Readme file to MAKROS-A (27.7.2001)

1) Version

The actual version number of MAKROS-A is 7.2  (July 2001)

2) Changes in respect to earlier version

Makrosa may freely be used on universities and by students

2.1) LINUX version

Makrosa is now also available for Linux and some UNIX workstations.

2.1) New commands

Command "VDAFS" allows to work with CAD data given in VDAFS format.

Command "DLL function" allows to call own functions to generate elements.

Command "Interface (DLL)" allows to call own interface functions from a DLL.

Dragging left mouse button in the graphics window changes the view dynamically.

Command "3DExpansion" allows translation between coordinate systems.

3) Installation of MAKROS-A

First create a folder makrosa. 

3.1) zip-file

The program is completely installed by extracting the different zip-files.

For the stand alone version only makrosa_exe_engl.zip is needed, for demos also makrosa_demo.zip.

With AutoCAD14 makrosarx_exe_engl.zip is needed.

3.2 From CD

The program can be installed by just copying the files to hard disc.

4) Demo

After installing the zip-file start the file "\bin\makrose.exe" and choose command "Demo file" from menu "Help". In the corresponding popup dialog mark the option "Show pictures automatically" und click button "Open". In a file selection box choose the file "\common\demo\demo.dem", this will start an endless demo, to stop it press the button "Stop demo":

5) Folders

MAKROS-A is installed in the following folders (for "makrosa" an other folder may be given):

 

Folder File Explanation
makrosa\ readme.html this file
makrosa\english\bin makrose.exe exe-file
makrosae.exe ADS-Version
makrosarxe.arx    ARX-Version
maklinuxe Linux version
maksgie SGI version
makrose.chm Windows-help file
makrosa.mns menu file for AutoCAD
makrosa\common\demo\ *.* files with demos and tutorial
makrosa\english\doc manual.pdf MAKROS-A documentation
makrosa\english\html *.* Linux / UNIX help files
makros\common\dll *.* Templates for developing own functions

6) Uninstallation

There are no entries made to the registry, so uninstalling MAKROS-A is simply done by deleting the relevant folders.

7) Invoking MAKROS-A

7.1) As a stand alone application

Double click on makrose.exe.

MAKROS can also be invoked by double clicking on files with extension .dem, .fes, .mes  if a corresponding association with these file types to makrose.exe is given.

7.2) From within AutoCAD

From within AutoCAD the ARX version is invoked with the AutoCAD command ARX/Load and the ADS version is invoked with the command (xload "makrosae"). The directory of the binary (e.g. c:\makrosa\english\bin) must be given in the support path of AutoCAD. Using "makrosarxe", the menu file "makrosa" must explicitly be loaded using the corresponding AutoCAD command. Control can also be transferred to makrosarx with "m_makrosa" without a menu.

8) Documentation

You find the documentation in the file "manual.pdf". You need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view or print it.

9) HTML Help

You find an compiled HTML version of the documentation in the file "makrose.chm". To display it Microsoft HTML Help Viewer is needed, which is part of Microsoft Internet Explorer (up 4.0). With Linux / UNIX Netscape is invoked with html files that are given in the folder makrosa\english\html.

10) Demo-files

All demo files are located within subfolder "demo". These file can directly be loaded and executed from CD and need not be copied to your hard disk.

11) OpenGL-graphics

MAKROS-A uses OpenGL for graphical display. Needed libraries (DLLs) are installed by default for Windows/NT and Windows 2000. If running Windows 95 the installation of these libraries must be chosen during the installation of MAKROS-A respectively must be copied from the folder "opengl" into the folder "bin" (do not do this, if special OpenGL-drivers are installed with the graphics card).

12) Licence

MAKROS-A can freely be used on universities and by students.

13) ftp-Server

Updates and new versions of the program can be get from ftp server

ftp://ftp.bauv.unibw-muenchen.de/pub/makros-a

Here the following files are located:

   

makrosa_exe_engl.zip: makrose.exe and help file makrose.chm for Windows,

makrosads_exe_engl.zip: makrosae.exe (ADS version),

makrosarx_exe_engl.zip: makrosarxe.arx (ARX- version),

makroslinux_exe_engl.zip: maklinuxe (LINUX version),

makrossgi_exe_engl.zip: maksgie (SGI version),

makrosa_demo.zip : demos and tutorials,

makrosa_doc_engl.zip: documentation as pdf file,  

makrosa_html_engl.zip: documentation as html files for Linux,

makrosa_dll.zip: examples for development of dll routines.

 

Corresponding zip files without extension "_engl" contain the German version.

 

For a demo only makrosa_exe_engl.zip and makrosa_demo.zip is needed.

For an update mostly only the object files need to be updated.

The ftp-server is also available over the www-page

http://www.bauv.unibw-muenchen.de/makros-a.

14) Further development

Special functions may be implemented on demand. Errors should be reported to guenther.boege@unibw-muenchen.de

 

15) Problem with AutoCAD 14

In same cases with the ADS version it happens that AutoCAD gets in an endless loop by loading the menu file of MAKROS-A. If this happens, finish AutoCAD with the task manager and try again. Using the ARX version, the menu is not loaded automatically, only the dialog pops up where the menu file can be loaded with.