon panel, such as drop-down lists, sliders, and other controls.

Available commands and controls are displayed in the bottom of the Command
List pane. The names of the available commands, the image that is assigned
to a command, and the name of the customization group that the command
is assigned to are displayed. When the cursor hovers over top of a command,
the macro assigned to the command is displayed in a tooltip.
At the top of the Command List pane is the Command Filter field which
allows you to filter the Command list based on the text string entered. The
text string is matched with any part of a command name, and the commands
with the matching text strings are displayed in the Command list box.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Work with the Dynamic Display Pane

The Dynamic Display pane controls the display of additional panes that
respond to the item that is selected in either the Customizations In pane or
Command List pane.

46 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Based on the item selected, one or more of the following panes will be
displayed:

■ Button Image

■ Information

■ Panel Preview

■ Properties

■ Quick Properties

■ Shortcuts

■ Toolbar Preview

■ Workspace Contents

Use the Customization Environment | 47

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

How Customization Has Changed

Although the basic customization techniques remain the same as in previous
versions of the product, the environment that you use to customize the product
was changed starting with AutoCAD 2006.
All of the previous customization options are still available. You are still able
to create, edit, and delete interface elements; you can create partial
customization files; you can use macros and DIESEL expressions.
However, you no longer perform customization tasks by creating or editing
MNU or MNS text files by hand. All customizations are done through the
program interface, in the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor.

Menu Files Versus Customization Files

In releases prior to AutoCAD 2006, you customized the user interface by editing
an MNU or MNS file in an ASCII text editor such as Notepad. You manually
entered and verified customization data in the text file, which could be a
tedious and error-prone process. As a result, a simple syntax error (such as
mismatched parentheses) in the text file could invalidate the entire menu file,
leading you back to the text file to investigate where you made the error.
With the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, you drag a command to a
menu or toolbar or right-click to add, delete, or modify a user interface element.
The Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor displays element properties and a
list of options to choose from. This prevents you from creating syntax errors
or spelling mistakes that may have occurred when you manually entered text
in an MNU or MNS file.
The MNU and MNS files used in the past have been replaced with just one
file type, the XML-based CUIx file. CUIx is the successor to the CUI file format
which was introduced in AutoCAD 2006.
The XML-based format of the CUIx file allows the product to track
customizations. When upgrading to a future version of the program, all of
your customizations are automatically integrated into the new release. The
XML format also supports a backward-compatible customization file. This

48 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

means that you can view a CUIx file from a future version in the previous
release while preserving the customization data from the future version.
However, you cannot modify the future version's CUIx file in the previous
release. For more information about migrating customization data, see Transfer
and Migrate Customization on page 316.
The following table lists the menu files that previously shipped with the
product and shows how those files are mapped to AutoCAD LT 2011.

Menu files mapped to CUIx files

Menu file Description In Auto- Description of change
CAD LT
2011

MNU ASCII text file. In previous re- CUIx An XML file that defines
leases, defined most user inter- most user interface ele-
face elements. The main ments. The main CUIx file,
MNU file, aclt.mnu, was acadlt.cuix, is automatically
automatically loaded when loaded when you start the
you started the product. product.
Partial MNU files could be Partial CUIx files can be
loaded or unloaded as you loaded or unloaded as you
needed them during a draw- need them during a drawing
ing session. session.

MNS Source menu file. Was the CUIx An XML file that defines
same as the MNU ASCII text most user interface ele-
file but did not contain com- ments. The main CUIx file,
ments or special formatting. acadlt.cuix, is automatically
loaded when you start the
product.
Partial CUIx files can be
loaded or unloaded as you
need them during a drawing
session.

MNC Compiled ASCII text file. CUI An XML file that defines
Contained command strings x most user interface ele-
and syntax that defined the ments. The main CUIx file,
functionality and appearance acadlt.cuix, is automatically
of user interface elements. loaded when you start the
product.
Partial CUIx files can be
loaded or unloaded as you

How Customization Has Changed | 49

 Menu files mapped to CUIx files
Menu file Description In Auto- Description of change
CAD LT
2011
need them during a drawing
session.

MNR Menu resource file. Contains MNR No change.

the bitmaps that are used by
the user interface elements.

Menu Text File Structure Versus CUI and CUIx Structure

In releases prior to AutoCAD 2006, you added, edited, and deleted menu
information directly in a text file. In AutoCAD 2006 and later, you use the
Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor.
Following is an example of how the Window menu looked in the legacy menu
file aclt.mnu.

Contents of the Window menu in aclt.mnu

Window menu Description

***POP10
**WINDOW
ID_MnWindow [&Window]
ID_DWG_CLOSE [Cl&ose]^C^C_close
ID_WINDOW_CLOSEALL [C&lose All]^C^C_closeall
[--]
ID_WINDOW_CASCADE [&Cascade]^C^C_syswindows;_cascade
ID_WINDOW_TILE_HORZ [Tile &Horizontally]^C^C_syswindows;_hor
ID_WINDOW_TILE_VERT [&Tile Vertically]^C^C_syswindows;_vert
ID_WINDOW_ARRANGE [&Arrange Icons]^C^C_syswindows;_arrange

Compare the menu data above with the same menu data as it is displayed in
the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, in the tree view.

50 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

For a more detailed comparison, following are examples of the Window menu
properties, Close command properties, Close All command properties, and
the Window shortcut menu that is displayed with the Insert Separator option.
Window menu Properties pane

Window menu, Properties pane for the Close command

Window menu, Properties pane for the Close All command

How Customization Has Changed | 51

 Window menu tree node, shortcut menu displayed with Insert Separator
option

Menu Group Versus Customization Group

There is no difference between a menu group (the term used in previous releases)
and a customization group. A CUIx file loaded into AutoCAD LT must have a
unique customization group name to prevent conflicts between customization
files in the program.
The main CUIx file, acadlt.cuix by default, has a customization group named
ACADLT. You can load as many customization files into the program, as long
as they each have a unique customization group name.
Following is an example of how you change the ACAD customization group
name in the Customize tab of the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor. You
can change the partial CUIx file (named CUSTOM in this example) using the
same method.

52 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Dynamic Help
Dynamic Help is a feature that is in the online Help system and references
some of the customization elements that are found in the CUIx file when it
is loaded into AutoCAD LT. What Dynamic Help does, is it looks up the
Element ID of a command that has been identified in the online Help system,
and where that command is currently being referenced on a ribbon panel or
menu when the CUIx file is loaded.
If the command is on a ribbon panel or menu, access to the command is
updated in the online Help system to reflect the new location of the command.
If one of the standard commands that ships with AutoCAD LT is moved from
one ribbon panel or menu to another, the online Help system will
automatically reflect this change the next time it is displayed. Currently, only
commands on ribbon panels and menus work with Dynamic Help.
Dynamic Help may not display properly if a command is not available:

■ In one of the loaded CUIx files

■ On an accessible menu, ribbon panel, or ribbon tab in the current

workspace

NOTE Dynamic Help only works with the online Help documents that come with
AutoCAD LT, and has no affect on third-party documentation.

See also:

■ Transfer and Migrate Customization on page 316

■ Create and Load a Partial CUIx File on page 78

How Customization Has Changed | 53

 ■ Create an Enterprise CUIx File on page 82

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.
CUIIMPORT
Imports customized settings from an enterprise or partial CUIx file to the
main CUIx file.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.
QUICKCUI
Displays the Customize User Interface Editor in a collapsed state.

Customization Glossary
You should know several terms for customizing AutoCAD LT 2011.
Customization (CUIx) file A package file that contains multiple XML-based
files and custom image files. Each one of the XML-based files contain the data
for a different type of user interface element that can be customized. The
custom images that are stored in the file are those that are referenced by the
commands defined in the customization data and are not stored in a resource
DLL. You modify a customization file through the Customize User Interface
(CUI) Editor. CUIx files replace the CUI, MNU, MNS, and MNC files that were
used to define menus in releases prior to AutoCAD LT 2011.

Customization group A name that is assigned to a CUIx file to identify

customization content in the CUIx file. A CUIx file loaded into AutoCAD LT
must have a unique customization group name to prevent conflicts between

54 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

CUIx files in the program. In releases prior to AutoCAD 2006, called a
menugroup.

Element ID A unique identifier of an interface element. In previous releases,

called a tag.

Dashboard panel An organizational structure used to lay out commands and

controls for display on the dashboard, which was available in AutoCAD LT
2007 and AutoCAD LT 2008. The dashboard was replaced by the ribbon in
AutoCAD LT 2009 and later. For information about transferring dashboard
panels to ribbon panels, see To copy a dashboard panel to a ribbon panel on
page 152.

Enterprise customization file A CUIx file that is typically controlled by a

CAD manager. It is often accessed by many users and is stored in a shared
network location. The file is read-only to users to prevent the data in the file
from being changed. A CAD manager creates an enterprise CUIx file by
modifying a main CUIx file and then saving the file to a shared network
location. Users then specify this file in the Options dialog box, Files tab.

Interface element An object that can be customized, such as a toolbar,

pull-down menu, shortcut key, palette, and so on. It is a node in the
Customizations In <file name> pane that contains user interface items.

Interface item The individual parts of a user interface element, such as a

toolbar button, pull-down menu item, shortcut key, temporary override key,
and so on.

Legacy Customization (CUI) file An XML-based file that stores customization

data for AutoCAD 2006 through AutoCAD LT 2009. The CUI file has been
replaced by the CUIx file. A CUIx file can be generated from a CUI file using
the Transfer tab of the CUI command.

Legacy Menu (MNS) file An ASCII based file that stores menu customization
data for AutoCAD 2005 and earlier. Most of the file needed to be edited outside
of AutoCAD LT using a text editor such as Notepad, but there were a few
features that could be customized in AutoCAD LT using the CUSTOMIZE
command. The MNS file has been replaced by the CUIx file. A CUIx file can
be generated from an MNS file using the Transfer tab of the CUI command.

Legacy Menu Template (MNU) file An ASCII based file that is used as a
template to define the contents of the MNS file when the MNU file is loaded
into AutoCAD LT with the MENU command. The MNU file is used in AutoCAD
2005 and earlier, and is very similar to the MNS file. The MNU file has been
replaced by the CUIx file. A CUIx file can be generated from a MNU file using
the Transfer tab of the CUI command.

Customization Glossary | 55
 Macro A series of commands that are run in a defined sequence to accomplish
a drawing task.

Main customization file A writable CUIx file that defines most of the user
interface elements (including the standard menus, toolbars, keyboard
accelerators, and so on). The acadlt.cuix file (the default main CUIx file) is
automatically loaded when you start AutoCAD LT.

Ribbon An interface element that displays panels made up of commands and

controls that can be docked horizontally or vertically along the program’s
application window.

Ribbon panel An organizational structure used to lay out commands and

controls for display on the ribbon or as a floating user interface.

Palette An interface element that can be docked or floating in the drawing

area. Palettes include the Command Line window, Tool Palettes Window,
Properties palette, and so on.

Partial customization file Any CUIx file that is not defined as the main or
enterprise CUIx file. You can load and unload partial CUIx files as you need
them during a drawing session.

Quick Access toolbar An interface element that is located to the right of the
application menu and provides direct access to a defined set of commands.

Tree node A hierarchical structure in the Customize User Interface (CUI)

Editor that contains interface elements and items that can be imported,
exported, and customized.

Workspace A collection of user interface elements, including their contents,

properties, display states, and locations.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.

56 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

CUIIMPORT
Imports customized settings from an enterprise or partial CUIx file to the
main CUIx file.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.
CUSTOMIZE
Customizes tool palettes and tool palette groups.
QUICKCUI
Displays the Customize User Interface Editor in a collapsed state.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.
TOOLPALETTES
Opens the Tool Palettes window.
TOOLPALETTESCLOSE
Closes the Tool Palettes window.

System Variables
DBLCLKEDIT
Controls the double click editing behavior in the drawing area.
ROLLOVERTIPS
Controls the display of rollover tooltips in the application.
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.

Customization Glossary | 57
Work with the Customize User Interface (CUI)
Editor
With the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, you can create and manage
standard and custom commands and user interface elements.
By customizing the user interface, you can arrange and access the commands
that you frequently use. You can also extend AutoCAD LT by creating your
own custom commands. Use the diagrams under this topic to understand the
steps required to successfully create a custom command or to customize the
various user interface elements that are available for customization.

Create a Command
Custom commands to define a series of actions that should be taken when
the custom command is used. You can also determine how the command
should appear when added to a user interface.
When creating a custom command, you need to give the command a unique
name, element ID, and macro. Once the basic properties of a command have
been defined, you can assign values to additional properties that determine
the content for the command’s tooltip, an image, and search tags. For more
information about creating custom commands, see Customize Commands
on page 92.

Set the working CUIx file on page

----- Determine which CUIx file to add to the custom
73 command.

Add the new command on page

----- Create a new command in a CUIx file.
95

Define the series of actions that should be

Define the macro on page 104 ----- executed when the command is used from the
user interface.

58 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Control how the command and its
----- Define the label for the command.
name is displayed on page 113

Optional: Assign search tags to the command

Assign search tags on page 119 ----- for use with the Search field on the application
menu.

Optional: Assign tooltip text to the command,

Assign a tooltip on page 124 ----- which is used when it is added to a ribbon panel
or toolbar.

Associate an extended tooltip on Optional: Assign extended help to the command

----- which, is used for the extended tooltip of a
page 125
command.

Assign an image on page 130 ----- Optional: Assign an image to the command. A
standard or custom image can be assigned.

Define a status line help message Optional: Assign status line text to the command
----- which, is used when it is added to a pull-down
on page 128
menu.

Create a Command | 59
Create User Interface Elements
User interface elements are used to organize and display commands in
AutoCAD LT.
To decide what user interface elements to create, determine how often you
want to access a command. Then determine if you want to add the custom
command to a shortcut key, the Quick Access toolbar, a ribbon panel or
another type of user interface element.

Create a Quick Access Toolbar

You create Quick Access toolbars in the CUI Editor to determine which
commands and controls are displayed on the Quick Access toolbar.
Quick Access toolbars are used to organize and display the commands that
you frequently use. For more information about customizing the Quick Access
toolbar, see Quick Access Toolbars on page 142.

Create a new Quick Access toolbar

----- Create a new Quick Access toolbar to hold the
on page 143 commands you want displayed.

Add commands and controls on

----- Add the commands and controls to the Quick
page 144 Access toolbar that you want to use.

Display a Quick Access toolbar on

----- Assign the Quick Access toolbar to a workspace.
page 299

Set a workspace current on page

----- Set the workspace containing the Quick Access
289 toolbar current.

60 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Customize the Ribbon
Ribbon customization is broken out into three main components: panels,
tabs, and contextual tab states. Each component of the ribbon is used to
organize and display the commands that you want to use frequently.

Create a Ribbon Panel

Ribbon panels organize commands and controls on the ribbon.
You use rows, sub-panels, and drop-downs on a ribbon panel to organize the
commands and controls you want to display on the ribbon. Each panel is
divided into two halves with a panel separator; an upper and lower half. Rows
above the panel separator are displayed by default while those below it are
displayed only when the panel is expanded. Each panel can also be assigned
a command to its Panel Launcher button, which can be used to start an
associated dialog box. For more information about ribbon panel customization,
see Ribbon Panels on page 149.

Create a new ribbon panel on Create a new ribbon panel to organize the
----- commands and controls you want to display on
page 150
the ribbon.

Add rows to organize the commands and controls

Add a row on page 159 ----- you want to add. Rows can also hold drop-downs
and sub-panels.

Optional: Add drop-downs to organize multiple

Add a drop-down on page 169 ----- commands into a single drop-down list or split
button.

Optional: Add fold panels to organize buttons,

Add a fold panel on page 159 ----- toggle buttons, split buttons and drop-down
buttons within a row.

Create User Interface Elements | 61

 Add a sub-panel on page 159 ----- Optional: Add sub-panels to organize commands
and controls within a row.

Create a new command on page

----- Create new commands as needed.
58 (workflow diagram)

Add commands and controls on

----- Add commands and controls to the rows,
page 161 sub-panels, and drop-downs on the ribbon panel.

To change the display and Optional: Change the display and behavior of
behavior of a command, control ----- the commands, controls, or drop-downs on the
or drop-down on page 164 ribbon panel.

Assign a command to the Panel

----- Optional: Add a command to the Panel Dialog
Dialog Box Launcher on page 154 Box Launcher for the ribbon panel.

Once you have created a ribbon panel, it must be added to a ribbon tab before
it can be displayed on the ribbon. For more information about assigning a
ribbon panel to a ribbon panel, see the Create a Ribbon Tab on page 62
workflow diagram.

Create a Ribbon Tab

Ribbon tabs control and organize the display of a ribbon panel on the ribbon.

62 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 You create ribbon tabs to organize multiple ribbon panels into a single group
of related tools. Once ribbon panels are added to the ribbon tab, the ribbon
tab must be assigned to a workspace before it is displayed on the ribbon. For
more information about ribbon tab customization, see Ribbon Tabs on page
180.

Create a ribbon tab on page 182 ----- Create a new ribbon tab to hold the ribbon panels
you want to display on the ribbon.

Create a ribbon panel on page 61 Create new ribbon panels as needed for the
----- commands and controls you want to display on
(workflow diagram)
the ribbon.

Assign a ribbon panel to a ribbon

----- Assign a ribbon panel to a ribbon tab.
tab on page 184

Assign a ribbon tab to a workspace

----- Assign a ribbon tab to a workspace.
on page 301

Set a workspace current on page

----- Set the modified workspace current to see the
289 ribbon tab and its associated ribbon panels.

Create a Ribbon Contextual Tab State

A contextual tab state is used to control the display of ribbon tabs on the
ribbon when certain commands are active or an object is selected.

Create User Interface Elements | 63

 You assign ribbon tabs to a contextual tab state to display commands and
controls on the ribbon when working in a specific context. For more
information about the customization of ribbon contextual tab states, see
Ribbon Contextual Tab States on page 186.

Create a ribbon panel on page 61 Create new ribbon panels as needed to display
----- the commands and controls you want to display
(workflow diagram)
on the ribbon.

Create a ribbon tab on page 62 Create new tabs as needed to control the display
----- of ribbon panels when the context of the
(workflow diagram)
contextual tab state is met.

Assign a ribbon tab on page 187 ----- Assign the ribbon tabs to the contextual tab state.

Create a Toolbar
Toolbars organize commands and controls on small dockable windows.
You can add commands and controls to a toolbar making it easier to access
the commands you use. Commands on a toolbar can be displayed as a single
button or a grouping of buttons with a flyout. For more information about
toolbar customization, see Create and Edit Toolbars on page 190.

Create a toolbar on page 192 ----- Create a new toolbar to organize the commands
and controls you want to display.

64 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Add a flyout on page 203 ----- Optional: Add flyouts to organize multiple
commands into a single drop-down list.

Create a new command on page

----- Create new commands as needed.
58 (workflow diagram)

Add commands and controls on

----- Add commands and controls to the toolbar and
page 195 flyouts.

Assign a toolbar to a workspace on

----- Assign the toolbar to a workspace to display it.
page 306

Set a workspace current on page

----- Set the modified workspace current to see the
289 toolbar.

Create a Pull-Down Menu

Pull-down menus take up the least amount of space in the application frame
of AutoCAD LT of all user interface elements, while providing access to a wide
range of commands.
You can add commands to a pull-down menu for easy to access to it from the
menu bar, while not losing a large amount of space on the screen. Commands
on a pull-down menu can be displayed as a single item or as a grouping of
items with a submenu. Pull-down menus must be added to a workspace in

Create User Interface Elements | 65

 order for them to be displayed on the menu bar. For more information about
pull-down menu customization, see Create a Pull-Down Menu on page 213.

Create a pull-down menu on page

----- Create a new pull-down menu to organize the
214 commands you want to display.

Add a submenu on page 228 ----- Optional: Add submenus to organize multiple
commands into a single drop-down menu.

Create a new command on page

----- Create new commands as needed.
58 (workflow diagram)

Add commands on page 215 ----- Add commands to the pull-down menu and
submenus.

Change the caption for a

----- Change the caption for the command when
command on page 216 displayed on the pull-down menu.

Assign a pull-down menu to the

----- Assign the pull-down menu to a workspace to
menu bar on page 308 display it on the menu bar.

66 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Set a workspace current on page
----- Set the modified workspace current to see the
289 pull-down menu displayed on the menu bar.

Create a Shortcut Menu

Shortcut menus provide contextual access to commands based on
right-clicking. Contextual states vary depending on if a command is active,
an object is selected, or if no command or object is selected.
You create custom shortcut menus that replace the default shortcut menus in
AutoCAD LT or to insert additional commands into a specific shortcut menu.
Commands on a shortcut menu can be displayed as a single item or as a
grouping of items with a submenu. Unlike pull-down menus, shortcut menus
do not need to be added to a workspace in order to be displayed. For more
information about shortcut menu customization, see Create a Shortcut Menu
on page 217.

Create a shortcut menu on page

----- Create a new shortcut menu to organize the
217 commands you want to display.

Add a submenu on page 228 ----- Optional: Add submenus to organize multiple
commands into a single drop-down menu.

Create a new command on page

----- Create new commands as needed.
58 (workflow diagram)

Create User Interface Elements | 67

 Add commands on page 225 ----- Add commands to the shortcut menu and
submenus.

Change the caption for a

----- Change the caption that is used for the command
command on page 226 when displayed on the shortcut menu.

Customize Shortcut Key

Shortcut keys start a command by with a combination of the Ctrl or Alt key
and some additional keys.
You assign commands to a shortcut key combination to make it easy to start
the command. You use a key combination instead of clicking a menu item or
a button. Shortcut keys include using the Ctrl or Alt key and also an
alphanumeric key and or the Shift key. For more information about shortcut
key customization, see Keyboard Shortcuts on page 248.

Create a new command on page

----- Create new commands as needed.
58 (workflow diagram)

Create a shortcut key on page 249 ----- Create a new shortcut key and assign a key
combination to start the associated command.

Create a Double Click Action

Double click actions start a command based on the objects that are selected
when you double-click in the drawing window.
You assign commands to a double click action, which typically starts a
command that allows you to modify the selected object. For more information

68 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 about double click action customization, see Double Click Actions on page
262.

Create a new command on page

----- Create new commands as needed.
58 (workflow diagram)

Create a double click action on

----- Create a new double click action to start the
page 263 command when an object is double clicked.

Create a Mouse Button

Mouse buttons start a command based on a mouse click and a key
combination.
You assign commands to mouse button and key combinations. For more
information about mouse button customization, see Mouse Buttons on page
270.

Create a new command on page

----- Create new commands as needed.
58 (workflow diagram)

Create a mouse button on page Create a new mouse button to start the command
----- when the mouse button and key combination is
270
pressed.

Create and Modify Workspaces

Workspaces control the display and order in which user interface elements
are displayed.

Create and Modify Workspaces | 69

 You create and manage workspaces from the user interface of AutoCAD LT or
with the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor. Creating and managing
workspaces from the user interface is limited; the CUI Editor gives you full
control over all user interface elements in a workspace. For more information
about workspace customization, see Customize Workspaces on page 280.

Create a Workspace from the User Interface

You can perform some basic customization of a workspace from the user
interface.
From the user interface, you can control the display of toolbars and palettes;
you can also add and remove commands from the Quick Access toolbar. You
can interactively update the position and display of both toolbars and palettes.
This cannot be done from the CUI Editor. For more information about
workspace customization from the user interface, see Control User Interface
Elements Outside the CUI Editor on page 293.

Create a new workspace on page

----- Create a new workspace from the user interface.
285

Add or remove commands from Add and remove commands to and from the
the Quick Access toolbar on page ----- Quick Access toolbar from the ribbon. You can
146 also add separators to group related commands.

Display toolbars on page 295 ----- Display the toolbars that you want to display
when the workspace is set current.

Display palettes on page 295 ----- Display the palettes that you want to display
when the workspace is set current.

70 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Save the workspace on page 285 ----- Save the changes made to the user interface
elements to a workspace.

Create a Workspace with the CUI Editor

The CUI Editor provides an editing environment to customization a workspace.
From the CUI Editor, you can control the display of the Quick Access toolbar,
ribbon tabs, toolbars, menus, and palettes. You can also control the display
of certain features in the application and drawing windows. For more
information about workspace customization from the CUI Editor, see Control
User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor on page 296.

Create a new workspace on page

----- Create a new workspace using the CUI Editor.
283

Display a Quick Access toolbar on

----- Display a Quick Access toolbar when the
page 299 workspace is set current.

Display a ribbon tab on page 301 ----- Display a ribbon tab on the ribbon when the
workspace is set current.

Display a toolbar on page 306 ----- Display a toolbar when the workspace is set
current.

Create and Modify Workspaces | 71

 Control the display settings for a toolbar when
Change the display properties of a
----- the workspace is set current. You can control
toolbar on page 307 settings such as default position and docking,
among others.

Display a menu on page 308 ----- Display a menu on the menu bar when the
workspace is set current.

Display a palette on page 311 ----- Display a palette when the workspace is set
current.

Control the display settings for a palette when

Change the display properties of a
----- the workspace is set current. You can control
palette on page 314 settings such as position, transparency, and
auto-hide, among others.

Control the display settings of various user

Change the user interface settings
----- interface elements on the application and drawing
on page 286 windows such as the menu bar, status bars, and
layout tabs when the workspace is set current.

Set a workspace current on page

----- Set the modified workspace current to see the
289 changes made to the workspace.

72 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Create and Manage Customization Files
Customization (CUIx) files are used to store commands, user interface elements,
and references to partial CUIx files. CUIx files can be designated as main,
partial, or enterprise.

Basics of Customization Files

Customization files are loaded into AutoCAD LT to define elements that make
up the user interface and are edited using the Customize User Interface (CUI)
Editor.
AutoCAD LT comes with several different CUIx files that can be tailored to
your work environment. AutoCAD LT has two main designations for CUIx
files, main and enterprise; by default AutoCAD LT uses a main CUIx file. You
can customize the files that come with AutoCAD LT or you can create your
own CUIx files from scratch using the Transfer tab in the Customize User
Interface (CUI) Editor.
When customizing the CUIx files that come with AutoCAD LT or creating
your own CUIx files, the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor creates a backup
copy of the file when you first start making changes to the CUIx file. This
allows you to restore the file if you delete something that you wanted to keep.
If you happen to modify a CUIx file that comes with AutoCAD LT, you can
reset it back to its original state.
The Customize User Interface allows you to not only create new user interface
elements and commands from scratch, but you can also copy existing user
interface elements and commands to modify them.

To set the working CUIx file

Before you can add custom commands to a CUIx file, you must set a CUIx
file as the working file.

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Customizations

In <file name> pane, click the down arrow on the Customization Files
drop-down list.

3 Select Main Customization File <file name> or one of the loaded CUIx
files to set it as the working CUIx file.

Create and Manage Customization Files | 73

 All new commands created are added directly to the working CUIx file.
If the CUIx file that you want to work with is not loaded, select Open
from the Customization Files drop-down list. Then browse to and select
the CUIx file you want to work with.

To create a CUIx file from scratch

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Transfer tab, in the right pane,
click the Create a New Customization File button.

3 In the right pane, select Save As from the drop-down list.

4 In the Save As dialog box, specify the location to save the new
customization file to and enter a name in the File Name text box.

5 Click Save to create and save the customization file.

To create a customization file from an existing customization file

1 In Windows Explorer, navigate to the following location:

74 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 (Windows XP) <drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user profile
name>\Application Data\Autodesk\<product name>\<release
number>\<language>\support\<customization file name>.cuix
(Windows Vista) <drive>:\Users\<user profile
name>\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\<product name>\<release
number>\<language>\support\<customization file name>.cuix

NOTE The folders under your profile may be hidden by default. To display
these files, you may need to change your display settings. Click Start menu
(Windows) ➤ Control Panel ➤ (Appearance and Themes, or Appearance
and Personalization) ➤ Folder Options. In the Folder Options dialog box,
View tab, click Show Hidden Files and Folders.

2 Copy the selected CUIx file to a new file name (such as enterprise.cuix) or
location (such as the shared network location where users will access the
file) so that you preserve the original CUIx file (in case you want to modify
or use it again later).

WARNING This method of creating a new CUIx file can result in additional
work if you do not want all the commands and user interface elements in the
copied CUIx file.

To rename a customization group name

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, select a CUIx file from the
drop-down list.

3 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click the customization

group name and click Rename.

Basics of Customization Files | 75

 4 Enter a new customization group name and press Enter.

NOTE You can click, wait, and click again on the customization group name
to edit its name in-place.

NOTE The customization group name cannot contain spaces.

5 Click Apply.

To restore a customization backup file

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click the customization group
name.

3 Click Restore <file name>.

4 Click Apply.

76 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To reset a standard customization file

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click over the customization
group name.

3 Click Reset <file name>.

NOTE Only CUIx files found in the UserDataCache folder under the install
location of AutoCAD LT can be reset.

4 Click Apply.

To designate a CUIx file as the main CUIx file

1 Click Application menu ➤ Options.

2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) next to
Customization Files to expand the list.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Main Customization File to expand it.

Basics of Customization Files | 77

 4 Select the item below Main Customization File and click Browse.

5 In the Select a File dialog box, browse to and select the customization
file to load. Click Open.
The file you selected is now designated as the main customization file
for the program.

6 In the Options dialog box, click OK.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

Create and Load a Partial CUIx File

Create, load, or unload partial customization files as you need them. Loading
and using a partial CUIx file allows you to create and modify most user
interface elements (toolbars, menus, ribbon panels, and so on) in a separate
CUIx file without having to import the customization to your main CUIx file.
The order of the partial CUIx files in the Partial Customization Files tree
determines the order they are loaded in the program. You can rearrange the
tree hierarchy to change the load order. Use the Transfer tab of the Customize
User Interface (CUI) Editor to create a partial CUIx file. For more information
on creating a new CUIx file, see To create a CUIx file from scratch on page
74. CUIx files can be loaded or unloaded with the CUILOAD and CUIUNLOAD
commands from the Command prompt, or you can use the Customize tab in
the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor.

78 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Commands and user interface elements can be added to a partial CUIx file
that is loaded under the main CUIx file, but not the enterprise CUIx file unless
it is loaded as the main CUIx file. Before adding commands to a partial CUIx
file, the partial CUIx file must be set as the working CUIx. For more
information on adding a command to a partial CUIx file, see To add commands
to a partial CUIx file on page 81.
When a partial CUIx file is loaded, any workspaces defined in the file cannot
be set current. To use a workspace defined in a partial CUIx file, it must be
transferred to the main CUIx file first. For more information on transferring
a workspace to the main CUIx file, see To import a workspace to a main CUIx
file on page 291.

To load a partial CUIx file using the CUILOAD command

1 At the Command prompt, enter cuiload.

2 In the Load/Unload Customizations dialog box, in the File Name text

box, enter a path to the CUIx file you want to load, or click Browse to
locate the file.

3 Click Load, and then click Close.

To load a partial CUIx file using the Customize tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Main Customization File
(<customization file name>.cuix) from the drop-down list. To the right of
the drop-down list, click the Load Partial Customization File button.

3 In the Open dialog box, locate and select the partial CUIx file you want
to load, and click Open.

Create and Load a Partial CUIx File | 79

 NOTE If the partial CUIx file you are attempting to load has the same
customization group name as the main CUIx file, you need to change the
customization group name before loading it. Open the partial CUIx file in
the CUI Editor, select the customization group name, and right-click to rename
it.

4 To verify that the file has been loaded into the main CUIx file, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, select the Main Customization File
(<customization file name>.cuix) from the drop-down list.

Loaded partial CUIx files in the main CUIx file are listed under the Partial
Customization Files node.

5 Click Apply.

To unload a partial CUIx file using the CUIUNLOAD command

1 At the Command prompt, enter cuiunload.

2 In the Load/Unload Customizations dialog box, in the Loaded

Customizations Group box, select a CUIx file.

3 Click Unload, and then click Close.

To unload a partial CUIx file using the Customize tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Main Customization File
(<customization file name>.cuix) from the drop-down list.

80 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 3 In the tree view of the main CUIx file, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Partial Customization Files node to expand it.
Any partial CUIx files loaded in the main CUIx file are displayed.

4 Right-click the partial CUIx file that you want to unload. Click Unload
<customization file name>.cuix.

The partial CUIx file is unloaded and removed from the list.

5 Click Apply.

To add commands to a partial CUIx file

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select the partial CUIx file from the
drop-down list.

3 In the Commands List pane, click Create a New Command.

Create and Load a Partial CUIx File | 81

 4 Adjust the properties of the new command in the Properties pane as
necessary.

5 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.

Create an Enterprise CUIx File

An enterprise CUIx file typically stores customization information that is
shared by many users, but is controlled by a CAD manager. Enterprise CUIx
files make maintaining and modifying customization data easier for the
individual responsible for controlling company standards.
Create an enterprise CUIx file by performing the following tasks:

■ Create an enterprise CUIx file from an existing CUIx file or a new CUIx
file. Make a copy of the main customization file (acadlt.cuix) or another
customization file of your choice that contains all the base user interface
elements you need. If you want to start with a new customization file, use
the Transfer tab to create a blank customization file.

■ Designate the new file as your main CUIx file. Using the Options dialog
box, you must load the customization file as your the main customization

82 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 file so you make edits to all of the different user interface elements. Make
sure to note which customization file is currently designated as the main
customization file, as you will need to restore it later.

■ Modify the contents of the enterprise CUIx file. Once the customization
file is designated as the main customization file, you can change the
customization group name and modify the CUIx file contents as needed.
Changing the customization group name allows you to load more than
one CUIx file in the program at one time. CUIx files with the same
customization group name cannot be loaded into the program.

