Create a shortcut to a template and workspace

The Target text box contains the current command. This is what Windows executes when you double-click the shortcut. Notice the quotation marks around it; these are necessary whenever any part of the command has spaces. In this case the Program Files and AutoCAD folders have a space.

Click to the right of the last quotation mark and press the Spacebar. Then you add your switches.

Here’s a list of all the possible switches you can use:

• /b opens a drawing and runs a script on it. You need the full drawing path. Example: /b “c:\drawings\clients and odd jobs\Jones” /b setup. Notice the quotation marks around the path because of the spaces.
• /ld loads an ARX or DBX file. For example, /ld compare.dbx
• /nohardware disables hardware acceleration.
• /nologo opens AutoCAD without displaying the splash screen. This saves you at least a second.
• /nossm opens AutoCAD without the Sheet Set Manager.
• /p opens AutoCAD with a saved profile. Example: /p ellen. You need to have saved the profile.
• /pl publishes a drawing set description (DSD) file
• /r resets AutoCAD to the default configuration file.
• /s specifies support folders (when you want to use support files that aren’t in AutoCAD’s support file search path). Separate folders with a semi-colon (;) without spaces between them.
• /set opens AutoCAD and the named sheet set. For example, /set sanchez-house
• /t opens a new drawing based on a template. Example: /t b-arch. This is the one we want for our example.
• /v opens a drawing with a specified named view. Example: c:\drawings\3479a.dwg /v elevation. Of course, the view needs to exist.
• /w opens AutoCAD with the specified worksheet. Example: /w ab3d. This is the other one we want to use for our example.

So, I changed the command line to the following:

“C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2007\acad.exe” /t acad3d.dwt /w ab3d

This opens AutoCAD with the acad3d.dwt template and in the ab3d workspace.

Ready to roll!