One can modify each individual workspace right in the CUI as well as create commands that can be used in toolbars, pull down menus and popup dialog boxes. All your custom lisp routines can be loaded through the CUI as part of a partial cui file rather than having to "appload" them individually, that way when you upgrade your system or reinstall Autocad due to system problems, "you just never know when a service pack will tell you it's installed and autodesk says it isn't, you have to un-install and re-install", you don't have to remember which lisp routines were loaded and reset them in the appload dialog, they automatically load with the partial cui when setup. One less system setting to worry about later.
Let's start by opening the cui and creating a new workspace. Enter "cui" at the command prompt to access the cui dialog box. You should have a customize and transfer tab at the top left of the dialog, make sure your on the customize tab. Right click the Workspaces header in the "Customizations in All CUI Files" box and select "new workspace". This creates a workspace that you can name accordingly, preferably something you can relate to for your work environment.
Alternately, if you have already created a workspace by laying out the work area the way you want it, you can skip the creation process and get right to modifying the order of the menus or adding your custom menus as explained next.Now highlight the workspace you want to modify and select the "customize workspace" button under the "Workspace Contents" header on the right side of the CUI. This places the CUI in an editing mode to allow you to place the menus, toolbars and other tools you will want access to while working on your projects. Now you can simply open the sections on the left side of the CUI and drag the desired items to the right side of the CUI and place them under the correct sections, and for menus make sure to put them in the order you want them to appear across the top of the screen, (i.e. top to bottom = left to right). If you have custom menus loaded you can pull tools from the partial CUI files as well. When your done setting up the workspace you can select the "Done" button at the top of the right column and save your changes by clicking apply or OK.
You've just created and/or modified your workspace through the CUI, and it really wasn't that hard was it. In part II I'll explain how to create a new command and add it to a toolbar, check back soon.