■ Replace the main CUIx file. Using the Options dialog box, replace the
previous customization file that was designated as the main customization
file.

■ Save the enterprise CUIx file to a shared network location. When you save
the new enterprise file to a shared network location, all of your users that
have access to the specified location can access the file.

NOTE The folder where you place the enterprise CUIx file should be in a shared
location that your users can access. To learn more about creating a network
share, see “How to Create a Network Share” in the Network Administrator's
Guide.

■ Specify the enterprise CUIx file location. The program automatically

designates an enterprise customization file as read-only when you specify
its file location in the Options dialog box. Specifying the enterprise
customization file location can be done on individual workstations.

WARNING Even though the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor loads the
enterprise customization file as read-only, this still doesn’t completely protect
the file from being modified. The enterprise customization file could be loaded
as the main customization file and then modified. To protect the enterprise
customization file, the location where it is stored be marked as read-only and
write access should be limited to those you want to be able to edit the file.

To designate a CUIx file as an enterprise CUIx file

1 On each user's workstation in AutoCAD LT, click Application menu ➤
Options.

2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) next to
Customization Files to expand the list.

Create an Enterprise CUIx File | 83

 3 Click the plus sign next to Enterprise Customization File to open it.

4 Select the item below Enterprise Customization Files and click Browse.

5 In the Select a File dialog box, browse to the location of the enterprise
customization file. Click Open.
The enterprise CUIx file if shared, must be saved in a location that all
users can access.

6 In the Options dialog box, click OK.

To modify an enterprise CUIx file

1 Click Application menu ➤ Options.

2 In the Options dialog box, Files tab, click the plus sign (+) next to
Customization Files to expand the list.

3 Click the plus sign next to Main Customization File to expand it.
Take note of the current main CUIx file’s name and location as you will
need to restore it later.

4 Select the item below Main Customization Files and click Browse. In the
Select a File dialog box, browse to the location of the enterprise
customization file. Click Open.

5 Click the plus sign next to Enterprise Customization File to expand it.
Take note of the current enterprise CUIx file’s name and location as you
will need to restore it later.

84 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 6 Select the item below Enterprise Customization Files and click Browse.
In the Select a File dialog box, browse to the location of the main
customization file. Click Open.

7 In the Options dialog box, click OK to save the changes.

8 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

9 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, create new

commands and user interface elements as necessary.

10 Once done adding new commands and user interface elements, click OK.
Switch the file names of the main and enterprise values around in the
Options dialog box.
The main and enterprise CUIx files should now resemble the original
configuration prior to making the changes.

TIP You can create two different profiles that can be used to switch between your
main and enterprise CUIx files. One profile will have the CUIx files in a normal
configuration that is used by your drafters, and the other profile has the main and
enterprise CUIx files switched around making the enterprise customization file
editable.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.

Create an Enterprise CUIx File | 85

 OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

Find and Replace Commands and Text in a CUIx File

You can search one or more CUIx files for commands or search strings
(including commands or user interface element names, command display
names, descriptions, macros, and tags). You can also replace commands or
search strings one at a time or all at once.
You can limit or expand your search depending on the search results you want
to achieve.

■ Limit the search to commands located in the Command List pane. This
search does not include the names of user interface elements, the
commands that are associated to them, and their properties. For example,
if you limit the search for the LINE command in the Command List only,
a message similar to the following is displayed when you start your search:
“Search string found in command 'Dimension, Linear' property 'Name' at
position 11 (1/12).”

■ Expand the search to include all properties in all tree view nodes in the
Customizations In pane. This type of search finds all instances or a search
string. For example, if you search for the string “line” and start in the tree
view, a message similar to the following is displayed: “Search string found
in ‘Linear’ property ‘Name’ at position 0 (1/55).”

To find a search string in a CUIx file

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customizations In <file name>

pane, right-click anywhere in the tree view. Click Find.

86 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 3 In the Find and Replace dialog box, Find tab, do the following:
■ In the Find What box, enter the search string.

■ In the Ignore Case option, clear the check box if you want the search
to find every instance of the search string regardless of its case.

■ In the Restrict Search To option, select the check box if you want to
restrict the search to just one CUIx file. Then, under this option, select
a CUIx file from the drop-down list.

■ Click Find Next to locate all instances of the search string.

A message is displayed that details the location of the search string and
the number of results generated from the search.

4 Click Find Next to continue your search.

5 Click Close.

6 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To find a search string in the Command List pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Command List pane, right-click

anywhere in the Command list. Click Find.

Find and Replace Commands and Text in a CUIx File | 87

 3 In the Find and Replace dialog box, Find tab, do the following:
■ In the Find What box, enter the search string.

■ In the Ignore Case option, clear the check box if you want the search
to find every instance of the search string regardless of its case.

■ Click Find Next to locate all instances of the search string.

A message is displayed that details the location of the search string and
the number of results generated from the search.

4 Click Find Next to continue your search.

5 Click Close.

6 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To find where a command in the Command List pane is used

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Command List pane, right-click

the command name you want to find. Click Find.

88 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 3 In the Find and Replace dialog box, Find tab, do the following:
■ In the Find What box, enter the command name.

■ In the Ignore Case option, clear the check box if you want the search
to find every instance of the search string regardless of its case.

■ Click Find Selected Command to locate all instances of the command.

4 In the search results text that is displayed, review the location of the
matching search string, its exact position in the tree node or Properties
pane, and the number of instances in which the command or search
string occurs.

5 Click Find Selected Command to continue your search.

6 Click Close.

7 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To replace a search string

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

Find and Replace Commands and Text in a CUIx File | 89

 2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Customizations
In <file name> pane, right-click anywhere in the tree view. Click Replace.

3 In the Find and Replace dialog box, Replace tab, do the following:
■ In the Find What box, enter the search string.

■ In the Replace With box, specify the text string you want to use to
replace the found string.

■ In the Ignore Case option, clear the check box if you want the search
to find every instance of the search string, regardless of its case.

■ In the Restrict Search To option, select the check box if you want to
restrict the search to just one CUIx file. Then, under this option, select
a CUIx file from the drop-down list.

■ To step through each instance of a found string before replacing it,

click Replace. In the search results text that is displayed, review the
location of the matching search string, its exact position in the tree
node or Properties pane, and the number of instances in which the
command or search string occurs. You cannot undo this action.

■ To replace all instances of the search string, click Replace All. You
cannot undo this action.

90 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 Click Close.

5 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To replace a command string

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, right-click the command name you want to replace. Click Replace.

3 In the Find and Replace dialog box, Replace tab, in the Find What box,
the command name you selected in the previous step is displayed. To
complete the dialog box, do the following:
■ In the Replace With box, specify the command name you want to
use to replace the found command.

■ In the Ignore Case option, clear the check box if you want the search
to find every instance of the command, regardless of its case.

■ To step through each instance of a command name before replacing

it, click Replace. In the search results text that is displayed, review the
location of the matching search string, its exact position in the tree
node or Properties pane, and the number of instances in which the
command or search string occurs. By renaming the command in the
Command list, you rename the command everywhere that command
is used in the CUIx file. You cannot undo this action.

■ To replace all instances of the command, click Replace All. You cannot
undo this action.

Find and Replace Commands and Text in a CUIx File | 91

 4 Click Close.

5 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Customize Commands
Commands in the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor are used to define
custom macros which are used to start standard and custom commands which
can be executed from the command prompt in AutoCAD LT.

Overview of Commands
You can easily create, edit, and reuse commands. The Customize tab of the
Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor allows you to add any command listed
in the Command List pane to a toolbar, menu, and one of the other user
interface element that can be customized.
When you change the properties of a command in the Command List pane
or the tree view in the Customizations In pane, the properties of the command
are changed everywhere the command is referenced. Each property of a
command in the Command List pane controls which actions are taken when
the command is used and how the command looks when added to a user
interface element.

92 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

The following table shows the properties of the Scale command as they appear
in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Scale command in the Command List pane

Properties Description Example
pane item

Name String displayed as a menu name or as a tooltip Scale

when you click a toolbar button. The string
must include alphanumeric characters with no
punctuation other than a hyphen (-) or an un-
derscore (_).

Descrip- String displayed as a tooltip when the cursor Enlarges or reduces

tion hovers over a toolbar or panel button, or menu selected objects, keep-
item. ing the proportions of
the object the same
after scaling

Extended Displays the file name and ID for the extended

Help File tooltip that is displayed when the cursor hovers
over a toolbar or panel button.

Command String that contains the name of the command SCALE

Display that is related to the command.
Name

Macro The command macro. It follows the standard $M=$(if,$(eq,$(sub-

macro syntax. str,$(getvar,cmd-
names),
NOTE When you change the name of a macro,
1,4),GRIP),_scale,^C^C_scale)
the name of its corresponding menu item or
toolbar button does not change. You must
change a menu item or toolbar button name
by selecting it in the tree view.

Tags Keywords associated to a command. Tags

provide an additional field to search for a loaded
command when using the Search field in the
application menu.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a command. ID_Scale

Overview of Commands | 93
 Properties for the Scale command in the Command List pane
Properties Description Example
pane item

Small Im- ID string of the small-image resource (16 × 16 RCDATA_16_SCALE

age bitmap). The string must include alphanumeric
characters with no punctuation other than a
hyphen (-) or an underscore (_). It can also be
a user-defined bitmap. Click the [ ] button to
open the Select Image File dialog box.

Large Im- ID string of the large-image resource (32 × 32 RCDATA_32_SCALE

age bitmap). If the specified bitmap is not 32 × 32,
the program scales it to that size. The string
must include alphanumeric characters with no
punctuation other than a hyphen (-) or an un-
derscore (_). It can also be a user-defined bit-
map. Click the [ ] button to open the Select
Image File dialog box

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Create, Edit, and Reuse Commands

You can create a new command from scratch, copy an existing command to
create a new command, or edit the properties of an existing command. When
you create or edit a command, the properties you can define are the command
name, description, extended help file, command display name, macro, tags,
element ID (for new commands only), and small or large image.
When you change the properties of a command in the Command List pane,
the command is updated for all user interface elements that reference the
command.

94 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To create a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, click Create a New Command.

A new command (named Command1) is displayed in both the Command

List pane and the Properties pane.

3 In the Properties pane, do the following:

■ In the Name box, enter a name for the command. The name is
displayed as a tooltip or menu name when the command is added to
a user interface element.

■ In the Description box, enter a description for the command. The

description will be displayed on the status bar or in a tooltip. When
the cursor hovers over the command on a menu, the description is
displayed on the status bar while if it is on a toolbar or ribbon panel
it is displayed in a tooltip.

■ In the Extended Help File box, enter the name of the file and ID to
use for the extended help for the command.

■ In the Command Display Name box, enter the name of the command
that you want to display for the command.

■ In the Macro box, enter a macro for the command.

■ In the Tags box, enter the tags you want to use when searching for
commands in the Search field of the application menu.

■ In the Element ID box, enter an element ID for the command.

For information about adding button images to a command, see Create

and Edit Custom Images for Commands on page 132.

Create, Edit, and Reuse Commands | 95

 To remove a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, select Custom from the Command Filter drop-down list.
The list is filtered to only show the commands that you have created in
the loaded customization files.

3 Select the command to be removed, and right-click over the command.

4 Click Remove.

NOTE A command only can be removed when it is not being referenced by

a user interface element, such as a toolbar or menu.

WARNING There is no way to undo the removal of a command or user

interface element from inside the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, so
be careful when removing commands and user interface elements. If you
accidentally remove the wrong command or user interface element the best
thing to do is click Cancel, but this will also undo any other changes that you
might have made. If you already made several changes to the CUIx file and
do not want to lose the changes that you already made, you can open the
backup CUIx file that is automatically created after a change is made to a
CUIx file from the Transfer tab and then proceed to recover the command
or user interface element that was accidentally removed.

96 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To edit a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, do one of the

following:
■ In the Command List pane, select the command you want to edit.

■ In the Customizations In <file name> pane, tree view, locate and then
select the command you want to edit.

3 In the Properties pane, do any of the following to edit the command:

■ In the Name box, enter a name for the command. The name is
displayed as a tooltip or menu name when the command is added to
a user interface element.

■ In the Description box, enter a description for the command. The

description will be displayed on the status bar or in a tooltip. When
the cursor hovers over the command on a menu, the description is
displayed on the status bar while if it is on a toolbar or ribbon panel
it is displayed in a tooltip.

Create, Edit, and Reuse Commands | 97

 ■ In the Extended Help File box, enter the name of the file and ID to
use for the extended help for the command.

■ In the Command Display Name box, enter the name of the command
that you want to display for the command.

■ In the Macro box, enter a macro for the command.

■ In the Tags box, enter the tags you want to use when search for
commands with the Search field of the application menu.

■ In the Element ID box, enter an element ID for the command. (For

new commands only. You cannot modify the element ID of an existing
command).

For information about adding button images to a command, see Create

and Edit Custom Images for Commands on page 132.

To use a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, locate the command you want to use and drag it to an interface
element.

98 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To copy and paste a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, locate the command you want to copy.

3 Right-click over the command. Click Copy.

4 Right-click over a user interface element like a toolbar or menu. Click

Paste.

Create, Edit, and Reuse Commands | 99

 NOTE The key combination Ctrl+C can be used to copy a command and
Ctrl+V can be used to paste a command.

To duplicate a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, locate the command you want to duplicate.

3 Right-click over the command. Click Duplicate.

A copy of the selected command is created in-place directly above the

selected command in the Command List pane.

100 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 NOTE The key combination Ctrl+D can be used to duplicate a command
in-place.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Create Macros
A macro defines the action that results when an interface element is selected.
A macro accomplishes a drawing task that would otherwise take a series of
actions by a user.

Overview of Macros
A macro can contain commands, special characters, and DIESEL (Direct
Interpretively Evaluated String Expression Language) programming code.

NOTE As AutoCAD LT is revised and enhanced, the sequence of prompts for

various commands (and sometimes command names) might change. Therefore,
your custom macros might require minor changes when you upgrade to a new
release of AutoCAD LT.

You add macros to interface elements by using the Customize User Interface
(CUI) Editor. Select an existing command or create a new command in the
Command List pane. Enter macros in the Macros section of the Properties
pane. There are no length limitations for macros. However, you do need to
know how specific characters are used in macros and be aware of other
considerations or limitations.

Macro Basics
A macro in a user interface element can be as simple as a command (such as
circle) and some special characters (such as ^C^C).

Create Macros | 101

 For example, the macro ^C^C_circle \1, draws a circle with a radius of 1 unit.
The components that define this macro are explained in the table below.

Components in CIRCLE macro

Component Component type Result

^C^C Special control char- Cancels any running commands

acter

_ Special control char- Automatically translates the command

acter that follows into other languages

CIRCLE Command Starts the CIRCLE command

\ Special control char- Creates a pause for the user to specify

acter the center point

1 Special control char- Responds to the prompt for the circle's

acter radius (1)

For a list of special control characters that you can use in macros, see Use
Special Control Characters in Macros on page 104.

Cancel Running Commands

Make sure that you have no AutoCAD LT commands in progress before you
execute a macro. To automatically cancel a command before executing a
macro, enter ^C^C at the beginning of the macro (which is the same as pressing
ESC twice). Although a single ^C cancels most commands, ^C^C is required to
return to the command prompt from a dimensioning command and ^C^C^C
is required based on the current option of the Layer command. ^C^C handles
canceling out of most command sequences and therefore is the recommended
sequence used to ensure no command is active before the macro is started.

Verify Macro Characters

Every character in a macro is significant, even a blank space.
When you place a space at the end of the macro, AutoCAD LT processes the
macro as though you had entered a command (circle, for example) and then
pressed the SPACEBAR to complete the command.

102 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Terminate Macros
Some macros require special terminators. Some commands (TEXT, for example)
require you to press ENTER rather than SPACEBAR to terminate the command.
Some commands require more than one space (or ENTER) to complete, but
some text editors cannot create a line with trailing blanks.
Two special conventions resolve these problems.

■ A semicolon (;) in a macro automatically issues ENTER at the command

prompt.

■ If a line ends with a control character, a backslash (\), a plus sign (+), or a
semicolon (;), AutoCAD LT does not add a blank space after it.

An item that ends with a backslash (\) pauses a macro for user input.
Compare the following macros:
ucs
ucs ;

The first example enters ucs at the command prompt and presses SPACEBAR.
The following prompt is displayed.
Specify origin of UCS or
[Face/NAmed/OBject/Previous/View/World/X/Y/Z/ZAxis] <World>:
The second example enters ucs, presses SPACEBAR, and presses ENTER, which
accepts the default value (World).

Suppress Echoes and Prompts in Macros

Characters in a macro appear in the command window as though you had
typed the characters on the keyboard. They are also displayed in the user
interface element. This display duplication is called “echoing”. You can
suppress the “echoed” displays with the MENUECHO system variable. If echoes
and prompts from item input are turned off, a ^P in the item turns them off.

Create Long Macros

You can create a macro of any length, without requiring any special characters
at the end of a line. The Properties pane in the Customize User Interface (CUI)
Editor accepts a macro of any length.

Create Macros | 103

 To assign or modify a command macro

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, locate the command you want to assign (or modify) a command
macro.

3 In the Properties pane, select the Macro field and click the [ ] button that
is displayed.
The Long String Editor dialog box is displayed.

4 In the Long String Editor, edit the macro as desired and click OK.
You are returned to the Customize User Interface Editor.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Use Special Control Characters in Macros

You can use special characters, including control characters, in macros. In a
macro, the caret (^) is equivalent to pressing the Ctrl key on the keyboard.
You can combine the caret with another character to construct macros that
do such things as turn the grid on and off (^G) or cancel a command (^C).
The macro for the Address command below uses the backslash (\) to pause
for user input and the semicolon (;) for ENTER.
text \.4 0 DRAFT Inc;;;Main St.;;;City, State;

The macro starts the TEXT command, pauses for the user to specify a start
point, and then enters the address on three lines. In the triple semicolon (;;;),
the first semicolon ends the text string, the second repeats TEXT, and the
third accepts the default placement below the previous line.

104 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Macros use the special characters listed in the following table.

Special characters used in macros

Character Description

; Issues ENTER

^M Issues ENTER

^I Issues TAB

[blank space] Enters a space; a blank space between command sequences in a

command is equivalent to pressing the SPACEBAR

\ Pauses for user input (cannot be used with accelerators)

_ Translates AutoCAD LT commands and options that follow

=* Displays the current top-level pull-down, shortcut, or image menu

*^C^C Repeats a command until another command is chosen

$ Introduces a conditional DIESEL macro expression ($M=)

^B Turns Snap on or off (equivalent to Ctrl+B)

^C Cancels the active command or command option (equivalent to ESC)

^D Turns Dynamic UCS on or off (equivalent to Ctrl+D)

^E Sets the next isometric plane (equivalent to Ctrl+E)

^G Turns Grid on or off (equivalent to Ctrl+G)

^H Issues BACKSPACE

^O Turns Ortho on or off

^P Turns MENUECHO on or off

^Q Echoes all prompts, status listings, and input to the printer (equivalent
to Ctrl+Q)

Create Macros | 105

 Special characters used in macros
Character Description

^R Turns command versioning on or off. Command versioning is required

for some commands to ensure command macros written in an older
release work properly in the latest release.

^T Turns tablet on or off (equivalent to Ctrl+T)

^V Changes the current viewport

^Z Null character that suppresses the automatic addition of SPACEBAR

at the end of a command

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
TEXT
Creates a single-line text object.

Pause for User Input in Macros

To accept input from the keyboard or pointing device in the middle of a
command, place a backslash (\) in the macro at the point where you want
input.
circle \1

In the circle example, \1 pauses for the user to specify the center point and
then reads a radius of 1. Note that there is no space after the backslash.
-layer off \;

In this example, the macro starts -LAYER at the command prompt, enters the
Off option (off), and then pauses for the user to enter a layer name (\). The
macro then turns that layer off and exits the -LAYER command (;).

106 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

NOTE LAYER normally prompts for another operation and exits only if you press
SPACEBAR or ENTER. In the macro, the semicolon (;) is the equivalent of pressing
ENTER.

A macro typically resumes after one user input, such as a single point location.
Therefore, you cannot construct a macro that accepts a variable number of
inputs (as in object selection) and then continues. However, an exception is
made for SELECT: a backslash (\) suspends the SELECT command until object
selection has been completed. Consider the following example:
select \change previous ;properties color red ;

In this macro, SELECT creates a selection set of one or more objects (select \).
The macro then starts CHANGE (change), references the selection set using
the Previous option (previous;), and changes the color of all selected objects
to red (properties color red ;).

NOTE The backslash character (\) causes a macro to pause for user input. You
cannot use a backslash for any other purpose in a macro. When you need to specify
a file directory path, use a forward slash (/) as the path delimiter: for example,
/direct/file.

The following circumstances delay resumption of a macro after a pause:

■ If input of a point location is expected, object snap modes may be used

before the point is specified.

■ If X/Y/Z point filters are used, the command remains suspended until the
entire point has been accumulated.

■ For SELECT only, the macro does not resume until object selection has
been completed.

■ If the user responds with a transparent command, the suspended macro

remains suspended until the transparent command is completed and the
originally requested input is received.

■ If the user responds by choosing another command (to supply options or

to execute a transparent command), the original macro is suspended, and
the newly selected item is processed to completion. Then, the suspended
macro is resumed.

Create Macros | 107

 NOTE When command input comes from a command, the settings of the PICKADD
and PICKAUTO system variables are assumed to be 1 and 0, respectively. This
preserves compatibility with previous releases of AutoCAD LT and makes
customization easier because you are not required to check the settings of these
variables.

Quick Reference

Commands
CHANGE
Changes the properties of existing objects.
LAYER
Manages layers and layer properties.
SELECT
Places selected objects in the Previous selection set.

System Variables
PICKADD
Controls whether subsequent selections replace the current selection set or
add to it.
PICKAUTO
Controls automatic windowing at the Select Objects prompt.

Provide International Support in Macros

To develop menus that can be used with a non-English-language version of
AutoCAD LT, precede each command or option with the underscore character
(_). The underscore character allows the standard commands and options to
be translated automatically.

108 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Repeat Commands in Macros

You can use a leading asterisk (*) to repeat a command in a macro until you
choose another command.
Once you have selected a command, you might want to use it several times
before moving on to another command. In a macro, you can repeat a command
until you choose another command. You cannot use this feature to choose
options.
If a macro begins with *^C^C, the command is repeated until you terminate
by pressing ESC on the keyboard or by selecting another command.

NOTE Do not use ^C (Cancel) within a macro that begins with the string *^C^C;
this cancels the repetition.

The macros in the following examples repeat the commands:

*^C^Cmove Single
*^C^Ccopy Single
*^C^Cerase Single
*^C^Cstretch Single Crossing
*^C^Crotate Single
*^C^Cscale Single

Each macro in the example starts a command and then prompts you to select
an object. Any other prompts necessary to complete the command are
displayed, and then the command ends and starts again.

NOTE Command repetition cannot be used in macros for image tile menus.

Create Macros | 109

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Use Single Object Selection Mode in Macros

Single Object Selection mode cancels the normal repetition of the Select
Objects prompt in editing commands. After you select one object and respond
to any other prompts, the command ends.
Consider the macro in the following example:
*^C^Cerase single

This macro terminates the current command and starts ERASE in Single Object
Selection mode. After you choose this command, you either select a single
object to be erased or click a blank area in the drawing and specify window
selection. Any objects selected in this way are erased, and the command is
repeated (due to the leading asterisk) so that you can erase additional objects.
Press ESC to exit this mode.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Use Macros to Swap User Interface Elements

You can replace the contents of active menus, mouse buttons, tablet buttons,
tablet menus, or screen menus. The swapped content can be that of another
user interface element of the same type in the main CUIx file, or it can come
from a partial CUIx file.
You cannot swap interface elements that are of different types (menus and
mouse buttons, for example). However, within a given type, you can swap
any user interface element for any other element.

110 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 NOTE Swapping can lead to some strange behavior for tablet menus, because
they typically have a different number of macros.

Use the following syntax in a macro to swap elements:

$section=customizationgroup.menuname

The following describes each section of the macro syntax for swapping
elements:
Macro syntax for swapping elements
$ Loads an interface element

section Specifies the element type. Valid names are:

A1-A4 for Aux menus 1 through 4
B1-B4 for mouse buttons 1 through 4
P0-P16 for pull-down menus 0 through 16
I for the image tile menu
T1-T4 for tablet menus 1 through 4

customizationgroup Specifies the customization group that menuname is a

member of (not necessary if menuname is in the main CUIx file).

menuname Specifies which section or submenu to insert. It is the main label

or alias for the section to load

A pull-down menu can be present either in the menu bar or on the active
shortcut menu but not both.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Use Conditional Expressions in Macros

You can add conditional expressions to a macro by using a command that
introduces macro expressions written in DIESEL (Direct Interpretively Evaluated
String Expression Language).

Create Macros | 111

 The format is:
$M=expression

Introducing the macro with $M= tells AutoCAD LT to evaluate a string as a

DIESEL expression, and that expression is the DIESEL expression. The
following example defines a conditional expression in a macro:
FILLMODE $M=$(-,1,$(getvar,fillmode))

The macro switches the FILLMODE system variable on and off by subtracting
the current value of FILLMODE from 1 and returning the resulting value to
the FILLMODE system variable. You can use this method to toggle system
variables whose valid values are 1 or 0.

Termination of Macros That Contain Conditional Expressions

If you use the DIESEL string language to perform “if-then” tests, conditions
might exist where you do not want the normal terminating space or semicolon
(resulting in ENTER). If you add ^Z to the end of the macro, AutoCAD LT does
not automatically add a space (ENTER) to the end of the macro expression.
As with other control characters in commands, the ^Z used here is a string
composed of ^ (a caret) and Z and is not equivalent to pressing Ctrl+Z.
In the following examples, ^Z is used as a macro terminator.
^C^C$M=$(if,$(=,$(getvar,tilemode),0),$S=mview _mspace )^Z
^C^C$M=$(if,$(=,$(getvar,tilemode),0),$S=mview _pspace )^Z

If these macros did not end with ^Z, AutoCAD LT would automatically add a
space (ENTER), repeating the last command entered.

See also:

■ Use Special Control Characters in Macros on page 104

■ DIESEL on page 325

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

112 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 System Variables
FILLMODE
Specifies whether hatches and fills, 2D solids, and wide polylines are filled
in.

Control the Display of Command Items

The way a menu or ribbon button item is displayed indicates its availability
in the program. A menu or ribbon button item can be displayed as:

■ Grayed out (disabled)

■ Marked with a check marker or border

■ Both grayed out and marked

Ribbon button items do not display a check mark when marked; only a border
is displayed.

NOTE To disable or mark ribbon button items, the “~” or “!.” sequence cannot
be placed before a command name explicitly; it must be inside a DIESEL expression.

Gray Out (Disable) Menu or Ribbon Button Items

You gray out a menu or ribbon button item by doing one of the following:

■ Beginning a name with a tilde (~)

■ Using a DIESEL string expression

Ribbon button items only support the use of DIESEL string expressions. For
more information about using DIESEL expressions, see DIESEL Expressions in
Macros. When grayed out, the macro and submenus associated with the menu
or ribbon button item are made inaccessible.
In the following example, the tilde (~) is placed at the beginning of the Copy
Link command label in the Name cell of the Properties pane.

Control the Display of Command Items | 113

 Following is the resulting Copy Link command grayed out in the Edit menu.

DIESEL string expressions are used to conditionally disable or enable a menu

or ribbon button item each time they are displayed. For example, the DIESEL
string expression in the Macros cell of the Properties pane disables the MOVE
command while any other command is active.
$(if,$(getvar,cmdactive),~)MOVE^C^C_move

Mark Menu or Ribbon Button Items

You can mark a menu or ribbon button item by doing one of the following:

■ Beginning a command name with an exclamation point and a period (!.)

■ Using a DIESEL string expression

114 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Ribbon button items only support the use of DIESEL string expressions. A
menu or ribbon button item is marked in one of two ways:

■ A check mark. Displayed when a menu item does not have an image
associated with it.

■ A border. Displayed when a menu or ribbon button item has an image

associated with it; a border is displayed around the image.

Following is an example of the Edit menu with the OLE Links command
marked with a check mark and the Copy Link command's image marked with
a border:

Menu items can and ribbon button items must contain DIESEL string
expressions to conditionally mark them each time they are displayed. When
the following DIESEL string is added to the Macros cell for the applicable
command in the Properties pane, a check mark is placed to the left of the
menu item whose related system variable is currently enabled.
$(if,$(getvar,orthomode),!.)Ortho^O
$(if,$(getvar,snapmode),!.)Snap^B
$(if,$(getvar,gridmode),!.)Grid^G

Control the Display of Command Items | 115

 Simultaneously Disable and Mark Command Items
You can mark and disable commands at the same time using either of the
following formats:
~!. labeltext
!.~ labeltext

The tilde (~) is the special character code to disable a command and an
exclamation point and period (!.) is the special character code to mark a
command.
The tilde (~), exclamation point, and period (!.) are placed at the beginning
of the Copy Link command label in the Name cell of the Properties pane.
Following is the resulting Copy Link marked and grayed out in the Edit menu.

As with the previous examples, a DIESEL expression can be used to

simultaneously disable and mark a command item.

To gray out (disable) a command's menu or ribbon button label

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
menu that contains the command you want to disable.

3 Select the command you want to gray out.

116 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 In the Properties pane, in the Name field, add a tilde (~) or add the desired
DIESEL expression to the beginning of the command.

NOTE The command must be selected from the Customizations In pane,

otherwise you are just modifying the name of the command and not the
label that is displayed to the user.

5 Click Apply.
The changes to the command will be visible after the changes have been
applied and the CUI Editor is closed.

To mark command's menu or ribbon button label

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
menu that contains the command you want to mark.

3 Select the command you want to mark.

Control the Display of Command Items | 117

 4 In the Properties pane, in the Name field, add an exclamation point and
a period (!.) or add the desired DIESEL expression to the beginning of
the command.

5 Click Apply.
The changes to the command will be visible after the changes have been
applied and the CUI Editor is closed.

To simultaneously gray out (disable) and mark a command's menu or ribbon

button label

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

118 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
menu that contains the command you want to disable and mark.

3 Select the command you want to gray out and mark.

4 In the Properties pane, in the Name field, add a tilde, an exclamation

point, and a period (~!. or !.~) or add the desired DIESEL expression to
the beginning of the command.

5 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Assign Search Tags

With search tags, you can search for a command or a group of commands
with the application menu.
You can assign one or more tags to a command to make it easy to locate when
performing a search from the application menu. You add tags to a command
using the Tag Editor dialog box. When a tag is assigned to a command, it is
displayed on a tooltip (when the command is on a toolbar or ribbon panel
and the cursor hovers over the command).
You can change the display of tooltips on the Display tab of the Options dialog
box. See Search for Commands in the User’s Guide to learn more about using
search in the application menu.

To add tags to a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, select the command to which you want to add a tag.

Assign Search Tags | 119

 3 In the Properties pane, select the Tags field and click the [ ] button.

4 In the Tag Editor dialog box, in the Tags box, enter a tag.
As you enter a tag, a popup menu might display showing a list of
previously used tags. Click a tag on the menu to use that tag. You can
add more than one tag to a command; separate each tag with a comma.

5 To add another tag for a command, press the Left Arrow key and enter
the tag. Repeat as needed.

6 Click OK.

120 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 7 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To remove a tag from a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, select the command from which you want to remove a tag.

The Properties pane is displayed on the right side.

3 In the Properties pane, select the Tags field and click the [ ] button.

4 In the Tag Editor dialog box, in the Tags box, click the tag you want to
remove. Press Delete.

Assign Search Tags | 121

 The tag is removed.

5 Click OK.

6 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

Create Tooltips and Extended Help for Commands

Tooltips are descriptive messages that are displayed near the cursor when it
hovers over a toolbar or panel button, or menu item.
The Description property associated to a command provides a simple
description for what the command does. The value of the Description property
is displayed as part of a basic tooltip that is displayed when the cursor hovers
over a button on a toolbar, or ribbon panel. Along with the description, a
command tooltip also displays the name of the command, and the values
assigned to the Command Display Name and Tags properties.
Additionally, a command can be assigned an extended help file and ID so it
can display a second level of information for the command. The content from
the extended help file is displayed in the extended description area of a tooltip.
The content for the extended description area of a tooltip is stored in an XAML
file, and can contain rich-text and images.

122 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Control the Display of Tooltips
You control the display of tooltips and when the extended help assigned to
a command is displayed from the Options dialog box. See Set Interface Options
in the User’s Guide to learn more about tooltips.

Example of an XAML File

The XAML structure is a format that was developed by Microsoft. The following
is an example of what an XAML file might look like for two custom commands
that exist in your CUIx file.
<ResourceDictionary
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:src="clr-namespace:Autodesk.Windows;assembly=AdWindows">
<src:RibbonToolTip x:Key="MYEH_CMD_0001">
<src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Background="AntiqueWhite" TextAlignment="Center">
Creates a rectangular revision cloud on the <Bold>REVISION</Bold>
layer.
</TextBlock>
<Image Source="images/rectcloud.jpg" Width="Auto" Height="Auto">
</Image>
</StackPanel>
</src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
</src:RibbonToolTip>
<src:RibbonToolTip x:Key="MYEH_CMD_0002">
<src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Background="Yellow" TextAlignment="Left">
Creates a polygonal revision cloud on the
<Run Text=" REVISION " Foreground="Red" FontStyle="Italic"/>
layer.
</TextBlock>
<Image Source="images/rectcloud.jpg" Width="Auto" Height="Auto">
</Image>
</StackPanel>
</src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
</src:RibbonToolTip>
</ResourceDictionary>

The ResourceDictionary element is used to define the type of content that is

in the XAML file; while the scr:RibbonToolTip element is used to define each

Create Tooltips and Extended Help for Commands | 123

 of the extended help topics in the file. In the previous example there are two
different extended help topics, and they are uniquely defined by the keys
MYEH_CMD_0001 and MYEH_CMD_0002.

