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Mapkeys and Customized Screens

V

verge

New member
We just started getting into mapkeys here, and some of my colleagues have created a bit of a mess. We're simply trying to set up our system so that everyone has their own mapkeys, and their screens are customized to show only what they want. What's the key to this? How do we save our own settings? For a while, everyone had every mapkey that was ever placed on a toolbar, then someone went in and starting messing about, and now it's just a big mess!


What's the real technique?
 
Save the files config.pro and config.win in %homedrive%%homepath% on the pc. EX c:\documents and settings\kurt\


Proe is lokking in 3 places for the files.


1. ..Wildfire3\text


2. Users home folder


3. Working dir (Only on start up of Proe, and not if you change working dir from proE)


Do you use PDMsystem like Intralink?
 
ProE will add these configs up. So you can have a basic config in \text, a user config in \home and a project config in Startup folder.
 
jnoval, we are not currently using a PDM system, but will be soon.


Thanks jnoval and ReinhardN for the response. I'll take a look at it and let you know how it turns out...
smiley2.gif
 
All right, another simple question.How do I save a config.win file to my user's home folder? First of all, how do I save a config.win file? Second, which exact folder is my home folder?
 
verge said:
All right, another simple question.How do I save a config.win file to my user's home folder? First of all, how do I save a config.win file? Second, which exact folder is my home folder?
Click to expand...
to save a *.win file, i use a program called Xray. it's an xml editor and comes in pretty handy. http://architag.com/xray/
when you go to save the file, save as ALL FILES and then type in the name like "config.win" and hit save. hope that helps ya


*edit - the users home folder is any folder you specify. like c:/users/bill

Edited by: dh138
 
Hi Dave


That was a interesting idea to user a xml editor to change a .win file. What are the bennefit of that?


You can also open .win file in wordpad but it doest seen easy to change or perhaps I haven't found the logic in .win files.
 
Is there a way to set a default config.win file to load?


Currently we are all going to a shared folder with a config.pro file and config.win file. However on my computer it loads a different config.win file then everyone elses. I can't think of why it would be loading a different file. We've tried deleting the shared config.win completely so it should just load our personal settings in the pro-e 2.0 folder using the file config.win inside there, but instead it pulls up a completely different config file that doesn't seem to exist.


Also I have an issue with a mapkey button that just won't go away no matter how many times i save it. Its a hotkey for a mapkey that no longer exists, but for somereason it sticks around in my config.win file.


thanks for the help
 
jnoval said:
Hi Dave


That was a interesting idea to user a xml editor to change a .win file. What are the bennefit of that?


You can also open .win file in wordpad but it doest seen easy to change or perhaps I haven't found the logic in .win files.
Click to expand...
Using wordpad you can't save the file extension correctly. At least I've never been able to. The XML editor I have for some WC stuff so I tried it one day on a whim and it worked.
It let's me save the format correctly and move on to the next user yelling that their configs are broke when they really aren't..
smiley5.gif
 
jnoval said:
Save the files config.pro and config.win in %homedrive%%homepath% on the pc. EX c:\documents and settings\kurt\


Proe is lokking in 3 places for the files:
1. ..Wildfire3\text
2. Users home folder
3. Working dir (startup dir)
Click to expand...


I understand #1 and #3, but I'm fuzzy on #2. Is it in fact the windows user dir (c:/docs & settings/username), or is it any given user defined folder on the hard drive as you later specified (ex: c:/users/bill).


It's also been stated that the settings from the config file in each of the 3 locations will be combined. Does ProE load them is a specific order??


Regarding the saving of config.win files. Is there a problem with saving them directly from ProE??
Tools--->Customize Screen...--->File--->Save Settings
Does this file serve any other purpose than Toolbar/Menu/Mapkey customization?
 
Many is fuzzy on #2. It is set by windows and can not be control by ProE. You can find the location on your pc by in a command prompt(start-Run_cmd) type


set home


C:\Documents and Settings\Johannes>set home
HOMEDRIVE=C:
HOMEPATH=\Documents and Settings\Johannes


#2= HOMEDRIVE+HOMEPATH


They are loades in ordre #1, #2, #3


It is best to save config.win direct from ProE as you write. To use a editor is hardcode for "gurus" :)
 
First, thanks for the info. This helped us fix our mapkey/toolbar problem. #2 also seems to be the problem I brought up in my other post.


My big question, is there a way to change the homedrive/homepath??
When I chcnge them in the CMD promt, they only last for the session. I've even assigned them as environmental variable (both types) to see if they will overwrite and they will not. Any suggestions??
Edited by: Rbrgr83
 
You also have to remember that in the process of loading mapkeys and config options of the same name,theywill be over-written when the next config.pro is loaded.


There is also config.sup which can be used to store company wide config options such as location of templates, materials, search_path_file, etc... When an option is set in the config.sup file that users config.pro cannot over-write it.


As Pro/E loads it sets the options from the config.sup file (if in the loadpoint "/text"), then it loads the config.pro. After loading from the "/text" directory it loads from the "users" directory. If any mapkays or setup options are different they will over-write the options set at the first config.pro. Then if there are options set in the "start-up" directory those options will be loaded, overwriting any previously used options. The only ones that will not be over-written are the options set in the config.sup


Hope this helps a little more.
 
I understand the load order for config files. This was the cause of the problems we were having earlier. I do not however have a config.sup file anywhere.
 
well, search paths for one. You can specify different search paths,color files, and/orformats for each project. you can also create custom mapkeys for working on specific assemblies, parts, or drawings.


Why change it at all? sometimes it is better to control over certain areas that you want to control rather than trying to manage a huge config.pro file. Just as there are many different people that want a certain layout their are many of those that use many different layouts/configs. I think it is better to have the option than being restricted to a single one.


Just my $.02 :)
 
jnoval said:
I don't think you can change the #2.
Why change it?
Click to expand...


Very well put blumb.


Let me start by saying that the earlier problem has been solved by using /text for personal settings (.win) at start point for public settings (.pro).


That being said, the biggest reason I want to change #2 is becuase it is stuck on a network folder in my case. If something happens, (server changes, etc.) i might lose stuff.


Also, my co-worker (Jonathan) and I have this "home" folder in 2 different spots. We are on the same network, on the same group. Our computers were setup by the same person. In fact, I used to use the computer than Jonathan uses now. So reason #2 for changing #2 is shear morbid curiosity.


No one seems to be able to explain how this folder definition comes into existance. It overrides local and global environmental variables. What happens when I delete the folder completely? Does the definition jump elsewhere? Does it result in errors?? I'm just uncomfortable with the though that there isa varibale definition out there that I have absolutely no control over. Especialy one that has already cause a great deal of grief for us doing something as mundane as toolbar definitions.


I have a better understanding of it now, so I'm sure it won't be difficult to deal with it in the future. But I'd rather not have to worry about it at all.
 
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