Requirement
ObjectARX, .NET, and ObjectDBX modules
All user-customizable files need to be stored in a per-user location.
| AutoCAD/ObjectARX file name or type | Guideline |
|---|---|
| XML-based files (i.e., .atc, .aws) | Do not modify directly. Modification of these files, or other XML-based files in AutoCAD, is not recommended because they are based upon an XML schema that can change at any time. Modification and/or customization should be performed through use of the documented APIs related to the feature the files represent. |
| sheet set (.dst) files | Do not modify directly. Modification and/or customization should be performed through use of the documented APIs. |
| acad.mnl | Do not modify. |
| acad.cuix | Do not replace. Modify only using the CUI APIs. Add your UI components using partial CUIx files whenever possible. This makes it easy to remove your UI elements if your application is uninstalled. Modifications to the user's main CUIx file is allowed using the CUI APIs but should only be used to add a partial file to the list of CUIx files to be loaded. |
| acad2021.lsp and acaddoc2021.lsp | Do not modify. |
| template (.dwt) files | Do not overwrite any template file, such as acad.dwt. If necessary, use a drawing template file to establish your application's drawing environment. |
| help (.chm, .htm, .html) files | Do not replace. Implement your own help files instead. |
| acad.lin and acadiso.lin | Do not modify or replace. Supplying additional LINETYPE files is fine. |
| acad.pat and acadiso.pat | Custom patterns must be appended to the end of the
acad.pat file. Prefix comments with two semicolons (;;).Where not dictated by a standard, hatch pattern names must be prefixed by the application name to prevent duplication of existing patterns or confusion with similar patterns from other developers.
The following code gives an example of a new pattern name: ;; ;; The following hatch patterns WXYZ* are from Bathroom Version 3 ;; *WXYZT001, Standard floor tiling hatch 0, 0,0, 0,8 90, 0,0, 8,8, 8,-8 |
| acad.pgp | When appending to
acad.pgp, existing aliases and references must be retained.
Commands added to the acad.pgp file should start with a unique prefix to prevent the duplication of existing commands or confusion with commands from other developers. |
| acadSynonymsGlobalDB.pgp | When appending to acadSynonymsGlobalDB.pgp, existing synonyms must be retained. |
| AutoCorrectUserDB.pgp | When appending to AutoCorrectUserDB.pgp, existing AutoCorrect entries must be retained. |
| shape and font source (.shp or .pfb) and compiled (.shx) files | Shape file names should start with a unique prefix to avoid conflicts with other files in the AutoCAD search paths. |
| acad.unt | Append only to the end of the acad.unt file. Any new definition added to the acad.unt file must include a comment line before the addition, telling which application is appending that definition. |
| acad.dcl and base.dcl | Do not modify DCL files that come with AutoCAD. |