NOTE Extended tooltips defined to work with AutoCAD LT 2009 need to be

updated to work with AutoCAD LT 2011. For information on converting an
extended tooltip created for AutoCAD LT 2009 to work with AutoCAD LT 2011,
see To convert an AutoCAD LT 2009 extended tooltip to work with AutoCAD LT
2011 on page 127.

The Stack Panel element groups the TextBlock and Image elements together.
You can have as many TextBlock and Image elements under a StackPanel
element that you need. The TextBlock element holds the text; the Image
element holds an illustration that is part of the extended help. To learn more
about XAML, visit Microsoft's web site at http://www.microsoft.com and perform
a search for XAML.

To add a tooltip to a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, click the command to which you want to add a tooltip.

3 In the Properties pane, Description field, enter the tooltip text for the
selected command.

124 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 Click Apply.
The next time the cursor hovers over the command on a toolbar, or
ribbon panel, the text is displayed in the tooltip.

To add extended help to a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, click the command to which you want to add extended help.

3 In the Properties pane, select the Extended Help File field and click [ ]
button.

4 In the Select Extended Help File dialog box, browse to and select the
XAML file that contains the extended help for the command. Click Open.

5 In the Select Help ID dialog box, select the help ID for the extended help
content. Click OK.

Create Tooltips and Extended Help for Commands | 125

 6 Click Apply.
When the command is added to a toolbar or ribbon panel, the extended
help is displayed if extended help is enabled for tooltips and the cursor
hovers over the command for the designated time interval.

To create an XAML file

1 In a text editor (for example, Microsoft® Windows® Notepad), create a
new file and enter the elements needed to define the extended help
content.
As an example, enter the text below in the text editor:
<ResourceDictionary
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presenta
tion"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:src="clr-namespace:Autodesk.Windows;assembly=AdWindows">
<src:RibbonToolTip x:Key="MYEH_CMD_0003">
<src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Background="AntiqueWhite" TextAlignment="Center">
Configures the settings for the current drawing.
</TextBlock>
</StackPanel>
</src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
</src:RibbonToolTip>
</ResourceDictionary>

126 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 2 Save the file as ASCII text (TXT file), with a file extension of .xaml.

To convert an AutoCAD LT 2009 extended tooltip to work with AutoCAD

LT 2011
1 Open the XAML file in a text editor (for example, Microsoft® Windows®
Notepad).
The following is an example of an extended tooltip created to use with
AutoCAD LT 2009. You change the text shown in italic.
<src:ProgressivePanel x:Key="MYEH_CMD_0003">
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Background="AntiqueWhite" TextAlignment="Center">
Configures the settings for the current drawing.
</TextBlock>
</StackPanel>
</src:ProgressivePanel>

2 Change the text shown in italic in the previous step to match the
following:
<src:RibbonToolTip x:Key="MYEH_CMD_0003">
<src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
<StackPanel>
<TextBlock Background="AntiqueWhite" TextAlignment="Center">
Configures the settings for the current drawing.
</TextBlock>
</StackPanel>
</src:RibbonToolTip.ExpandedContent>
</src:RibbonToolTip>

3 Save the changes made to the XAML file.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

Create Tooltips and Extended Help for Commands | 127

 System Variables
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.

Create Status Line Help Messages

Status line help messages are simple, descriptive messages that are displayed
on the status line (at the bottom of the application window) when the cursor
hovers over a menu item.
You can change or add descriptions for menu items by updating the
Description property for a related command. If the status bar for the program
is not displayed, no descriptive message is displayed for the menu item. The
current workspace controls the display of the application status bar for the
program. See Set Interface Options in the User’s Guide to learn more about
workspaces.

To create a status line help message

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, select the command to which you want to add a help message.

3 In the Properties pane, Description box, enter the descriptive text for the
selected command.

128 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 Click Apply.
The next time you use the command, the descriptive text you added is
displayed in the status line when the cursor hovers over the command
on a menu.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

Assign, Create, and Manage Images for Commands

Images can be assigned to commands, and can be of two different types:
standard and custom. Standard commands come with AutoCAD LT in a library,
while custom commands are created and managed from the Button Image
pane and the Button Editor dialog box in the Customize User Interface Editor.

Assign Images to a Command

Standard and custom images can be assigned to a command.

Assign, Create, and Manage Images for Commands | 129

 When a command is added to a ribbon or toolbar, the assigned image is
displayed on the ribbon or toolbar button, or if added to a pull-down menu,
the image is displayed next to the menu item.
AutoCAD LT comes with a library of standard images that are used for the
standard commands; these can be assigned to your own custom commands.
You can create your own custom commands using the Button Editor dialog
box found in the Customize User Interface Editor or an external image editor.
For more information about creating custom images for your commands, see
Create and Edit Custom Images for Commands on page 132.

To assign an image to a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the Command

List pane, select command to which you want to add an image.
The Button Image pane (in the upper-right corner) and the Properties
pane (in the lower-right corner) are displayed.

3 Do one of the following:

130 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Assign a standard image
■ In the Button Image pane, under Apply To, select one of the three
image assignment options; Small Image, Large Image, or Both.

■ Select an image from the image list and the image name is assigned
to the Small, Large, or both the Small and Large image properties of
the selected command.

NOTE As you select an image from the image list, the image’s name is
displayed below the Export button in the Button Image pane.

Import and assign a custom image

■ In the Button Image pane, right-click in the list of images and click
Import Image.

■ In the Open dialog box, browse to and select the BMP file that you
want to import and click Open.

■ In the Button Image pane, under Apply To, select one of the three
image assignment options; Small Image, Large Image, or Both. Then
select the image you imported from the image list.

Assign, Create, and Manage Images for Commands | 131

 4 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Create and Edit Custom Images for Commands

Custom images can be created and edited which can be assigned to a
command.
You can create custom images to assign to a command using the Button Editor
dialog box built into the CUI Editor or an external image editor. You can
either start with an existing button image or create your own from scratch.
Custom images when saved are by default stored in the working customization
file. Saved custom images can be exported to an external BMP file to use in
another customization file.

NOTE In releases prior to AutoCAD LT 2011, custom images were stored separately
from the customization file. In AutoCAD LT 2011, images are now stored as part
of the CUIx file making it easier to share with others.

Custom images can be created in two different sizes: small and large. Small
images should be 16 x 16 pixels. Large images should be 32 x 32 pixels. Images
that do not match these sizes are scaled to fit.

132 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To create or edit a button image

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the Command

List pane or the Customizations In <file name> pane, click a command to
display the Button Image pane (in the upper-right corner).

3 In the Button Image pane, select an image from the image list that is
closest in appearance to the image you want to create or select an existing
image to edit. Click Edit.

TIP If you want to start with a blank image, select any image from the image
list under the Button Images pane. Click Edit to display the Button Editor
dialog box. In the Button Editor dialog box, click Clear.

4 In the Button Editor dialog box, use the Pencil, Line, Circle, and Erase
buttons to create or edit the button image. To change the selected color,
select a color from the color palette, or click More to open the Select
Color dialog box.
■ Pencil button. Edits one pixel at a time in the selected color. You can
drag the pointing device to edit several pixels at once.

■ Line button. Creates lines in the selected color. Click and hold to set
the first endpoint of the line. Drag to draw the line. Release to
complete the line.

■ Circle button. Creates circles in the selected color. Click and hold to
set the center of the circle. Drag to set the radius. Release to complete
the circle.

■ Erase button. Resets the color of one pixel at a time to the default
canvas color.

Assign, Create, and Manage Images for Commands | 133

 NOTE Click Import to import a BMP file stored on a local or network drive
to edit it in the Button Editor dialog box and store it in the working CUIx file.

5 Click Save.
The Save Image dialog box is displayed.

6 In the Save Image dialog box, Image Name text box, enter a name and
click OK.
The image is saved to the working CUIx file.

7 Click Close.
You are returned to the Customize User Interface Editor.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Manage, Import, and Export Custom Images

Custom images stored as externally saved BMP files can be imported into a
loaded customization file and exported from a customization file to a local or
network drive. Custom images can be deleted from a customization file in the
Image Manager.
Prior to AutoCAD LT 2011, custom images used for commands in a
customization file were stored on a local or network drive as separate BMP
files or in a resource DLL. Resource DLLs are still maintained externally to
customization files but starting with AutoCAD LT 2011, BMP files used by
custom commands defined in a customization file are stored in the
customization file.
You can use the Image Manager, the Button Editor dialog box, or the Button
Image pane to manage custom images in the loaded customization files. With
the Image Manager, you can import and export custom images to and from
a customization file. You can also use the Image Manager to see which custom
images are currently stored in a loaded customization file and remove those
that you no longer need. You can also use the Button Editor dialog box and
Button Image pane to import and export custom images.

134 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To import a custom image to the image list and the working customization
file

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the Command

List pane, select any command to display the Button Image pane.

3 In the Button Image pane, right-click the image list and click Import
Image.

4 In the Open dialog box, browse to and select the BMP file that you want
to import and click Open.
The image is added to the image list and can then be assigned to a
command.

To export an image from the image list

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the Command

List pane, select any command to display the Button Image pane.

3 In the Button Image pane, select the image to export, and click Export.

Assign, Create, and Manage Images for Commands | 135

 4 In the Export Image File dialog box, browse to the folder to which you
want to export the image and enter a name for the image in the File Name
text box.

5 Click Save.

NOTE You can only export images in the BMP (*.bmp, *.rle, or *.dib) format.

To import an image into a loaded customization file using the Image Manager

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name > pane, click Launches the Image Manager
Dialog.

3 In the Image Manager, Loaded Customization Files drop-down list, select

the loaded customization file into which you want to import a custom
image.

136 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 In the Import Images dialog box, browse to and select the images you
want to import. Click Open.
If the CUI Editor - Image Already Exists dialog box is displayed, click
Import Image as Copy to create a copy of the image being imported or
Overwrite Existing Image to replace the image with the one being
imported.

5 Click OK.

To export an image from a loaded customization file with the Image Manager

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name > pane, click Launches the Image Manager
Dialog.

3 In the Image Manager, Loaded Customization Files drop-down list, select

the loaded customization file that contains the custom image you want
to export.

Assign, Create, and Manage Images for Commands | 137

 4 In the Custom Images list, select the image you want to export and click
Export.

5 In the Browse For Folder dialog box, browse to the folder to which you
want to export the selected images. Click OK.

6 Click OK.

To delete an image from a loaded customization file

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name > pane, click Launches the Image Manager
Dialog.

3 In the Image Manager, Loaded Customization Files drop-down list, select

the loaded customization file that contains the custom image that you
want to delete.

138 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 In the Custom Images list, select the image you want to remove and click
Delete.

5 In the CUI Editor - Confirm Deletion of Image dialog box, click Delete
Image.
If the selected image is assigned to a command, the CUI Editor - Confirm
Deletion of Referenced Image dialog box is displayed. The deletion of the
image cannot be undone.

6 Click OK.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Customize User Interface Elements

User interface elements in the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor are used
to control how standard and custom commands can be started.

Customize User Interface Elements | 139

 See also:

To copy and paste a user interface element

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Customizations

In <file name> pane, expand the main node for the user interface element
that you want to copy.

3 Right-click the user interface element, and click Copy.

4 Right-click the node that you want to paste the selected user interface
element to, and click Paste.

140 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 NOTE The key combination Ctrl+C can be used to copy a user interface
element and Ctrl+V can be used to paste a user interface element in the
Customizations In <file name> pane.

5 Click Apply.

To duplicate a user interface element

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Customizations

In <file name> pane, expand the main node for the user interface element
that you want to duplicate.

3 Right-click the user interface element, and click Duplicate.

A copy of the selected user interface element is created in-place directly

above the selection in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

NOTE The key combination Ctrl+D can be used to duplicate a user interface
element in-place.

4 Click Apply.

Customize User Interface Elements | 141

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Quick Access Toolbars

The Quick Access toolbar is located along the top of the application window
(above or below the ribbon) and provides direct access to a defined set of
commands.
The Quick Access toolbar is always located in the same place in the program,
but different commands may be displayed on it based on the current
workspace. You can customize the Quick Access toolbar by

■ Creating Quick Access toolbars under the Customizations In <file name>

pane and then adding the Quick Access toolbar to a workspace under the
Workspace Contents pane in the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor.

■ Adding commands directly to the Quick Access toolbar from the ribbon
or when the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor is displayed. You can
also remove commands when the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor
is displayed or not.

Customizing a Quick Access toolbar is similar to customizing a ribbon panel

or toolbar. You can add, remove, and reposition commands and controls to
tailor the user interface element to the way you work. You can also add
drop-downs and separators to group and organize related commands.
Once a Quick Access toolbar has been defined, it can be displayed in the
application window by assigning it to the Quick Access Toolbar node of a
workspace under the Workspace Contents pane. For more information about
assigning a Quick Access toolbar to a workspace, see To display a Quick Access
toolbar on page 299.

NOTE You can add controls to a Quick Access toolbar. The controls you can add
are listed under Ribbon Controls in the drop-down list under the Command List
pane.

142 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To create a Quick Access toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Quick Access Toolbars.
Click New Quick Access Toolbar.

A new Quick Access toolbar (named Quick Access Toolbar1) is placed at

the bottom of the Quick Access Toolbars tree.

3 Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name Quick Access Toolbar1.

■ Right-click Quick Access Toolbar1. Click Rename. Enter a new name.

■ Click Quick Access Toolbar1, wait, and click again over the Quick
Access toolbar’s name again to edit its name in-place.

4 Click Apply.

To delete a Quick Access toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Quick Access Toolbars node to expand it.

3 Right-click the Quick Access toolbar you want to delete and click Delete.

Quick Access Toolbars | 143

 4 Click Apply.

To add a command or control to a Quick Access toolbar from the CUI Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Quick Access Toolbars node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the Quick Access toolbar that you want to
modify.

4 Under the Command List pane, drag the command or control you want
to add to the Quick Access toolbar from the Command List pane to the
Quick Access Toolbar node under the Customizations In <file name> pane.

144 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 A splitter bar is displayed to indicate the location where the command
or control will be added when you release the pointing device button.

5 Once the splitter bar is in the location you want to insert the command
or control, release the pointing device button.

6 Click Apply.

To remove a command or control from a Quick Access toolbar with the CUI
Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Quick Access Toolbars node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the Quick Access toolbar from which you
want to remove a command or control.

4 Right-click the command you want to remove and click Remove.

Quick Access Toolbars | 145

 5 Click Apply.

To add and remove commands from the Quick Access toolbar outside the
CUI Editor
■ To add a command to the Quick Access toolbar
Do one of the following:
■ Right-click a command on the ribbon, and click Add to Quick Access
Toolbar.

■ On the Quick Access toolbar, click the Customize button located on

the right side and select one of the listed commands or select More
Commands.
Selecting More Commands displays the Customize User Interface (CUI)
Editor in a compact state. Drag commands from the Command List
pane to the Quick Access toolbar in the application window.

■ To remove a command from the Quick Access toolbar

■ Right-click the command you want to remove and click Remove from
Quick Access Toolbar.

146 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To add a drop-down to a Quick Access toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Quick Access Toolbars node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the Quick Access toolbar that you want to
modify.

4 Right-click the Quick Access toolbar which you want to add a drop-down
to. Click New Drop-down.

A new drop-down (named New Drop-down) is added to the bottom of

the Quick Access toolbar.

5 Right-click the new drop-down. Click Rename. Enter a new name.

NOTE You can click, wait, and click again over a drop-down name to edit
its name in-place in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

6 Drag the drop-down under the Quick Access toolbar to the position where
you want it placed. Use the visual indicator bar that is displayed to help
specify the location for the drop-down. Release the pointing device button
to reposition the drop-down.

7 Under the Command List pane, drag the command or control you want
to add to the Quick Access toolbar from the Command List pane to the
Quick Access Toolbar node under the Customizations In <file name> pane.

Quick Access Toolbars | 147

 A visual indicator bar is displayed to indicate the location where the
command or control will be added when the pointing device button is
released.

8 Once the splitter bar is in the location where you want to insert the
command or control, release the pointing device button.

9 Adjust the properties of the drop-down as desired to control the

appearance of the drop-down and the commands under the drop-down.
on page 164

10 If the drop-down will use the Split behavior, add a command to the
Primary Command node under the drop-down to set the command for
the main button.

11 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Ribbon
You can customize the ribbon by creating and modifying ribbon panels and
organizing ribbon panels into groups of task-based tools with ribbon tabs.

148 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Ribbon tabs can be displayed on the ribbon with a workspace or based on a
contextual tab state when they are needed.

Ribbon Panels
By customizing ribbon panels, you can organize commands that you use
frequently similar to toolbars. With ribbon panels, you can quickly access
commands, and reduce the number of user interface elements that are
displayed.

Overview of Ribbon Panels

Ribbon panels are organized by rows, sub-panels, and slideout elements. Rows
and sub-panels are used to organize how commands and controls are displayed
on the ribbon panel. A slideout is automatically added to each ribbon panel
and controls which rows are shown by default. Rows located below a slideout
are displayed only when a ribbon panel is expanded.
The following table describes the properties of the Home 2D - Draw ribbon
panel as they appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Home 2D - Draw Ribbon Panel

Properties Description Example
Pane Item

Name Name of the panel; does not appear in the user Home 2D - Draw
interface.

Display Title of the panel; displayed when the ribbon is Draw

Text set to display titles or when a panel is floating.

Descrip- Text used to describe the element; does not

tion appear in the user interface and is optional.

KeyTip Specifies the keytip characters that can be used

to access the ribbon panel from the keyboard.

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the panel. Click the [ ] ID_Draw
button to open the Aliases dialog box. Each
alias in the CUIx file should be unique and is
used to reference the panel programmatically.

Ribbon | 149
 Properties for the Home 2D - Draw Ribbon Panel
Properties Description Example
Pane Item

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a panel. ID_PanelDraw

Create a Ribbon Panel

Ribbon panels can be created from scratch or from an existing toolbar or
dashboard panel. Create ribbon panels from scratch under the Ribbon Panels
node on the Customizations In <file name> pane of the Customize tab. This
gives you control over which commands are displayed on the ribbon panel.
If you have an existing toolbar or dashboard panel from a previous release,
you can create a new ribbon panel from them. Copy toolbars to a ribbon panel
from the Toolbars node under the Customizations In <file name> pane on the
Customize or Transfer tabs. Dashboard panels can only be copied to ribbon
panels from the Dashboard Panels node on the Transfer tab.

Display Ribbon Panels on the Ribbon

The display of ribbon panels is controlled with ribbon tabs. Once a ribbon tab
is defined, the ribbon tab can be added to a workspace, which controls which
ribbon tabs are displayed and the order in which they are displayed on the
ribbon. For more information about ribbon tabs, see Ribbon Tabs on page 180
under Customize User Interface Elements on page 139.

Associating Tool Palette Group with a Ribbon Panel

You can associate a tool palette group with a ribbon panel. By associating a
tool palette group to a ribbon panel you can quickly access additional tools
that are related to a ribbon panel and are defined on a tool palette. The
association of a tool palette group to a ribbon panel is done from the ribbon.
For more information about tool palettes and tool palette groups, see
Customize Tool Palettes and Organize Tool Palettes in the User’s Guide.

To create a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Ribbons node to expand it.

150 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 3 Right-click Panels. Click New Panel.

A new panel (named Panel1) is placed at the bottom of the Ribbon Panels
tree.

4 Right-click Panel1. Click Rename. Enter a new panel name.

5 Select the new panel, and update its properties in the Properties pane:
■ In the Display Text box, enter the text you want to display for the
title of the panel when it is displayed on the ribbon.

■ In the KeyTip box, enter the characters to access the ribbon panel
from the keyboard.

■ In the Aliases box, enter an alias for the ribbon panel.

6 Click Apply.

To copy a toolbar to a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Toolbars
to expand it.

Ribbon | 151
 3 Right-click the toolbar that you want to copy to a ribbon panel. Click
Copy to Ribbon Panels.

4 In the CUI Editor - Confirm Copy to Ribbon Panels Node dialog box,
click Yes.
The copied toolbar is copied to the Panels node under the Ribbons node.

5 Click Apply.

To copy a dashboard panel to a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Transfer tab, in the Customizations

In <file name> pane on the right, click Open Customization File.

3 In the Open dialog box, Files of Type drop-down list, select Legacy
Customization Files (*.cui).

4 Browse to and select the customization (CUI) file that contains the
dashboard panels you want to copy to ribbon panels. Click Open.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to Dashboard Panels to expand it.

6 Right-click over the dashboard panel you want to copy to a ribbon panel.
Click Copy to Ribbon Panels.

7 In the CUI Editor - Confirm Copy to Ribbon Panels Node dialog box,
click Yes.

The copied dashboard panel is copied to the Panels node under the
Ribbons node.

8 Drag the new ribbon panel from the Customizations In <file name> pane
on the right to the Panels node of one of the loaded CUIx files in the
Customizations In <file name> pane on the left.

152 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 9 Click Apply.

To remove a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Right-click the panel that you want to remove. Click Delete.

WARNING There is no way to undo the removal of a user interface element,

so be careful when removing user interface elements. If you remove the
wrong user interface element, the best thing to do is click Cancel to not save
changes, but this will also undo any other changes that you might have made.

5 In the AutoCAD LT message box, click Yes.

6 Click Apply.

To control the display of ribbon panel titles on the ribbon

■ Right-click a ribbon tab on the ribbon, and click Show Panel Titles.

Ribbon | 153
 To assign a command to the Panel Dialog Box Launcher

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to assign
a command to its Panel Dialog Box Launcher node.

5 Drag a command from the Command List pane to the Panel Dialog Box
Launcher node for the panel.

154 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 6 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.

Add and Organize Commands and Controls on a Ribbon Panel

Commands and controls are added to and organized with rows and sub-panels
on a ribbon panel.
You can add and rearrange the commands and controls on a row that you use
often, and you can remove those from a row that you use infrequently. Rows
are used to hold and organize commands and controls on a ribbon panel.
Along with using rows to organize commands, you can also create drop-downs
that contain multiple commands and only take up the space of a single

Ribbon | 155
 command. For more information about drop-downs on ribbon panels, see
Add Drop-downs to a Ribbon Panel on page 167.
In addition to using rows and sub-panels to organize commands, you can also
use menu separators. Menu separators are used to add space or lines between
commands and controls.
The following table describes the properties for the Line command of Row 1
on the Home 2D - Draw ribbon panel as they appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Line Command on Row 1 of the Home 2D - Draw Ribbon
Panel
Properties Description Example
Pane Item

Name Text used as the name and label of the com- Line
mand button; does appear in the user interface.

NOTE Use the “\n” character sequence to

represent a line break and display a command
label on more than one line. The “\n” character
sequence is displayed as a space instead of the
characters “\n” after the changes to the com-
mand are saved.

Button Controls the size and the label display of the Large with Text (Vertic-
Style command. The available options are Large With al)
Text (Vertical), Large With Text (Horizontal),
SmallWithText, or SmallWithoutText.

NOTE It is recommended to not use the Large

With Text (Horizontal) option as it takes up ex-
tra space on the ribbon.

Group Specifies the group name assigned to the com-

Name mand that is used to control the organization
of the command on a drop-down.

Command Text that contains the name of the command Line

Name as it appears in the Command List pane.

Descrip- Text used to describe the element; does not Creates straight line
tion appear in the user interface. segments

156 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Properties for the Line Command on Row 1 of the Home 2D - Draw Ribbon
Panel
Properties Description Example
Pane Item

Extended Text that displays the file name and ID for the
Help File extended tooltip that is displayed when the
cursor hovers over a toolbar or panel button.

Command Text that contains the name of the command LINE

Display that is related to the command.
Name

Macro The command macro. It follows the standard ^C^C_line

macro syntax.

NOTE When you change the name of a macro,

the name of its corresponding menu item or
toolbar button does not change. You must
change a menu item or toolbar button name
by selecting it in the tree view.

Tags Keywords associated to a command. Tags

provide an additional field to search when using
the Search field in the application menu.

KeyTip Specifies the keytip characters that can be used LI

to access the command from the keyboard.

Tooltip Text string that controls the title of the tooltip

Title for the command.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a command. UIDU_0005

Small Im- ID string of the small-image resource (16 × 16 RCDATA_16_LINE

age bitmap). The string must include alphanumeric
characters with no punctuation other than a
hyphen (-) or an underscore (_). It can also be
a user-defined bitmap. Click the [ ] button to
open the Select Image File dialog box.

Large Im- ID string of the large-image resource (32 × 32 RCDATA_32_LINE

age bitmap). If the specified bitmap is not 32 × 32,

Ribbon | 157
 Properties for the Line Command on Row 1 of the Home 2D - Draw Ribbon
Panel
Properties Description Example
Pane Item
the program scales it to that size. The string
must include alphanumeric characters with no
punctuation other than a hyphen (-) or an un-
derscore (_). It can also be a user-defined bit-
map. Click the [ ] button to open the Select
Image File dialog box.

Organize Commands and Controls with Rows

A row, similar to a toolbar, determines the order and position that commands
and controls appear on a ribbon panel. Rows run horizontally on a ribbon
panel no matter if the ribbon is displayed horizontally or vertically. Not all
rows might be displayed by default on a ribbon panel, the <SLIDEOUT>
element controls which rows are displayed without expanding a ribbon panel.
A down arrow to the right of a ribbon panel’s title indicates that the ribbon
panel can be expanded.

Organize Rows with Sub-panels

Sub-panels do not directly contain commands. Instead, sub-panels are used
in combination with rows to organize commands and controls on a ribbon
panel.

Organize Rows with Fold Panels

Fold panels can have buttons, toggles button, split buttons, and drop-down
buttons. Button Style must be set to Large with Text. Fold panels can be
converted to sub-panels.

See also:

■ To add a row to a ribbon panel on page 159 (Procedure)

■ To add a sub-panel or fold panel to a row on a ribbon panel on page 159

(Procedure)

■ To remove a row or sub-panel from a ribbon panel on page 160 (Procedure)

■ To reposition a row or sub-panel on a ribbon panel on page 161 (Procedure)

■ To add a command to a ribbon panel on page 161 (Procedure)

158 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

■ To reposition a command on a ribbon panel on page 163 (Procedure)

■ To remove a command from a ribbon panel on page 162 (Procedure)

■ To change the display and behavior of commands, controls and drop-downs

on a ribbon panel on page 164 (Procedure)

To add a row to a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Right-click the ribbon panel to which you want to add a row. Click New
Row.

5 Click Apply.

To add a sub-panel or fold panel to a row on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to add
a sub-panel or fold panel.

Ribbon | 159
 5 Create a new row for the sub-panel or fold-panel if needed, or click the
plus sign (+) next to the row where you want to add a sub-panel or fold
panel.

6 Right-click the row where you want to add a sub-panel or fold-panel.

Click New Sub-Panel or New Fold Panel.

7 Click Apply.

To remove a row or sub-panel from a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel from which you want to
remove a row or sub-panel.

5 Right-click the row or sub-panel that you want to remove. Click Delete.

160 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 6 Click Apply.

To reposition a row or sub-panel on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to
reposition a row or sub-panel.

5 Drag the row or sub-panel that you want to reposition up or down under
the ribbon panel’s node. Use the visual indicator bar to position the row
above or below other rows or sub-panels.

6 Click Apply.

To add a command to a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to add
a command.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the rows, sub-panels, or drop-downs to get
to the location you want to add a command.

Ribbon | 161
 6 Drag a command from the Command List pane to a row, sub-panel, or
drop-down on the panel. Use the visual indicator bar to specify the
position of the command.

7 In the Properties pane, change the properties of the command you added
on page 164.

8 Click Apply.

To remove a command from a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

162 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to remove
a command.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the rows, sub-panels, or drop-downs to get
to the location you want to remove a command.

6 Right-click the command that you want to remove. Click Remove.

7 Click Apply.

To reposition a command on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to
reposition a command.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the rows, sub-panels, or drop-downs to get
to the location you want to reposition a command.

6 Drag the command to a new location. Use the visual indicator bar to
specify the position of the command.

Ribbon | 163
 7 Click Apply.

To change the display and behavior of commands, controls and drop-downs

on a ribbon panel
■ Do one of the following:

To show the label and set the orientation of a command or drop-down

on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
Ribbon to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to
show the label for a command.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the row, sub-panel, or drop-down where
you want to show the label for a command. If you need to, continue
expanding rows, sub-panels, and drop-downs to get to the command
or drop-down.

6 Select the command that you want to show its label for.

7 In the Properties pane, Button Style box, click the down arrow and
select Large With Text (Vertical), Large With Text (Horizontal), or
SmallWithText.

164 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 8 Click Apply.

To set the size of a command or drop-down on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
Ribbon to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel which has the
command or drop-down for which you want to set the size.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the row or sub-panel that has the
command or drop-down for which you want to set the size. If you
need to, continue expanding rows, sub-panels, and drop-downs to
get to the command or drop-down.

6 Select the command or drop-down for which you want to set the size.

7 In the Properties pane, Button Style box, click the down arrow and
select Large With Text (Vertical), Large With Text (Horizontal),
SmallWithText, or SmallWithoutText.

Ribbon | 165
 8 Click Apply.

To set the button and style of a drop-down on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
Ribbon to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to
change the style of a drop-down.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the row or sub-panel that contains the
drop-down you want to change. If you need to, continue expanding
rows and sub-panels to get to the drop-down.

6 Select the drop-down that you want to change, and update its
properties in the Properties pane:
■ In the Behavior box, click the down arrow and select Drop Down
Menu with Recent, Drop Down Menu, Split with Recent, Split, or
Split with Recent (Static).

■ In the Split Button List Style box, click the down arrow and select
Icon, Icon and Text, and Descriptive.

166 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 7 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.

Add Drop-downs to a Ribbon Panel

Drop-downs can be used to group multiple related commands into a single
button.
Ribbon panel drop-downs, like toolbar flyouts, that can hold a number of
commands in a single place on a ribbon panel. Drop-downs are used to help
reduce the amount of space that related commands can take up. Commands
on a drop-down can be started by clicking the main button or selecting a
command from the menu when the main or split button is clicked based on
how the properties of a drop-down are configured. When a drop-down is set
as a split button, the main button can reflect the most recently used command
or not, or display the image of the most recently used command with a static
label.

Ribbon | 167
 The following table describes the properties for the Arc drop-down of Row 1
on under Sub-Panel 1 of the Home 2D - Draw ribbon panel as they appear in
the Properties pane.

Properties for the Arc Drop-down on Row 1 of the Home 2D - Draw Ribbon Panel
Properties Pane Item Description Example

Name Logical name for the drop-down; does not appear Arc
in the user interface.

NOTE The “\n” character sequence represents a

line break in a command label, which is used to al-
low a command label to be displayed on more than
one line. Once focus from the Name field is lost,
the “\n” character sequence is displayed as a space
instead of the characters “\n”.

Description Text used to describe the element; does not appear

in the user interface.

Behavior Specifies if the button executes a command or dis- Split with Recent
plays a list of commands. The available options are
Drop Down Menu with Recent, Drop Down Menu,
Split with Recent, Split, Split with Recent (Static).

Split Button List Style Specifies how the commands on the drop-down IconText
will be displayed. The available options are Icon,
IconText, or Descriptive.

Button Style Controls the size and the label display of the drop- Large with Text (Vertic-
down. The available options are Large With Text al)
(Vertical), Large With Text (Horizontal), SmallWith-
Text, or SmallWithoutText.

NOTE It is recommended to not use the Large With

Text (Horizontal) option as it takes up extra space
on the ribbon.

Grouping Controls whether the commands assigned to a No

drop-down are grouped based on the values as-
signed to their Group Name properties.

KeyTip Specifies the keytip characters that can be used to AR

access the command from the keyboard.

168 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Properties for the Arc Drop-down on Row 1 of the Home 2D - Draw Ribbon Panel
Properties Pane Item Description Example

Tooltip Title Text string that controls the title of the tooltip for
the command.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a panel section. ID_RBN_SPLIT-

BTN_ARC

Small Image ID string of the small-image resource (16 × 16 bit- RCDATA_16_ARC3PT

map). The string must include alphanumeric char-
acters with no punctuation other than a hyphen (-
) or an underscore (_). It can also be a user-defined
bitmap. Click the [ ] button to open the Select Im-
age File dialog box.

Large Image ID string of the large-image resource (32 × 32 bit- RCDATA_16_ARC3PT

map). If the specified bitmap is not 32 × 32, the
program scales it to that size. The string must in-
clude alphanumeric characters with no punctuation
other than a hyphen (-) or an underscore (_). It can
also be a user-defined bitmap. Click the [ ] button
to open the Select Image File dialog box.

See also:

To create a drop-down in a row on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to add
a drop-down.

5 Right-click the row to which you want to add a drop-down. Click New
Drop-down.

Ribbon | 169
 A new drop-down (named New Drop-down) is created in the last position
of the row.

6 Right-click the new drop-down. Click Rename. Enter a new name.

7 In the Command List pane, drag the commands that you want to add to
the new drop-down in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

8 Adjust the properties of the drop-down as desired to control the

appearance of the drop-down and the commands under the drop-down.
on page 164

9 If the drop-down will use the Split behavior, add a command to the
Primary Command node under the drop-down to set the command for
the main button.

