AutoCAD Check Standards problem

[tomhamlet]

I am having problems with my check standards is saying i need to run it with plug-ins. when i switch over to the "plug-ins" tab, nothing is there to select. do I create the plug-ins? if so, how?

[BlackBox]

Never used STANDARDS personally, but as I understand it, the (or at least some) plug-ins are provided OOTB (i.e., Dimension Styles, Layers, Linetpyes, and Text Styles).

 

Is it possible that you're missing one or more Support File Search Paths (SFSP)? Compare your profile to that of the OOTB profile(s) to see if you are, and to make sure the plug-ins show up in a non-customized profile.

[tomhamlet]

Im not sure what you mean by if its missing SFSP. Or how to compare my profile to the OOTB. Standards are made just like templates, instead of a dwt it is a dws. Usually you attach them to a drawing through the STANDARD command and then use them through the CHECK STANDARDS command. From what I have read in the AutoDesk help, Plug-ins are used to save time by checking only parts of the drawing (ie, Only check layers and Dimstyles, or Only Layers, etc) I have used this many times and never needed to specify a plug-in and now that it is asking me to, there is nothing to specify in the plug-in box. It is empty. So I cannot run the standard at all.

[BlackBox]

I well understand the purpose of DWS, and their usage... I've just never needed to use them for production.

 

Im not sure what you mean by if its missing SFSP. Or how to compare my profile to the OOTB.

 

I suspect that as their name would indicate, the default plug-ins (i.e., Dimension Styles, Layers, Linetpyes, and Text Styles) are either part of, or are their own files (i.e., .dll, .arx, etc.) and are typically located in one of the OOTB SFSP locations.

 

What I am suggesting you to is to open two sessions, the first being your own, daily production profile, and the second being an OOTB profile (perhaps from Start, All Programs, Autodesk, etc.). Once open, compare each for the listed SFSP (side by side, or simply export to ARG if you're comfortable reading REG format files).

 

Hopefully that makes more sense.

 

 

 

** Edit to add -

 

This just adds to my motivation to roll my own AcCadStandards .NET plug-in (something I've been contemplating for some time), which instead of requiring a user to manually invoke the CheckStandards Command, would employ a user-defined XML file, with appropriate schema to allow a user to define specific layers, and annotation entity types (i.e., Text, MText, MLeader, etc.) and their respective Text Height, etc. so that one need only select an MLeader (for example), and change it's layer, and my plug-in would hook the ObjectModified Event to evaluate the entity per the user-defined XML settings and immediately modify the entity to _that_ layer's settings (i.e., existing layer, text height, oblique, etc.).

Edited November 21, 2012 by BlackBox

[tomhamlet]

Im really not sure where i would find the OOTB and SFSP locations. But here is my configuration box

 

the bottom picture is the plug-ins box after i have loaded my dws. It is blank. I watched a tutorial on this and when the user opened the standards on the configuration, the plug-ins were there.

 

My IT guy came through the other day and ran some anti-virus on the computers, from what my colleague says, they were working fine until that point.

[BlackBox]

Im really not sure where i would find the OOTB and SFSP locations.

 

Options Command, Files tab, Support File Search Path node :wink:

 

the bottom picture is the plug-ins box after i have loaded my dws. It is blank. I watched a tutorial on this and when the user opened the standards on the configuration, the plug-ins were there.

 

What I am saying, is that I suspect that there may be a path missing, one where the plug-ins reside, that due to it (this path) potentially being missing from your SFSP, precludes these plug-ins from being loaded when you start AutoCAD, and thus showing you no available plug-ins when you get to the dialog.

 

My IT guy came through the other day and ran some anti-virus on the computers, from what my colleague says, they were working fine until that point.

 

Two things:

 

1. That's a prudent place to start... Diagnose if this issue is affecting all users, or only a select few, and compare that to which users received this IT maintenance. If all users that received the IT Maintenance are 'suddenly' subject to the same shortcoming with regard to the STANDARDS Command, then request a work station be either rolled back, or perhaps a non-production machine be made available (one that has not received this IT maintenance) for testing. Compare the working machine's SFSP to your current SFSP.

 

 

... And somewhat off topic:

 

2. I've been working on, and using my AcAntiVirus (AutoCAD Antivirus) .NET plug-in for weeks without any issues, and this only motivates me to get it ready to upload to Autodesk Exchange. This plug-in is not a replacement for standard Antivirus software, but is instead meant to be used specifically with AutoCAD products to prevent viruses like Acad.fas/AcadDoc.fas/bakdwg.fas, and the like, and uses a user-customizable XML file to tell the plug-in which files to look for, and protect AutoCAD against (and all of this before Acad.lsp, or AcadDoc.lsp are looked for in the startup sequence).

[tomhamlet]

 

2. I've been working on, and using my AcAntiVirus (AutoCAD Antivirus) .NET plug-in for weeks without any issues, and this only motivates me to get it ready to upload to Autodesk Exchange. This plug-in is not a replacement for standard Antivirus software, but is instead meant to be used specifically with AutoCAD products to prevent viruses like Acad.fas/AcadDoc.fas/bakdwg.fas, and the like, and uses a user-customizable XML file to tell the plug-in which files to look for, and protect AutoCAD against (and all of this before Acad.lsp, or AcadDoc.lsp are looked for in the startup sequence).

 

sounds good and way over my understanding... for now lol. thanks for your help, i will try this and see whats going on!

[BlackBox]

sounds good and way over my understanding... for now lol.

 

No worries; we all start somewhere... I've only been doing this for +/-3 years (see my 'Join Date')

 

thanks for your help, i will try this and see whats going on!

 

You're welcome; I'm happy to help... Good luck!

[tomhamlet]

Well i found the solution so i will put it on here. basically I had to go to my control panel to "programs and features" to autocad to "add remove features". I unchecked the "standards" box and updated. Then rechecked the box and updated again. Its all working again.

[BlackBox]

Well i found the solution so i will put it on here. basically I had to go to my control panel to "programs and features" to autocad to "add remove features". I unchecked the "standards" box and updated. Then rechecked the box and updated again. Its all working again.

 

Glad you got it sorted.