Startup switches for AutoCAD

Issue

You want to add startup switches to the shortcut properties of the program's Windows desktop icon.

Startup switches enable the program to perform additional operations during startup. These switches can be added to the acad.exe or acadlt.exe command line.

Solution

To add switch settings to the shortcut properties, you need to change the command line text associated with the icon or shortcut.

To start the program with a command line switch:

1. Right-click the program icon on the Windows desktop. Click Properties.
2. In the AutoCAD Properties dialog box, on the Shortcut tab, in the Target box, edit the parameters for the switch using the following syntax:
   
   "drive:\path\acad.exe"  /product ACAD /language "en-US" ["drawing name"] [/switch "name"] [/switch "name"]
   
   
3. Valid 2013-version switches are as follows (refer to the documentation for version-specific information and more details):
   
   

   Switch	Short Description
   /b	Script name (b stands for batch process)
   /c	Configuration folder
   /ld	ARX or DBX application
   /nohardware	Disables hardware acceleration
   /nolisp	Disables AutoLISP execution (2013 SP1.1)
   /nologo	No product logo screen
   /nossm	No Sheet Set Manager window
   /p	User-defined registry profile for starting the program
   /pl	Background plotting/publishing
   /r	Default system pointing device
   /s	Support folders
   /set	Sheet set
   /t	Template file name
   /v	View name
   /w	Default workspace

   
   
4. For example, enter:
   
   "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2013\acad.exe" /product ACAD /language "en-US" /t mydwt /b startup

   
5. Click OK.

Notes:

• The path shown in the command line must be the correct path to the executable file for your installation of the program. The default path for the AutoCAD 2013 executable is
  C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2013\acad.exe.
• When using a switch option, you must follow the switch with a space, as shown in the example in step 4. You must use quotes if there are spaces in the file paths.