About Exporting and Importing Custom Settings From the Same Release

Custom settings can be transferred between computers with the same release of the product installed, or to create a backup of your custom settings.

Note: You must start the program at least once before you can export or import custom settings.

Export Custom Settings

When exporting custom settings, a transfer package is created that contains an XML file. This file contains custom settings, a listing of the custom files from local locations used by the program, and optionally, custom files in network locations.

The transfer package is a compressed archive with a ZIP file extension. During the import process, you select the ZIP file archive that contains the exported custom settings.

The following table lists the file types that are most commonly included in the transfer package.

Most Common File Types Included in the Transfer Package
File Name	File Description
FavoriteMaterials.adsklib	Contains materials that are added to the My Materials library with the Materials Browser. Note: Not available in AutoCAD LT.
*.atc	Tools defined in a tool palette and the tool palette catalog.
*.aws	Order of the tools as they appear in a tool palette and other local settings. The file is not migrated from release to release, but is migrated from computer to computer with the transfer package.
*.bmp,*.dib,*.png,*.rle	Images used for custom commands defined in a customization file.
*.ctb	Settings used to control the appearance of objects when plotting; the settings are arranged by the colors of the AutoCAD Color Index (ACI) system.
*.cuix	Information used to define many of the user interface elements for the program and control their placement.
*.cus	Custom dictionary used to check the spelling of words in annotation objects.
*.fmp	Information about font mappings for True Type Fonts used in the In-Place Text Editor.
*.ini	Configuration settings for some features.
*.lin	Standard and custom linetype definitions.
*.mln	Standard and custom multiline style definitions. Note: Not available in AutoCAD LT.
*.mnl	AutoLISP commands and procedures that a customization file is dependent on; must have the same name as a customization file in order to be loaded by the product. Note: Not available in AutoCAD LT.
*.pat	Standard and custom hatch pattern definitions.
*.pc3	Configuration information for a plotter or printer.
*.pgp	External commands and command alias definitions. Note: External commands are not available in AutoCAD LT.
*.pmp	Calibration and paper size settings that are used with a PC3 file.
*.psf	Information about font substitution when exporting to a Postscript file. Note: Not available in AutoCAD LT.
*.shx	Information about text characters or shapes in complex linetype definitions.
*.stb	Settings used to control the appearance of objects when plotting; the settings are grouped into names that can be assigned to a layer or object.
*.xml	Information about the user profiles in the product and the original locations of the files in the export package.

The following table lists the file types that are not included in the transfer package.

Note: Only .mnr and .unt files are relevant to AutoCAD LT.

Some of the File Types Not Included in the Transfer Package
File Name	File Description
*.actm	Action macro file.
*.arx	ObjectARX application file.
*.dcl	Definitions for custom dialog boxes used with AutoLISP or ObjectARX applications.
*.dvb	Visual Basic for Applications project file.
*.fas	Fast-load AutoLISP format file.
*.fdc	Definitions for fields; should not be modified.
*.lsp	AutoLISP source file that contains definitions for custom commands and functions.
*.mnr	Resource images for a customization file; must have the same name as a customization file in order to be loaded by the product. The file is not included because it is automatically generated by the product when it is not present.
*.udl	Data connection settings used with dbConnect.
*.unt	Unit definitions used for converting a value from one unit type to another.
*.vlx	Visual LISP file that might contain multiple AutoLISP and DCL files compiled into a single file.

Import Custom Settings

After successfully importing the transfer package, a message box is displayed that gives you the option of viewing the migration log file. If any errors are encountered during the import process, they are recorded in this file.

If files from a network location were added during the creation of a transfer package, the files are copied to a different location only when the original network locations are not available when importing a transfer package. If the files from a network location are found in the same location on the network, the files are not copied to the network location and are ignored during the import operation.

If the user profile <<Unnamed Profile>> exists, the user profile is automatically backed up before the transfer package is imported.

Local paths that exist as part of a user profile in a transfer package are created automatically during the import process, but paths that are on a network drive or a drive that uses removable discs, are not created automatically.