GENERAL CONFIGURATION

Main Configuration Dialog
General
 

Configuration dialog:

Click on an area of the dialog below to go to the description for that area:

The button keeps changes made and takes you back to the Main Configuration Dialog.

The button discards changes made and takes you back to the Main Configuration Dialog.

The button brings you to this web page for help during the command (without canceling).

Breakdown of configuration options

Path to Browser Executable File

Commands affected:  All APS commands

Some of the pages in the APS help system are written in HTML and requires a browser program to view them. This value is especially important if you have an "always on" internet connection (see below). Typically this program is either Microsoft Internet Explorer® or Netscape Navigator®. Since the help web was created in Microsoft Frontpage® it will probably look the best when viewed with Internet Explorer® however we have made an effort to take care of any problems that may appear in Netscape Navigator®.

In order for the help system to work properly it needs your browser's executable file name and path specified (the executable file has the extension .EXE). Select the "Browse..." button and locate the browser's executable file. For Internet Explorer® the filename is IEXPLORE.EXE and it is usually located in the C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\ folder. For Netscape Navigator® the filename is NETSCP.EXE and is usually located in the C:\Program Files\Netscape\Netscape folder.

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Internet Connection Type

Commands affected:  All APS commands

This sets where various documentation and help files are accessed from. Obviously if you have no connection to the internet all of the files must be accessed from your hard drive. If you have a dial-up connection the time it takes to dial can seem eternally long so a connection to the internet is only made when absolutely necessary. Finally if you have a quick "always on" connection then there is not much of a wait so always going to the internet for the "latest" documentation and help files makes sense. Below is a diagram showing where information is accessed depending on which setting you choose.

For those with dial-up connections you will typically use the troubleshooting web from the version stored on your hard drive. While this may solve most of the problems that you may encounter it can sometimes be useful to go online to get the latest solutions when solving problems with a command or system. The troubleshooting web is continuously growing and improving. As more problems are reported more solutions are documented. Therefore going online may provide solutions that are not included on the version of the troubleshooting web included with your software.

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Always Edit the Default APS Configuration File

Command affected:  APS-CONFIG

If you only have one configuration file check this box and it will always be used when configuring the software with the APS-CONFIG command. Uncheck this box if you have more than one configuration file or use job specific configuration files.

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Always Use New Configuration Values Immediately

Command affected:  APS-CONFIG

Check this box if you would like to always use the values in the current drawing that you just modified in the APS-CONFIG command. If this box is not checked you will be prompted with the following dialog:

Where you may use the new configuration values or you may keep the existing values unchanged. (The changes to the configuration file are still intact, the new values are just not used)

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Dimension Text Editor

Command affected:  TXTEDT

This value controls which editor is used for dimension text when using the TXTEDT command. The standard APS dimension editor looks like this:

This editor allows more than one dimension to be edited at once, and, if you know your codes...

can do many of the same things that the MTEXT editor can do.

The MTEXT editor can only edit one dimension at a time but it has many other features the APS dimension editor does not. The MTEXT editor looks like this:

For more on editing dimensions by using this editor see AutoCAD's help under "MTEXT Command / Multiline text editor", in R14 see "MTEXT / Editing" and in R13 see "Edit Mtext dialog box"

Note: The above dialog is from release 2002 AutoCAD. The Mtext editor varies by version so your editor may look different than the one above.

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Typical wall thickness

Command affected:  TXTEDT, HDRBEAM

Some of the door blocks (in plan) are inserted centered in the wall and others are aligned with the outside of the wall. When editing door blocks with the TXTEDT command if the door type is changed the insertion point of the door block may need to be moved to assure proper placement of the new door block. This value helps get the new block correctly aligned on the wall.

Note: When changing door blocks in walls that are not drawn this thickness the new door block may not be placed exactly where it should go and some adjustment may be required.

This distance also tells the HDRBEAM command the distance to use when centering the header beam in a wall.

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