10 Click Apply.

170 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.

Add and Remove Ribbon Panel Controls

You can add, remove, and relocate ribbon panel controls, such as drop-down
lists, sliders, text boxes, and other types of panel-specific controls that start
commands or change a setting. For example, the Home 2D/3D - Layers panel
contains controls for working with the layers of a drawing.
The following table describes the controls found in the Customize User
Interface (CUI) Editor that can be used on ribbon panels.

Controls available for ribbon panels

Control element Control Description
Type

Ribbon Toggle Button - Authoring Toggle Displays or hides the Block Authoring palettes.
Palettes

Ribbon Combo Box - Background Color Drop-down Displays and changes the background color
list of the selected cells in a table.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Block Constraint Toggle Controls constraint display status and the
Status shading of objects based on their constraint
level.

Ribbon Label - Block Label Displays the name of the block that is cur-
rently being edited in the Block Editor.

Ribbon Combo Box - Block Visibility Drop-down Displays a list of the visibility states saved with
States list the current block in the Block Editor.

Ribbon | 171
Controls available for ribbon panels
Control element Control Description
Type

Ribbon Command Button - Block Visibil- Button Makes objects visible in the current visibility
ity Hide state or all visibility states in the block defini-
tion opened for edit in the Block Editor.

Ribbon Command Button - Block Visibil- Button Controls how objects that are made invisible
ity Mode for the current visibility state are displayed in
the Block Editor.

Ribbon Command Button - Block Visibil- Button Makes objects invisible in the current visibility
ity State state or all visibility states in the block defini-
tion opened for edit in the Block Editor.

Ribbon Command Button - Block Visibil- Button Allows you to create or modify the visibility
ity States states of the current block definition opened
for edit in the Block Editor.

Ribbon Combo Box - Cell Styles Drop-down Displays and changes the cell style of the se-
list lected cells in a table.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Command Line Toggle Displays or hides the command line window.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Design Center Toggle Displays or closes the DesignCenter palette.

Ribbon Toggle Button - DGN Osnap Toggle Controls object snapping for DGN underlays.

Ribbon Combo Box - Dimension Style Drop-down Displays and sets the current dimension style.
list

Ribbon Toggle Button - Drawing Recov- Toggle Displays or closes the Drawing Recovery
ery Manager Manager palette.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Drawing Status Toggle Displays or hides the drawing status bar.
Bar

Ribbon Toggle Button - DWF Osnap Toggle Controls object snapping for DWF underlays.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Dynamic Con- Toggle Displays or hides dynamic constraints.
straint Display

172 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Controls available for ribbon panels
Control element Control Description
Type

Ribbon Combo Box - What to Export Drop-down Controls which part of the drawing should
list be exported to a DWF, DWFx or PDF file.

Ribbon Combo Box - Page Setup Drop-down Allows you to export the drawing to a DWF,
list DWfx, or PDF file using the page setup set-
tings in the Page Setup Manager or to over-
ride these settings.

Ribbon Toggle Button - External Refer- Toggle Displays or closes the External References
ences palette.

Ribbon - Image, Show Image Toggle Toggle Displays or hides the selected raster image.
Button

Ribbon - Image, Transparency Toggle Toggle Controls the use of transparency for the selec-
Button ted raster image.

Ribbon Combo Box - IPE Color Color Drop-down Displays and changes the current color for
list the selected text in the multiline text editor.

Ribbon Combo Box - Font Drop-down Displays and changes the current font style
list for the selected text in the multiline text edit-
or.

Ribbon Combo Box - Text Height Drop-down Displays and changes the current text height
list for the selected text in the multiline text edit-
or.

Ribbon Gallery - IPE Text Style Gallery Displays and changes the current text style
for the selected text in the multiline text edit-
or.

Ribbon Spinner - Oblique Angle Spinner Displays and changes the current oblique
angle for the selected text in the multiline
text editor.

Ribbon Button - Paragraph Button Button Displays the Paragraph dialog box when the
multiline text editor is active.

Ribbon | 173
Controls available for ribbon panels
Control element Control Description
Type

Spell Check Settings Button Displays the Check Spelling Settings dialog
box when the multiline text editor is active.

Ribbon Spinner - Tracking Spinner Displays and changes the current tracking
spacing for the selected text in the multiline
text editor.

Ribbon Spinner Width Factor Spinner Displays and changes the current width factor
for the selected text in the multiline text edit-
or.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Layer Properties Toggle Displays or closes the Layer Properties Man-
ager palette.

LayerFilterComboControl Drop-down Displays and sets the layer filter used in the
list drawing.

Ribbon Combo Box - Layer State Drop-down Displays the available layer states; you can
list restore a saved layer state.

Ribbon Combo Box - Linetypes Drop-down Displays and sets the current linetype.
list

Ribbon Combo Box - Lineweight Drop-down Displays and sets the current lineweight.
list

Ribbon Toggle Button - Locked Layer Toggle Enables or disables the fading effect for locked
Fading layers.

Locked layer fading Slider Adjusts the percentage lock layers are faded
into the background.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Markup Set Toggle Displays or closes the Markup Set Manager
Manager palette.

Ribbon Combo Box - Multileader Style Drop-down Displays and sets the current multileader style.
list

174 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Controls available for ribbon panels
Control element Control Description
Type

3D Navigation Combo Control Multiple Displays and sets the current view to a
standard orthographic or isometric view, or
a saved name view based on the current
space.

Lens length Slider Adjusts the lens length of a perspective view.

Ribbon Combo Box - Object Color Drop-down Displays and sets the current object color.
list

Ribbon Menu Button - Switch Windows Button Displays a list of all open drawings; you can
switch to a different open drawing.

Ribbon Radio Button - Paragraph Align- Radio button Displays and changes the current paragraph
ment alignment for the selected text in the multiline
text editor.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Parameters Toggle Displays or closes the Parameters Manager
Manager palette.

Ribbon Toggle Button - PDF Osnap Toggle Controls object snapping for PDF underlays.

Ribbon Combo Box - Plot Style Drop-down Displays and sets the current plot style when
list the current drawing uses named plot styles.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Properties Toggle Displays or closes the Properties palette.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Quick Calculator Toggle Displays or closes the QuickCalc palette.

Ribbon Label - ReferenceEditName Label Displays the name of the block that is directly
being edited in the current drawing.

RibbonAutodeskSeekControl Text box and Allows you to perform a context search from
button the Autodesk Seek web site.

Join Viewports Button Allows you to merge two adjacent tiled

viewports into a single viewport.

Ribbon | 175
Controls available for ribbon panels
Control element Control Description
Type

Ribbon Control - Empty Row Aligner Spacer Allows you to align empty rows with other
rows that contain commands and controls.

Ribbon Text Box - Find Text Text box Searches a drawing for matching text based
on a text string.

Ribbon Menu Button - Status Bar Op- Drop-down Displays a list of the status bar items that are
tions menu button currently turned on or off.

Ribbon Combo Box - Table Styles Drop-down Displays and sets the current table style.
list

Ribbon Gallery - Text Style Drop-down Displays and sets the current text style.
list

Ribbon Combo Box - Annotation Text Drop-down Displays and sets the default text height for
Height list new text objects.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Tool Palettes Toggle Displays or hides the Tool Palettes window.

Ribbon - Underlay, Adjust Color for Toggle Determines if the colors of the selected under-
Background lay are adjusted based on the current back-
ground color.

Brightness Slider Displays and sets the current brightness for

the selected underlay.

Contrast Slider Displays and sets the current contrast for the
selected underlay.

Ribbon - Underlay, Display Monochrome Toggle Determines if the selected underlay should
Toggle Button be displayed in monochrome colors only.

Fade Slider Displays and sets the current fade value for
the selected underlay.

Ribbon - Clip Toggle Button Toggle Determines if the selected underlay is fully
visible or just the area based on the clipping
boundary.

176 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Controls available for ribbon panels
Control element Control Description
Type

Ribbon - Show Underlay Toggle Button Toggle Determines if the selected underlay is visible
or not.

Ribbon Combo Box - Viewport Configur- Drop-down Sets how the active tiled viewport should be
ations list divided.

Xref fading Slider Displays and sets the level of fading that is
applied to the objects of an xref.

Ribbon Toggle Button - Xref fading Toggle Indicates the objects of xrefs are faded into
the background, enables or disables xref fad-
ing.

Layer Combo Control Drop-down Displays and sets the current layer.
list

To add a control to a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to add
a control.

5 Create a new row for the control if you need to, or click the plus sign (+)
next to the row where you want to add a control.

6 In the Command List pane, in the Categories list, click Ribbon Control
Elements.

Ribbon | 177
 The Command List pane displays the list of ribbon control elements only.

7 Drag a control from the Command List pane to add it to the panel. Use
the visual indicator bar to specify the position of the control.

8 Click Apply.

To reposition a control on a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to
reposition a control.

178 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the row where you want to reposition a
control. If you need to, continue expanding sub-panels, rows, and
drop-downs to get to the control.

6 Drag the control to a new location. Use the visual indicator bar to specify
the position of the command.

7 Click Apply.

To remove a control from a ribbon panel

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon panel where you want to remove
a control.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the row where you want to remove a
control. If you need to, continue expanding sub-panels, rows, and
drop-downs to get to the control.

6 Right-click the control that you want to remove. Click Remove.

Ribbon | 179
 7 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.

Ribbon Tabs
Ribbon tabs control the display and order in which ribbon panels are displayed
on the ribbon. You add ribbon tabs to a workspace to control which ribbon
tabs are displayed on the ribbon.
Ribbon tabs do not contain any commands or controls like a ribbon panel
does; instead, they manage the display of ribbon panels on the ribbon. Once
a ribbon tab is created, you can then add references to any of the ribbon panels
from the Panels node under the Ribbon node in the Customizations In <file
name> pane to the ribbon tab. After references to ribbon panels are added to
a ribbon tab, you can control the initial display order in which ribbon panels
appear on a ribbon tab from the ribbon tab’s node in the Customizations In
<file name> pane.

NOTE Newly created ribbon tabs are not automatically added to a workspace.
To display a new ribbon tab on the ribbon, select the workspace in which you
want the ribbon tab to be displayed with and then use the Workspace Contents
pane to add it to the workspace. For information on adding a ribbon tab to a
workspace, see To display ribbon tabs from the CUI Editor on page 301.

In the Workspace Contents pane, you add and remove ribbon tabs from the
ribbon, which is controlled by the current workspace. Once a ribbon tab has
been added to a workspace, you can control the order in which the tab is
displayed on the ribbon by expanding the Ribbon Tabs node under the
Workspace Contents pane.

180 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

From the Workspace Contents pane, you can control the default display of
ribbon tabs and panels; this allows you to keep the associations of ribbon tabs
and panels with a workspace, but turn it off. You can also control the tool
palette group associated with a ribbon tab, and the collapse behavior, resize
order, and orientation of a ribbon panel from the Workspace Contents pane.
The following table describes the properties for the Home - 2D ribbon tab as
they appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Home - 2D ribbon tab

Properties Description Example
pane item

Display Title of the tab; displayed when the ribbon tab Home
Text is assigned to a workspace and the Ribbon
palette is displayed.

Contextual Specifies whether the ribbon tab is displayed Full

Display on its own tab or is merged with the ribbon
Type tabs already displayed on the ribbon. The
available options are Full or Merged.

Default Specifies if the ribbon tab is displayed the first Add to workspaces
Display time the CUIx file is loaded as a partial custom-
ization file. The available options are Do Not
Add to Workspaces or Add to Workspaces.

Workspace Specifies how the ribbon tab is merged or ad- Merge or add tab
Behavior ded to the ribbon when this CUIx file is loaded
as a partial customization file. The available
options are Add Tab Only, Merge Tab Only, or
Merge or Add Tab.

KeyTip Specifies the keytip character to access the rib- H

bon tab on the ribbon from the keyboard.

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the ribbon tab. Click the ID_TabHome
[ ] button to open the Aliases dialog box. Each
alias in the CUIx file should be unique; it is used
to reference the ribbon tab programmatically.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a panel. ID_TabHome

Ribbon | 181
 Display Ribbon Tabs from a Partial CUIx File
When you load ribbon tabs from a partial CUIx file, you can use the Workspace
Behavior property to control how ribbon tabs that might share the same alias
in the main and partial CUIx files are handled. The Add Tab Only option
displays each ribbon tab that is loaded with a workspace as its own tab. While
Merge Tab Only displays the ribbon tabs from a partial CUIx file with those
that have a matching alias in the main CUIx file. The Merge or Add Tab option
merges the tab before a new tab is created on the ribbon.

To create a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Right-click Tabs and click New Tab.

A new ribbon tab (named New Tab) is placed at the bottom of the Tabs
node.

4 Right-click New Tab. Click Rename. Enter a new name for the ribbon tab.

5 Select the new ribbon tab in the tree view, and update the Properties
pane:
■ In the Display Text box, enter a text string that will appear on the
ribbon tab.

■ In the Contextual Display Type box, specify how the ribbon tab should
be displayed on the ribbon when used with a contextual ribbon tab
state.

■ In the Default Display box, specify if the ribbon tab should be

displayed by default when the CUIx file is loaded as a partial
customization file.

182 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 ■ In the Workspace Behavior box, specify if the ribbon tab is merged
or added to the ribbon when the CUIx file is loaded as a partial file.

■ In the KeyTip box, enter a text string that can be used to access the
ribbon tab from the keyboard.

■ In the Aliases box, enter an alias for the ribbon tab.

6 Click Apply.

To remove a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tabs to expand it.

4 Right-click the ribbon tab that you want to remove. Click Remove.

WARNING There is no way to undo the removal of a user interface element,

so be careful when removing user interface elements. If you remove the
wrong user interface element, the best thing to do is click Cancel to not save
changes, but this will also undo any other changes that you might have made.

5 Click Apply.

Ribbon | 183
 To add a ribbon panel to a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tabs to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon tab where you want to add a
ribbon panel.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to Panels to expand it.

6 Drag a ribbon panel from the Panels node to a ribbon tab. Use the visual
indicator bar to specify the position of the ribbon panel on the ribbon
tab.

7 Click Apply.

To remove a ribbon panel from a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tabs to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon tab where you want to remove
a ribbon panel.

5 Right-click the ribbon panel that you want to remove. Click Remove.

184 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 WARNING There is no way to undo the removal of a user interface element,
so be careful when removing user interface elements. If you remove the
wrong user interface element, the best thing to do is click Cancel to not save
changes, but this will also undo any other changes that you might have made.

6 Click Apply.

To set the initial position of a ribbon panel on a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tabs to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon tab where you want to reposition
a ribbon panel.

5 Select the ribbon panel that you want to reposition and drag it to a new
location.

A visual indicator bar is displayed between the ribbon panels indicating

the placement of the ribbon panel when you release the pointing device
button.

Ribbon | 185
 6 Once the splitter bar is in the place where you want to insert the ribbon
panel, release the pointing device button.

7 Click Apply.

To set the resize style of a ribbon panel on a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tabs to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon tab that contains the ribbon
panel for which you want to adjust the resize style.

5 Select the ribbon panel that you want to change.

6 In the Properties pane, Resize Style, select an option (Collapse as Needed,

Never Collapse, or Collapse Last).

7 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.

Ribbon Contextual Tab States

Ribbon contextual tab states are used to control the display of ribbon panels
on the ribbon when certain commands are active or an object is selected.

186 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

You use the same ribbon tabs that you create to control the display of ribbon
panels on the ribbon through a workspace, as those used for ribbon contextual
tab states. Instead of using a workspace to control the display of a ribbon tab,
you assign a ribbon tab to one of the predefined contextual states listed under
the Contextual Tab States node in the Customizations In <file name> pane.
Predefined contextual tab states range from selecting an object such as a table
or opening a block in the Block Editor.

To assign a ribbon tab to a contextual tab state

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tabs to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to Contextual Tab States to expand it.

5 Drag a ribbon tab from the Tabs node to a ribbon contextual tab state.

6 Click Apply.

To remove a ribbon tab from a contextual tab state

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Contextual Tab States to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the contextual tab state that contains the
ribbon tab you want to remove.

Ribbon | 187
 5 Right-click the ribbon tab under the contextual tab state and click Remove.

6 Click Apply.

To set the contextual display type a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Ribbon
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Contextual Tab States to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the contextual tab state that contains the
ribbon tab for which you want to change the contextual display type.

5 Select the ribbon tab you want to change.

6 In the Properties pane, Contextual Display Type, select Full or Merged.

188 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 7 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.

System Variables
RIBBONCONTEXTSELECT
Controls how ribbon contextual tabs are displayed when you single- or
double-click an object.
RIBBONCONTEXTSELLIM
Limits the number of objects that can be changed at one time with the ribbon
property controls or a contextual tab.
RIBBONSELECTMODE
Determines whether a pickfirst selection set remains selected after a ribbon
contextual tab is invoked and the command is completed.

Ribbon | 189
Toolbars
Toolbar customization can be as easy as placing or resizing a toolbar in the
application window to gain drawing efficiency or space. You can also create
and modify toolbars and flyout toolbars, add commands and controls, and
reposition and remove commands and controls from a toolbar.

Create and Edit Toolbars

Some of the simplest toolbar customizations can make your daily drawing
tasks more efficient. For example, you can consolidate frequently used
commands and controls onto one toolbar, remove buttons that you never
use, or change some simple toolbar properties.
You can also specify information to be displayed when the cursor passes over
a button in the form of a tooltip.
You can add buttons or remove buttons you use infrequently, and rearrange
buttons and toolbars. You can also create your own toolbars and flyout
toolbars, and create or change the button image associated with a command.
When creating a toolbar, you can create a toolbar from scratch, create a copy
of an existing toolbar, or create a toolbar from an existing pull-down menu.
Sub-menu items are not included when a toolbar is created from a pull-down
menu.

NOTE When you create a toolbar, you should determine in which workspaces
you want to display the toolbar. By default, a new toolbar is displayed in all
workspaces.

The following table shows the properties of the Standard toolbar as they appear
in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Standard toolbar

Properties pane Description Example
item

Name String used as the caption for the toolbar. Standard

Description Text used to describe the element; does not appear in Standard Toolbar
the user interface.

Default Display Specifies if the toolbar is displayed when the CUIx file is Add to workspaces
loaded as a partial customization file. The available op-

190 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Properties for the Standard toolbar
Properties pane Description Example
item
tions are Do Not Add to Workspaces or Add to Work-
spaces.

Orientation Specifies whether the toolbar is floating or docked (top, Top

bottom, left, or right) the first time the CUIx file is loaded.

Default X Location Specifies the location from the left edge of the screen 0
when the toolbar appears when it is floating, or the loca-
tion when it is docked. If docked, a value of 0 indicates
the left most location in a docked area.

Default Y Location Specifies the location from the top edge of the screen 0
when the toolbar appears when it is floating, or the loca-
tion when it is docked. If docked, a value of 0 indicates
the top most location in a docked area.

Rows Specifies the number of rows the items on the toolbar 1

are displayed in when the toolbar is floating.

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the toolbar. Click the [ ] button TB_STANDARD,
to open the Aliases dialog box. Each alias in the CUIx file Standard
should be unique and it is used to reference the toolbar
programmatically.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a toolbar. ID_TbStandard

NOTE The properties On By Default, Orientation, Default X Location, Default Y

Location, and Rows are used only the first time the CUIx file is loaded and when
no default workspace is set. After a toolbar is loaded the first time, a workspace is
used to control the Appearance properties of a toolbar. See the procedure To
change the properties of a toolbar on page 307 for more information.

When you create a new toolbar, the first task you need to do is to provide a
name for it. A new toolbar has no commands or controls assigned to it. If a
toolbar has no commands or controls on it, it is ignored by the program until
you add at least one command or control to it. You add commands and
controls to a toolbar by dragging a command or control from an existing
toolbar or the Command List pane and dropping it onto a toolbar. Once a
command or control has been added to a toolbar, you can change the text

Toolbars | 191
 that is displayed in the tooltip when the cursor hovers over top of the button
by changing the Name property that is displayed in the Properties pane.

Customize Toolbars with the Toolbar Preview Pane

You can customize a toolbar using the tree view under the Customizations In
<file name> pane or the Toolbar Preview pane. The Toolbar Preview pane allows
you to add and remove commands or controls visually in real-time instead of
just using the tree view. You can also interactively drag a command or control
in the preview pane to reposition it.

Customize Toolbars from the Application Window

The program allows you to customize toolbars that are displayed in the
application when the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor is open. You drag
commands from the Command List pane and drop then directly onto a visible
toolbar that is docked or floating in the application window. You can also
remove, reposition, or copy commands on a visible toolbar while the CUI
Editor is open.

Create Ribbon Panels from Toolbars

New ribbon panels can be created from a toolbar by dragging existing toolbars
from the Toolbars node under the Customizations In <file name> pane to the
Panels node under Ribbon in the Customizations In <file name> pane. When
the toolbar is dropped, you are prompted to convert a copy of the toolbar to
a ribbon panel. See Ribbon Panels on page 149 for more information about
customizing ribbon panels.

To display a toolbar
■ Do one of the following:
To display toolbars from the user interface on page 295
To display toolbars using the CUI Editor on page 306

To create a toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Toolbars. Click New
Toolbar.

192 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 A new toolbar (named Toolbar1) is placed at the bottom of the Toolbars
tree.

3 Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name Toolbar1.

■ Right-click Toolbar1. Click Rename. Enter a new toolbar name.

■ Click Toolbar1, wait, and click again over the toolbar’s name again
to edit its name in-place.

4 Select the new toolbar in the tree view, and update the Properties pane:
■ In the Description box, enter a description for the toolbar.

■ In the Default Display box, specify if the toolbar should be displayed

by default when the CUIx file is loaded as a partial customization file.

■ In the Orientation box, specify the orientation of the toolbar.

■ In the Default X Location box, enter a number.

■ In the Default Y Location box, enter a number.

■ In the Rows box, enter the number of rows for an undocked toolbar.

■ In the Aliases box, enter an alias for the toolbar.

Toolbars | 193
 5 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to a
location just below the name of the toolbar in the Customizations In <file
name> pane.

6 Click Apply.

To create a toolbar from a pull-down menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Menus tree node to expand it.

3 Drag the menu that you want to create a toolbar from and drop it onto
the Toolbars node.

194 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 Update the workspace as desired to update the display and position for
the new toolbar.

To add a command to a toolbar in the Customizations In pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 In the Command List pane, drag the command to the toolbar you want
to add it to in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

4 Click Apply.

To add a command to a toolbar in the Toolbar Preview pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

Toolbars | 195
 3 Select the toolbar you want to add a command to.

4 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to the
selected toolbar and drop it on the toolbar’s preview in the Toolbar
Preview pane.

You can control where the command is placed by releasing the mouse
button when the black vertical splitter bar is displayed.

5 Click Apply.

To add a command to a toolbar outside the CUI Editor

1 Display the toolbar you want to add a command to by right-clicking over
a toolbar button. Click the name of the toolbar.

2 Right-click over any toolbar button. Click Customize.

3 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Command List

pane, drag the command you want to add and drop it onto the toolbar.

196 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 You can control the location of the command you are adding by using
the visual or horizontal indicator bar.

4 Click Apply.

To reposition a command or control on a toolbar in the Customizations In

pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the toolbar that contains the command or
control you want to reposition to expand it.

4 Drag the name of the command or control you want to reposition to the
new location in the list of tools.

Toolbars | 197
 While dragging the command or control, use the visual indicator bar to
specify the new position of the command or control. When the left arrow
appears, the command or control is moved to the front of the toolbar.

5 Click Apply.

To reposition a command or control on a toolbar in the Toolbar Preview

pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Select the toolbar that contains the command or control you want to
reposition.

4 In the Toolbar Preview, drag the command or control that you want to
reposition.

While dragging the command or control, use the visual indicator bar to
specify the new position of the command or control.

5 Click Apply.

To reposition a command on a toolbar outside the CUI Editor

1 Display the toolbar you want to reposition a command on by
right-clicking over a toolbar button. Click the name of the toolbar.

2 Right-click over any toolbar button. Click Customize.

198 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 The Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor is displayed.

3 Drag the command on the toolbar that you want to reposition.

While dragging the command, use the visual indicator bar to specify the
new position of the command.

4 Click Apply.

To remove a command or control from a toolbar in the Customizations In

pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to a toolbar that contains the command or
control you want to remove.

4 Right-click the name of the command or control you want to remove.

Click Remove.

5 Click Apply.

Toolbars | 199
 To remove a command or control from a toolbar in the Toolbar Preview pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Select the toolbar that contains the command or control you want to
reposition.

4 In the Toolbar Preview pane, drag the command or control that you want
to remove and drop it outside of the preview.

5 Click Apply.

To remove a command from a toolbar outside the CUI Editor

1 Display the toolbar from which you want to remove a command by
right-clicking over a toolbar button. Click the name of the toolbar.

2 Right-click over any toolbar button. Click Customize.

The Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor is displayed.

3 Drag the command you want to remove from the toolbar and drop it
over the drawing window.

4 Click OK to confirm the deletion of the command from the toolbar.

200 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 5 In the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, click Apply.

To change properties of a toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

NOTE Making changes to a toolbar’s properties here only affect the initial
appearance of the toolbar after the CUIx file has been loaded. To control the
appearance of a toolbar, it is best to use a workspace.

3 Select the toolbar whose properties you want to change.

4 In the Properties pane, make your changes.

5 Click Apply.

To change the tooltip of a command

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Select the toolbar whose tooltip text you want to change.

4 In the Properties pane, Display section, make the desired change to the
Name property (not the Command Name or Command Display Name
properties), and the Description and Extended Help File properties.

5 Click Apply.

Toolbars | 201
 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
QUICKCUI
Displays the Customize User Interface Editor in a collapsed state.
RIBBON
Opens the ribbon window.
RIBBONCLOSE
Closes the ribbon window.

System Variables
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.

Add Flyouts to a Toolbar

You can use flyouts to group related commands together on a toolbar.
A flyout is a set of commands nested under a single button on a toolbar. Flyout
buttons have a black triangle in the lower-right corner. To create a flyout, you
can start from scratch, or drag an existing toolbar or drag pull-down menu
onto a toolbar. When a pull-down menu is dragged onto a toolbar, a new
toolbar is created and a flyout is created in the position that the pull-down
menu was dropped onto the toolbar.
The following table shows the properties for the Zoom flyout as they appear
in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Zoom flyout on the Standard toolbar

Properties pane item Description Example

Name String that does not appear in the user interface un- Zoom
less the property Use Own Button is set to Yes.

202 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Properties for the Zoom flyout on the Standard toolbar
Properties pane item Description Example

Description Text used to describe the element, does not appear

in the user interface.

Source Toolbar A read-only value used to specify which toolbar is TB_ZOOM

being referenced to create the flyout.

Use Own Button Controls whether the last used toolbar button is set No
as the current button or not. The possible values are
Yes or No.

Small Image ID string of the small-image resource (16 × 16 bit- RCDATA_16_ZOOM

map). The string must include alphanumeric charac-
ters with no punctuation other than a hyphen (-) or
an underscore (_). It can also be a user-defined bit-
map. Click the [ ] button to open the Select Image
File dialog box.

Large Image ID string of the large-image resource (32 × 32 bit- RCDATA_16_ZOOM

map). If the specified bitmap is not 32 × 32, the
program scales it to that size. The string must include
alphanumeric characters with no punctuation other
than a hyphen (-) or an underscore (_). It can also be
a user-defined bitmap. Click the [ ] button to open
the Select Image File dialog box

WARNING Do not change the aliases for a toolbar that is being used as a flyout;
otherwise the link between the toolbar and flyout will become broken.

To create a flyout toolbar from scratch

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Right-click the toolbar to which you want to add a flyout toolbar. Click
New Flyout.

Toolbars | 203
 A new flyout toolbar (named Toolbar1) is placed below the toolbar you
selected.

4 Right-click Toolbar1. Click Rename. Enter a new toolbar name.

NOTE You can click, wait, and click again over a toolbar name to edit its
name in-place in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

NOTE Just renaming the toolbar won’t change the name of the flyout. You
must select and rename the flyout independently if you want them to both
have the same name.

5 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to the
toolbar flyout in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

204 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 6 Click Apply.

To create a flyout toolbar from another toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the toolbar to which you want to add a
flyout toolbar.

4 Locate the toolbar you want to use as a flyout. Drag the toolbar to a
location in the expanded toolbar.

Toolbars | 205
 5 Click Apply.

To create a flyout toolbar from a pull-down menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the toolbar to which you want to add a
flyout toolbar.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to the Menus tree node to expand it.

5 Drag the menu that you want to create a flyout from and drop it onto
the node of the toolbar where you want to place the flyout.

If the menu is dropped on a toolbar, a new flyout and toolbar are created.

206 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 6 Reposition the new flyout on the toolbar.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Add, Remove or Switch Toolbar Controls

Toolbar controls are drop-down lists of items that can affect the objects in a
drawing or the way the program behaves from a toolbar. For example, the
Layers toolbar contains controls for defining layer settings. In the Customize
User Interface (CUI) Editor, you can add, remove, and relocate controls within
toolbars.
The following table lists the toolbar controls found in the Customize User
Interface (CUI) Editor and their definitions. The control elements in the left
column of the table are not always the text that is displayed as a tooltip in
the program (for example, Undo Skinny Button is displayed as Undo in the
program's tooltip). Refer to this table when you want to change a control in
a toolbar.

Control elements for toolbars

Control element Description

Autodesk Seek Con- Allows for entering a text string to locate content on the Autodesk
trol Seek web site.

Dim Style Control Displays and sets the current dimension style.

Find Text Control Allows for searching on a text string contained in the current
drawing.

Layer Control Displays the current layer and allows you to set a layer current.

Line Type Control Displays and sets the current linetype.

Line Weight Control Displays and sets the current line weight.

Toolbars | 207
 Control elements for toolbars
Control element Description

Multileader Style Displays and sets the current multileader style.

Control

Named View Control Displays and sets the current named view.

OPT Color Control Displays and sets the current color.

Plot Style Control Displays and sets the current plot style.

Redo Skinny Button Allows you to reverse the previous undo or undoes.
Control

Reference Block Displays the name of the xref being edited.

Name Control

Table Style Control Displays and sets the current table style.

Text Style Control Displays and sets the current text style.

UCS Control Displays the current UCS and allows you to restore a saved UCS.

Undo Skinny Button Allows you to undo the previous action or actions.
Control

View Control Displays and sets the current standard 3D view for a viewport.

Viewport Scale Con- Displays and sets the current scale for a floating viewport.
trol

Workspace Control Displays the current workspace and allows you to set a workspace
current.

To add a control to a toolbar in the Customizations In pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

208 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Customizations
In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Toolbars tree node
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the toolbar to which you want to add a
control.

4 In the Command List pane, Categories list, click Toolbar Control

Elements.

The Command List pane displays the list of toolbar control elements
only.

5 In the Command list, drag the control to the Customizations In <file

name> pane to the position where you want to add it in the toolbar.

6 Click Apply.

To add a control to a toolbar in the Toolbar Preview pane

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

Toolbars | 209
 2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

3 Select the toolbar to which you want to add a control.

4 In the Command List pane, Categories list, click Control Elements.

The Command List pane displays the list of toolbar control elements
only.

5 In the Command List pane, drag the control you want to add to the
selected toolbar and drop it on the toolbar’s preview in the Toolbar
Preview pane.

You can control where you place the command by releasing the mouse
button when the vertical splitter bar is displayed in the location you
want.

6 Click Apply.

210 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To switch a control in a toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, Customizations

In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Toolbars tree node
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the toolbar to which you want to add a
control.

4 Click the control element under the toolbar.

5 In the Properties pane, Control box, click the down arrow to display a
list of toolbar controls.

6 Click a toolbar control to replace the original control with the one you
selected.

7 Click Apply.

Toolbars | 211
 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus

Pull-down menus are displayed as a list under a menu bar. Shortcut menus
(also called context menus) are displayed at or near the crosshairs or cursor
when you right-click in the drawing window, text window, command window,
in toolbar areas, or the ribbon.

Overview of Pull-Down and Shortcut Menus

A pull-down menu can contain up to 999 commands. A shortcut menu can
contain up to 499 commands. The command limit includes all menus in a
hierarchy. If commands in the menu file exceed these limits (which is unlikely),
the program ignores the extra commands. If a pull-down or shortcut menu is
longer than the available display space, it is truncated to fit. When a pull-down
or shortcut menu is truncated, two arrows are added to the menu; one is added
at the top and another to the bottom. With the arrows, you can scroll the list
of menu items up or down. The following table shows the properties for the
File menu as they appear in the Properties pane. The properties for a pull-down
menu and shortcut menu are identical.

Properties for the File menu

Properties pane Description Example
item

Name String used as the caption of the menu on the menu bar. &File

Description Text used to describe the element; does not appear in

the user interface.

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the menu. Click the [ ] button to POP1, FILE
open the Aliases dialog box. Each alias in the CUIx file
should be unique; and it is used to reference the menu
programmatically.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a menu. ID_MnFile

212 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 NOTE When you create a pull-down or shortcut menu, you must also add at least
one command to the menu. Otherwise, the menu will not be displayed on the
menu bar.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

System Variables
MENUBAR

Create a Pull-Down Menu

You can create a pull-down menu, add submenus and commands to it on the
Customize tab of the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor.
You can create and modify standard pull-down menus to display and organize
the commands to best match the way you work. Commands are added to a
pull-down menu from the Command List pane. Once commands are added
to a pull-down menu, you can change the caption displayed for the command
on the menu, reposition commands, and organize commands using separators.
Along with separators, you can also group commands using submenus. For
more information on submenus, see Create Submenus on page 227.
As you modify the positioning of commands on menus, the online Help
system is automatically updated to reflect the change through the Dynamic
Help feature. For more information about how Dynamic Help affects
customization, see How Customization Has Changed on page 48.

