For the past couple of months my LDD2i has been quasi crippled. I did a clean install of Win7-64bit, installed LDD2i and eventually got everything but the Express Tools working correctly.
The CD and the file that I downloaded years ago from Autodesk both use a 16-bit installer that will not work in a 64-bit OS. Copying the Express Tools folder from the old XP machine to the new machine was a partial solution. The toolbars and menus for Express Tools were available and functional. However, when an existing drawing which contained objects created with ET was opened, AutoCAD treated the objects as proxies. It was causing me major grief trying to remember to manually load the tools so that wipeouts and arctext would print properly.
Since AutoCAD wouldn't automatically load the tools for objects in existing drawings I was sure that it was an issue with an AutoCAD setting or path. I spent a considerable amount of time checking and comparing the settings between my laptop (XP) and my desktop (Win7-64) looking for the problem. Finally I asked my younger brother who knows nothing about AutoCAD, but works as a programmer at a government lab. They have a lot of legacy programs and deal with similar issues. He was certain that it was a registry issue and was kind enough to educate me as to the differences in the organization of the XP and Win7-64 registries. That allowed me to compare apples to apples and sure enough there it was. Once I exported the missing keys from my XP machine and imported them into the correct area of Win7-64 all is well and good in my AutoCAD world.
If anyone else is struggling with a half crippled Express Tools install, contact me and I'll take the time to write-up the details of which keys you need to copy and where to put them.
Congratulations Stephen!
I admire your methodical approach to issues, and appreciate you sharing your experiences here on the board. You have a lot to share with us all. It was great getting to speak with you at the Conference last month.
Take care, and I'll catch up with you at the next TAPS meeting if you are there.
Jimmy
Hi Stephen,
I've been trying to deal with this issue for ages. I understand you have some sort of procedure to make Express tools work under Win7-64. Iwould really appreciate if you can help me out with this.
Thanks in advance, and kind regards from Chile.
CM
I was successful in getting this setup to work however it turned out to be very fragile.
The basic process was:
1) Install LDD2i on your Win7-64 computer.
2) Copy Express Tools folder from Win-XP computer to Win7-64 computer.
3) Export Express Tools registry keys from Win-XP computer.
4) Edit registry keys to reflect new structure of Win7-64 registry
5) Import edited registry keys into Win7-64
After step two above Express Tools will be semi-functional. Typing "expresstools" at the command line in LDD should install the menus and make the Express tool commands available. However, LDD will not "know" that Express tools is installed and will treat any objects created by express tool commands as proxy objects until each of the express tool commands are used. For example, if you open a drawing with objects created by five different Express commands, each of the five commands will have to be manually run before LDD will properly handle the objects.
Steps 3-5 install the missing registry keys so LDD "knows" that express tools are installed and where to find them.
This setup worked, but often crashed after unrelated programs were installed or updated. Usually this required a full uninstall/reinstall of LDD and reimporting the Express Tools registry keys to get back to work. I've moved on and currently run AutoCAD 2013 with Carlson because I couldn't see fighting the stability issues long term.
Later today I'll look to see if I can find my notes on the specific differences between the Win-XP and Win7-64 registry structures.
Hi Stephen,
Sorry about the late reply, but your message through surveyorconnect went to the spam folder of my mail system, and I just found it minutes ago.
Thanks a lot for your workaround. I will try it out and will let you know how it goes. In the meantime, and if you have a minute to check on those notes you mentioned, I would appreciate if you can send me any further advise.
Thanks a buch!
Cristian
