progeCAD Professional manual The low-cost alternative to AutoCAD

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Customizing progeCAD

Creating and replaying scripts

progeCAD can record anything you type on the keyboard and any points you select in a drawing. You can save all of these actions to a script file (with the *.scr extension) and then repeat them by replaying the script. You can use scripts for successively repeating commands, showing snapshots in a slide show, or batch plotting. You can also load and run script files created for use with AutoCAD.

progeCAD supports most AutoCAD customization files, including menus, script files, and LISP routines. progeCAD uses compatible linetypes, hatch patterns, units translation, and command aliases, but you can also substitute your own files for these. This feature allows you to continue to work with your favorite customized drafting environment.

A script is a form of text file. A script file contains one line of text or other data for each action. For example, when you type a command and press Enter, it is recorded on a line in the script file. When you select a point in a drawing, the coordinate of that point is recorded on a line in the script file. You can also create script files outside progeCAD using a text editor (such as Microsoft Notepad or Microsoft WordPad) or a word-processing program (such as Microsoft Word) that saves the file in ASCII format. The file type must be .scr.

Script files can contain comments. Any line that begins with a semicolon is considered a comment. The program ignores these lines when replaying the script. The Undo feature reverses the last command performed by the script.

progeCAD improves on scripts, AutoLISP, and ADS by providing additional functions. For scripts, progeCAD includes a Script Recorder that records both command line entries and screen picks you make with your mouse.

After you activate the Script Recorder, every keyboard entry you make and any points you select in a drawing are recorded until you stop the Script Recorder. You can play back your script at any time.

CAUTION The Script Recorder does not record your use of toolbars, menus, or dialog boxes. Using these elements while recording a script causes unpredictable results.
To record a script
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Tools > Record Script.
  3. Type recscript and then press Enter.
  4. Specify the name of the script file you want to create.
  5. Click Save.
  6. Type commands on the keyboard.

The Script Recorder records all keyboard entries and all points you select in the drawing, saving everything to the script file.

To stop recording
  1. Type stopscript and then press Enter.
To replay a script
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Tools > Run Script.
  3. Type script and then press Enter.
  4. In the Run Script dialog box, specify the name of the script file you want to run.
  5. Click Open.
  6. The program immediately runs the script, performing all the actions originally recorded.
To append to a script
  1. Do one of the following:
  2. Choose Tools > Record Script.
  3. Type recscript and then press Enter.
  4. In the Record Script dialog box, select the Append To Script check box.
  5. Select the existing script file to append.
  6. Click Save.
  7. Click Yes to the prompt asking whether you want to replace the existing script.
  8. Repeat the procedure to enter additional commands and steps.
  9. NOTE To invoke a script automatically when you load progeCAD, in Windows Explorer, double-click a script file.