Network-Based Tool Palettes the "Easy" Way Eric A Bogenschutz BSA LifeStructures

Transcription

1 Eric A Bogenschutz BSA LifeStructures CM25-2 In this session, we will discuss the process of creating a network-based Tool Catalog that can be shared by all of your users. This catalog can be edited or updated from one central location on the server. Every time a user opens CAD, the palettes will reflect the update. This class will correct the misconceptions associated with creating network-based Tool Palettes that can easily be shared by AutoCAD and any AutoCAD-based vertical product. This class will benefit CAD managers and users who want to create an "Office Standard" set of tools to work from. Key Topics: - Creating a company-wide, network-based Tool Catalog - Setting the correct permissions and rights on the server - What path or combination of paths to include in the Search Paths for user profiles. About the Speaker: Eric is a CAD Manager at BSA LifeStructures in Indianapolis, Indiana, a large A/E firm. He is also an Autodesk Architectural Desktop Certified Expert, and has been a CAD Manager for the last 4 years. Eric earned his B.S. degree in Environmental Design from Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana. ebogenschutz@bsalifestructures.com

2 What are Tool Catalogs and what are some of the advantages of having your catalog in a central place on a network? Autodesk Architectural Desktop (ADT) and Building Systems (ABS) tools and content are shared in the Content Browser (CB) using tool catalogs and websites. A tool catalog can contain one or more of the following items: Tools: For example, you might select a tool to create a customized wall used throughout a building project. Tool palettes: These contain tools used to support a particular workflow or task. For example, a tool palette may contain a set of annotation tools used in a project, or a set of tools to draw each type of door used in a project. A tool palette is treated as a single object. Tool packages: These are collections of tools that users can select and use. For example, a tool package may contain a set of productivity tools and utilities. A single copy of a tool catalog can be shared among users on your local area network. If tools in the catalog are updated, you have immediate access to the latest version of the tools. 2

3 Where to start? Begin by creating a Tool Catalog. To do this you will need to go to the Content Browser (CB) 3

4 With the CB open you can begin to make a New Catalog. (The following images are of the CB and what options are available to you within the CB Window). Choose: Create a NEW Catalog. (I have named the catalog AU 2006-CM25-2, when back at your offices name your catalog appropriately). 4

5 When you click ok your catalog will be created in your CB window. You can then right click on it and go to properties to get to the following options. If you right click on the image it will bring up the specify image area seen to the left. Also you can enter a description for the catalog etc. One of the more important options you need to choose is the Link items when added to workspace checkbox. For our purposes we are going to UNCHECK this box. Placing information in the catalog: Once the catalog has been setup you can now create Categories (Optional) and palettes within your new catalog. Begin by selecting the catalog, when you do this you will be brought into a screen that has some new icons in the lower left corner. 5

6 First step is to create some categories. After creating various categories your catalog will look similar to the following image. 6

7 Within the categories you can then create Tool Palettes, to do this you would click on the new palette button in the lower left corner of CB. After adding some Tool Palettes into your category the CB will resemble the image below. 7

8 Basic Windows Folder Permissions Setup: After creating your new catalog containing Categories and Palettes you will need to determine how the catalog is organized on your network drive. Some of the important items to keep note of: This setup is designed for ONE editor of the catalog. You will need to know how to change folder permissions and read-only status of the catalog folder. Within the Categories folder you will find a Palettes Folder, and within the Palettes folder you will find an Images folder. 8

9 When you are not editing the catalog it needs to be marked as Read-Only, even to the individual that is considered the Editor of the Catalog. This is to keep changes from being made to the palettes or tools while other users are using them. In this scenario, the palettes will automatically refresh when a new session is opened. Setting up 2 profiles in ACAD, 1 for editing, 1 (or more) for users: An example might be a different profile for each discipline with their template file etc. In the options menu, click on the Profiles Tab: Use the Add to List Button to make a copy of the current profile. You will need to create 2 profiles. An example may be AU 2006 Palette Editor and AU 2006 User. See image on next page. Then export them to files. 9

10 The main difference between these profiles would be the path to the tool palettes. If you are using categories in your catalog modify the AU 2006 User profile to point to the following location. The editor tool palette location can be the standard Out-of-the-Box (OOTB) file locations. 10

11 The next step is to create some shortcuts on the desktop to read each of these profiles, that you just exported. The Images below are the 2 shortcuts to the modified profiles. To modify the shortcuts create a copy of the ACAD/ADT/ABS shortcut then right click on it and go to properties. You will want to path these to wherever you have your profiles saved (On a network location). These will be the shortcuts to use for editing the palettes or for users who want to utilize the palettes tools. The next step is to place some tools on the palettes using the EDITOR Profile: The palettes can hold a magnitude of various types of tools. Ranging from styles that link back to a template file, simple hatch patterns or linework tools. Also, introduced in 2006 products you now have the ability to add text and separators to categorize the layout of each palette. Depending on the type of tools a myriad of options is available to you, such as choosing a layer key for the tool to come in on or manually setting layer properties of an object. 11

12 Once you have placed tools on your palettes bring them over to your catalog. BEFORE you start bringing them to your catalog you will need to be sure that your catalog IS NOT marked Read-Only (I would recommend that you set your catalog to not read-only before you launch your session). Bringing tools from your palettes to the catalog: 1. Open the CB 2. Go to the correct palette that you want to place the tools on in your catalog. 3. Hold down the CTRL key and highlight/select the tools. 4. Click and drag over to your CB palette. a. This now placed those tools within your catalog. 5. IMPORTANT!!! Before closing out of your session you need to now mark the catalog as readonly. To do this check the box in Windows Explorer. You can then close out of your session. 6. Open a new session via the User shortcut that was made earlier. You will see the palette that you created within the available palettes. NOTICE: There will be a little padlock symbol shown in the lower corner of the palettes to signify that they are locked/read-only. 7. Users can still create their own palettes, but they will not be part of the network catalog, they will by default be stored in their Documents and Settings\%username%\Application Data\... folder. QUESTIONS??? 12