If you have the Express Tools installed you can use the "Command Alias Editor" which is a nice graphic interface or, if not, you can just edit the "acad.pgp" file in a text editor (notepad or wordpad) and make the changes yourself.

Oh, and I should say to make a backup copy of acad.pgp if you are going to edit by hand... just in case it goes bad on you...

Make sure you put the exact extension as before or it wont work. It is a very tedious task

you might want wait on changing your pgp until you see if 2005 migrates your 2000i pgp. i just did an office wide install and 2005 migrated all of 2004's user specfics; like pgp, plotters, plot styles etc...

install 2005 and then open it should migrate the preexisting data.

to my knowledge 2005 didn't automatically migrate my old pgp.

i've tried looking at the pgp files in my old 2000i support folder. the "str" command i was trying to explain above is not in my pgp file. it is a "shortcut of a shortcut" - if this makes sense. if i typed in "s" it starts the "stretch command - i have two other options within the stretch command to make it do specific things... type "cp" for crossing polygon or "cw" for crossing window. i'm trying to shorten the "s" _enter "cp" _enter to just having to type "str" _enter. thanks.

I'm not sure if this will help or not - we're using 2004. We found that in 2004 there are multiple .pgp files. If you modify the .pgp file in the acad support directory, nothing will happen. You have to modify the .pgp in your user directory. It's probably similar for 2005. Go to Documents and Settings\username\application data\autodesk\ATD2004(or equivalent)\R16.0\enu\support. That's the .pgp you have to modify.

Each user has their own settings. The good thing is you can copy this file and drop it on anyone's computer under your username and retain your settings on any computer.

2004 also has a userdatacache folder in the AutoCad 2004 folder, which also has a support folder.

ether, you are talking about your alias edit, that is the pgp, but mum is right, copying your pgp from 2000i should also work...

i need to know how to create a shortcut withing a shortcut. the "str" shortcut i mentioned above is not even listed in my 2000i acad.pgp file so i have no way of knowing what it looks like to type it into my 2005 pgp file or know that it would "migrate" into 2005. i have no idea why.

i do not want to just copy paste my 2000i pgp file into the 2005 support folder because it is a new program with brand new commands etc etc.. using the old one would eliminate the new stuff..

#
Command: s STRETCH
Select objects to stretch by crossing-window or crossing-polygon...

First polygon point: *Cancel*

Command: str STRETCH
Select objects to stretch by crossing-window or crossing-polygon...
Select objects: CP
First polygon point:
#

above is a the typical "stretch" command prompt and the custom "str" command prompt.. notice it says "crossing window or crossing-polygon..." well if you type "cw" it does one type of stretch and if you type "cp" it does another..

when i type "str" it already is set to proceed with a "stretch crossing-polygon" this is what i want to create in 2005..

i knew this was going to be a difficult thing to explain..

you are talking about a specific macro command, i think if i understand you correctly..

yeah. but hopefully in the process i can figure out how to change the rest of my shortcuts that are set up this way.

Oh, I get it. How did you get a "shortcut within a shortcut" in the first place? I want that! Is it a script?

For a macro I would make a custom .mns file. These are easily portable so changing software versions, computers even jobs is not a big deal.

tell me more daver. what's an .mns file?

Sorry, but I'm slammed with a Friday 4pm deadline right now. When I get a moment late Friday or over this weekend I can post more info and some example code you can cut and paste.

Essentially an MNS file is a menu file that you use to create your own pull downs, toolbars, image menus... but you can also define accellerator keys in there which (I think) is what you are trying to do.

I'll try and make your "str" keyboard command work and post the mns code and instruction on how to load it if I get it to go.

- Dave R.

great. thanks dave.

Ok, I’m finally catching up and have figured out your macro and have set up a custom menu file so that it is expandable and portable between Acad releases and computers.

1. Download these 2 files:
ether.mns
ether.mnl
2. Make a directory on your computer called “c:\acad_custom” (you can put it and name it where/what you want just make sure you follow it through these instructions) and put both downloaded files there.
3. Crank up your copy of Autocad
4. From the Autocad pulldown menu select "Tools > Options" to bring up the "Options" dialog box.
5. Click on the "Support File Search Path" icon.
6. On the "Files" tab, select "Add" to add a new support search path.
6. Click "Browse" and navigate to "c:\acad_custom" then click "Ok."
7. Click "Ok" to close the Options dialog box.
8. In Autocad type "menuload" at the command prompt.
9. On the "Menu Groups" tab next to "File Name" click the "Browse button.
10. Navigate to "c:\acad_custom" and select the "ether.mns" file then click the "Load" button to load the menu. Be sure to select the .mns file.
11. Select the "Menu Bar" tab in the same Menu Customization Dialog Box.
12. From the "Menu Groups" pulldown, select "ether" and highlight the “Ether’s Stuff” menu below.
13. In the right hand "Menu Bar" list highlight "Help" then click the "Insert" button.
14. Click the "Close" button to complete the setup.

You should now have your STR command available from the command line and through a pull-down menu.


- Dave R.