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----- Panel Maker -----

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For

Autocad


AutoCut Research

 

Overview

Panel Maker is not part of AutoLink but is a separate application that runs within Autocad. It is not copy protected and does not have to be registered. It will work without AutoLink and AutoLink will work without Panel Maker. However, together they streamline the process of creating a panel design in Autocad and turning it into a CNC program seamlessly.

Installation

The installation for Panel Maker is PMSetup.exe. This file is available on the Red USB Key under ACR INSTALL/ACR/. It is the Panel Maker install used by Setup.EXE in ACR INSTALL. You can also download Panel Maker from our website for the latest version.

Since Panel Maker is being installed into another application (Autocad) that is continually changing and has variations in its own installation, it is possible that the Panel Maker install will not sucessfully automate. Should this be the case, it is a simple matter to make Panel Maker funtional. It is, after all, only an Autocad lisp program (now compiled into a VLX) and follows all installation specifications described in the Autocad documentation.  

Run PMSetup.exe (or select Panel Maker from the list in the main ACR Install) on the desired computer where you have already installed Autocad.

When asked, select the version of Autocad you have on your computer.

When the browser box appears showing where the Panel Maker files are to be installed be sure it is installing into the Support folder for the Autocad you are installing for. Some still have their old Autocad on the computer and the install may find it first and attempt to install into its Support folder. Be sure to redirect the install to the desired Autocad version.

After the install completes you will be reminded to run "MenuPM" at the Autocad command line.

Start your Autocad and type MenuPM at the Autocad command line. This has to be done only once and simply installs the Panel Maker menu adding "Busellato" as a menu choice on the Autocad menu line.

If  "MenuPM" returns "Unknown command" then Panel Maker has not been loaded into Autocad.  To load it, simply type "appload" on the Autocad command line. A browser box will open where you can browse for the file "pnlmkr.vlx". Select and load this file. You can also add it to the "Start up Suite" so that Panel Maker will be ready each time Autocad is started. More details about Panel Maker installed files etc. can be found in the AutoLink manual starting at the bottom of page 16. Note that Panel Maker  has not been affected by new versions of Autocad until Autocad 2007. In this version, Panel Maker's internal use of "dxfout" does not work correctly and sometimes results in crashing Autocad. Now "wblock" is used instead by Panel Maker.

Troubleshooting

Trouble Response
Unknown Command If you should get "Unknown Command" on the Autocad command line whenever you issue a Panel Maker command, this simply means that  Panel Maker  is not loaded into Autocad. You can type "appload" at the Autocad command line and browse for "pnlmkr.vlx" and load it that way. If you have trouble finding "pnlmkr.vlx" you can use the Windows Search to find it. It should (but does not have to be) in the "Support" directory of the Autocad you are using it with. Refer to the table below for a list of  Panel Maker files.
Drawing to AutoLink  does not activate AutoLink If you are not getting an error in the Autocad command line then check the AutoLink settings. By default, Panel Maker places Batch.lst which contains your drawing name etc. and Temp.dxf which is your drawing, into the folder "C:\DXF". In AutoLink Setup/Paths the "Source Path" should be where Panel Maker is putting these files (ie C:\DXF). In AutoLink Setup/Auto Action the button "AutoStart on BATCH.LST" should be checked.
Error from Autocad when sending drawing to AutoLink 1) If this happens on some drawings and not others then there could be corruption in your drawing data base that is not apparent when you examine your drawing. Download the utility CDG Purge and run it on your drawing.
2) If this happens on all drawings and you are using Autocad 2007 and perhaps later, download and install the latest version of Panel Maker.
Polylines do not process 1) Set the Autocad variable "PLINETYPE = 1". To do this, type Setvar on Autocad command line. Then make your drawing. Standard polylines will be used instead of LW polylines. This does not work for polylines already drawn.
2) Export as Autocad version 12 DXF..This automatically converts LW polylines to Standard polylines in the DXF. Older versions of Panel Maker did this automatically but the newer versions do not.
3) Upgrade to the latest version of AutoLink. The later versions of AutoLink supports LW polylines.

Files

PNLMKR.VLX The main Panel Maker program. This was compiled from Lisp.
PNLMKR.DCL Contains the Panel Maker dialog boxes.
PNLMKR.INI Panel Maker initialization file. Contains DXF destination path and default entity colors.
PNLMKR.MNU Menu template file for the Busellato pull down menu.
PNLMKR.MNC Menu custom file for the Busellato pull down menu.
PNLMKR.MNR Menu resource file for the Busellato pull down menu.
PNLMKR.CUI Menu customization file for the Busellato pull down menu.
Icon1538.bmp Routing toolbar icon
Icon1726.bmp Horizontal Drilling toolbar icon
Icon1869.bmp Set Route Startpoint or SPDA toolbar icon
Icon4771.bmp Groove Saw toolbar icon
Icon5447.bmp Vertical Drill toolbar icon
Icon5667.bmp Window Out toolbar icon
Icon9895.bmp Make Panel Border toolbar icon
Icon9912.bmp Drawing to AutoLink toolbar icon

















 

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Web site contents © Copyright AutoCut Research 2007, All rights reserved.

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Web site contents © Copyright AutoCut Research 2007, All rights reserved.