NOTE When you create a menu, you should determine in which workspaces you
want to display the menu in. By default, a new menu is displayed in all workspaces.

Pull-Down Menu Aliases

Pull-down menus should have one alias in the range of POP1 through POP499.
Menus with an alias of POP1 through POP16 are loaded by default when a
menu loads. All other menus must be added to a workspace to be displayed.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 213

 To create a pull-down menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Menus. Click New Menu.

A new menu (named Menu1) is placed at the bottom of the Menus tree.

3 Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name Menu1.

■ Right-click Menu1. Click Rename. Enter a new menu name.

■ Click Menu1, wait, and click again over the menu’s name again to
edit its name in-place.

4 Select the new menu in the tree view, and update the Properties pane as
follows:
■ In the Description box, enter a description for the menu.

■ In the Aliases box, an alias is automatically assigned to the new menu,

based on the number of menus already loaded. For example, if the
alias assignment is POP12, eleven menus are already loaded. View or
edit the alias.

■ (Optional) If the name change is based upon a DIESEL expression,

the DIESEL expression should be included in the Name box.

214 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 5 In the Command List pane, drag the command to a location just below
the menu in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

NOTE You can change the name of a command after it has been added to
a menu. This allows you to define how the user can access the menu item
using keyboard navigation with the Alt key. To do this, select the menu item
under the Menus node and then change the Name property in the Properties
pane.

6 Click Apply.

To add a command to a pull-down menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the menu to which you want
to add a command.

3 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to a
location just below the menu in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 215

 NOTE You can change the name of a command after it has been added to
a menu. This allows you to define how the user can access the menu item
using keyboard navigation with the Alt key. To do this, select the menu item
under the Menus node and then change the Name property in the Properties
pane.

4 Click Apply.
For information about creating a command, see Create, Edit, and Reuse
Commands on page 94.

To change the caption of a menu item on a pull-down menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Menus node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the pull-down menu that has the command
whose text you want to change.

4 Select the command whose text you want to change.

5 In the Properties pane, in the Display section, make the desired change
to the Name property (not the Command Name or Command Display
Name properties).

6 Click Apply.

216 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

System Variables
MENUBAR

Create a Shortcut Menu

Shortcut menus are displayed at or near the location of your cursor when you
right-click on the pointing device. The shortcut menu and the options it
provides depend on the location of the cursor and other conditions, such as
whether an object is selected or a command is in progress.
Context-sensitive shortcut menus display menu options that are relative to the
current command or the selected object when you right-click.

Shortcut Menu Aliases

Shortcut menus are referenced by their aliases and are used in specific
situations. In the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, the alias names must
follow the proper naming conventions. For example, the shortcut menu named
“Default Menu” displays the following information in the Aliases section of
the Properties pane:
POP501, CMDEFAULT
CMDEFAULT is one of the reserved aliases that the program looks for in specific
situations. In this case, the shortcut menu assigned the alias CMDEFAULT is
displayed if no objects are selected and no command is in progress when you
right-click over the drawing window.
Aliases for context-sensitive shortcut menus must be numbered between
POP500 and POP999, with the exception of the Object Snap menu which uses
an alias of POP0. The following aliases are reserved for use by the program:

Program aliases for shortcut menus

Alias Description

GRIPS Defines the Hot Grip shortcut menu. (Right-click the drawing
area while a grip on an object is selected.)

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 217

 Program aliases for shortcut menus
Alias Description

CMDEFAULT Defines the Default mode shortcut menu. (Right-click the drawing
area while no command is active and no objects are selected.)

CMEDIT Defines the Edit mode shortcut menu. (Right-click the drawing
area while one or more objects are selected, no grips are selected,
and no command is active.)

CMCOMMAND Defines the Command mode menu. (Right-click the drawing

area while a command is active.) In addition to the content of
the CMCOMMAND menu, the command’s options (keywords
within the square brackets) are inserted into this menu.

SNAP Defines the Object Snap menu. (Shift+right-click the drawing

area.)

Object Specific Shortcut Menus

The CMEDIT and CMCOMMAND shortcut menus can be made context-sensitive. In
addition to the content of the CMEDIT menu, the appropriate object menu (if
it exists) is inserted into this menu when one or more of a specific object type
are selected. Object menus use either of the following naming conventions:
OBJECT_objectname

OBJECTS_objectname

If a single object is selected, the OBJECT_objectname menu is used, and if more

than one of the same object type is selected, the OBJECTS_objectname menu
is used. If no OBJECT_objectname is available, the program uses the
OBJECTS_objectname menu (if it exists).
™
The object name used for the alias is the drawing interchange format (DXF )
name of the object in most cases except for inserted objects. The following
table shows the object names that are specific to inserted objects (blocks,
dynamic blocks, and xrefs).

Object names specific to insert objects

Object Name Description

ATTBLOCKREF Block reference with attributes

218 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Object names specific to insert objects
Object Name Description

ATTDYNBLOCKREF Dynamic block reference with attributes

BLOCKREF Block reference without attributes

DYNBLOCKREF Dynamic block reference without attributes

XREF External reference (xref)

For example, to support an object-specific shortcut menu for one or more

selected block references, you would create or modify a shortcut menu and
change its properties to those in the following table. The important property
to change is Aliases, which would need to modified to include the alias
OBJECTS_BLOCKREF.

Properties for the Block Reference Objects shortcut menu

Properties Description Example
pane item

Name String that is only used in the CUI Editor and is Block Objects Menu
not displayed in the user interface.

Descrip- Text used to describe the element; does not Shortcut menu for
tion appear in the user interface. block objects

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the shortcut menu. Click POP512,OB-
the [ ] button to open the Aliases dialog box. JECTS_BLOCKREF
Each alias in the CUIx file should be unique and
it is used to reference the shortcut menu pro-
grammatically.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a shortcut menu. PM_0021

Command Specific Shortcut Menus

Like the CMEDIT menu, the CMCOMMAND menu can contain context-sensitive
commands. Menus named COMMAND_commandname control which commands
are appended to the CMCOMMAND menu when a command is active. The text of
commandname can be any valid AutoCAD LT command, including
custom-defined or third-party commands.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 219

 In many cases, you can enter a hyphen before a command to suppress the
display of a dialog box and display prompts for the command instead. To
create a context-sensitive menu for a command that displays prompts instead
of a dialog box (such as -INSERT), you need to name the menu
COMMAND_-INSERT.

To create a shortcut menu

Do one of the following:
■ To create a standard shortcut menu

a Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

b In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Shortcut Menus. Click
New Shortcut Menu.

The new shortcut menu (named ShortcutMenu1) is placed at the

bottom of the Menus tree.

c Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name ShortcutMenu1.

■ Right-click ShortcutMenu1. Click Rename. Enter a new shortcut

menu name.

■ Click ShortcutMenu1, wait, and click again over the shortcut

menu’s name to edit its name in-place.

d In the Properties pane, Description box, optionally enter a description

for the shortcut menu.

e In the Aliases box, click the [ ] button.

f In the Aliases dialog box, press Enter so you are on a new line. Enter
additional aliases for the menu, and after each one, press Enter. An
alias is automatically assigned, and defaults to the next available POP

220 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 number, based on the number of shortcut menus already loaded in
the program.

g In the Command List pane, drag the command that you want to add
to the location just below the shortcut menu in the Customizations
In <file name> pane.

h Continue adding commands until the new shortcut menu is complete.

i Click Apply.

■ To create a command shortcut menu

In order for the commands on the shortcut menu to appear when a
command is active, make sure to use the alias COMMAND_commandname.
For example, if you want the commands on the shortcut menu to appear
when using the LINE command use the alias COMMAND_LINE. The
commands from the shortcut menu will appear at the bottom of the
shortcut menu with the alias CMCOMMAND when it is displayed.

a Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 221

 b In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Shortcut Menus. Click
New Shortcut Menu.

The new shortcut menu (named ShortcutMenu1) is placed at the

bottom of the Menus tree.

c Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name ShortcutMenu1.

■ Right-click ShortcutMenu1. Click Rename. Enter a new shortcut

menu name.

■ Click ShortcutMenu1, wait, and click again over the shortcut

menu’s name to edit its name in-place.

d In the Properties pane, Description box, optionally enter a description

for the shortcut menu.

e In the Aliases box, click the [ ] button.

f In the Aliases dialog box, press Enter so you are on a new line. Enter
additional aliases for the menu, and after each one, press Enter. An
alias is automatically assigned, and defaults to the next available POP
number, based on the number of shortcut menus already loaded in
the program.

g In the Command List pane, drag the command that you want to add
to the location just below the shortcut menu in the Customizations
In <file name> pane.

222 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 h Continue adding commands until the new shortcut menu is complete.

i Click Apply.

■ To create an object shortcut menu

In order for the commands on the shortcut menu to appear when an object
or objects of the same type are selected, make sure to use the alias
OBJECT_objecttype or OBJECTS_objecttype. For example, if you want the
commands on the shortcut menu to appear when a LINE object is selected
in the drawing, use the alias OBJECT_LINE. The commands from the
shortcut menu will appear near the top of the shortcut menu with the alias
CMEDIT when it is displayed.

a Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

b In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Shortcut Menus. Click
New Shortcut Menu.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 223

 The new shortcut menu (named ShortcutMenu1) is placed at the
bottom of the Menus tree.

c Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name ShortcutMenu1.

■ Right-click ShortcutMenu1. Click Rename. Enter a new shortcut

menu name.

■ Click ShortcutMenu1, wait, and click again over the shortcut

menu’s name to edit its name in-place.

d In the Properties pane, Description box, optionally enter a description

for the shortcut menu.

e In the Aliases box, click the [ ] button.

f In the Aliases dialog box, press Enter so you are on a new line. Enter
additional aliases for the menu, and after each one, press Enter. An
alias is automatically assigned, and defaults to the next available POP
number, based on the number of shortcut menus already loaded in
the program.

NOTE If you create a shortcut menu with the alias OBJECTS_objecttype,

the commands assigned to the shortcut menu will be displayed when
one or more objects are selected before right-clicking over the drawing
area.

g In the Command List pane, drag the command that you want to add
to the location just below the shortcut menu in the Customizations
In <file name> pane.

224 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 h Continue adding commands until the new shortcut menu is complete.

i Click Apply.

To add a command to a shortcut menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the menu to which you want
to add a command.

3 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to a
location just below the menu in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 225

 NOTE You can change the name of a command after it has been added to
a menu. This allows you to define how the user can access the menu item
using keyboard navigation with the Alt key. To do this, select the menu item
under the Shortcut Menus node and then change the Name property in the
Properties pane.

4 Click Apply.
For information about creating a command, see Create, Edit, and Reuse
Commands on page 94.

To change the caption of a menu item on a shortcut menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Shortcut Menus node to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to the shortcut menu that has the command
whose text you want to change.

4 Select the command whose text you want to change.

5 In the Properties pane, in the Display section, make the desired change
to the Name property (not the Command Name or Command Display
Name properties).

6 Click Apply.

226 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

System Variables
SHORTCUTMENU
Controls whether Default, Edit, and Command mode shortcut menus are
available in the drawing area.

Create Submenus
You can create submenus to organize and group similar commands together.
Submenus are created in much the same way that you create a menu.
The following table describes the non-alphanumeric characters that can be
used to control the display and behavior of the caption for a submenu.
Non-alphanumeric characters not listed are reserved for future use as special
menu characters.

Special characters for submenus

Character Description Example

$( Enables the pull-down or shortcut $(if,$(and,$(getvar,CleanScreen-

command label to evaluate a DIESEL State),1),!.)Clean S&creen
string macro if $( are the first char-
acters.

~ Makes a command unavailable. ~Plot Style

!. Marks a command with a check !.Layer...

mark or if an icon is displayed for the
menu item it appears sunken.

& Placed directly before a character, S&ample displays Sample (with

specifies the character as the menu the letter a underlined).
access key in a pull-down or shortcut
menu label.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 227

 Special characters for submenus
Character Description Example

\t Pushes all label text entered after Help\tF1 displays Help on the left
these characters to the right side of side of the pull-down menu and
the menu. F1 on the right side.

To create a submenu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Menus.
Select the menu you want to add a submenu to.

3 Right-click the menu. Click New Sub-menu.

The new submenu (named Menu1) is placed at the bottom of the Menu
you selected to add the submenu to.

4 Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name Menu1.

■ Right-click Menu1. Click Rename. Enter a new submenu name.

■ Click Menu1, wait, and click again over the menu’s name again to
edit its name in-place.

5 In the Properties pane, do the following:

■ In the Description box, optionally enter a description for the submenu.

228 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 6 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to a
location just below the name of the submenu in the Customizations In
<file name> pane.

7 Continue adding commands until the new submenu is complete.

8 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Reference Pull-Down or Shortcut Menus

Using a method similar to that used to activate submenus, you can activate
or deactivate another pull-down or shortcut menu. This is called menu
referencing.
Pull-down or shortcut menus can be referenced using absolute referencing.
Absolute referencing uses the absolute position of a menu item in the menu
hierarchy.

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 229

 Absolute Referencing of Pull-Down and Shortcut Menu Items
In addition to referencing a menu item, you can activate or deactivate a menu
item with the $Pn=xxx syntax. This is the format:
$Pn.i=xxx

The $ loads a menu section; Pn specifies the active menu section (0 through
16 are valid values); i specifies the menu item number; and xxx (if present),
specifies a string of grayed out or marked characters.
Using the $Pn=xxx syntax, the following example adds a check mark to item
1 in the POP7 section.
$P7.1=!.

Menu item numbering is consecutive regardless of the hierarchy of the menu.

To make it easy for an item to address itself regardless of its location in the
menu hierarchy, use these forms:
$P@.@=xxx References the current or most recently chosen command.

$P@.n=xxx References item n in the current or most recently chosen menu.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Swap and Insert Pull-Down Menus

Using the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, you can use workspaces to
control the swapping of pull-down menus. However, you can also swap one
pull-down menu programmatically for another (for example, when a user
loads an application that requires an additional menu).

Swap Pull-Down Menus

Because the program has cascading pull-down menus, there is little need to
swap menus. Also, swapping menus can detract from the consistency of the
user interface. However, using $ commands, you can swap pull-down menus
and submenus. An alternative to menu swapping involves relative (or global)

230 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

referencing. Using this method, you can insert the new menu in front of a
known menu and then remove the known menu.
For menu-swapping purposes, the pull-down menu areas are named P1 through
P16. You can change the title that appears in the menu bar by replacing that
line of the menu with a $Pn= command. You can use the special command
$Pn=* from within any command to force the menu currently assigned to area
POPn to pull down for greater flexibility in movement of the pointing device.

The following macro example replaces a menu at position P3 with the menu
named MyMenu in the customization group named MYMENU.
$P3=mymenu.new3

You can use the $Pn=* special command from within any macro to force the
menu currently assigned to area POPn to be displayed.
®
NOTE The swapping of pull-down menus does not conform to the Microsoft
user interface guidelines and is not guaranteed to be available in future releases
of the program.

Insert and Remove Pull-Down Menus

Menu swapping is done by activating one menu directly from another menu.
Menu swapping is supported for the following interface elements:

■ B - Buttons

■ P - Pull-down menus

■ A - Mouse buttons

■ I - Image tile menus

■ T - Tablet menus

The syntax for the swapping of partial menus is as follows:

$section=customizationgroup.menuname

section
B1-4, A1-4, P0-16, T1-4
customizationgroup
Customization group name in the desired CUIx file
menuname

Pull-down and Shortcut Menus | 231

 Main label or alias
You can also insert a menu with the Pn= syntax. The following macro inserts
a menu after the P5 menu.
If you use this method to insert a menu, remember that you cannot rely on
its being inserted at the P6 menu location as you might expect. There are two
reasons that this may not be the case.

■ If the current menu bar has only three menus, inserting a menu after menu
P5 results in the new menu's location being P4.

■ If the user inserts or removes a customization file with the CUILOAD

command or when another application inserts or removes customization
files, menu numbering can get out of sync.

This is the syntax for removing a menu:

Gcustomizationgroup.menuname=-

The following shows how to remove the menu NEW3 that is a member of the
MyMenu group.

$Gmymenu.new3=-"

As you might expect, the preceding format is preferable to the Pn= format
because it removes only the specified menu. The following shows how to
remove the menu at the P4 location (whatever it is).
$P4=-

Control Toolbars Across Partial CUIx Files

To control toolbars across partial CUIx files, use the following syntax at the
Enter toolbar name or [ALL]: prompt of the -TOOLBAR command.
menugroup.subsection-name

This syntax accesses the toolbar identified by menugroup.menuname and allows

you to use the full spectrum of -TOOLBAR command options on that toolbar.
If the menu group is left out of any of these commands and functions, the
program defaults to the main CUIx file.
You should be aware of the following:

■ Image tile menus cannot be swapped from external customization files.

232 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 ■ You can swap customization elements of the same type only; that is, one
shortcut menu for another, one toolbar for another, and so on. Trying to
swap between types may result in unpredictable behavior.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.
-TOOLBAR
Displays, hides, and customizes toolbars.
WORKSPACE
Creates, modifies, and saves workspaces and makes a workspace current.

Quick Properties
With the Quick Properties palette, for a selected object, you can access a sub-set
of the properties that are accessible from the Properties palette.
You can customize the properties that are displayed on the Quick Properties
palette. The properties (displayed when an object is selected) are common to
all object types and are specific to the object that was selected. The available
properties are the same as those on the Properties palette and for rollover
tooltips.

NOTE You can synchronize the properties that are displayed on the Quick
Properties palette with those for rollover tooltips.

Display Objects Properties on the Quick Properties Palette

When customizing the Quick Properties palette, you control which object
types display properties on the Quick Properties palette and which properties
are displayed. You use the Objects pane to add and remove the object types

Quick Properties | 233

 that are set to display properties on the Quick Properties palette. Once an
object type is added to the Objects pane, you can then decide which properties
to display when on object of that type is selected in the drawing window.
You can change the general properties for a selected object type or for all
object types. Selecting an object type from the Objects pane allows you to
control the display of the general properties for the selected object type, or
by clicking the General button at the bottom of the Objects pane you can
override the general properties of all object types.
When the General button at the bottom of the Objects pane is clicked, a list
of the general properties that can be used to override the general properties
of all object types is displayed along with the Reset Overrides button. Selecting
the general properties that you want to display for all object types and clicking
Reset Overrides applies the selected general properties to all listed object types
in the Objects pane. However, after applying a general property to all object
types you can deselect any general property for a specific object type by
selecting the object type and deselecting the property.

Display the Quick Properties Palette

The Quick Properties palette is displayed when objects are selected, if the
object type of the selected objects is supported for Quick Properties, and if the
QPMODE system variable is set to 1 or 2. See Display and Change the Properties
of Objects in the User’s Guide for more information about controlling the
display of the Quick Properties.

NOTE When the system variable QPMODE is set to a value of 1, the general
properties that are checked are displayed in the Quick Properties palette for all
object types that are not in the list on the Objects pane.

To control which object types are used with the Quick Properties palette

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Quick Properties.

234 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

3 In the Objects pane, click Edit Object Type List.

4 In the Edit Object Type List dialog box, select the object types you want
to display properties for on the Quick Properties palette.

If an object type is checked, the properties for the object type are displayed
on the Quick Properties palette when an object of the same type is selected

Quick Properties | 235

 in the drawing window. Clear the check mark next to an object type to
remove support for the object type from the Quick Properties palette.

5 Click OK.

6 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To control the display of a property for an object on the Quick Properties

palette

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Quick Properties.

3 In the Objects pane, select an object from the Object Type list.

4 In the Properties pane, select the properties you want displayed for an
object type on the Quick Properties palette.

If a property is checked, the property is displayed on the Quick Properties

palette when an object of the same type is selected in the drawing window.

236 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Clear the check mark next to a property to remove the property for the
selected object type from the Quick Properties palette.

5 Click Apply.

To control the display of custom properties and attributes for block

references on the Quick Properties palette

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Quick Properties.

3 In the Objects pane, select Block Reference from the Object Type list.

4 In the Properties pane, select the check box next to Custom and Attributes.
If the Custom category is checked, the dynamic properties for a block are
displayed on the Quick Properties palette. If the Attributes category is

Quick Properties | 237

 checked, the attributes for a block are displayed on the Quick Properties
palette

5 Click Apply.

To override the general properties for all object types

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Quick Properties.

3 In the Properties pane, select the check boxes next to the general
properties you want the Quick Properties palette to display for all object
types.

4 Click Reset Overrides.

238 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 5 Click Apply.

To restore the default settings for Quick Properties

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Quick Properties.

3 Click Restore Default.

4 Click Restore the Default Quick Properties Settings.

5 Click Apply.

Quick Properties | 239

 To synchronize Quick Properties with rollover tooltips

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Quick Properties.

3 Click Synchronize with Rollover Tooltips.

4 Click Apply Rollover Tooltips Settings to Quick Properties palette.

5 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

240 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 DSETTINGS
Sets grid and snap, polar and object snap tracking, object snap modes,
Dynamic Input, and Quick Properties.

System Variables
QPLOCATION
Sets the location mode of Quick Properties palette.
QPMODE
Sets the on or off state of Quick Properties palette.

Rollover Tooltips
Rollover tooltips display the current values of selected properties.
The properties and values that are displayed in a rollover tooltip can be
customized by object type. When customizing the display of the properties
for a rollover tooltip, you can display properties common to all object types
or properties that are specific to an object type. The available properties are
the same as those on the Properties and Quick Properties palettes.

NOTE You can synchronize the properties used for rollover tooltips with those
displayed on the Quick Properties palette.

Display Objects Properties on Rollover Tooltips

When customizing rollover tooltips, you control which object types display
a tooltip when the cursor hovers over an object in the drawing window. You
use the Objects pane to add and remove the object types for which you want
to see a rollover tooltip. Once an object type is listed in the Objects pane, you
can then specify which properties in the Properties pane are displayed on the
rollover tooltip for the selected object type.
You can change the general properties for a selected object type or for all
object types. Selecting an object type from the Objects pane allows you to
control the display of the general and object specific properties for that selected
object type. You can click the General button at the bottom of the Objects
pane to override the general properties of all object types.
When the General button at the bottom of the Objects pane is clicked, a list
of the general properties that can be used to override the properties of all
object types is displayed along with the Reset Overrides button. Select the
general properties that you want to display for all object types and click Reset

Rollover Tooltips | 241

 Overrides. However, after applying a general property to all object types you
can deselect any general property for a specific object type by selecting the
object type and deselecting the property.

NOTE When an object is not in the Object Type list on the Objects pane, the
general properties that are checked for all object types are displayed on the rollover
tooltips.

Display Rollover Tooltips

Rollover tooltips are displayed for objects when the ROLLOVERTIPS system
variable is set to 1. See Set Interface Options in the User’s Guide for more
information about controlling the display of rollover tooltips and other tooltip
settings for the program.

To control which objects support rollover tooltips

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Rollover Tooltips.

3 In the Objects pane, click Edit Object Type List.

242 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 In the Edit Object Type List dialog box, select the object types you want
to display properties for on a rollover tooltip.

If an object type is checked, the properties for the object type are displayed
on a rollover tooltip when the cursor hovers over an object of the same
type. Clear the check mark next to an object type to remove support for
the object type from rollover tooltips.

5 Click OK.

6 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To control which properties are displayed on a rollover tooltip

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Rollover Tooltips.

Rollover Tooltips | 243

 3 In the Objects pane, select an object from the Object Type list.

4 In the Properties pane, select the properties you want to display on a

rollover tooltip.
If a property is checked, the property is displayed on a rollover tooltip
when the cursor hovers over an object of the selected object type in the
drawing window. Clear the check mark next to a property to remove the
property for the selected object type.

5 Click Apply.

To override the general properties for all object types that support rollover
tooltips

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, select Rollover Tooltips.

244 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 3 In the Properties pane, select the check boxes next to the general
properties you want rollover tooltips to display for all object types.

4 Click Reset Overrides.

5 Click Apply.

To restore the default settings for rollover tooltips

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

Rollover Tooltips | 245

 2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Rollover Tooltips.

3 Click Restore Default.

4 Click Restore the Default Rollover Tooltips Settings.

5 Click Apply.

To synchronize rollover tooltips with Quick Properties

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Rollover Tooltips.

3 Click Synchronize with Quick Properties.

246 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 Click Apply Quick Properties Settings to Rollover Tooltips.

5 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

System Variables
ROLLOVERTIPS
Controls the display of rollover tooltips in the application.

Rollover Tooltips | 247

Keyboard Shortcuts
Shortcut keys can be used to start commands and to be temporary override
keys to execute a command or change a setting when a key is pressed.

Shortcut Keys
You can assign shortcut keys (sometimes called accelerator keys) to commands
you use frequently.

Overview of Shortcut Keys

Shortcut keys are key combinations that start commands. For example, you
can press Ctrl+O to open a file and Ctrl+S to save a file, which is the same as
clicking Open and Save on the Quick Access toolbar or File menu.
To create a shortcut key, you start by dragging a command from the
Commands List pane to the Shortcut Keys node in the Customizations In <file
name> pane. Once you create a shortcut key, you assign a key combination
to it.
The following table shows the properties of the Save shortcut key as they
appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Save Shortcut Key

Properties Description Example
pane item

Name String that is only used in the CUI Editor and is Save
not displayed in the user interface.

Descrip- Text used to describe the element; does not Saves the current
tion appear in the user interface. drawing

Extended Displays the file name and ID for the extended

Help File tooltip that is displayed when the cursor hovers
over a toolbar or panel button.

Command String that contains the name of the command QSAVE

Display that is related to the command.
Name

248 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Properties for the Save Shortcut Key
Properties Description Example
pane item

Macro The command macro. It follows the standard ^C^C_qsave

macro syntax.

Key(s) Specifies the keystroke combination that is used CTRL+S

to execute the macro. Click the [ ] button to
open the Shortcut Keys dialog box.

Tags Keywords associated to a command. Tags

provide an additional field to search in the ap-
plication menu.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a command. ID_Save

NOTE A shortcut key inherits its properties from the command that is used to
create it.

To create or modify a shortcut key

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, click the plus sign
(+) next to Keyboard Shortcuts to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Shortcut Keys to expand it.

4 Do one of the following:

■ To create a shortcut key, in the Command List pane, drag the
command to the Shortcut Keys node of the Customizations In <file
name> pane.

Keyboard Shortcuts | 249

 ■ To modify a shortcut key, select a shortcut key.

In the Properties pane, the properties for the shortcut key are displayed.

5 In the Key(s) box, click the [ ] button to open the Shortcut Keys dialog
box.

6 Hold down the modifier key Ctrl with a combination of Shift and Alt if
desired and press a letter, number, function, or virtual key such as F1 or
Insert. Valid modifier and key combinations include the following:
■ Function (Fn) keys containing no modifiers

■ Number Pad (NUMPADn) keys containing no modifiers

■ Ctrl+letter, Ctrl+number, Ctrl+function, Ctrl+virtual key

■ Ctrl+Alt+letter, Ctrl+Alt+number, Ctrl+Alt+function, Ctrl+Alt+virtual

key

250 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 ■ Ctrl+Shift+letter, Ctrl+Shift+number, Ctrl+Shift+function,
Ctrl+Shift+virtual key

■ Ctrl+Shift+Alt+letter, Ctrl+Shift+Alt+number, Ctrl+Shift+Alt+function,

Ctrl+Shift+Alt+virtual key

NOTE The virtual keys that are supported are Escape, Insert, Delete,
Home, End, Page Up, Page Down, Left Arrow, Right Arrow, Up Arrow,
and Down Arrow. The virtual key Escape can only be used by itself or with
the modifier combination Ctrl+Shift+Alt.

Currently Assigned To displays any current assignments for the entered

key combination. If you do not want to replace the current key
assignment, use a different key combination.

7 Click OK to assign the key combination and close the Shortcut Keys dialog
box.

8 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click Apply.

To print a list of shortcut keys or temporary override keys

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the Keyboard Shortcuts

node.

Keyboard Shortcuts | 251

 3 In the Shortcuts pane, filter the type and status of keyboard shortcuts to
print.
■ In the Type drop-down list, select the type of keyboard shortcuts to
display in the list. Choices include All Keys, Accelerator Keys, or
Temporary Override Keys.

■ In the Status list, select the status of keyboard shortcuts displayed in

the list. Choices include All, Active, Inactive, and Unassigned.

4 In the Shortcuts pane, click Print.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

System Variables
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.

Examples of Shortcut Keys

The CUIx file that ships with AutoCAD LT defines the default shortcut keys.
You can use the default shortcut keys as examples when creating your own
shortcut keys.

252 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

The following table lists the default actions for shortcut keys.

Shortcut Key Assignments

Shortcut Key Description

CTRL+0 Toggles Clean Screen

CTRL+1 Toggles Properties palette

CTRL+2 Toggles DesignCenter

CTRL+3 Toggles the Tool Palettes window

CTRL+7 Toggles Markup Set Manager

CTRL+8 Toggles the QuickCalc palette

CTRL+9 Toggles the Command Line window

CTRL+A Selects all the objects in drawing

that are not locked or frozen

CTRL+SHIFT+A Toggles Groups

CTRL+B Toggles Snap

CTRL+C Copies objects to the Windows Clipboard

CTRL+SHIFT+C Copies objects to the Windows Clipboard

with Base Point

CTRL+E Cycles through isometric planes

CTRL+F Toggles running object snaps

CTRL+G Toggles Grid

CTRL+H Toggles PICKSTYLE

CTRL+SHIFT+H Toggles the display of palettes with HIDE-

PALETTES and SHOWPALETTES

CTRL+J Repeats last command

Keyboard Shortcuts | 253

 Shortcut Key Assignments
Shortcut Key Description

CTRL+K Inserts a hyperlink

CTRL+L Toggles Ortho mode

CTRL+M Repeats last command

CTRL+N Creates a new drawing

CTRL+O Opens an existing drawing

CTRL+P Plots the current drawing

CTRL+SHIFT+P Toggles the Quick Properties interface

CTRL+Q Quits AutoCAD LT

CTRL+R Cycles through the viewports

on the current layout

CTRL+S Saves current drawing

CTRL+SHIFT+S Displays up the Save As dialog box

CTRL+T Toggles Tablet mode

CTRL+V Pastes data from the Windows Clipboard

CTRL+SHIFT+V Pastes data from the Windows Clipboard

as a Block

CTRL+X Cuts objects from the current drawing to

the Windows Clipboard

CTRL+Y Cancels the preceding Undo action

CTRL+Z Reverses the last action

CTRL+[ Cancels current command

CTRL+\ Cancels current command

254 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Shortcut Key Assignments
Shortcut Key Description

CTRL+PAGE UP Moves to the next layout tab to the left of

the current tab

CTRL+PAGE DOWN Moves to the next layout tab to the right

of the current tab

F1 Displays Help

F2 Toggles Text Window

F3 Toggles OSNAP

F4 Toggles TABMODE

F5 Toggles ISOPLANE

F7 Toggles GRIDMODE

F8 Toggles ORTHOMODE

F9 Toggles SNAPMODE

F10 Toggles Polar Tracking

F11 Toggles Object Snap Tracking

F12 Toggles Dynamic Input

NOTE In the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, you can view, print, or copy
a list of shortcut keys, temporary override keys, or both. The shortcut keys and
temporary override keys in the list are those keys used by the CUIx files that are
loaded in the program.

Temporary Override Keys

Temporary override keys allow you to execute a command or change a setting
when a key combination is pressed, and then restore settings changed or
execute a command when a key combination is released.

Keyboard Shortcuts | 255

Overview of Temporary Override Keys
Temporary override keys are used to temporarily turn on or off drafting
settings. For example, holding down the Shift key toggles the current setting
of Ortho mode. The following table shows the Object Snap Override: Endpoint
temporary override key properties as they appear in the Properties pane.
The creation of a temporary override key does not start with a command from
the Commands List pane like a shortcut key does. Instead, you create a new
temporary override key like you do a toolbar or ribbon panel, and that is by
right-clicking over the Temporary Override Keys node and clicking New
Temporary Override Key. Once a temporary override key is created you use
the Properties pane to define its key up and key down behavior, and assign it
a key combination.
The following table shows the properties of the Object Snap Override :
Endpoint temporary override key as they appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Object Snap Override : Endpoint Temporary Override Key
Properties Description Example
pane item

Name String that is only used in the CUI Editor and is Object Snap Override : Endpoint
not displayed in the user interface.

Descrip- Text used to describe the element; does not ap- Object Snap Override : Endpoint
tion pear in the user interface.

Keys Specifies the keystroke combination that is used SHIFT+E

to execute the temporary override. Click the [ ]
button to open the Shortcut Keys dialog box.

Macro1 Specifies the macro that should be executed when ^P'_.osmode 1 $(if,$(eq,$(getvar,
(Key the keystroke combination is held down by the osnapoverride),'_.osnapoverride 1)
Down) user.

Macro2 Specifies the macro that should be executed when

(Key Up) the keystroke combination is released by the user.
If left blank, AutoCAD LT restores any variables to
their previous state.

256 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To create a temporary override key

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, click the plus sign
(+) next to Keyboard Shortcuts to expand it.

3 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Temporary Override

Keys. Click New Temporary Override.

A new temporary override (named TemporaryOverride1) is placed at the

bottom of the Temporary Override Keys tree.

4 Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name TemporaryOverride1.

■ Right-click TemporaryOverride1. Click Rename. Enter a new temporary

override name.

