Just a thought-
2 ways to write your own commands without LISP or VBA, and the results are useful immediately.
Menu Macros
Icon Macros.
A third would include ACAD.pgp, but more on that later (if you're interested).
Menu Macros-
1. Copy ACAD.mns to another location. I use a directory (folder) under the ACAD support directory, that I call ORIGINAL VERSIONS.
The idea is to always have the original ready, in case you make a mistake. You will. No sweat.
2. Open ACAD.mns in the parent acad support directory using a standard text editor. I use Notepad, but the basic ACAD.mns file has grown large enough that you may get a message from Windows that its too large, do you want to use another Windows standard text editor instead. CLick "Yes" if you get this message. Just be sure to save any edits as standard text. This is critical.
This time, though, just look. You may notice some command names you recognize. Good. You may notice some command names with OPTIONS you recognize. Good again. DON'T TOUCH! Ok, now that you've done some reading and familiarizing, use your text editor's find-go-to to go to "POP0" (popzero). Why POP0? Its a safe place to experiment. Don't worry AT ALL about the cryptic command-like text at the beginning of each line. Look a few spaces over to the right. See a command name you recognize? Go to the end of that line. Hit return to make a line-space. now on the new empty line/space you've created, SPACE (not tab) over and line up with the command name above. Now- TYPE A COMMAND NAME you want to try.
Here's an example:
move \;\\
See the empty space after the word "move"? its the same as return, if you type the command in at the command prompt.
See the back-slashes? those are pauses for you to pick something. The first one lets you pick an object to move. The Semi-colon is another char that means "return" ("space"==;=="return") the NEXT back-slash is the "base-point" of the move command. The third one is the destination point.
OK. You've typed this in at the line you cleared in the menu. MAKE SURE THERE IS _NO_ "space" at the end of the line (after the last back-slash). Autocad will add the final return for you, as it compiles the change you've made.
Save your work. Exit.
RESTART ACAD.
Yes there are "Menu" and MENULOAD" commands. Don't bother 'til you have alot more experience modifying your menu. ACAD should re-compile the base menu without affecting your ICONS at all. If you have add-on menu-based programs you're running, you'll have to find out how they are affected, but the solution is almost always as simple as the menuload command, re-identifying the add-on, and reselecting the pop-downs to re-include, and this is almost always a fairly straight forward process- they want you using their product!
3. Assuming no add-in, simply re-start your ACAD. Let ACAD re-compile the ACAD.mns file for you.
Use SHift-Return if your middle button isn't already set to bring up the OSNAP pop-menu. Look for the "move" command now appearing in the menu. If you don't find it, look in one of the fly-outs(pull-outs) in this pop-0 menu. You might have put it a level down. Find it? Click it and do a "move" the way you'd do it if you typed in "MOVE" from the keyboard.
Thats it! EVERY command in AutoCAD behaves this way.
After you've tried putting a couple of commands in, and seeing how they work, Write down in detail OTHER commands you want to try, and each step and option of that command.
Here's an example relating to your first question:
Insert c:/dir-1/dir-2/blockname;
See the slashes? They're backwards, to not confuse ACCAD with back-slashes meaning "pause for user input". See the semi-colon on the end? ACAD will know not to add another space where you've put a semi-colon at the end of a line.
Want a cancel" in a command? Use ^c usually twice, as in ^c^c. (Shift-6c shift-6c).
Useful hint: you can even set a variable then do the conmmand, right on the command line, as in:
^Omove \;\\
Notice- NO SPACE between the shift-6capital-O (^O) and the word move? That's right! This turns ortho on (or off-its a "toggle"), runs the move command, lets you pick an object, and move it along 0/90/180 (ortho-on) or releases it to allow you freedom, if you usually run WITH ortho. This really isn't a great example, but illustrates the idea. Take it from here!
Icon Macros
A command and its options in a menu macro, works EXACTLY this same way, when used as the instruction line of an icon. Try creating a new ICON in one of the icon menus by right-clicking the icon-bar, and choosing "new user command" from the dialog box. Drag the empty "button" into place on the bar you want it in, and right-click the button, and experiment with commands and their options. As in ALL programming, caution is appropriate- phantom "extra" spaces are a usual culprit, and typos/misspellings can be hard to catch, too.
Your BEST bet? Buy a GOOD book (usually~$35-$50) that has a well written chapter on this subject. In fact, start with that, and then try what I've given you here.
Good Luck!
C.F.
