With HydraCAD v56 for AutoCAD 2019 and updates for HydraCAD v54 and v55 due to be released soon, this would be a good time to revisit backing up your workspace. A common reason some of our users decide to hold off on running a HydraCAD update is due to the fact they'll end up losing their toolbar positions in their AutoCAD work area. This is your 'workspace', and with this blog post we'll cover saving and recovering it. Near the bottom of this post you'll see steps on sharing workspaces between computers and pulling a workspace from an older AutoCAD into a new AutoCAD.
AutoCAD's Customization Menu, the toolbar along the bottom right of your screen with a LOT of buttons, should have a gear icon, this is for your Workspace Settings. If you cannot see the gear icon, click the hamburger icon at the far right then turn on the Workspace Switching option. You can also turn on the Workspaces toolbar, found in the Acad group of toolbars.
SAVE YOUR WORKSPACE
Before anything, we must save your configuration. Select 'Save Current As...' from the list (or type in WSSAVE at the command prompt) and type in a name for the workspace. If you've already saved one, select it from the list to overwrite it with a new one. Personally, I like to use the current date so I'll remember the last time I backed up my workspace, but whatever you decide is up to you.
You can confirm it was saved by selecting the list of workspaces as you'll now see it as an option .
RUN THE UPDATE
At this point you'll run the HydraCAD update. At its conclusion, you'll notice your toolbars have realigned themselves to their default locations and your workspace is no longer in the list of saved workspaces.
RECOVER THE WORKSPACE
See the image below for help with steps 2 through 5.
1. From the workspace drop-down menu (shown in the image above), Select Customize.
2. In the Customize User Interface window, select the Transfer tab (a), then the Open button (b) on the right side.
3. Depending on your version of AutoCAD/HydraCAD, you will navigate to one of the following folders;
Acad 2015-2016 HydraCADv53 -\HES\HydraCAD\Ver50\Programs\Version53\Backup
Acad 2017 HydraCADv54 -\HES\HydraCAD\Ver50\Programs\Version54\Backup
Acad 2018 HydraCADv55 -\HES\HydraCAD\Ver50\Programs\Version55\Backup
Acad 2019 HydraCADv56 -\HES\HydraCAD\Ver50\Programs\Version56\Backup
4. You'll find a sub-folder based on the date and time of when you ran your backup. Double-click it then double-click 'HCADWIN.CUIX'.
5. On the right pane, you will see your previously saved workspace in the list. Click and drag it from the right to the left pane where it says 'Workspaces'.
6. Click OK in the Customize User Interface window to return to the drawing and a command prompt. You'll now see your saved workspace has returned to the list.
SHARING WORKSPACES
You can use this method to copy a workspace from one computer to another; the file you'll be looking for is HCADWIN.CUIX, use the one found under \HES\HydraCAD\Ver50\Programs\Version5_\ and your least intrusive method is to copy it to the desktop of the new computer and browse to that location when going through the transfer process. Delete the file from your desktop when complete.
INSTALLING A NEW VERSION OF AUTOCAD
This method should work fine between versions of AutoCAD as well (as long as the AutoCADs don't have too many years between them). When installing a new AutoCAD, always remember to NOT migrate your settings over. When the Acad and Hcad installs are complete, you'll use the steps above to transfer your older version Acad workspace over to your newer version Acad workspaces.
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