■ Click TemporaryOverride1, wait, and click again over the temporary

override’s name again to edit its name in-place.

5 Select the new temporary override in the tree view, and update the
Properties pane:
■ In the Description box, enter a description for the temporary override
key.

■ In the Key(s) box, click the [ ] button to open the Shortcut Keys dialog
box. In the Shortcut Keys dialog box, click in the Press New Shortcut
Key box to ensure the box has focus, and press a key. Valid modifier
keys include function (Fn keys) with no modifiers, Shift+letter, or
Shift+number key.

Keyboard Shortcuts | 257

 ■ In the Macro 1 (Key Down) box, enter a macro to be executed when
the temporary override key is pressed. When no value is assigned, the
default macro is ^c^c.

■ In the Macro 2 (Key Up) box, enter a macro to be executed when the
temporary override key is released. When no value is defined, key up
restores the application to its previous state (before the temporary
override was executed).

NOTE For information about creating a macro, see Create Macros on

page 101.

6 Click Apply.

To modify a temporary override key

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, click the plus sign
(+) next to Keyboard Shortcuts to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Temporary Override Keys to expand it.

4 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the temporary override

key you want to modify.

5 Update the Properties pane as necessary:

■ In the Description box, enter a description for the temporary override
key.

258 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 ■ In the Key(s) box, click the [ ] button to open the Shortcut Keys dialog
box. In the Shortcut Keys dialog box, click in the Press New Shortcut
Key box to ensure the box has focus, and press a key. Under the Press
New Shortcut Key box, Currently Assigned To displays any current
assignments for the key. If a key you select is not already assigned,
click OK.

■ In the Macro 1 (Key Down) box, enter a macro to be executed when

the temporary override key is pressed. When no value is assigned, the
default macro is ^c^c.

■ In the Macro 2 (Key Up) box, enter a macro to be executed when the
temporary override key is released. When no value is defined, key up
restores the application to its previous state (before the temporary
override was executed).

NOTE For information about creating a macro, see Create Macros on

page 101.

6 Click Apply.

To print a list of shortcut keys or temporary override keys

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the Keyboard Shortcuts

node.

Keyboard Shortcuts | 259

 3 In the Shortcuts pane, filter the type and status of keyboard shortcuts to
print.
■ In the Type drop-down list, select the type of keyboard shortcuts to
display in the list. Choices include All Keys, Accelerator Keys, or
Temporary Override Keys.

■ In the Status list, select the status of keyboard shortcuts displayed in

the list. Choices include All, Active, Inactive, and Unassigned.

4 In the Shortcuts pane, click Print.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

System Variables
TOOLTIPS
Controls the display of tooltips on the ribbon, toolbars, and other user
interface elements.
TEMPOVERRIDES
Turns temporary override keys on and off.

260 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Examples of Temporary Override Keys
The CUIx file that ships with AutoCAD LT defines the default temporary
override keys. You can use the default temporary override keys as examples
when creating your own temporary override keys.
The following table lists the default actions for temporary override keys on
an English U.S. keyboard. For more information about default temporary
override keys on other keyboards, see Override Object Snap Settings in the
User’s Guide.

Temporary Override Key Assignments

Temporary Override Key Description

F3 Toggles OSNAP

F8 Toggles ORTHOMODE

F9 Toggles SNAPMODE

F10 Toggles Polar Tracking

F11 Toggles Object Snap Tracking

F12 Toggles Dynamic Input

SHIFT Toggles ORTHOMODE

SHIFT+’ Toggles OSNAP

SHIFT+, Object Snap Override: Center

SHIFT+. Toggles Polar Tracking

SHIFT+; Enables Object Snap Enforcement

SHIFT+] Toggles Object Snap Tracking

SHIFT+A Toggles OSNAP

SHIFT+C Object Snap Override: Center

SHIFT+D Disable All Snapping and Tracking

Keyboard Shortcuts | 261

 Temporary Override Key Assignments
Temporary Override Key Description

SHIFT+E Object Snap Override: Endpoint

SHIFT+L Disable All Snapping and Tracking

SHIFT+M Object Snap Override: Midpoint

SHIFT+P Object Snap Override: Endpoint

SHIFT+Q Toggles Object Snap Tracking

SHIFT+S Enables Object Snap Enforcement

SHIFT+V Object Snap Override: Midpoint

SHIFT+X Toggles Polar Tracking

NOTE In the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, you can view, print, or copy
a list of shortcut keys, temporary override keys, or both. The shortcut keys and
temporary override keys in the list are those keys used by the CUIx files that are
loaded in the program.

Double Click Actions

You can create a double click action which starts an editing command when
the cursor is positioned over an object in a drawing and a double-click event
is registered from a pointing device.

Overview of Double Click Actions

Double click actions execute a command that displays either the Properties
palette or a specialized editor that is more powerful, convenient, or frequently
used for the object type that is double-clicked in a drawing. The following

262 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

table shows the definition of the Attribute Block double click action in the
CUI Editor.

Properties for the Attribute Block double click action

Properties Description Example
pane item

Name String used to identify the double click action Attribute Block
in the CUI Editor.

Descrip- Text used to describe the element in the CUI

tion Editor.

Object Determines the type of object the double click ATTBLOCKREF

Name action is associated to. For information on the
object names that can be used, see Double Click
Action Object Names on page 266.

Element ID Uniquely identifies a double click action in the DC_0002

CUI Editor.

To create a double click action

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click Double Click Actions.
Click New Double Click Action.

The new double click action (named DoubleClick1) is placed at the bottom
of the Double Click Actions tree.

3 Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name DoubleClick1.

Double Click Actions | 263

 ■ Right-click DoubleClick1. Click Rename. Enter a new double click
action name.

■ Click DoubleClick1, wait, and click again over the double click action’s
name again to edit its name in-place.

4 In the Properties pane, do the following:

■ In the Description box, enter a description for the double click action.

■ In the Object Name box, enter a DXF name or one of the special object
names used for an insert, surface, or underlay object. The value will
automatically be converted to uppercase after the box loses focus.

5 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to the
double click action in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

NOTE Only a single command can be associated with a double click action
at a time.

6 Click Apply.

To modify a double click action

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

264 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, click the plus sign
(+) next to Double Click Actions to expand it.

3 Click a double click action.

In the Properties pane, the properties for the double click action you
selected are displayed.

4 In the Object Name box, enter a DXF name or one of the special object
names used for an insert, surface, or underlay object.

5 If you want to replace the current command assigned to the double click
action, click in the Command List pane and drag a different command
to the selected double click action in the Customizations In <file name>
pane.

6 Click Apply.

Double Click Actions | 265

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.

System Variables
DBLCLKEDIT
Controls the double click editing behavior in the drawing area.
PICKFIRST
Controls whether you select objects before (noun-verb selection) or after you
issue a command.

Double Click Action Object Names

The Object Name property of a double click action must be a valid drawing
™
interchange format (DXF ) name, or a special name for insert objects.

There are some exceptions as to when the DXF name is not used for the Object
Name property of a double click action. These exceptions apply to objects that
use the INSERT DXF names. For example, the double click action named
“Attribute Dynamic Block” in the acadlt.cuix file uses the object name
ATTDYNBLOCKREF. which is used for insert objects that contain attributes
and dynamic actions.
The following table shows the DXF names for many of the objects commonly
found in a drawing. In most cases, the DXF name and the object name are
the same value with the exception of the INSERT DXF name.

DXF Names for Commonly Used Objects

DXF Name Description

ACAD_PROXY_ENTITY Object of an unknown type

ARC 3-point arc

ATTDEF Attribute definition that is not defined in a block

266 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

DXF Names for Commonly Used Objects
DXF Name Description

CIRCLE Circle

DGNUNDERLAY DGN file underlay

DIMENSION Dimensions (all dimension objects)

DWFUNDERLAY DWF file underlay

ELLIPSE Ellipse and elliptical arc

EXTRUDEDSURFACE 3D extruded surface

HATCH Hatch fill

IMAGE Raster image

INSERT The Object Names for the different types of block reference
objects are as follows:
ATTBLOCKREF Block reference with attributes

ATTDYNBLOCKREF Dynamic block reference

with attributes

BLOCKREF Block reference without attributes

DYNBLOCKREF Dynamic block reference without

attributes

XREF External reference (xref)

LEADER Legacy leader

LIGHT Point light, spotlight, web light, and distant light

LINE Line

LOFTEDSURFACE 3D lofted surface

LWPOLYLINE Lightweight polyline

Double Click Actions | 267

 DXF Names for Commonly Used Objects
DXF Name Description

MLINE Multiline

MLEADER Multileader

MTEXT Multiline text

PDFUNDERLAY PDF file underlay

POINT Point

POLYLINE 2D or 3D polyline

RAY Ray

REGION 2D region

REVOLVEDSURFACE 3D revolved surface

SHAPE Shape insert

SOLID 2D solid

SPLINE B-spline curve

SWEPTSURFACE 3D swept surface

TABLE Table

TEXT Single-line text

TOLERANCE Geometric tolerance

VIEWPORT Floating viewport

WIPEOUT Wipeout

XLINE Construction line

268 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 NOTE If more than one object is selected or if an object type is not associated
with a double click action, the default command used is PROPERTIES.

Examples of Double Click Actions

The CUIx file that ships with AutoCAD LT defines the default double click
actions. You can use the default double click actions as examples when creating
your own double click actions.
The following table shows some of the object names that are set up in the
acadlt.cuix file. Expand the Double Click Actions node in the Customize User
Interface (CUI) Editor for a complete listing of all the actions that are defined.

Double click action assignments

Object Type Command (Macro)

ATTDEF DDEDIT

ATTRIB ATTIPEDIT

ATTBLOCKREF ATTEDIT

ATTDYNBLOCKREF ATTEDIT

BLOCKREF $M=$(if,$(and,$(>,$(getvar,blockeditlock),0)),^C^C_proper-
ties,^C^C_bedit)

DYNBLOCKREF $M=$(if,$(and,$(>,$(getvar,blockeditlock),0)),^C^C_proper-
ties,^C^C_bedit)

HATCH HATCHEDIT

IMAGE IMAGEADJUST

LWPOLYLINE PEDIT

MTEXT MTEDIT

POLYLINE PEDIT

SPLINE SPLINEDIT

TEXT DDEDIT

Double Click Actions | 269

 NOTE Double click actions cannot be created for OLE and VIEWPORT objects.

Mouse Buttons
You can change the standard behavior of pointing devices in the program.

Overview of Mouse Buttons

Mouse buttons define how a Windows system pointing device functions. You
can customize the behavior of a mouse or other pointing device in the
Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor. If a pointing device has more than two
buttons, you can change the behavior of the second and third buttons. The
first button on any pointing device cannot be changed in the Customize User
Interface (CUI) Editor.
By using the Shift and Ctrl keys, you can create a number of combinations to
suit your needs. Your pointing device can recognize as many commands as it
has assignable buttons. The Mouse Buttons section of the tree node is organized
by keyboard combination such as Click, Shift+Click, Ctrl+Click, and
Ctrl+Shift+Click. The tablet buttons are numbered sequentially. Drag a
command to assign the command to a mouse button. Create additional buttons
by dragging commands to a Click node.
The following table shows the Click mouse button properties as they appear
in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Click Mouse Button

Properties Description Example
Pane Item

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the mouse button. Click AUX1
the [ ] button to open the Aliases dialog box.
Each alias in the CUIx file should be unique and
it is used to reference the mouse button pro-
grammatically.

To add a mouse button combination

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, click the Customize tab.

270 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 3 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
Mouse Buttons to expand the list.

4 Right-click a mouse button section. Click New Button.

A new mouse button (named Buttonn) is placed at the bottom of the

selected list.

5 In the Command List pane, drag the command you want to add to the
mouse button in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

6 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

System Variables
MBUTTONPAN
Controls the behavior of the third button or wheel on the pointing device.

Accept Coordinate Entry in Button Menus

When you click one of the buttons on a multi-button pointing device, the
program reads not only the button number but also the coordinate of the
crosshairs at the time you click. By carefully constructing macros, you can
choose to either ignore the coordinate or use it with the command activated
by the button.
As described in Pause for User Input in Macros on page 106, you can include
a backslash (\) in a command to pause for user input. For the Mouse and
Digitize Buttons menus, the coordinate of the crosshairs is supplied as user

Mouse Buttons | 271

 input when the button is clicked. This occurs only for the first backslash in
the command; if the item contains no backslashes, the crosshairs coordinate
is not used. Consider the following commands:
line
line \

The first button starts the LINE command and displays the Specify First Point
prompt in the normal fashion. The second button also starts the LINE
command, but the program uses the current crosshairs location at the Specify
First Point prompt and displays the Specify Next Point prompt.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Legacy Interface Elements

The term “legacy” refers to those user interface elements that are not
commonly used with the current version of the program, but are still supported
because some users prefer them to alternative user interface elements that are
now provided.

Create Tablet Menus

You can configure up to four areas of your digitizing tablet as menu areas for
command input.
The nodes in the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor are labeled Tablet
Menu 1 through Tablet Menu 4 and define the macros associated with tablet
selections.
The tablet menu areas that you define with the Cfg option of the TABLET
command are divided into equal-sized menu selection boxes, which are
determined by the number of columns and rows you specify in each area.
These tablet menu selection boxes correspond directly with the lines that
follow the Tablet section labels from left to right and top to bottom (whether
or not they contain text).
For example, if you configure a menu area for five columns and four rows,
the command on the line immediately following the Row label corresponds

272 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

to the left-most selection box in the top row. The program can recognize up
to 32,766 commands in each tablet section, which should be more than
enough for any tablet menu.
You can add your own macros to the Macros cell in the Properties pane. The
command labels in this area correspond to the 225 boxes at the top of your
tablet template (rows A through I and columns 1 through 25). You can add a
macro using standard command syntax. The following table shows the Click
mouse button properties as they appear in the Properties pane.

Properties for the Tablet Menu 1

Properties Description Example
pane item

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the tablet menu. Click TABLET1, TABLET1STD
the [ ] button to open the Aliases dialog box.
Each alias in the CUIx file should be unique and
it is used to reference the tablet menu program-
matically.

Rows Number of rows that can be customized for the 9

tablet menu.

Columns Number of columns that can be customized for 25

the tablet menu.

To define rows and columns in a tablet menu

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Legacy
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tablet Menus to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to a tablet menu to expand it.

5 Click the row that you want to define.

6 In the Command List pane, locate the command you want to add.

7 Drag the command to a column.

8 Click Apply.

Legacy Interface Elements | 273

 To clear a tablet menu assignment

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Legacy
to expand it.

3 Click the plus sign (+) next to Tablet Menus to expand it.

4 Click the plus sign (+) next to a tablet menu to expand it.

5 Right-click the row or column that you want to clear. Click Clear
Assignment.

6 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
TABLET
Calibrates, configures, and turns on and off an attached digitizing tablet.

Customize Tablet Buttons

To customize tablet buttons, you follow the same procedures as for customizing
mouse buttons.
Tablet buttons are the buttons that are found on the pointing device, also
known as a puck, used with a digitizer tablet. Pucks come in a variety of shapes,
sizes, and button configurations. You can customize all the buttons on a puck
except for the first button.
Some hardware manufacturers utilize a slightly different button layout from
one puck to another. One might start with the first button in the upper-left
corner and count across and down from 1 through F, while another might
start in the upper-left corner and have a different numbering scheme.

274 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 NOTE It is important to test your button assignments as they are assigned to
ensure the proper button is being mapped. You may need to refer to your owners
manual that came with your puck for how the buttons are laid out.

To customize tablet buttons, you follow the same procedures as for customizing
mouse buttons.
For more information about customizing tablet buttons, see Mouse Buttons
on page 270.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Create Image Tile Menus

The purpose of an image tile menu is to provide an image that can be selected
instead of text. You can create, edit, or add image tiles and image tile slides.
An image tile dialog box displays images in groups of 20, along with a scrolling
list box on the left that displays the associated slide file names or related text.
If an image tile dialog box contains more than 20 slides, the additional slides
are added to a new page. Next and Previous buttons are activated so that you
can browse the pages of images.
The following is an example of an image tile menu.

Legacy Interface Elements | 275

 You define an image tile menu in the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor.
The following table shows the properties for an image tile menu.

Properties for the Tiled Viewport Layout image tile menu

Properties Description Example
pane item

Name String that is used only in the CUI Editor and is Tiled Viewport Layout
not displayed in the user interface.

Descrip- Text that describes the element and does not

tion appear in the user interface.

Aliases Specifies the aliases for the image tile menu. image_vporti
Click the [ ] button to open the Aliases dialog
box. Each alias in the CUIx file should be unique
and it is used to reference the image tile menu
programmatically.

The following table shows the properties for an image tile slide.

Properties of the Four: Equal tile slide on the Tiled Viewport Layout image
tile menu
Properties Description Example
pane item

Name String displayed in the list box on the left side Four: Equal
of the image tile menu dialog box. The string
must include alphanumeric characters with no
punctuation other than a hyphen (-) or an un-
derscore (_).

Command The name of the command as it appears in the Tiled Viewports, Four:
Name Command List pane. Equal

Descrip- Text that describes the element; does not ap-

tion pear in the user interface.

Macro The command macro. It follows the standard ^C^C-vports 4

macro syntax.

Element ID Tag that uniquely identifies a command. MM_0427

276 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Properties of the Four: Equal tile slide on the Tiled Viewport Layout image
tile menu
Properties Description Example
pane item

Slide lib- A file that is made up of multiple slides and acadlt

rary created using the file slidelib.exe.

Slide label Name of a slide contained in the slide library vport-4

file or a slide image that is stored separately.

You can use any slide generated by AutoCAD LT as an image. Keep the
following suggestions in mind as you prepare slides for an image tile menu.

■ Keep the image simple. When an image tile menu is displayed, you must
wait for all images to be drawn before making a selection. If you show
numerous complex symbols, use simple, recognizable images rather than
full renditions.

■ Fill the box. When making a slide for an image, be sure to fill the screen
with the image before starting MSLIDE. If the image is very wide and short,
or long and thin, the image tile menu will look best if you use PAN to
center the image on the screen before making the slide.
Images are displayed with an aspect ratio of 3:2 (3 units wide by 2 units
high). If your drawing area has a different aspect ratio, it can be difficult
to produce image slides that are centered in the image tile menu. If you
work within a layout viewport that has an aspect ratio of 3:2, you can
position the image and be assured that it will look the same when it is
displayed in the image tile menu.

■ Remember the purpose of the images. Do not use images to encode abstract
concepts into symbols. Image tiles are useful primarily for selecting a
graphic symbol.

To create an image tile slide

1 In AutoCAD LT, draw the geometry that you want to appear in the slide.

2 Click View tab ➤ Navigate panel ➤ Zoom drop-down ➤ Center.

3 At the Command prompt, enter mslide.

4 In the Create Slide File dialog box, specify the file name.

5 Click Save, and add it to a slide library file if desired. You can associate
this image slide to a new image tile.

Legacy Interface Elements | 277

 To view an image tile slide
1 At the Command prompt, enter vslide.

2 In the Select Slide File dialog box, browse to and select the slide file you
want to view.

3 Click Open.
The slide file should be displayed in the drawing window. Perform a
Regen on the drawing to clear the slide file from the display.

To create an image tile slide library

1 Place all your slides in a single folder location that you want to add to a
slide library.

2 Click Start menu ➤ (All) Programs ➤ Accessories ➤ Command Prompt.

3 At the DOS prompt, enter CD <folder location of slides>.

As an example: CD “c:\slides”

4 While in the location of the slide files, enter dir *.sld /b > <file name>.
As an example: dir *.sld /b > “myslides”
A text file will be created with the names of the slide files contained in
the current folder.

5 With the text file created of all the slide files in the current folder, enter
<AutoCAD LT Install folder>\slidelib.exe <slide library file name> < <text
file with slide names>.
As an example: “C:\Program Files\AutoCAD LT
2011\slidelib.exe”“myslidelib” < “myslides”

6 When you finish, close the DOS window.

WARNING After you create the slide library, place the individual slide files in a
safe place so they do not accidently get deleted. This is important if you need to
rebuild the slide library one day.

To create an image tile menu and assign an image tile slide

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

278 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Legacy
to expand the list.

3 In the Legacy list, right-click Image Tile Menu. Click New Image Tile
Menu.
A new image tile menu (named ImageTileMenu1) is placed at the bottom
of the Image Tile Menus tree.

4 Do one of the following:

■ Enter a new name over the default name ImageTileMenu1.

■ Right-click ImageTileMenu1. Click Rename. Then, enter a new image

tile name.

■ Click ImageTileMenu1, wait, and click again over the image tile’s
name again to edit its name in-place.

5 In the Command List pane, drag a command to the new image tile menu
in the Customizations In <file name> pane.

6 In the Properties pane, enter the properties for the new image tile slide
as follows:
■ In the Name box, enter the text to display in the list box for the image
tile.

■ In the Description box, enter a description for the image tile.

■ In the Slide library box, enter the name of the image tile slide library
that contains the slide for the image tile. The image tile slide library
must be in one of the folders that defines the Support File Search Path.
If you do not have a slide library, but rather an image tile slide file,
you enter its name in the image tile slide library box.

■ In the Slide label box, enter the name of the image tile slide file
contained in the image tile slide library listed in the Slide library box.

7 Click Apply.

Legacy Interface Elements | 279

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
MSLIDE
Creates a slide file of the current model viewport or the current layout.
VSLIDE
Displays an image slide file in the current viewport.

Customize Workspaces
You can customize workspaces to create a drawing environment that displays
only those commands on the Quick Access toolbar, toolbars, menus, ribbon
tabs, and palettes that you select.

Overview of Workspace Customization

Customization options for workspaces include creating a workspace using the
Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, changing the properties of a workspace,
and displaying a toolbar in all workspaces.

Create or Modify a Workspace Outside the Customize User Interface Editor

The easiest way to create or modify user interface elements in a workspace is
by customizing them in the application window. From the application window,
you can control the display and appearance of several of the most commonly
used user interface elements.
Once you customize the workspace, you can save the changes to an existing
or new workspace using the WSSAVE command. Once saved, you can access
the workspace any time you need to draw within that workspace environment.
For more information about customizing workspaces without the Customize
User Interface Editor, see Control User Interface Elements Outside the CUI
Editor on page 293.

Create or Modify a Workspace Using the Customize User Interface Editor

In the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, you can create or modify
workspaces with precise properties associated with the application and drawing

280 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

windows, and user interface elements (Quick Access toolbar, toolbars, menus,
ribbon tabs, and palettes).
You customize a workspace by selecting a workspace from the Workspaces
node in the Customizations In pane. The Workspace Contents and Properties
panes are displayed. To modify a workspace, you click the Customize
Workspace button in the Workspace Contents pane.

For more information about customizing workspaces with the Customize User
Interface Editor, see Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor on
page 296.
After you click Customize Workspace in the Workspace Contents pane, the
Customizations In <file name> pane lists the user interface elements that can
be added to the workspace that is currently being modified. Check boxes are
displayed next to each user interface element in the loaded CUIx files. You
use the check boxes to add or remove user interface elements from a workspace.

Overview of Workspace Customization | 281

 Change the Properties of a Workspace
In the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor, you can define workspace
properties, such as the workspace name, description, whether the Model or
layout tab is displayed or not, and so on. The following table shows the
AutoCAD LT Classic workspace properties as they appear in the Properties
pane.

Properties for the AutoCAD LT Classic Workspace

Properties Pane Description Example
Item

Name String displayed in the drop-down box on the Work- AutoCAD LT Classic
spaces toolbar, at the command prompt for the
WORKSPACE command, under the Workspaces menu
item in the Tools menu, and in the CUI Editor.

Description Text that describes the workspace; does not appear in

the user interface.

Start On Determines if the Model tab, last active layout tab, or Model
the current active tab in the drawing is displayed when
the workspace is restored or set current.

Menu bars Determines if the menu bar is displayed or not when On

the workspace is restored or set current.

Status bars Determines if the status bars for the drawing window Application only
or application are displayed or not when the workspace
is restored or set current. The available options are
Application Only, All Off, All On, or Drawing Status Bar
Only.

Model/Layout tabs Determines if the Model/layout tabs are visible or not On

in the drawing window when the workspace is restored
or set current.

Scroll bars Determines if the scroll bars are visible or not when the On
workspace is restored or set current.

Import a Workspace to a Main CUIx File

You can import a workspace to the main CUIx file using the Transfer tab of
the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor. Workspaces in partially loaded

282 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

CUIx files must be transferred to the main CUIx file if you want to set that
workspace current.

Set the Default Workspace

Workspaces in a CUIx file can be marked as default. This identifies which
workspace in the CUIx file should be restored when the CUIx file is loaded
into the program the first time, or after the CUIx file has been loaded with
the CUILOAD command.

Set a Workspace Current

Once a workspace is created or modified, it must be set current before the
workspace can be used to control the current display of the user interface.
You set workspaces current through the user interface or the Customize User
Interface (CUI) Editor. From the user interface, you can set a workspace current
with the Workspaces toolbar, Workspace Switching button on the status bar,
Tools menu on the menu bar, and the WORKSPACE command.
You can also use the /w command line switch to set a workspace current when
you double-click the desktop shortcut to start AutoCAD LT. For more
information about command line switches, see Customize Startup in the User’s
Guide.

To create a workspace using the CUI Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, right-click the Workspaces tree node,
and select New Workspace.

A new, empty workspace (named Workspace1) is placed at the bottom

of the Workspaces tree node.

Overview of Workspace Customization | 283

 3 Do one of the following to rename the workspace:
■ Enter a new name over the default name Workspace1.

■ Right-click Workspace1. Click Rename. Then, enter a new workspace

name.

■ Click Workspace1, wait, and click again over the workspace’s name
again to edit its name in-place.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Customize Workspace.

5 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
the tree nodes to expand them.

NOTE The Quick Access toolbars, ribbon tabs, toolbars, menus, and partial
CUIx file nodes now display check boxes next to them so you can easily add
elements to the workspace.

6 Click the check box next to each user interface element that you want
to add to the workspace.

The selected user interface elements are added to the workspace.

7 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Done.

284 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 8 Click Apply.

To save or create a workspace from the user interface

Do one of the following:
■ To save a workspace from the Workspaces toolbar
1 Right-click over one of the visible toolbars that is currently displayed
in the user interface and click Workspaces.

A check mark is displayed to the left of any toolbar that is currently

displayed.

2 On the Workspaces toolbar, click the drop-down list and select Save
Current As.

3 In the Save Workspace dialog box, Name box, enter a name to create
a new workspace or select an existing workspace from the drop-down
list to overwrite it.

Overview of Workspace Customization | 285

 4 Click Save to create or modify the workspace.

■ To save a workspace from the status bar

1 On the status bar, click Workspace Switching. Then click Save Current
As.

2 In the Save Workspace dialog box, Name box, enter a name to create
a new workspace or select an existing workspace from the drop-down
list to overwrite it.

3 Click Save to create or modify the workspace.

NOTE You can also save a workspace from the Quick Access toolbar.

To change the properties of a workspace

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the workspace whose properties
you want to change.

286 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 3 In the Properties pane, do any of the following:
■ In the Name box, enter a name for the workspace.

■ In the Description box, enter a description.

■ In the Start On box, select an option (Model, Layout, Do Not Change).

■ In the Menu Bar box, select an option (Off, On).

■ In the Status Bar box, select an option (Application Only, All Off, All
On, Drawing Status Bar Only).

■ In the Model/Layout Tab box, select an option (On, Off, Do Not

Change).

■ In the Scroll Bars box, select an option (On, Off, Do Not Change).

4 Click Apply.

To duplicate a workspace

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
Workspaces to expand it.

3 Right-click the workspace you want to duplicate. Click Duplicate.

Overview of Workspace Customization | 287

 A duplicate of the workspace (named Copy of <workspace name>) is placed
at the bottom of the Workspaces tree node).

4 Do one of the following to rename the duplicate workspace:

■ Enter a new name over the default name Copy Of <workspace name>.

■ Right-click Copy Of <workspace name>. Click Rename. Enter a new

name for the workspace.

■ Click Copy Of <workspace name>, wait, and click again over the
workspace’s name again to edit its name in-place.

5 Modify the workspace as necessary.

6 Click Apply.

To set a workspace current from the user interface

Do one of the following:
■ To set a workspace current from the Workspaces toolbar
■ On the Workspaces toolbar, click the drop-down list and select the
workspace you want to set current.

If the Workspaces toolbar is not displayed, right-click over one of the

visible toolbars that is currently displayed in the user interface and
click Workspaces.

288 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

■ To set a workspace current from the status bar
■ On the status bar, click Workspace Switching. Then click the workspace
you want to set current

NOTE You can also set a workspace from the Quick Access toolbar.

■ To set a workspace current from the Tools menu on the menu bar
■ On the menu bar, click Tools menu ➤ Workspaces ➤ select the
workspace you want to set current.

To set a workspace current from the CUI Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
Workspaces to expand it.

3 Right-click the workspace you want to set current. Click Set Current.

Overview of Workspace Customization | 289

 4 Click Apply.

To restore the “classic” workspace

■ From the status bar, click Workspace Switching. Click AutoCAD LT Classic.

To set a workspace as default

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
Workspaces to expand it.

3 Right-click the workspace you want to set as default. Click Set Default.

4 Click Apply.

To restore a workspace with a command line switch

1 Right-click the program icon on the Windows desktop. Click Properties.

290 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 2 In the AutoCAD LT Properties dialog box, Shortcut tab, in the Target box,
edit the parameters for the switch using the following syntax:
“drive:\pathname\acadlt.exe” [/switch “name”]
For Example, enter “d:\AutoCAD LT 2011\acadlt.exe” /w “MyWorkspace”

3 Click OK.

To import a workspace to a main CUIx file

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

The Transfer tab is displayed, with the main CUIx file displayed in the
Customizations In <file name> pane (left side).

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Transfer tab, in the Customizations

In <file name> pane (right side), click the Open Customization File button.

Overview of Workspace Customization | 291

 3 In the Open dialog box, locate and select the customization file that
contains the workspace you want to add to the main CUIx file.

4 In the Customizations In <file name> pane (right side), drag the workspace
from the CUIx file to the Workspaces node of the main CUIx file in the
Customizations In <file name> pane (left side).

5 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.
CUIIMPORT
Imports customized settings from an enterprise or partial CUIx file to the
main CUIx file.

292 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.
WORKSPACE
Creates, modifies, and saves workspaces and makes a workspace current.
WSSAVE
Saves a workspace.

System Variables
WSCURRENT
Returns the current workspace name at the Command prompt and sets a
workspace to current.

Control User Interface Elements Outside the CUI Editor

Workspaces can be created and modified from the user interface with some
limitations.
With the CUI Editor, you can customize the following user interface elements
with a workspace:

■ Quick Access toolbar

■ Ribbon tabs

■ Toolbars

■ Palettes

Control the Display of the Quick Access Toolbar

Customization of the Quick Access toolbar outside the Customize User Interface
Editor is limited to controlling the placement of the Quick Access toolbar in
relation to the ribbon, and adding or removing commands. To place and
customize the Quick Access toolbar, you right-click the Quick Access toolbar
or click the Customize button located on the far right end of the Quick Access
toolbar.

Control User Interface Elements Outside the CUI Editor | 293

 The Customize button displays a menu where you add or remove the
commands currently assigned to the Quick Access toolbar. You can also add
buttons on the ribbon to the Quick Access toolbar. With the CUI Editor, you
can create new Quick Access toolbars, which you can assign to a workspace.
To create a new Quick Access toolbar, see Quick Access Toolbars on page 142.

Control the Display of the Ribbon Panels and Tabs on the Ribbon
You can control the display of ribbon panels and tabs from the ribbon shortcut
menu. You can display one of the ribbon tabs assigned to the current workspace
or one of the ribbon panels assigned to the active ribbon tab. To control which
ribbon tabs and panels are assigned to the current workspace, see Control User
Interface Elements in the CUI Editor on page 296.

Control the Display of Toolbars

You can display toolbars with the toolbar shortcut menu and the Tools menu
on the menu bar. You select the toolbar you want to display. On the Tools
menu, the Toolbars submenu contains all the toolbars in the loaded CUIx
files.
With the CUI Editor, you can create new toolbars, which can be assigned to
and displayed with a workspace. Along with creating new toolbars, you can
also modify existing toolbars to display the commands you frequently use.
For information about creating and modifying toolbars, see Create and Edit
Toolbars on page 190.

Control the Display of Palettes

Palettes are displayed using the ribbon, the Tools menu on the menu bar, or
by entering a command. Once a palette is displayed, you can control many
of the visual aspects of a palette from the application window. You can specify
the position, size, transparency, and docking of a palette. For information
about controlling the display of a palette, see Specify the Behavior of Dockable
Windows in the User’s Guide.

See also:

■ Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor on page 296

■ To display the Quick Access toolbar above or below the ribbon from the
user interface on page 295 (Procedure)

■ To display toolbars from the user interface on page 295 (Procedure)

294 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

■ To control the display of ribbon tabs and panels on the ribbon from the
user interface on page 295 (Procedure)

■ To display palettes from the user interface on page 295 (Procedure)

To display the Quick Access toolbar above or below the ribbon from the user
interface
1 Right-click on the Quick Access toolbar.

2 Do one of the following:

■ Click Show Quick Access Toolbar Below the Ribbon to display the
Quick Access toolbar below the ribbon.

■ Click Show Quick Access Toolbar Above the Ribbon to display the
Quick Access toolbar above the ribbon.

To display toolbars from the user interface

Do one of the following:
■ On the menu bar, click Tools menu ➤ Toolbars, and click one of the listed
toolbars.
If the menu bar is not displayed, on the Quick Access toolbar, click the
Customize button. Click Show Menu Bar.

