Creating toolbar buttons is easy. The new button definition
will be added to menu files. If you use an image for the new
button the bitmap image will be saved in the MNR file. You would
better save the image files separately to be able to cope with
any future problems.
If you are not familiar with menu files read the following
tutorial first:
► AutoCAD Menus: The Base Menu
Note:
This tutorial is designed for AutoCAD 2004 though might be
applicable for other releases.
1. Start AutoCAD
2004.
2. Right click on
any toolbar that belongs to ACAD menu group. A shortcut menu
appears [Figure 1].
Figure 1
3. Click Customize.
The Customize dialog box appears [Figure 2].
Figure 2
4. Select the
Commands tab.
5. In Categories
list select User Defined.
6. Drag the User
Defined Button option from the list to the right and drop it on
Draw toolbar. An empty button will be added to the toolbar
[Figure 3].
Figure 3
7. Click the
button. The Button Properties tab is enabled [Figure 4].
Figure 4
8. In Name box type
Single Line. This name will be used as a tool tip when the mouse
points to the button.
9. In Description
field type "Draws a single line segment: LINE" [Figure 5]. The
description will be shown on the status bar when you point to
the button.
Figure 5
10. In Macro
associated … enter the proper text [Figure 6].
Figure 6
Notes:
- ^C^C cancels any running command.
- _ is used to make the button applicable to AutoCAD
versions that are not in English besides the English version
of AutoCAD.
- ; stands for pressing Enter.
- \ means user entry. Here we need 2 user entries the start
point and end point of the line segment.
- An additional Enter at the end of the macro is used to
exit the LINE command. Note that end of line is also
equivalent to pressing Enter so here the macro presses Enter
twice.
11. In the list of
available button images select the Line image [Figure 7].
Figure 7
12. In Button
Image section click Edit. The Button Editor dialog
box appears [Figure 8].
Figure 8
13. Select Grid
[Figure 9].
Figure 9
14. With the help
of available tools make some modifications to the image [Figure
10].
Figure 10
15. Click Save As.
16. Save the file
as single_line.bmp [Figure 11].
Figure 11 - Click on image to
enlarge
17. Close the
Button Editor.
18. Click Apply.
19. Close the
Customize dialog box. The button is added to the Draw menu
with the proper definition [Figure 12].
Figure 12
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.
