Customization Guide
ARES Commander saves configuration files in a separate folder for each user.
Configuration files include:
Linetype files
User interface files
Font files
Command alias files
Style files
Template files
Profiles and module files, such as lisp files and dynamic libraries.
The Default Files folder stores the base files. According to the operating system, the Default Files folder is in:
32-bit Windows operating systems: C:\Program Files (x86)\Graebert GmbH\ARES Commander 20XX\
64-bit Windows operating systems: C:\Program Files\Graebert GmbH\ARES Commander 20XX
A customized copy of the base files is created under each user application data folder.
Location of ARES Commander’s User Application Data
Windows stores your application data files in the ARES Commander folder, in your current Windows user profile’s Users <username>\AppData folder.
The path to the folder:
Windows 8.1 and later: c:\Users\<username>\AppData\Roaming
If you are using more ARES Commander versions, the user application data is in a separate folder, according to the version:
…\ARES Commander Edition\<ARES Commander version number>\
The version.xml file stores the current build number.
The path to the version.xml file:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Graebert GmbH\ARES Commander 20XX\Default Files\
Creation of the ARES Commander’s User Application Data Folder
When installing ARES Commander for the first time or when updating to a newer version, the operating system creates the user application data folder. When the software starts, the system copies all default setting files and data files into the user application data folder.
If user data settings already exist, you are prompted to update the settings files. If you choose to update, the new settings are copied and stored in the user folder. Otherwise, you will be prompted again when you start the software.
Note: The old settings are still available in the folder with the previous version number. Starting with ARES Commander 2015, you can migrate application data from a previous version when starting the software for the fisrt time.
The Structure of the ARES Commander’s User Application Data Folder
The following table explains the structure of the ARES Commander application data folder:
Folder | Meaning |
|---|---|
Alias | Contains the default ALIAS.XML. The file defines command aliases. When the selected language does not exist, the software uses the default ALIAS.XML. The language-dependent files for the different languages are stored in the separate subfolders. |
Fonts | Stores user specific font files. By default, the folder is empty. |
Linetypes | Contains Linetype definition files in each language folders. If the language version does not exist, then the language-dependent version is used. |
RichLine Styles | Includes RichLine (Multiline) Styles definition files. At the moment, only one richline style definition file (rlstyles.mln) exists. If different language folders exist, then the language-dependent version is used. |
Print Styles | Contains the default PrintStyle definition files: Color based PrintStyle definition files (.ctb) and Named PrintStyle definition files. The software uses the default Printstyle definition when the selected language does not exist. The language-dependent files for the different languages are in the separate subfolders. |
Profiles | Contains the file profile_fixed.xml which stores the current profile and all available profiles. Each profile has its own folder name which includes the specific profile.xml file. Further a profile_copy.xml is located in this folder as backup file. The profile_copy.xml settings are restored, when you press the reset-button in the OPTIONS dialog under Profiles. |
Support | Includes dynamic link libraries, lisp files, pattern files and other files, which enhance ARES Commander. |
Template | Contains drawing template or prototype files for each language: standard.dwg and standardiso.dwt by default. |
UI | Contains the user interfaces files used to specify the user interface of ARES Commander. Every language has an own folder, where the specific user interface file application.xml is located. If the selected language doesn’t exist, the English version is used. |
Workspace | Contains all workspaces definitions. Workspaces are saved in XML files. It includes the visibility status settings of the pulldown menu entries and toolbars. |
ARES Commander’s Application Data Folder
(For Developers and Administrators)
Before the default files are copied to the users’ application data folder, the original files are located in ARES Commander’s application directory in the “Default Files” folder.
The path could look like this:
32-bit Windows: C:\Program Files (x86)\Graebert GmbH\ARES Commander 20XX\Default Files\
64-bit Windows: C:\Program Files\Graebert GmbH\ARES Commander 20XX\Default Files\
Default files and folders are copied from this folder into the users’ application data folder. The folders and files, which are not copied in this process are listed in this table:
StartupMenu\menu.xml | Contains the menu structure during the startup, when no drawing document file is open. The files are located in separate subfolders with the language names under the folder \StartupMenu. This folder is also not copied for the current user. |
version.xml | Contains a version number, which is used when you are updating the application, to determine whether the content of the users’ application data folder is outdated. |
FONTS Folder
The text font definition files are always in the original FONTS-folder in C:\Program Files\ARES Commander 20XX and they are not copied to the new location. Only an empty folder is created under the users’ application data folder.