■ Right-click a visible toolbar, and click one of the listed toolbars.

To control the display of ribbon tabs and panels on the ribbon from the user
interface
1 Right-click on the ribbon.

2 Do one of the following:

■ Click Tabs, and click the ribbon tab to display or hide.

■ Click Panels, and click the ribbon panel to display or hide.

To display palettes from the user interface

Do one of the following:
■ On the ribbon, View tab ➤ Palettes panel, and click the buttons to display
the desired palette.

Control User Interface Elements Outside the CUI Editor | 295

 ■ On the menu bar, click Tools menu ➤ Palettes, and click the desired
palette.

■ At the Command prompt, enter the command to display the desired

palette and press Enter.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

System Variables
MENUBAR

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor

The Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor provides a wide range of options
to create and modify all the content that can be displayed with a workspaces.
With the CUI Editor, you can customize the following user interface elements
with a workspace:

■ Application and drawing windows

■ Quick Access toolbar

■ Ribbon tabs

■ Toolbars

■ Menus

■ Palettes

Control the Display of User Interface Elements on the Application and

Drawing Windows
Workspaces control the display of user interface elements such as toolbars
and the menu bar. While a workspace primarily provides toolbars, menus,
ribbon tabs, and palettes, you can also use a workspace to control user interface

296 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

elements for the application and drawing windows. A workspace can control
the following:

■ Which layout tab is set current when a drawing is opened

■ Display of the menu bar

■ Display of the application and drawing status bars

■ If layout tabs are displayed along the bottom of the drawing window.

■ Display of the legacy screen menu

■ Display of scroll bars in the drawing window

Control the Display of the Quick Access Toolbar

The Quick Access toolbar that is displayed on the application window is
controlled by the current workspace. While a workspace does not directly
control which commands are displayed on the Quick Access toolbar, it does
control which Quick Access toolbar in the loaded CUIx files is displayed. For
information about creating and editing Quick Access toolbars, see Quick Access
Toolbars on page 142.

Control the Display of Ribbon Tabs and Panels on the Ribbon

The display and order of ribbon tabs and panels on the ribbon are controlled
through workspaces. You add and specify the order of ribbon tabs and their
associated panels in the Workspace Contents pane. You add ribbon panels to
a ribbon tab through the Customizations In <file name> pane.
After you assign ribbon tabs to a workspace, you can control the default display
and behavior of both ribbon tabs and panels through the Properties pane.
From the Properties pane, you can set the Tool Palette Group for a ribbon tab
and orientation and resize order for a ribbon panel. For information about
creating and editing ribbon content, see Ribbon on page 148 under Customize
User Interface Elements on page 139.

Control the Display of Toolbars

You can control which toolbars are displayed and how they are positioned in
the application window (if they are floating or docked, and where they are in
the application window). You add the toolbars through the Workspace
Contents pane, and control the appearance of the toolbars in the Properties
pane. For information about creating and editing toolbars, see Toolbars on
page 190 under Customize User Interface Elements on page 139.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 297

 Control the Display of Menus on the Menu Bar
Menus and the order in which they are displayed on the menu bar can only
be controlled through the Workspace Contents pane. By default the menu
bar is not displayed when the ribbon is. Set the system variable MENUBAR to
1 to display the menu bar above the ribbon. You can also set the Menu Bar
property for a workspace to On to display the menu bar each time a workspace
is set current. For information about creating and editing pull-down menus,
see Pull-down and Shortcut Menus on page 212 under Customize User Interface
Elements on page 139.

Control the Display of Palettes

You set up a workspace to control the display, position, and appearance of
palettes in the application window. They can be floating or docked. Unlike
ribbon panels, ribbon tabs, and menus, palettes are available in any workspace.
You can turn palettes on or off with a workspace. The display properties of
palettes are modified through the Workspace Contents and Properties pane.
For information about controlling palettes with workspaces, see Control the
Appearance of Palettes on page 312.

See also:

■ To display a Quick Access toolbar on page 299 (Procedure)

■ To display the Quick Access toolbar above or below the ribbon from the
CUI Editor on page 300 (Procedure)

■ To display ribbon tabs from the CUI Editor on page 301 (Procedure)

■ To reposition a ribbon tab on the ribbon on page 302 (Procedure)

■ To reposition a ribbon panel on a ribbon tab on page 303 (Procedure)

■ To control the display of ribbon tabs on the ribbon on page 304 (Procedure)

■ To control the display of ribbon panels for a ribbon tab on page 304
(Procedure)

■ To associate a tool palette group with a ribbon tab on page 305 (Procedure)

■ To display toolbars using the CUI Editor on page 306 (Procedure)

■ To change the properties of a toolbar on page 307 (Procedure)

■ To display menus on the menu bar on page 308 (Procedure)

298 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

■ To reposition menus on the menu bar on page 310 (Procedure)

■ To display a palette using the CUI Editor on page 311 (Procedure)

To display a Quick Access toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Customize Workspace.

5 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
the Quick Access Toolbars tree node or Partial Customization Files tree
node to expand it.

6 Click the check box next to the Quick Access toolbar to add it to the
workspace.

7 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Done.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 299

 NOTE Make sure to set the workspace current to ensure the changes are
displayed.

8 Click Apply.

To display the Quick Access toolbar above or below the ribbon from the CUI
Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the Quick Access Toolbar tree
node.

5 In the Properties pane, click the Orientation box and select Above or
Below from the drop-down list.
Above displays the Quick Access Toolbar above the ribbon, while below
sets the Quick Access Toolbar below the ribbon.

6 Click Apply.

300 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

To display ribbon tabs from the CUI Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Customize Workspace.

5 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
the Ribbon Tabs tree node or Partial Customization Files tree node to
expand it.

6 Click the check box next to each ribbon tab that you want to add to the
workspace.

In the Workspace Contents pane, the selected elements are added to the
workspace.

7 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Done.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 301

 NOTE Make sure to set the workspace current to ensure the changes are
displayed.

8 Click Apply.

To reposition a ribbon tab on the ribbon

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that has the ribbon tab you want to reposition.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Ribbon
Tabs tree node to expand it.

5 Drag the ribbon tab into the new location.

A splitter bar shows the new location for the ribbon tab.

302 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 6 Once the splitter bar is in the place where you want to insert the ribbon
tab, release the pointing device button.

NOTE Make sure to set the workspace as current to ensure the changes are
displayed.

7 Click Apply.

To reposition a ribbon panel on a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Ribbon
Tabs tree node to expand it.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon tab with the ribbon panel that
you want to reposition to expand it.

6 Drag the ribbon panel into the new location.

A splitter bar shows the new location for the ribbon panel.

7 Once the splitter bar is in the place where you want to insert the ribbon
panel, release the pointing device button.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 303

 NOTE Make sure to set the workspace as current to ensure the changes are
displayed.

8 Click Apply.

To control the display of ribbon tabs on the ribbon

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that has the ribbon tab you want to change.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Ribbon
Tabs tree node to expand it.

5 Select the ribbon tab that you want to change.

6 In the Properties pane, do any of the following:

■ In the Show box, select an option (Yes or No).

■ In the ToolPalette Group box, select one of the listed tool palette
groups.

7 Click Apply.

To control the display of ribbon panels for a ribbon tab

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that has the ribbon tab for which you want to change
the properties of the ribbon panels.

304 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Ribbon
Tabs tree node to expand it.

5 Click the plus sign (+) next to the ribbon tab for which you want to
change the properties of the ribbon panels.

6 Select the ribbon panel that you want to change.

7 In the Properties pane, do any of the following:

■ In the Show box, select an option (Yes or No).

■ In the Orientation box, select an option (Docked or Floating).

8 Click Apply.

To associate a tool palette group with a ribbon tab

1 At the Command prompt, enter toolpalettes.

2 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

3 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

4 Select the workspace that has the ribbon tab for which you want to assign
a tool palette group.

5 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Ribbon
Tabs node to expand it.

6 Select the ribbon tab that you want to assign a tool palette group.

7 In the Properties pane, in the ToolPalette Group box, click the down
arrow and select the tool palette group you want to assign to the ribbon
tab.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 305

 NOTE The Tool Palettes window must be displayed before you can assign a
tool palette group to a ribbon tab.

8 Click Apply.

To display toolbars using the CUI Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces tree node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Customize Workspace.

5 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
the Toolbars tree node, or Partial Customization Files tree node to expand
it.

6 Click the check box next to each toolbar that you want to add to the
workspace.

306 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 In the Workspace Contents pane, the selected elements are added to the
workspace.

7 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Done.

NOTE Make sure to set the workspace current to ensure the changes are
displayed.

8 Click Apply.

To change the properties of a toolbar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the workspace that contains
the toolbar you want to modify.

3 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Toolbars tree node to expand it.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 307

 4 Select the toolbar that you want to modify.

5 In the Properties pane, do any of the following:

■ In the Orientation box, select an option (Floating, Top, Bottom, Left,
or Right).

■ In the Default X Location box, enter a number. A value of 0 starts the

location of the toolbar at the left edge of the screen, as the number
increases the further from the left the toolbar is placed. (Available
only if Orientation is set to Floating.)

■ In the Default Y Location box, enter a number. A value of 0 starts the

location of the toolbar at the top edge of the screen, as the number
increases the further from the top the toolbar is placed. (Available
only if Orientation is set to Floating.)

■ In the Rows box, enter a number. Enter a number to have the buttons
on the toolbar wrap around to create the number of rows if possible.
0 is the default value. (Available only if Orientation is set to Floating.)

6 Click Apply.

To display menus on the menu bar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

308 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the
Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Customize Workspace.

5 In the Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to
the Menus tree node, or Partial Customization Files tree node to expand
it.

6 Click the check box next to each menu that you want to add to the
workspace.

In the Workspace Contents pane, the selected elements are added to the
workspace.

7 In the Workspace Contents pane, click Done.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 309

 NOTE Make sure to set the workspace current to ensure the changes are
displayed.

8 Click Apply.

To reposition menus on the menu bar

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the Menus
node to expand it.

5 Drag the pull-down menu into the new location.

A splitter bar shows the new location for the pull-down menu.

6 Once the splitter bar is in the place where you want to insert the menu,
release the pointing device button.

310 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 NOTE Make sure to set the workspace current to ensure the changes are
displayed.

7 Click Apply.

To display a palette using the CUI Editor

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Workspaces node to expand it.

3 Select the workspace that you want to modify.

4 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to the
Palettes node to expand it.

Control User Interface Elements in the CUI Editor | 311

 5 Select the palette you want to display.

6 In the Properties pane, under Appearance, Show box, click the drop-down
list and select Show.

7 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Control the Appearance of Palettes

You can use workspaces to control the display and appearance of palettes.
Many windows, known as palettes, can be set to be docked, anchored, or
floated in t6he application window. You can define the size, location, or
appearance of these windows by changing their properties in the Workspace
Contents pane of the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor. These dockable
windows include:

■ Command Line
■ DesignCenter
■ External References
■ Layer Properties Manager
■ Markup Set Manager
■ Properties
■ QuickCalc
■ Ribbon
■ Tool Palette

312 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 The following table shows the properties as they appear in the Properties pane
for a palette in the CUI Editor and as an example, the default values of the
Tool Palettes window in the AutoCAD LT Classic workspace.

Properties for the Tool Palettes window under the AutoCAD LT Classic workspace
Properties pane Description Example
item

Show Visibility state of the palette. The available options are Yes
No, Yes, or Do Not Change. Do Not Change keeps the
last used state of the palette when the workspace is
restored or set current.

Orientation The on screen docking or floating state of the palette. Floating

The available options are Floating, Top, Bottom, Left,
Right, or Do Not Change. Do Not Change keeps the
last used state of the palette when the workspace is
restored or set current. Some palettes like the Com-
mand Line also support a dock location of Top and
Bottom.

Allow Docking Controls if the user can dock the palette by dragging Yes
it to one of the designated docking areas. The available
options are No, Yes, or Do Not Change. Do Not
Change maintains the last used setting for the palette
when the workspace is restored or set current.

Auto Hide Controls if the palette rolls up when not in use. The Off
available options are On, Off, or Do Not Change. Do
Not Change maintains the last used setting for the
palette when the workspace is restored or set current.

Use Transparency Controls if the palette appears transparent. The avail- No

able options are No, Yes, or Do Not Change. Do Not
Change maintains the last used setting for the palette
when the workspace is restored or set current.

Transparency Amount Controls how opaque the palette is displayed. The 0

valid range is 0 through 100.

Default Group Controls which of the user defined palette groups All Palettes
should be displayed.

Control the Appearance of Palettes | 313

Properties for the Tool Palettes window under the AutoCAD LT Classic workspace
Properties pane Description Example
item

Height Determines how tall the palette is when it is floating. 598

Width Determines how wide the palette is when it is floating. 172

See also:

■ To change the properties of a palette on page 314 (Procedure)

To change the properties of a palette

1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ User Interface.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Customize tab, in the

Customizations In <file name> pane, click the workspace that contains
the palette you want to modify.

3 In the Workspace Contents pane, click the plus sign (+) next to Palettes
to expand the list.

4 Click the palette that you want to modify.

5 In the Properties pane, do any or all of the following:

■ In the Show box, select an option (No, Yes, or Do Not Change).

314 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 ■ In the Orientation box, select an option (Floating, Top, Bottom, Left,
or Right).

■ In the Allow Docking box, select an option (No, Yes, or Do Not

Change).

NOTE To specify that a window should be anchored, set Orientation to

Left, Right, Top, or Bottom, and set Auto Hide to On.

■ In the Auto Hide box, select an option (On, Off, or Do Not Change).

■ In the Use Transparency box, select an option (No, Yes, or Do Not

Change).

■ In the Transparency Amount box, enter a number (if applicable).

■ In the Default Group box, select a Tool Palette group (Tool Palettes
window only).

■ In the Height box, enter a number. A value of 0 is equivalent to Do

Not Change.

■ In the Width box, enter a number. A value of 0 is equivalent to Do

Not Change.

6 Click Apply.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.

Control the Appearance of Palettes | 315

Transfer and Migrate Customization
You can transfer and migrate data from a customization or menu file from an
earlier release using the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor and the Migrate
Custom Settings dialog box.

Transfer Customization
The Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor can be used to transfer data in a
CUI, MNU, or MNS file to a CUIx file without modifying the original
customization or menu file. The new customization file that is created has
the same name as the original file, but with a .cuix extension.
You can also transfer customization information between files. For example,
you can transfer toolbars from a partial CUIx file to the main CUIx file so that
the program can display the toolbar information. In addition, you can move
customizations from the main CUIx file to partial CUIx files, or from a partial
CUIx file to another partial CUIx file.

NOTE All elements can be transferred between two CUIx files with the exception
of the property settings defined under the Quick Properties and Rollover Tooltips
nodes.

If you transfer user interface elements that reference other user interface
elements, such as a flyout, all the relevant information for that interface
element is also transferred. For example, if you transfer the Draw toolbar,
which references the Insert toolbar, the Insert toolbar is also transferred.

NOTE Button images may not appear in the program when you transfer a toolbar,
pull-down menu, or ribbon panel from a CUIx file. If the images are loaded from
an image file, those images must reside in a folder that is defined in the Options
dialog box, Files tab under Support File Search Path or Custom Icon Location. If
the images come from a third-party resource DLL, contact the party who created
the resource DLL.

The following is an example of the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor,

Transfer tab. You use this tab to transfer user interface customization.

316 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Migrate Customization
As you make changes to the customization in a CUIx file, the changes are
automatically tracked. The tracked changes are used when migrating
customization from release to release with the Migrate Custom Settings dialog
box. In the Migrate Custom Settings dialog box, you can migrate any changes
made to the standard CUIx files that come with the program with the new
shipping versions of the files with the same name. You can avoid manually
migrating customization, which might result in the loss of customization.

NOTE The Migrate Custom Settings dialog box can be used to migrate user
interface customization from previous releases. To access the Migrate Custom
Settings dialog box, click Start menu (Windows) ➤ All Programs (or Programs)
➤ Autodesk ➤ AutoCAD LT 2011 ➤ Migrate Custom Settings.

Transfer and Migrate Customization | 317

 To transfer customizations
1 Click Manage tab ➤ Customization panel ➤ Import Customizations.

2 In the Customize User Interface Editor, Transfer tab, in the left pane,
click the Open Customization File button.

3 In the Open dialog box, locate the customization file (MNU, MNS, CUI,
or CUIx) from which you want to import customizations, and select it.
Click Open.

4 In the right pane, click the Open Customization File button.

5 In the Open dialog box, locate the customization file (MNU, MNS, CUI,
or CUIx) to which you want to export customizations, and select it. Click
Open.

6 In the left pane, click the plus sign (+) next to an interface element node
to expand it. Expand the corresponding node in the right pane.

7 Drag interface elements from the right pane to the appropriate location
in the left pane.

NOTE Interface elements can be dragged in either direction, from the left
to the right pane or the right to the left pane.

8 Click Apply.

318 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

 Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.
CUIIMPORT
Imports customized settings from an enterprise or partial CUIx file to the
main CUIx file.

Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor FAQs

FAQs will help you to find answers to some of the most commonly asked
questions about using the Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor.

Migrating/Upgrading

How do I get my menu customization from a previous release to work in the

new release?
In past releases this had to be done through a text editor, such as Notepad.
With the CUI Editor, you use the Transfer tab to browse and select your
MNS/MNU, CUI, or CUIx file that contains your menu customization. Once
the previous customization file has been selected, you drag the user interface
elements between two CUIx files. See To transfer customizations on page 318
for more information.

Commands

How do I create a new command and add it to a user interface element, such
as a pull-down menu?
Commands are created and managed through the Command List pane located
in the lower-left corner of the Customize tab of the CUI Editor. See To create
a command on page 95 for more information.
Once the command has been created, it can be added to or used to create a
number of different user interface elements. To add the command to a menu

Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor FAQs | 319

 for example, expand the menu under the Menus node in the Customizations
In <file name> pane that you want to add the command to and then drag the
command under the menu. See To create a pull-down menu on page 214 for
more information.

Menus

Why doesn’t my menu display on the menu bar?

Workspaces are used to control the display of menus on the menu bar. See To
display menus on the menu bar on page 308 for more information.

How do I change the order of a pull-down menu?

Workspaces are used to control the positioning of menus on the menu bar.
See To reposition menus on the menu bar on page 310 for more information.

Toolbars

Why do my toolbars not stay in the same place after I close and restart
AutoCAD LT 2011?
This happens because of the way menus are loaded into AutoCAD LT at startup.
This problem only happens when partial and enterprise CUIx files are used.
To resolve this problem, you can use the new /w command line switch. This
causes AutoCAD LT 2011 to re-initialize the workspace upon startup and place
the toolbars in their correct locations. See To restore a workspace with a
command line switch on page 290 for more information.

Why do my icons on a toolbar display as a cloud with a question mark after

I migrate them using the Transfer tab in the CUI Editor?
This happens because the images for the custom icons are not located in the
AutoCAD LT support file paths. Locate the images using Windows Explorer
and add the images location to the Support File Search Path node under the
Files tab of the Options dialog box, or copy them into the folder:
(Windows XP) <drive>:\Documents and Settings\<user profile name>\Application
Data\Autodesk\<product name>\<release number>\<language>\Support\Icons
(Windows Vista) <drive>:\Users\<user profile name>\AppData\Autodesk\<product
name>\<release number>\<language>\Support\Icons

320 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

Why does my toolbar flyout not work?
A flyout might not work for a few different reasons. There might not be any
commands currently assigned to the toolbar that it is referencing or a control
is part of the toolbar that is being referenced for the toolbar flyout. Launch
the CUI Editor and verify that there are commands on the toolbar that is being
referenced and if there are, make sure there are no controls on the toolbar
such as the Layer list control.

Why do I get an AutoCAD LT message box when I try to use a toolbar flyout?
The AutoCAD LT message box is displayed because the toolbar that is being
referenced for the toolbar flyout is not found. AutoCAD LT can’t find the
toolbar because it no longer exists, is not currently loaded because the partial
CUIx file it is in is not loaded, or the alias for the toolbar has been changed.
Launch the CUI Editor and select the flyout on the toolbar that currently is
not working properly. In the Properties pane look at the Source Toolbar
property. Use the Find option to look for a toolbar element with an alias that
matches the text string in the Source Toolbar property of the flyout that does
not work. If one is not located, remove the flyout from the toolbar and drag
the toolbar that you want to reference as a flyout on the toolbar. Close the
CUI Editor. The flyout should now work correctly once again.

Double Click Actions

When I double-click an object nothing happens. Why is this happening?

There are a few different reasons why when double-clicking on an object in
the drawing nothing happens. The first and most common problem is with
the system variable PICKFIRST is set to 0. PICKFIRST must be set to a value of
1 in order for double-click editing to work. The next possible solution is that
double-click editing has been disabled. Double-click editing is controlled by
the system variable DBLCLKEDIT. If it is set to 0 it is currently turned off.
DBLCLKEDIT should be set to 1.

Workspaces

Why do my changes not appear after I click Apply?

This happens because the workspace that you made changes to is not the
current workspace. To resolve this problem, you need to set the workspace
current and then when changes are applied they will appear. See To set a
workspace current from the CUI Editor on page 289 for more information.

Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor FAQs | 321

 Enterprise CUIx Files

How do I edit an enterprise CUIx file if it is read-only in the CUI Editor?

An enterprise CUIx file can only be edited when it is loaded as the main CUIx
file or as a partial CUIx file to the main CUIx file. It is recommended that you
load it as the main CUIx file when you need to make edits. If you are creating
a workspace that needs to include user interface elements from the CUIx file
that is normally designated as the main CUIx file, load the main CUIx file as
the enterprise CUIx file. Make edits to the enterprise CUIx file. See To modify
an enterprise CUIx file on page 84 for more information.

Quick Reference

Commands
CUI
Manages the customized user interface elements in the product.
CUIEXPORT
Exports customized settings from the main CUIx file to an enterprise or
partial CUIx file.
CUIIMPORT
Imports customized settings from an enterprise or partial CUIx file to the
main CUIx file.
CUILOAD
Loads a CUIx file.
CUIUNLOAD
Unloads a CUIx file.
OPTIONS
Customizes the program settings.
QUICKCUI
Displays the Customize User Interface Editor in a collapsed state.
WORKSPACE
Creates, modifies, and saves workspaces and makes a workspace current.

322 | Chapter 4 User Interface Customization

System Variables
WSCURRENT
Returns the current workspace name at the Command prompt and sets a
workspace to current.

Customize User Interface (CUI) Editor FAQs | 323

324
DIESEL
5
You can use DIESEL (Direct Interpretively Evaluated String Expression Language) to alter the
AutoCAD LT® status line through the MODEMACRO system variable. You can also use DIESEL
in menu items as a macro language instead of AutoLISP®. DIESEL expressions accept strings
and generate string results.

Customize the Status Line

You can use the MODEMACRO system variable to display information on the
status line.

Overview of the MODEMACRO System Variable

The status line can provide the user with important information without
interrupting the work flow. The MODEMACRO system variable controls the
user-defined area on the status line. The calculated value of the MODEMACRO
system variable is displayed in a left-aligned panel in the status bar at the bottom
®
of the AutoCAD LT window. This variable is set to the null string when you
start AutoCAD LT. Its value is not saved in the drawing, the configuration file,
or anywhere else.
The number of characters displayed on the status line is limited only by the size
of the AutoCAD LT window (and your monitor). The default panels move to
the right as the content of the MODEMACRO panel grows. It is possible to push
the default panels completely off the screen (if you want to).
You can use the MODEMACRO system variable to display, in the status line,
most data known to AutoCAD LT. With its calculation, decision, and editing
facilities you can compose the status line to your precise specifications.
MODEMACRO is a user-string variable. It can be set to any string value. The
maximum string value is 4095 characters. You can set MODEMACRO with

325
 SETVAR or by entering modemacro at the command prompt. If you modify
the MODEMACRO setting, you can experiment with various status line formats;
however, the maximum number of characters you can enter in this manner
is 255.
If you set MODEMACRO to the null string by entering a period (.), AutoCAD
LT displays the standard status line.

Quick Reference

Commands
SETVAR
Lists or changes the values of system variables.

System Variables
MODEMACRO
Displays a text string on the status line, such as the name of the current
drawing, time/date stamp, or special modes.

Set MODEMACRO Values

You can use text strings and DIESEL to display messages in the user-defined
section of the status line.
The value of MODEMACRO determines what is displayed in the mode status
line. The simplest (and least useful) MODEMACRO consists of constant text.
For example, to display a company name in the status line, you enter the
following:
Command: modemacro
New value for MODEMACRO, or . for none <"">: Greg's Bank and Grill
This MODEMACRO value always displays the same text; the status line does
not reflect changes to the AutoCAD LT internal state. It doesn't change until
you change MODEMACRO.
To make the status line reflect the AutoCAD LT current state, enter macro
expressions using the DIESEL language in the following format:
$(somefun, arg1, arg2, ...)

In the macro expression, somefun is the name of the DIESEL function, and
arg1, arg2, and so on, are arguments to the function, interpreted according

326 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

to the function's definition. DIESEL macro expressions have only one data
type: strings. Macros that operate on numbers express the numbers as strings
and convert back and forth as required.
For descriptions of the DIESEL functions, see Catalog of DIESEL Functions on
page 331.
Now define a more interesting status line (for example, one that shows the
current text style name):
Command: modemacro
New value for MODEMACRO, or . for none <"">: Style: $(getvar, textstyle)
■ Style: is a text string to be displayed on the status line.

■ $(getvar,textstyle) is a DIESEL function (getvar) and argument that

retrieves the current value of the TEXTSTYLE system variable.

NOTE The examples in this topic may show the MODEMACRO string as more
than one line of text. You enter it as one long string at the prompt.

You can retrieve any system variable by entering $(getvar, varname). The
current setting of the system variable replaces the macro expression on the
status line. Then, when you switch text styles, for example, MODEMACRO is
reevaluated. If it changes, the new text style name is displayed on the status
line.
Expressions can be nested, and they can be as complex as you want. The
example that follows displays the current snap value and angle (in degrees)
in the status line. It uses nested expressions to convert the snap angle from
radians to degrees and truncates the value to an integer.
Command: modemacro
New value for MODEMACRO, or . for none <"">: Snap: $(getvar, snapunit)
$(fix,$(*,$(getvar,snapang),$(/,180,3.14159)))
You can also display the values in the current linear and angular units modes.
Command: modemacro
New value for MODEMACRO, or . for none <"">: Snap: $(rtos,$(index,0,
$(getvar,snapunit))),$(rtos,$(index,1,$(getvar,snapunit))) $(angtos,
$(getvar,snapang))
DIESEL copies its input directly to the output until it comes to the dollar sign
character ($) or a quoted string. You can use quoted strings to suppress
evaluation of character sequences that would otherwise be interpreted as
DIESEL functions. You can include quotation marks in quoted strings by using

Set MODEMACRO Values | 327

 two adjacent quotation marks. In the following example, the current layer is
set to LAYOUT, and MODEMACRO is set to the string.
Command: modemacro
New value for MODEMACRO, or . for none <"">: "$(getvar,clayer)=
"""$(getvar,clayer)""""
The status line displays the following:
$(getvar,clayer)="LAYOUT"

Quick Reference

Commands
SETVAR
Lists or changes the values of system variables.

System Variables
MODEMACRO
Displays a text string on the status line, such as the name of the current
drawing, time/date stamp, or special modes.

DIESEL Expressions in Macros

You can use DIESEL string expressions in customization (CUI) files as an
additional method of creating macros.
These expressions can return string values (text strings) in response to standard
AutoCAD LT commands. They can also return string values to the menu itself,
thereby altering the appearance or content of a menu label.
A DIESEL expression that you use in a menu item must follow the
$section=submenu format where the section name is M and the submenu is
the DIESEL expression you want.
Consider the following example:
^C^C^P$M=$(if,$(=,$(getvar,cvport),1),mspace,pspace)
This string provides a way to toggle between paper space and model space if
TILEMODE is set to 0. This expression is evaluated transparently. If the special
character ^P (which toggles MENUECHO on and off) is omitted, the expression
displays only the issued command.

328 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

This menu item uses the DIESEL expression:
^C^C^P$M=$(if,$(=,$(getvar,cvport),1),mspace,pspace)

The next example is based on these assumptions:

■ The CUI excerpt is included in the current customization file.

■ The symbols to insert are one unit high by one unit wide.

■ The DIMSCALE variable is set to the drawing's scale factor (that is, a drawing
to be plotted at a scale of 1" = 10' would have a scale factor of 120, or a
1/4" = 1' scale drawing would have a scale factor of 48).

The DIESEL expressions in the following example multiply the current value
of DIMSCALE by the specified value, and return an appropriate scale factor.
$M=$(*,$(getvar,dimscale),0.375)
$M=$(*,$(getvar,dimscale),0.5)
$M=$(*,$(getvar,dimscale),0.625)

DIESEL expressions can also return string values to pull-down menu item
labels, so that you can make menus unavailable or otherwise alter the way
they are displayed. To use a DIESEL expression in a pull-down menu label,
make sure that the first character is the $ character.
In the next example, the current layer is set to BASE and the following DIESEL
expression is used as the label.
$(eval,"Current layer: " $(getvar,clayer))

The result is that the appropriate pull-down menu is displayed and updated
whenever the current layer changes.
Current Layer: BASE

NOTE The width of pull-down and shortcut menus is determined when the
customization file is being loaded. Menu labels generated or changed by DIESEL
expressions after a menu is loaded are truncated to fit within the existing menu
width.

If you anticipate that a DIESEL-generated menu label will be too wide, you
can use the following example to ensure that the menu width will
accommodate your labels. This example displays the first 10 characters of the
current value of the USERNAME system variable.
$(eval,"Current value: " $(getvar,username))+
$(if, $(eq,$(getvar,username),""), 10 spaces )^C^Cusername

DIESEL Expressions in Macros | 329

 You cannot use trailing spaces in a menu label to increase the menu width,
because trailing spaces are ignored while the menu is being loaded. Any spaces
you use to increase the width of a menu label must be within a DIESEL
expression.
The next example uses the same DIESEL expression as the label and a portion
of the menu item. It provides a practical way to enter the current day and
date into a drawing.
$(edtime,$(getvar,date),DDD", "D MON YYYY)^C^Ctext +
\\\ $M=$(edtime,$(getvar,date),DDD", "D MON YYYY);

Also, you can use a DIESEL macro to mark pull-down menu labels or make
them unavailable. The following pull-down menu label displays an unavailable
ERASE while a command is active. The text is displayed normally when a
command is not active.
$(if,$(getvar,cmdactive),~)ERASE

You can use a similar approach to place a mark beside a pull-down menu item
or to interactively change the character used for the mark.
You can use the CLIPBOARD system variable to enable or disable Clipboard
commands on your menu. For example, the following DIESEL expression
disables the Paste Special menu item when the Clipboard is empty:
$(If,$(getvar, clipboard),,~)/Paste &Special...
^C^C_pastespec

Quick Reference

System Variables
CLIPBOARD
Indicates the status of the Clipboard.
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.
USERNAME
Specifies the user name.

330 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

Catalog of DIESEL Functions
Status retrieval, computation, and display are performed by DIESEL functions.
All functions have a limit of 10 parameters, including the function name itself.
If this limit is exceeded, you get a DIESEL error message.

+ (addition)
Returns the sum of the numbers val1, val2, …, val9.
$(+, val1 [, val2, …, val9])

If the current thickness is set to 5, the following DIESEL string returns 15.
$(+, $(getvar,thickness),10)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

- (subtraction)
Returns the result of subtracting the numbers val2 through val9 from val1.
$(-, val1 [, val2 , …, val9])

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

* (multiplication)
Returns the result of multiplying the numbers val1, val2, …, val9.
$(*, val1 [, val2, …, val9])

Catalog of DIESEL Functions | 331

 Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

/ (division)
Returns the result of dividing the number val1 by val2, …, val9.
$(/, val1 [, val2, …, val9])

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

= (equal to)
If the numbers val1 and val2 are equal, the string returns 1; otherwise, it
returns 0.
$(=, val1, val2)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

332 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

< (less than)
If the number val1 is less than val2, the string returns 1; otherwise, it returns
0.
$(< , val1, val2)

The following expression gets the current value of HPANG; if the value is less
than the value stored in the system variable USERR1, it returns 1. If the value
10.0 is stored in USERR1 and the current setting of HPANG is 15.5, the
following string returns 0.
$(<, $(getvar,hpang),$(getvar,userr1))

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

> (greater than)

If the number val1 is greater than val2, the string returns 1; otherwise, it
returns 0.
$(>, val1, val2)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

!= (not equal to)

If the numbers val1 and val2 are not equal, the string returns 1; otherwise,
it returns 0.
$(!=, val1, val2)

< (less than) | 333

 Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

<= (less than or equal to)

If the number val1 is less than or equal to val2 , the string returns 1; otherwise,
it returns 0.
$(<=, val1, val2)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

>= (greater than or equal to)

If the number val1 is greater than or equal to val2, the string returns 1;
otherwise, it returns 0.
$(>=, val1, val2)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

334 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

and
Returns the bitwise logical AND of the integers val1 through val9.
$(and, val1 [, val2,…, val9])

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

angtos
Returns the angular value in the format and precision specified.
$(angtos, value [, mode, precision])

Edits the given value as an angle in the format specified by the mode and
precision as defined for the analogous AutoLISPfunction. (The values for
mode are shown in the following table.) If mode and precision are omitted, it
uses the current values chosen by the UNITS command.

