AutoCAD menus, toolbars, and shortcut keys are defined with a
base menu. This menu is by default acad.mnu. If you wish to add
new menus to AutoCAD it is better to define them separately and
add them as partial menus. Partial menus are managed with
MENULOAD command. Although this tutorial is designed for AutoCAD
2004, it might be applicable for other releases.
Note:
If you are not familiar with menu files read the following
tutorial first:
► AutoCAD Menus: The Base Menu
1. Download the
following files to AutoCAD search path:
►
extra_tools.mnu
►
extra_tools.mns
►
extra_tools.mnc
►
extra_tools.mnr
►
extra_tools.mnl
►
ddlimits.dcl
► limits.sld
Note:
If you are not familiar with AutoCAD search path, read the
following tutorial:
► AutoCAD 2004 Customization:
Search Paths
2. Start AutoCAD.
3. Invoke MENULOAD
(Tools > Customize > Menus). The Menu Customization
dialog box appears [Figure 1].
Figure 1
4. Click Browse.
The Select Menu File dialog box appears [Figure 2].
Figure 2 -
Click on image to enlarge
5. Locate and open
extra_tools.mnc.
6. In Menu
Customization dialog box click Load. The menu group will be
added to the list of loaded menus [Figure 3]. The Extra Tools
toolbar will also become visible [Figure 4].
Figure 3
Figure 4
7. From the list
select EXTRA_TOOLS.
8. Click Menu Bar
tab [Figure 5].
Figure 5
9. Make sure that
Extra is selected on the left pane.
10. Scroll down on
the right pane and select Help [Figure 6].
Figure 6
11. Click Insert.
The Extra menu will be placed on the menu bar to the left of
Help [Figure 7].
Figure 7
12. Close the
dialog box.
Notes:
- You can use MENULOAD to remove the partial menu. Just
select the partial menu from the list and click Unload.
- The Extra menu gives you some extra tools. I hope you
enjoy them and share them with your friends.
Alireza Parsai is the founder of cadpanel.com. He is a
mechanical engineer with more than 12 years experience with
AutoCAD. Alireza is an Autodesk Authorized Author, the AutoCAD
consultant for Al Khawarizmi Institute, a contributing editor
for Augiworld magazine, a writer for CAD Digest, an instructor
for AUGI Training Program, and an elected speaker for Autodesk
University 2002. He has written 7 books in Farsi, 3 booklets in
English, and more than 30 articles for different magazines and
newsletters. You can reach him at
alireza.parsai@cadpanel.com or visit his website
www.cadpanel.com.
