AutoCAD - Multiple Templates

Multiple Templates

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Category: EN
Forum Name: AutoCAD
Forum Description: Discussion about AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, viewers, DWG and DWF formats, Design Review, AutoCAD 360, add-ons
URL: https://www.cadforum.cz/forum_en/forum_posts.asp?TID=2728
Printed Date: 31.May.2026 at 20:08

Topic: Multiple Templates

Posted By: jennh
Subject: Multiple Templates
Date Posted: 20.Nov.2009 at 18:25

Hi guys.

Trying to setup new install of Autocad 2010. My company works on many different types of projects that require several different templates. Is there a way to setup Autocad so that on startup it does not load a drawing, but instead asks to select a template.

So far all I have been able to achieve is on startup loading the default drawing, closing that, opening new drawing that prompts for template.

This isnt a huge deal....but it is a bit annoying.

Thanks for the help :)

Replies:

Posted By: Crystalg
Date Posted: 30.Nov.2009 at 18:18

If I understand you correctly, you want ACAD to prompt you to select a template drawing upon opening. I don't think this is possible, but you can create all the templates for use with the "_new" command and also the "QNEW" command. These commands create new drawings and you can make ACAD prompt the user to select a template.
Check out the "template settings" under the files tab of the "options" dialog box.

Posted By: jennh
Date Posted: 30.Nov.2009 at 19:25

Yup. That's the way we have it setup now. Was just trying to save keystrokes. Thanks for the post.

Posted By: Insight
Date Posted: 01.Dec.2009 at 11:25

./style/acad.css" rel="nofollow -

./style/acad.css" rel="nofollow - In this way you can make ACAD to start with specified dwt, not to ask wich dwt to use, BUT you can make several shortcuts with "target" defined in this way -

./style/acad.css" rel="nofollow - 1. "C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2010\acad.exe" /t "c:\1" - this will open ACAD with 1.dwt from c:\

./style/acad.css" rel="nofollow - 2. "C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2010\acad.exe" /t "c:\2" - this will open ACAD with 2.dwt from c:\.......

./style/acad.css" rel="nofollow -

./style/acad.css" rel="nofollow - You can find more options in ACAD help -> Contents -> Users Guide -> The User Interface -> Customize the drawing Environment -> Customize Startup....

Posted By: jennh
Date Posted: 01.Dec.2009 at 17:21

Yah. Thought about doing it that way too. Problem is that we use about a dozen or so different templates and I would hate to clutter the desktop with shortcuts. This would definitely be the solution I would have taken if it were not so, but thanks for the post.

Posted By: CarlB
Date Posted: 01.Dec.2009 at 19:30

There's a tip at Autodeesk that *almost* gets you there.

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2883654&linkID=9240617" rel="nofollow - http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2883654&linkID=9240617

I played with it & found you need these modifications:

You need to add just 1 line to "acad.lsp" file (or create it):

(command "script" "newtemplate.scr")

You can name the script file whatever you wish. I put it in AutoCAD/Support & didn't need to put the full path. You may need to add "acad.lsp" to the startup suite per the site's instruction; I didn't need to (depends on setting of ACADLSPASDOC).

Now create a script file, in this case called ""newtemplate.scr" consisting of following 3 lines (3rd one blank). The tilde is to bring up the template dialogue box rather than command line.


_new
~

OK I see the drawback to this-when you open a drawing (rather than just startup AutoCAD) you get the "template" d.b. you need to cancel. So maybe instead of using "acad.lsp" to run the script, you can just modify your startup icon to run the script. So, under "target" in Autocad shortcut icon properties, add to the end:

/b "newtemplate"

Posted By: Insight
Date Posted: 02.Dec.2009 at 08:50

This dozen of shorts can be placed just in one folder and you even don't need this folder to be on the desktop.