Angular units values

Mode value String format

0 Degrees

1 De-
grees/minutes/seconds

2 Grads

3 Radians

4 Surveyor's units

and | 335
 Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

edtime
Returns a formatted date and time based on a given picture.
$(edtime, time, picture)

Edits the AutoCAD LT Julian date given by time (obtained, for example, from
$(getvar,date) according to the given picture). The picture consists of
format phrases replaced by specific representations of the date and time.
Characters not interpretable as format phrases are copied literally into the
result of $(edtime). Format phrases are defined as shown in the following
table. Assume that the date and time are Saturday, 5 September 1998
4:53:17.506.

edtime format phrases

Format Output Format Output

D 5 H 4

DD 05 HH 04

DDD Sat MM 53

DDDD Saturday SS 17

M 9 MSEC 506

MO 09 AM/PM AM

MON Sep am/pm am

MONTH September A/P A

YY 98 a/p a

YYYY 1998

336 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

 Enter the entire AM/PM phrase as shown in the preceding table; if AM is used
alone, the A will be read literally and the M will return the current month.
If any AM/PM phrases appear in the picture, the H and HH phrases edit the time
according to the 12-hour civil clock (12:00-12:59 1:00-11:59) instead of the
24-hour clock (00:00-23:59).
The following example uses the date and time from the preceding table. Notice
that the comma must be enclosed in quotation marks because it is read as an
argument separator.
$(edtime, $(getvar,date),DDD"," DD MON YYYY - H:MMam/pm)

It returns the following:

Sat, 5 Sep 1998 - 4:53am
If time is 0, the time and date at the moment that the outermost macro was
executed is used. This avoids lengthy and time-consuming multiple calls on
$(getvar,date) and guarantees that strings composed with multiple $(edtime)
macros all use the same time.

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

eq
If the strings val1 and val2 are identical, the string returns 1; otherwise, it
returns 0.
$(eq, val1, val2)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

eq | 337
eval
Passes the string str to the DIESEL evaluator and returns the result of
evaluating it.
$(eval, str)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

fix
Truncates the real number value to an integer by discarding any fractional
part.
$(fix, value)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

getenv
Returns the value of the environment variable varname.
$(getenv, varname)

If no variable with that name is defined, it returns the null string.

338 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

 Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

getvar
Returns the value of the system variable with the given varname.
$(getvar, varname)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

if
Conditionally evaluates expressions.
$(if, expr, dotrue [, dofalse])

If expr is nonzero, it evaluates and returns dotrue. Otherwise, it evaluates

and returns dofalse. Note that the branch not chosen by expr is not evaluated.

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

getvar | 339
index
Returns the specified member of a comma-delimited string.
$(index, which, string)

Assumes that the string argument contains one or more values delimited by
the macro argument separator character, the comma. The which argument
selects one of these values to be extracted, with the first item numbered 0.
This function is most frequently used to extract X, Y, or Z coordinate values
from point coordinates returned by $(getvar).

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

nth
Evaluates and returns the argument selected by which.
$(nth, which, arg0 [, arg1,…, arg7])

If which is 0, nth returns arg0, and so on. Note the difference between $(nth)
and $(index); $(nth)returns one of a series of arguments to the function,
while $(index) extracts a value from a comma-delimited string passed as a
single argument. Arguments not selected by which are not evaluated.

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

340 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

or
Returns the bitwise logical OR of the integers val1 through val9.
$(or, val1 [, val2,…, val9])

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

rtos
Returns the real value in the format and precision specified.
$(rtos, value [, mode, precision])

Edits the given value as a real number in the format specified by the mode and
precision as defined by the analogous AutoLISP function. If mode and
precision are omitted, it uses the current values selected with the UNITS
command.
Edits the given value as a real number in the format specified by mode and
precision. If mode and precision are omitted, it uses the current values
selected with the UNITS command.

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

strlen
Returns the length of string in characters.
$(strlen, string)

or | 341
 Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

substr
Returns the substring of string, starting at character start and extending for
length characters.

$(substr, string, start [, length])

Characters in the string are numbered from 1. If length is omitted, it returns

the entire remaining length of the string.

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

upper
Returns the string converted to uppercase according to the rules of the current
locale.
$(upper, string)

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

342 | Chapter 5 DIESEL

xor
Returns the bitwise logical XOR of the integers val1 through val9.
$(xor, val1 [, val2,…, val9])

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

DIESEL Error Messages

Generally, if you make a mistake in a DIESEL expression, what went wrong
will be obvious. Depending on the nature of the error, DIESEL embeds an
error indication in the output stream.

DIESEL error messages

Error message Description

$? Syntax error (usually a missing right parenthesis or a runaway

string)

$(func,??) Incorrect arguments to func

$(func)?? Unknown function func

$(++) Output string too long—evaluation truncated

Quick Reference

System Variables
MENUECHO
Sets menu echo and prompt control bits.

xor | 343
344
Slides and Command
Scripts 6
Slides are snapshots of drawing files that can be used for giving presentations, for creating
image tile menus, and for viewing another drawing while you work.
A script reads and executes commands from a text file. You can run a script when you start
AutoCAD LT®, or you can run a script from within AutoCAD LT using the SCRIPT command.
A script provides an easy way to create continuously running displays for product
demonstrations and trade shows.

Create Slides
Slides are snapshots of drawing files. You can use slides for giving presentations,
creating custom image tile menus, and viewing an image of another drawing
while you work.

Overview of Slides
A slide is a snapshot of a drawing. Although it contains a picture of the drawing
at a given instant, it is not a drawing file.
You cannot import a slide file into the current drawing, nor can you edit or
print a slide. You can only view it.
You can use slide files in the following ways:
®
■ For making presentations within AutoCAD LT

■ For viewing a snapshot of a drawing while working on a different drawing

■ For creating menus of image tiles within a dialog box

345
 You create a slide by saving the current view in slide format. A slide created
in model space shows only the current viewport. A slide created in paper space
shows all visible viewports and their contents. Slides show only what was
visible. They do not show objects on layers that were turned off or frozen or
objects in viewports that were turned off.
When you view a slide file, it temporarily replaces objects on the screen. You
can draw on top of it, but when you change the view (by redrawing, panning,
or zooming), the slide file disappears, and AutoCAD LT redisplays only what
you drew and any preexisting objects.
You can display slides one by one or use a script to display slides in sequence.
Slides also can be used in custom menus. For example, if you create scripts
that insert blocks containing mechanical parts you use frequently, you can
design a custom image tile menu that displays a slide of each part. When you
click the slide image on the menu, AutoCAD LT inserts the block into the
drawing.
A slide library is a file containing one or more slides. Slide library files are used
for creating custom image tile menus and for combining several slide files for
convenient file management.
You cannot edit a slide. You must change the original drawing and remake
the slide. If you use a low-resolution graphics monitor when creating a slide
file and later upgrade to a high-resolution monitor, you can still view the
slide. AutoCAD LT adjusts the image accordingly; however, the slide does not
take full advantage of the new monitor until you remake the slide file from
the original drawing.

To make a slide
1 Display the view you want to use for the slide.

2 At the command prompt, enter mslide.

3 In the Create Slide File dialog box, enter a name and select a location for
the slide.
AutoCAD LT offers the current name of the drawing as a default name
for the slide and automatically appends the .sld file extension.

4 Click Save.
The current drawing remains on the screen, and the slide file is saved in
the folder that you specified.

346 | Chapter 6 Slides and Command Scripts

 Quick Reference

Commands
MSLIDE
Creates a slide file of the current model viewport or the current layout.
REDRAW
Refreshes the display in the current viewport.
VSLIDE
Displays an image slide file in the current viewport.

System Variables
FILEDIA
Suppresses display of file navigation dialog boxes.

Utilities
SLIDELIB
Compiles slide files listed in an ASCII file into a slide library file.

View Slides
You can view slides individually using VSLIDE. To view a series of slides for a
presentation, use a script file.
Be careful about using editing commands while you view a slide, which looks
like an ordinary drawing. Editing commands affect the current drawing
underneath the slide but not the slide itself.
Some commands may force redrawing, which removes the slide from display.

To view a slide
1 At the command prompt, enter vslide.

2 In the Select Slide File dialog box, select a slide to view and click OK.
The slide image is displayed in the drawing area.

3 Click View menu ➤ Redraw.

The slide image disappears.

View Slides | 347

 Quick Reference

Commands
REDRAW
Refreshes the display in the current viewport.
VSLIDE
Displays an image slide file in the current viewport.

Create and View Slide Libraries

A slide library is a file containing one or more slides. Slide library files are used
for creating custom image tile menus and for combining several slide files for
convenient file management.
You can create slide libraries from slide files using the SLIDELIB utility. After
you have set up a slide library, you can view slides by specifying the name of
the slide library and the slide.
Do not delete the original slides after creating the slide library. The SLIDELIB
utility cannot update a slide library once it is created. If you want to add or
delete a slide, update the slide list file and remake the library with SLIDELIB.
When you remake the slide library, all the slide files that you intend to include
must be available.

To create a slide library

1 Use a Windows ASCII text editor to create a list of slide files to include
in the library. The file would look similar to this example:
entrance.sld
hall.sld
stairs.sld
study.sld
balcony.sld

2 Name and save the file as a text file with a .txt file extension.

3 Click Start menu (Windows) ➤ All Programs (or Programs) ➤ Accessories

➤ Command Prompt.

4 In the Command Prompt window, at the prompt, enter CD <folder

location of slides> to change folders.

348 | Chapter 6 Slides and Command Scripts

 As an example: CD “c:\slides”

5 At the prompt, enter the following syntax to create the slide library:
slidelib libraryname < list.txt
For example, if you named your text file areas.txt, you could create a
library called house.slb by entering slidelib house < areas.txt. The SLIDELIB
utility appends the file extension .slb to the slide library file.

To view a slide in a slide library

1 At the command prompt, enter filedia.

2 Enter 0 and press ENTER.

3 At the command prompt, enter vslide.

4 Enter library(slidename) to specify the slide.

For example, enter house (balcony) to open the balcony slide, which is
stored in the house slide library file.

5 To remove the slide from the display, click View menu ➤ Redraw.

Quick Reference

Commands
MSLIDE
Creates a slide file of the current model viewport or the current layout.
REDRAW
Refreshes the display in the current viewport.
VSLIDE
Displays an image slide file in the current viewport.

Utilities
SLIDELIB
Compiles slide files listed in an ASCII file into a slide library file.

Create and View Slide Libraries | 349

Create Command Scripts
A script is a text file that contains a series of commands. Common uses for
scripts are to customize startup and to run slide shows.

Overview of Command Scripts

A script is a text file with one command on each line.
You can invoke a script at startup, or you can run a script during a work session
by using the SCRIPT command. A script also provides an easy way to create
continuously running displays for product demonstrations and trade shows.
The BACKGROUNDPLOT system variable must be set to 0 before a script can
plot multiple jobs.
You create script files outside the program using a text editor (such as
Microsoft® Windows® Notepad) or a word processor (such as Microsoft Word)
that can save the file in ASCII format. The file extension must be .scr.
Each line of the script file contains a command. Each blank space in a script
file is significant because SPACEBAR is accepted as a command or data field
terminator. You must be very familiar with the sequence of prompts to provide
an appropriate sequence of responses in the script file.

NOTE Keep in mind that prompts and command names may change in future
releases, so you may need to revise your scripts when you upgrade to a later version
of this program. For similar reasons, avoid the use of abbreviations; future command
additions might create ambiguities.

A script can execute any command at the command prompt except a command
that displays a dialog box. In most cases, a command that displays a dialog
box has an alternative version of the command that displays command
prompts instead of a dialog box.
Script files can contain comments. Any line that begins with a semicolon (;)
is considered a comment, and it is ignored while the script file is being
processed. The last line of the file must be blank.
All references to long file names that contain embedded spaces must be
enclosed in double quotes. For example, to open the drawing my house.dwg
from a script, you must use the following syntax:
open "my house"

The following commands are useful in scripts:

350 | Chapter 6 Slides and Command Scripts

'DELAY Provides a timed pause within a script (in milliseconds)

'GRAPHSCR Switches from the text window to the drawing area

RESUME Continues an interrupted script

RSCRIPT Repeats a script file

'TEXTSCR Switches to the text window

When command input comes from a script, it is assumed that the settings of
the PICKADD and PICKAUTO system variables are 1 and 0, respectively;
therefore, you do not have to check the settings of these variables.
A script is treated as a group, a unit of commands, reversible by a single U
command. However, each command in the script causes an entry in the undo
log, which can slow script processing. If you like, you can use UNDO Control
None to turn off the undo feature before running the script, or you can write
it at the beginning of the script itself. Remember to turn it back on (UNDO
Control All) when the script is finished.
The script that is running stops when another script command is invoked.

To create a script that changes settings in a drawing

This script turns on the grid, sets the global linetype scale to 3.0, and sets layer
0 as the current layer with red as the color.

1 In a text editor, enter grid on.

2 On the next line, enter ltscale 3.0.

3 On the next line, enter layer set 0 color red 0.

4 Add a blank line.

5 Save the file as ASCII text (TXT file), with a file extension of .scr.
The script file may contain comments, as follows:

; Turn grid on
grid on
; Set scale for linetypes
ltscale 3.0
; Set current layer and its color
layer set 0 color red 0

; Blank line above to end LAYER command

Overview of Command Scripts | 351

 Quick Reference

Commands
DELAY
Provides a timed pause within a script.
GRAPHSCR
Switches from the text window to the drawing area.
RESUME
Continues an interrupted script.
RSCRIPT
Repeats a script file.
SCRIPT
Executes a sequence of commands from a script file.
TEXTSCR
Opens the text window.
VSLIDE
Displays an image slide file in the current viewport.

Run Scripts at Startup

A script that runs at startup can open a drawing and change its settings.
Suppose that every time you begin a new drawing, you turn on the grid, set
the global linetype scale to 3.0, and set layer 0 as your current layer, with red
as the color. You can do this using a drawing template, but you could do it
instead with the following script and store it in a text file called setup.scr.
grid on
ltscale 3.0
layer set 0 color red 0

The first line turns on the grid. The second line sets the global scale for
linetypes. The third line sets the current layer to layer 0 and sets its default
color to red. AutoCAD LT assumes that in a script you want to use the version
of LAYER command that displays command prompts rather than the dialog
box version. The result is equivalent to entering -layer at the command prompt.
The fourth line is blank, ending LAYER.

352 | Chapter 6 Slides and Command Scripts

 ®
NOTE VBA and AutoLISP scripts that run at startup should check for whether the
AutoCAD LT process is visible or invisible. If the process is invisible, the script should
not execute, because the process may be performing background plotting or
publishing operations. To check for whether the AutoCAD LT process is visible or
invisible, you can use the Visible property of the Application object in the AutoCAD
LT Object Model.

You could run a script at startup to open a drawing by using the following
syntax in the Run dialog box:
ACADLT drawing_name /b setup

All file names that contain embedded spaces must be enclosed in double
quotes, for example, “guest house”. You can also specify the view that is
displayed when the drawing opens by using the /v switch and the view name.
The /b switch and the script file must be the last parameter listed.
Including the file extensions .exe, .dwg, .dwt, and .scr is optional. If AutoCAD
LT cannot find the script file, AutoCAD LT reports that it cannot open the
file.
To run the same script at startup but create a new drawing using the
MyTemplate.dwt file as the template, enter the following in the Run dialog box:
ACADLT /t MyTemplate /b setup

This command creates a new drawing and issues a sequence of setup commands
from the setup.scr file. When the script has finished running, the command
prompt is displayed. If you want to use the default template for the new
drawing, you can omit the /t switch and the template file name.

NOTE You can no longer use this method to start a new drawing and give it a
name. Name the drawing when you save it.

To run a script at startup

1 Click Start menu (Windows) ➤ Run.

2 In the Run dialog box, enter acadlt drawing_name /b script_name.

To start a new file, instead of a drawing file name, enter the /t switch and
the name of a template file: /t template_drawing.
To open a drawing file to a particular view, follow the drawing name
with the /v switch and the name of the view: /v view_name.
The name of the script file must be the last parameter listed. The file
extensions are optional.

Run Scripts at Startup | 353

 3 Click OK.
AutoCAD LT opens the drawing and executes the commands in the script
file. When the script has been completed, the command prompt is
displayed.

Run Slide Shows from Scripts

Scripts are useful for creating slide shows.
Scripts are useful for creating slide shows. Ordinarily, the speed with which
you can display slides is limited by the number of times AutoCAD LT must
access the disk to read the slide file. You can, however, preload the next slide
from disk into memory while your audience is viewing the current slide and
then quickly display the new slide from memory.
To preload a slide, place an asterisk before the file name in VSLIDE. The next
VSLIDE command detects that a slide has been preloaded and displays it
without asking for a file name.
The disk-access time to load the next slide overlaps with the viewing time for
the current slide. You can specify additional delays with the DELAY command.
Each delay unit is equal to one millisecond.
To stop a repeating script press ESC. You can resume the script with RESUME.
If the script will run for a long time, it is recommended that you use UNDO
Control None to turn off the Undo log file.

To run slide shows from scripts

1 Create the slide library file as described in To create a slide library on page
348.

2 Create a script file using an ASCII text editor, as shown in To create a

script that preloads slides on page 355.

3 At the command prompt, enter script.

4 In the Select Script File dialog box, select a script file and click Open.

354 | Chapter 6 Slides and Command Scripts

To create a script that preloads slides
In this example of a script that displays three slides (files slide1.sld, slide2.sld,
and slide3.sld), the time it takes to access the disk drive and load the next slide
into memory overlaps with the viewing time for the current slide.

1 On the first line of the script, enter vslide slide1.

The first line begins the slide show and loads slide1.

2 On the second line, enter vslide *slide2.

The asterisk (*) preceding the slide name on the second line preloads
slide2.

3 On the third line, enter delay 2000.

The third line specifies a delay of 2000 milliseconds to allow the audience
to view slide1.

4 On the fourth line, enter vslide. On the fifth line, enter vslide *slide3.
On the sixth line, enter delay 2000.
The fourth, fifth, and sixth lines display slide2, preload slide3, and specify
a delay for viewing slide2.

5 On the seventh line, enter vslide. On the eighth line, enter delay 3000.
The seventh and eighth lines display slide3 and specify a delay for viewing
slide3.

6 On the last line, enter rscript to repeat the script.

7 To stop a repeating script press ESC. To continue the script, enter resume.

Run Slide Shows from Scripts | 355

 The script may contain comments, as follows:

; Begin slide show, load SLIDE1

VSLIDE SLIDE1
; Preload SLIDE2
VSLIDE *SLIDE2
; Let audience view SLIDE1
DELAY 2000
; Display SLIDE2
VSLIDE
; Preload SLIDE3
VSLIDE *SLIDE3
; Let audience view SLIDE2
DELAY 2000
; Display SLIDE3
VSLIDE
; Let audience view SLIDE3
DELAY 3000
; Cycle
RSCRIPT

Quick Reference

Commands
DELAY
Provides a timed pause within a script.
GRAPHSCR
Switches from the text window to the drawing area.
RESUME
Continues an interrupted script.
RSCRIPT
Repeats a script file.
SCRIPT
Executes a sequence of commands from a script file.
TEXTSCR
Opens the text window.

356 | Chapter 6 Slides and Command Scripts

VSLIDE
Displays an image slide file in the current viewport.

Run Slide Shows from Scripts | 357

358
Index
A
absolute menu referencing 229 C
accelerator keys 248, 253, 256, 261 canceling commands 102
actions (user) caret syntax in macros 104
double click actions 262 cascading menus 213
addition DIESEL function 331 categories
aliases commands 45
creating for commands 17 characters
pull-down menus 213, 231 including in linetypes 24
shortcut menus 217 macro control characters 101, 104
alignment clicking actions 262, 270
linetype patterns 21 command line
alternate font mapping files 11 switches 353
and DIESEL function 335 command line switches
angtos DIESEL function 335 running scripts and 353
AutoCAD Command List pane (CUI editor) 45
customization 1 command scripts 350
AutoLISP (LSP) applications commands
macros and 101 about 92
aliases 17
B canceling 102
categories 45
backup files creating 94
customization files 73 customization FAQs 319
batch files 7 customizing 58, 92
borders (menu items) 114 double click actions 262
buttons drop-downs 167
crosshair coordinates 271 editing 94
customizing 190 flyouts 202
drop-downs 167 Help topics about 122
flyouts 202 images for 129, 132, 134
images on 190 listing 45
moving 190 macros and 101–102
pointing device buttons 69, 270 menu referencing 229
ribbon controls 171 name validity 5
swapping 110, 231 pausing for input 106
tablet buttons 274 properties 92
pull-down menus 65, 212
Quick Access toolbar 142
rearranging 44

359 | Index
 repeating 109 customizing workspaces 70, 280,
reusing 94 296
ribbon panels and 149 Dynamic Display pane 47
scripts 350 FAQs 319
shortcut menus and 67, 212 tree nodes 56
status line messages 128 CUIx (customization) files
submenus and 227 backups 73
swapping menu contents 110 backwards compatibility 48
tablet buttons and 274 creating 73
tagging 119 CUI Editor 42, 58
tooltips 122 customization FAQs 322
transparent commands 106 defined 54
comments enterprise CUIx files 82
script commenting 350 finding items in 86
conditional expressions in macros 112 importing workspaces 282
configuration files (plotters) menu swapping 232
multiple 6 migrating older files to 316
configuration files (pointing devices) partial CUIx files 78
multiple 6 structure 50
contextual ribbon tabs 64, 187 XML-based format 48
control characters in macros 104 current workspaces 283
controls custom icon files 11
ribbon controls 171 customization
ribbon panels 149 about 1
toolbar controls 207 customization files (CUI)
coordinates backwards compatibility 48
reading with pointing devices 271 CUIx files 42
copying defined 55
buttons to other toolbars 190 DIESEL expressions in 328
customization file data 316 directory structure and 4
list of shortcut keys 248 locating files 11
crosshairs migrating to CUIx 316
coordinates of 271 structure 50
CUI (customization) files customization files (CUIx)
backwards compatibility 48 about 42, 73
CUIx files 42 backups 73
defined 55 backwards compatibility 48
migrating to CUIx 316 creating 73
structure 50 CUI Editor 58
CUI Editor customization FAQs 322
about 39, 42, 58 defined 54
changes in customization and 48, enterprise CUIx files 82
319 finding items in 86
Command List pane 45 importing workspaces 282
Customizations In pane 44 menu swapping 232
migrating older menu files to 316

360 | Index
 partial CUIx files 78 windows 296
structure 50 workspaces 70, 280, 293
XML-based format 48
customization groups 52, 54
Customizations In pane (CUI editor) 44 D
Customize User Interface editor dashboard panel 55
about 39, 42, 58 dashes
changes in customization and 48 hatch pattern definitions 30
Command List pane 45 linetype definitions 20
Customizations In pane 44 dates
customizing workspaces 70, 280, edtime DIESEL function 336
296 delaying slide shows 354
Dynamic Display pane 47 deleting
FAQs 319 menus 231
tree nodes 56 ribbon items 155
customizing toolbar buttons 190
about customization 39 dialog boxes
AutoCAD functions and features 1 image tile dialog boxes 275
commands 58, 92 DIESEL expressions
Customize User Interface editor 39, about 325
58 customizing status line 326
double click actions 68, 262 error messages 343
FAQs for 319 macros and 101, 112, 328
glossary of terms for 54 nesting 327
hatch patterns 27 pull-down menu labels 329
hatches 27 quoted strings in 327
images for commands 132 DIESEL functions
legacy interface elements 272 addition 331
linetypes 19 and 335
locating customized files 8 angtos 335
migrating older customization catalog 331
files 316 division 332
mouse button actions 69, 270 edtime 336
properties 233 eq 337
pull-down menus 65, 212 equal to 332
Quick Access toolbar 142 eval 338
ribbon 61, 149, 294 fix 338
shortcut keys 68 getenv 338
shortcut menus 67, 212 getvar 339
status line 325–326 greater than 333
tablet buttons 274 greater than or equal to 334
templates 14 if 339
toolbars 60, 64, 190 index 340
tooltips 241 less than 333
types of customized files 8 less than or equal to 334
user interface 39, 73 multiplication 331

Index | 361
 not equal to 333 editing
nth 340 commands 94
or 341 double click actions for 262
rtos 341 shortcut keys 248
strlen 341 slide files and 347
substr 342 toolbars 192
subtraction 331 edtime DIESEL function 336
upper 342 element IDs 55
xor 343 enterprise customization files
digitizing tablets about 73
buttons 270, 274 creating 82
directory paths customization FAQs 322
program and support files 4 defined 55
displaying eq DIESEL function 337
contextual ribbon tabs 64 equal to DIESEL function 332
hidden files 9 error messages
list of shortcut keys 248 DIESEL 343
menus 298 eval DIESEL function 338
palettes 294, 298 exporting images for commands 134
Quick Access toolbar 293, 297 extended help 122
ribbon panels 294, 297
ribbon tabs 294, 297
slide shows 354 F
slides 347 files
toolbars 294, 297 locations 8
tooltips 241 maintenance 7
workspace toolbars 190 roaming profiles and 9
division DIESEL function 332 finding
docked windows 56 commands in CUIx files 86
dots in linetype definitions 20 customized files 8
double click actions tagged commands 119
customization FAQs 321 fix DIESEL functions 338
customizing 68, 262 floating windows 56
drawing files (DWG) flyouts
folders and maintenance 7 buttons 202
slides of 345 toolbars 202
drop-down lists 171, 207 FMP files (font mapping) 11
drop-downs font mapping files 11
ribbon panels 167 fonts
Dynamic Display pane (CUI editor) 47 including in linetypes 24
Dynamic Help 53 function keys (F1-F12) 248, 253, 256,
261
E
echoes in macros 103 G
getenv DIESEL function 338

362 | Index
getvar DIESEL function 339 Customize User Interface editor 39,
graphics for commands 129, 132, 134 58, 296
graying out menu item labels 113 customizing 39
greater than DIESEL function 333 legacy interface elements 272
greater than or equal to DIESEL terminology 54
function 334 workspaces 70
interface elements
defined 55
H swapping 110, 231
hatch patterns tree view 44
about 27 interface items 55
creating 27 international character sets 109
examples 27, 31, 34 Internet
multiple lines 34 customizing templates for 14
hatches
creating 27 K
customizing 27
Help keyboard input in macros 106
Dynamic Help 53 keyboard shortcuts 68, 248, 253, 256,
locating Help files 11 261
tooltip command Help 122
hidden files 9
hiding L
toolbar buttons 190 languages
macro translations 109
I legacy interface elements 55, 272
less than DIESEL function 333
if DIESEL function 339 less than or equal to DIESEL
image tile menus function 334
creating 275 library search path 4
menu swapping 231 LIN files (linetype library) 11, 19
slides and 348 linetypes
images for commands 129, 132, 134 about 19
importing creating 20
customization file data 316 customizing 19
images for commands 134 examples 20
workspace settings 282 simple 20
index DIESEL function 340 text characters in 24
input listing
pausing macros for 106 commands 45
inserting keyboard shortcuts 248
menus 231 loading
interface customization files 73
changes in customization process 48 partial customization files 78
customization FAQs 319

Index | 363
M removing 231
shortcut menus 67
macros submenus 227
about 101 swapping 110, 230
conditional expressions in 112 tablet menus 272
defined 56 workspace arrangements 298
DIESEL expressions in 112, 328 migrating
international language support 109 customization FAQs 319
length 103 menu files from previous
pausing for user input 103, 106 releases 316
repeating commands 109 MNC files 49
scripts 350 MNL files (menu LISP)
selecting objects with 110 customization and 49
shortcut keys and 248 MNR files (menu template) 49
special character codes for MNS files (source menu)
commands 104 changes in customization and 48
suppressing echoes and defined 55
prompts 103 migrating 316
swapping interface elements MNU files (menu template)
with 110 changes in customization and 48
syntax 101 defined 55
tablet menus and 272 migrating 49, 316
terminating 103 model space
main customization files 56, 73 slides created in 346
menu files 49 modifying
menu groups (customization commands 94
groups) 52, 54 double click actions for 262
menu items shortcut keys 248
DIESEL expressions and 329 toolbars 192
disabling 113 mouse
graying out 113 coordinates of crosshairs 271
status line messages 128 customizing button actions 69, 270
menu referencing 229 double click actions 262
menu resource files (MNR) 49 swapping actions 110
menu swapping 110, 232 multiple configuration files 6
menu template files (MNU) 48, 55 multiple-line hatch patterns 34
menus multiplication DIESEL function 331
creating 65, 67, 212
customization FAQs 320
customizing 65, 67, 212 N
international language support 109 naming
legacy interface elements 55 linetypes 21
menu files 49 networks
menu referencing 229 enterprise customization files
pull-down menus 65, 213 and 82
rearranging commands 44

364 | Index
nodes swapping actions 110
interface customization 56 prefixes for commands 18
not equal to DIESEL function 333 preloading slides 354
nth DIESEL function 340 previous releases
number pad keys 248, 253, 256, 261 backwards compatibility 48
changes in customization process 48
legacy interface elements 272
O migrating custom settings from 316
object properties printing
customizing 233 lists of shortcut keys 248
objects profiles 9
double click actions 266 prompts
properties 233 suppressing 103
shortcut menus 218 properties
or DIESEL function 341 commands 92
customizing 233
Quick Properties panel 233
P toolbars 190
workspaces 282
palettes PSF files 11
defined 56 Publish to Web wizard
displaying 294 customizing templates 14
workspaces and 298, 312 pull-down menus
paper space creating 65, 213
slides created in 346 customizing 65, 212, 231
partial customization files menu referencing 229
about 73
creating 78
defined 56 Q
toolbars and 232
partial menu files 231 Quick Access toolbar 56, 60, 142, 293,
PAT files 11 297
patterns Quick Properties panel 233
linetypes 22
pausing macros 103, 106 R
PGP files (program parameters) 11
plot styles rearranging
locating files 9 menus 44
plotter configuration files ribbon items 155
locating files 10 ribbon tabs 180
multiple files 6 toolbar buttons 190
PMP files (plot model parameter) 10 referencing menus 229–230
pointing devices removing
coordinates of crosshairs 271 menus 231
customizing button actions 270 ribbon items 155
double click actions 262 toolbar buttons 190
multiple configuration files 6 repeating commands 109

Index | 365
replacing selecting
commands in CUIx files 86 objects with macros 110
ribbon shortcut keys
command images 129, 132, 134 assigning 248
contextual tab states 64, 187 customizing 68
controls 171 defaults 253
customizing 61, 149 temporary override keys 256, 261
defined 56 shortcut menus
drop-downs on panels 167 aliases 217
reorganizing command and context-sensitive shortcut
controls 155 menus 217
ribbon panels 56, 61 creating 67, 217
ribbon tabs 63–64, 180 customizing 67, 212
workspaces and 297 double click actions 262
ribbon panels menu referencing 229
adding items to 155 slide libraries 277, 348
controls for 171 slide shows 354
creating 61 SLIDELIB utility 348
customizing 149, 294 slides
defined 56 about 345
drop-downs on 167 creating 345
rearranging 297 editing commands and 347
ribbon tabs image tile menus and 275, 277, 348
contextual tab states 64, 187 preloading 354
creating 63, 180 slide libraries 348
customizing 294 slide shows 354
rearranging 297 viewing 347
roaming profiles 9 source menu files (MNS) 48–49, 55, 316
rollover tooltips 241 spaces in linetypes 20
rows (ribbon) 149 special characters
rtos DIESEL function 341 commands and 227
image tile menus 275
macros and 101, 104, 227
S startup scripts 352
SCR files (scripts) 350 status line 128, 325–326
scripts strings in CUIx files 86
about 345, 350 strlen DIESEL function 341
file names and 350, 353 submenus 227
running at startup 352 substr DIESEL function 342
running slide shows from 354 subtraction DIESEL function 331
switches and 353 support files
search paths locations 11
default file locations 4 suppressing echoes and prompts 103
searching swapping
finding commands in CUIx files 86 interface elements with macros 110
finding tagged commands 119 menus 230

366 | Index
switches rearranging elements on 44
running scripts and 353 workspace arrangements 297
switching tooltips
toolbar controls 207 command Help in 122
symbols customizing 241
commands and 227 transferring customization files 316
image tile menus 275 translating macros 109
macros and 101, 104, 227 transparent commands 106
syntax tree nodes 56
macros 101
system variables
toggling values with macros 112 U
unique IDs (element IDs) 55
T unloading
partial customization files 78
tablets UNT files 11
customizing buttons 270, 274 updating
customizing menus 272 customization files 316
menu swapping 110, 231 upgrading
tags customization FAQs 319
element IDs 55 migrating customization files 316
menu commands 119 upper DIESEL function 342
templates user input
customizing 14 pausing macros 106
temporary override keys 255, 261 user interface
terminating macros 103 changes in customization process 48
text customization FAQs 319
including in linetypes 24 Customize User Interface editor 39,
time 58, 296
edtime DIESEL function 336 customizing 39
toolbar buttons legacy interface elements 272
customizing 190 terminology 54
images 190 workspaces 70
rearranging 44, 190
toolbars
command images 129, 132, 134 W
controls on 207 web pages
creating 64, 192 templates 14
customization FAQs 320 windows
customizing 64, 190 customizing 296
displaying 294 workspaces and 312
flyouts on toolbar buttons 202 workspaces
naming 190 CUI Editor 280, 296
partial CUIx files and 232 current 283
properties 190 customization FAQs 321
Quick Access toolbar 60, 142, 297 customizing 70, 280, 293

Index | 367
 defined 56 X
importing 282
properties 282 XAML files 123
ribbon tabs 180 xor DIESEL function 343
toolbars in 190

368 | Index