How to Manage Toolboxes in BricsCAD

Quick answer: A toolbox holds a set of tools that can be added to menus, toolbars, ribbon panels, Quad tabs, and keyboard or mouse shortcuts. Toolboxes can live in either the main CUI or a partial CUI.

Creating a Toolbox in a Menu Group

In the Customize dialog’s Available Tools panel, select a menu group: BricsCAD (the default main CUI) or a specific partial CUI’s name.
Right-click and choose Append toolbox; the Add Toolbox dialog opens.
Type a name and click OK; the toolbox appears in the Available Tools tree.

Creating a Tool in a Toolbox

In the Customize dialog’s Available Tools panel, select a toolbox.
Right-click and choose Append tool; the Add tool dialog opens.
Type a name in Title.
Type a help string in Help.
Type a command or command macro in Command.
Click Browse next to Image; the Tool Image dialog opens.
Either select Builtin and choose a built-in icon, or select Bitmap file and choose one image, or separate small and large images, via Browse.
Click OK to create the tool.

Command Macro Syntax

Six special characters control how a command macro behaves:

Character	Effect
`^c^c`	Starts the macro, equivalent to pressing `Esc` twice, ending any running command first if needed
`_` (underscore, before a command name)	Makes the macro work in non-English versions of BricsCAD
`.` (period, before a command name)	Ensures the macro still works even if that command is temporarily undefined (via `UNDEFINE`; `REDEFINE` restores it)
`-` (minus, before a command)	Launches the Command line version of that command, preventing its dialog from opening
`;` (semicolon)	Equivalent to pressing Enter, accepting a default prompt option
`\` (backslash)	Pauses the macro temporarily for user input, specifying a point, for example

A worked example: ^c^c_-layer;m;InteriorWalls;;_mline

^c^c concludes any running command.
_-layer; launches -LAYER.
m; selects the Make new current layer option.
InteriorWalls makes that layer current, creating it first if it doesn’t already exist.
;;_mline concludes -LAYER and launches MLINE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why would I use a period before a command name in a macro? It ensures the macro still functions even if that command has been temporarily undefined with UNDEFINE.

What does the backslash character do in a command macro? It pauses the macro so you can provide input manually, like specifying a point, before it continues.

Can a toolbox live in a partial CUI instead of the main one? Yes, toolboxes can be created in either the main CUI or a partial CUI.

How do I prevent a command’s dialog box from opening when a macro runs it? Prefix the command with a minus sign, which launches its Command line version instead.