AutoCad 2000 / 2013 migration

[Philrock]

I'm currently using AutoCad 2000 / Win XP. I've written my own extensive screen menu, and I've written and download dozens of AutoLisp routines. The screen menu and AutoLisp routines are essential to my productivity. I'd like to upgrade to Win 7 (already have new machine) and AutoCad 2013, but my AutoDesk reseller (U.S. CAD) can't tell me whether or not I'll be able to use my Acad 2000 screen menu and AutoLisp routines with Acad 2013. Anyone out there have any information on this?

 

[francesca]

Try the AUGI forums. I don't see why, AutoCAD is so bloated to maintain backwards compatibility. Few commands have been retired, but if your LISP routine called one, then it would go bang I suppose. Why don't you download a one month trial version and test everything? I'd take my own word over the reseller's any day. They never have to deal with production...

 

[Philrock]

I already installed a trial version and started trying the migration. It's problematic, to put it mildly. It looks like the lisp routines will migrate, but I can't yet tell whether the screen menu will migrate. I was hoping to bypass a major research/develpoment project by using this forum.

 

[TerryScan]

In my opinion, you will be better off rebuilding your screen menus rather than try any migration that may be available.
If there IS a migration, you will probably spend more time trouble shooting it than starting over. You will need to read up on the CUI approach used in newer products.

http://images.autodesk.com/adsk/files/AutoCAD_2006_Using_the_CUI_Final.pdf

http://cad-notes.com/2012/02/exploring-autocad-cui-introduction-1/

If you do upgrade, one thing I will STRONGLY suggest with these customizations: do them all in your own custom CUI file. Do NOT change the original Acad CUI files. (If you do want to change Acad's create your own custom substitute under a new name). This allows for painless upgrades in the future. Upgrades will replace all of the default files. Your independent custom CUI files can always be simply loaded unscathed.

 

[Philrock]

TerryScan,

Thanks for your input. Looks like I'm in for a project.