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Request a free copy of MYCADHELPER program software.

This offer  may be withdrawn if support becomes too burdensome…so get yours early.

Getting started

MYCADHELPER is easily installed:

MycadHELPER does not alter your computer’s registry or overwrite other programs, especially not AutoCAD. MycadHELPER aliases and improved commands will be preferenced but are easily overridden and reversible. Generic AutoCAD, MycadHELPER and your own Autolisp customisations can be run in parallel.

MycadHELPER is compatible with most AutoCAD-like CAD programs that provide LISP program support. Apart for some minor differences relating to file support locations and names of start-up Lisp files such as MYLISP.LSP, ON_START.LSP etc installation is otherwise the same regardless of which CAD program you prefer. Read the documentation that comes with your CAD program to find out what to call and where to place your particular lisp loading start-up file(s).

User Profile:

If you work on a shared computer or move between different  computers – such  as in an office it might be desirable to set up a personal user profile so that your preferences do not affect other users of the machine(s). Before you install MycadHELPER start your program and save the current User Profile (Tools/Options/Profiles) with a suitable name to ensure that you can return to it at any time.

Install:

The main requirement to run MycadHELPER is to create an independent folder on your computer set up by unzipping the mycadhelper.zip file supplied into a root C:\ custom folder. This will have no effect on your computer or existing CAD program unless you use AutoCAD’s OPTIONS function to set appropriate file paths and follow AutoCAD’s instructions for auto-starting the MycadHELPER lisp files. By saving your PROFILE you can easily switch ‘HELPER on or off or completely disable or remove ‘HELPER drom your system by deleting the mycadhelper folder and restoring the default profile.

EDIT

Unzip the file “MycadHELPER.zip” into a new folder C:/MYCADHELPER in your root C:\ of your computer’s hard-drive or an external drive. Do not change the folder structure of the MycadHELPER folder. You should then have subfolders: MCKLSP, MYLISP, ACADBAK1 and ACADBAK2 .   MCKLSP contains all the files that run MycadHELPER.  MYLISP contains two sample files Yourlisp.lsp and Yourvars.lsp.  You may edit these to autoload your own preferred  lisp functions and system variables but doing so may affect parts of MycadHELPER.  Keep your own Lisp files in YOURLISP folder to avoid loss if MycadHELPER is later updated.

ACADBAK1 and ACADBAK2 are alternately used by MycadHELPER to automatically save your current drawing file every half  hour. A useful extra security backup.

MycadHELPER sets a path string “mckpthstr” in MycadHELPER\MCKLSP\#mycadhelper.lsp that points MycadHELPER to the drive where you installed it. Thus MycadHELPER can be run from and external drive. (a little slower of course if you have a slow drive.) If you use an external drive or some other custom arrangement edit #mycadkeys.lsp to change the path string to show the drive where it is loaded.

MycadHELPER is designed to start up automatically for each new drawing this is may not be possible for some CAD programs that restrict access to their autostart files. In this case you may need to open your file and explicitly load MycadHELPer. For most programs we are told that if the file ACAD/YOURPROGRAMNAME/ON_START.LSP is in the main folder where the EXE file is stored allowing it to be loaded automatically on start up. However depending on which program you have this may not exist or is present but not editable due to file permissions settings applied by the software designer. For some programs it might be necessary to manually start MycadHELPER by entering (load “mck”) at the Command prompt once your CAD program is loaded. This is true for those programs that do not provide an option to load on every new drawing.

For some programs a support-files path needs to be set in OPTIONS to point to C:/MycadHELPER/MCKLSP/
For programs that do not offer a file path option…start AutoCAD then…at the Command  prompt…enter
Command:  (load “C:/MycadHELPER/mcklsp/#mycadkeys”).
New drawings in the same session should need you to only type “MCK <enter>” at the Command: prompt.

Starting MycadHELPER automatically for every drawing:

Go to TOOLS>>Options>>System and confirm that “Load acad lisp with every drawing.” is checked. For other programs you may need to provide a function similar to Autocad’s ACADLSPASDOC.lsp such as ON_START_DOC.lsp for Bricscad.  Read the documentation with the program.

Loading MycadHELPER .

When successfully loaded MycadKEYS will provide a welcome message but just to satisfy yourself it is working press L <enter> <enter>. If you see the MycadLAYER optional layer Dialogue Box then that’s it. Congratulations. 

Automatic optimization of program environment:

MycadHELPER automatically sets up some AutoCAD system variables that enable MycadHELPER to function in a preferred manner and give you a better working environment. (author’s opinion).  Refer to #ENV.LSP in MycadHELPER\MCKLSP.LSP for the list.

It is strongly recommended that you set your screen background to black (for easy color recognition and maximum clarity) but that is your choice.

Save the settings created as a personal User Profile under a suitable name such as “MycadHELPER” or your own name.

Any special lisp functions of your own may be moved to C:\MycadHELPER\Yourlisp.

NOTE: When you load MycadHELPER for the first time you may need to confirm each new or edited lisp file is OK to load