Our CAD configuration uses an .arg. The .arg file points to all of our settings and plotters and such. For this reason we have always had to launch AutoCAD and browse to project files. Is there a way to have .dwg launch via Newforma using this .arg settings file? Or is there possibly a better solution?

Hi,

Is the .arg file passed as a paramter to the AutoCad command line?

Faan

Yes. It is target of the shortcut that we use. The target is: “C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Civil 3D Land Desktop Companion 2008\acad.exe” /p “V:\CustomSettings2008\ACADProfiles\LDT2008.arg”

I’ve been discussing a similar issue over at:

http://www.newformant.com/index.php/talk/viewthread/173/

When opening files from the Project Files activity center, Project Center defaults to handing the file-open action off to the underlying system file associations that are recorded in the system registry.  For example, opening a DWG file looks at the entry in the “HKCR\.dwg” registry entry to determine which program should handle opening the file.

You could potentially modify this setting to include a pointer to your custom launcher command which includes the .arg file.

You should also be able to define a custom program command which includes the .arg reference on the command line by changing the file association in the Project Center preferences under the “Change file associations…” menu item.

Hope that helps.
Matt

To clarify Matt’s suggestion, refer to the screenshots below.

Open the “Change file associations” dialog and click the “...” button for .dwg file association. (first screenshot)

In the “Choose a Program” dialog, click the “...” button at the bottom (Select a Windows shortcut…) (second screenshot)

Select your shortcut containing the .arg specification.

In the shortcut properties, add the “%1” (including quotes) at the end. (third screenshot).

You should be able to launch your .dwg files using the shortcut with the .arg specification.

Hope this works for you,

Faan

I definitely appreciate your help but it doesn’t seem to be working for me. The following is the target that I’ve set my shorcut to use. When I launch a DWG, it does not appear to use the ARG file.

C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Civil 3D Land Desktop Companion 2008\acad.exe /p “V:\CustomSettings2008\ACADProfiles\H&P;_LDT2008.arg” “%1”

Another question: The launcher seems to know which files are C3D and which are LDT. Is there a way to have that ability within newforma?

Because it contains spaces, you probably need quotes around the executable path:

“C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Civil 3D Land Desktop Companion 2008\acad.exe”

Regarding your other question, Newforma Project Center only sees the file as a .dwg file, it doesn’t know that it’s a C3D or LDT.

Faan

Whoops, I didn’t mean to post that one. I was trying different options. My actual shortcut is: “C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Civil 3D Land Desktop Companion 2008\acad.exe” /p “V:\CustomSettings2008\ACADProfiles\H&P;_LDT2008.arg” “%1”

If it didn’t have quotes it wouldn’t save the shortcut.

We share the same issue. Any resolution?