Pro/E Setup

[jdfriedrick]

How do you change the start-up directory for pro/e?


Also, what is best practice? To have all the enviornmental files,config.win, config.pro, etcin that directory or some place else to be loaded at the user convienience?\


Please fill my head with knowledge.

 

[dr_gallup]

I use a desktop shortcut and change the startup directory in the shortcut properties. You need to learn the location & order of all the files that Pro/E uses at startup. Most companies have corporate standard files that get loaded then they let users change there home directory files for personalization.

Read the help files!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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About Configuration Files
You can customize the look and feel of Pro/ENGINEER and the
way in which Pro/ENGINEER runs by setting options in a configuration file.
Pro/ENGINEER contains two important configuration files: config.pro and config.win. The config.pro file is a text file that stores all of the
settings that define the way in which Pro/ENGINEER handles operations. The config.win file is a database file that stores window
configuration settings, such as toolbar visibility settings and Model Tree
location settings. Each setting in the configuration files is called a
configuration option. Pro/ENGINEER provides default values for each option. You
can set or change the configuration options. Some of the options you can set
are:

Tolerance display formats

Calculation accuracy

The number of digits used in sketcher
dimensions

Toolbar contents

Relative button order on a toolbar

Location and size of the Model Tree[/list]
Note: Config.sup is a
protected system configuration file. Your company system administrator uses this
file to set configuration options that are used on a company-wide basis. Any
values that are set in this file cannot be overridden by other (more local)
config.pro files.
About menu_def.pro
The menu_def.pro file is a configuration file that
controls the look and feel of the Menu Manager. Typically, your company system
administrator would set up this file in order to customize the Menu Manager
according to the needs of your workgroup. You can also create your own menu_def.pro file and further customize the Menu
Manager locally.
How Pro/ENGINEER Reads Configuration Files at Startup
Pro/ENGINEER reads configuration files automatically from
several areas. If a particular option is present in more than one configuration
file, Pro/ENGINEER applies the most recently loaded/read setting.
At startup, Pro/ENGINEER first reads in a protected system
configuration file called config.sup. It then searches for and reads in
configuration files (config.pro, config.win, menu_def.pro) from the following directories in the
following order:

1. 
   loadpoint/text (loadpoint is the Pro/ENGINEER
   installation directory) -
   Your system administrator may have put configuration files in this location to
   support company standards for windows configuration settings, formats and
   libraries. Any user starting Pro/ENGINEER from this loadpoint uses the values in this file.
   
   Login directory - This is the home directory for your login ID. Placing your
   configuration files here lets you start Pro/ENGINEER from any directory without
   having a copy of the files in each directory.
   
   Startup directory - This is your current or working directory when you start
   Pro/ENGINEER.

Note:
The local configuration files (config.pro, config.win, and menu_def.pro) in your startup
directory are the last to be read; therefore, they override any conflicting
configuration file option entries. The config.pro file does not, however,
override any config.sup entries.
You can create and store custom configuration files
in your current working directory. These custom configuration files usually
apply to specific projects.
See Also
About config.pro
Options
To
Save config.win Changes Automatically
To Load a
config.win File
To Set config.pro
Options
To
Search for a Configuration Option
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[dgs]

How do you change the start-up directory for pro/e?

The simple way is to change the 'Start In' field of the shortcut properties for the icon used to launch Pro|E. Right click on your Pro|E icon and select properties.

Also, what is best practice? To have all the enviornmental files,config.win, config.pro, etcin that directory or some place else to be loaded at the user convienience?\

What's best for me or my company may not be best for you. As Dr Gallup says, you need to learn the rules of how files are loaded. Pro|E will look in for config files in 3 places, first in the text directory where Pro|E is installed, second in the user's home directory (as defined by windows environment variable) and third in the start up directory. Config files, both config.pro and config.win are cumulative, that is each adds to the previous one, for conflicting settings the later file wins. The exception is the config.sup file which must be in the text folder and cannot be overwritten. Config.win files can be very unpredictable, so you need to be careful when loading more than one.

That's the overview of the rules, you need to think about what you want to accomplish (company standards or just personal? Multiple project folders or just one? etc) and then apply the rules to your situation.

Please fill my head with knowledge.

One forum post isn't going to do it. Read the help, ask questions, experiment and start simple. Our config system started as a way to commonize certain settings and make sure we were all on the same templates, etc. Now, we have a sophisticated system of nested batch files and start up scripts that will load customer specific config files, allow individual customizations, provide a menu of custom mapkeys and manage and back up the config files as well. There's no way I could have jumped in and done that in one step, it evolved over time.

 

[jdfriedrick]

Doug, much appreciated for the GOOD information.


I'm a Sr Engineer as well and at a new company that does not have an IT person. I am the IT person and sadly never had to deal with these issues until now.


J.Friedrick


Harmonic Design


San Diego