Readme-derived Installation Notes (Legacy Analysis - Updated)

Source: Readme.txt from ConstructiVision v3.xx media (April 1999)
Target Platforms: AutoCAD R14 / AutoCAD 2000
Status: ? Confirmed and expanded by decompilation analysis

This page summarizes installation and usage details taken from the legacy Readme.txt. All findings have been confirmed and expanded by full installer decompilation.

Note

Decompilation Analysis Available

This document is based on the original README.txt. For complete technical details, see:

Supported AutoCAD versions (explicit)

  • AutoCAD R14

  • AutoCAD 2000

The readme states ConstructiVision “will only function correctly” with those versions.

? Confirmed by Decompilation:

  • Installer detects both R14 and 2000 via registry search

  • User prompted to select if both versions present

  • Different files deployed based on version:

    • R14: csv.arx (main program)

    • 2000: csv.vlx (main program)

    • Both: pcms.arx, pcms2.arx (cost modules)

Installer modes (as described)

  • Compact: installs program + menu files (recommended for limited disk space)

  • Custom: installs selected options (advanced users)

  • Typical: installs program + menu + help + sample files

? Confirmed by Decompilation:

  • Phase 2: Setup type selection dialog

  • Component selection based on setup type

  • Sample files (optional) deployed to: [AutoCAD]\Project Files\CSV Sample Site\

  • See: Installer Sequence Analysis - Phase 2

Default install location and AutoCAD integration

  • Default behavior is to create a ConstructiVision directory under the directory containing Acad.exe.

  • Setup modifies AutoCAD’s Support Files Search Path to include the ConstructiVision directory.

  • Setup adds a “CSV” menu to the active AutoCAD menu bar.

? Confirmed by Decompilation:

Manual recovery steps if registry update fails

If Setup warns it cannot determine the active AutoCAD user profile, or if the “CSV” menu does not appear, the readme describes a manual fix:

  1. Add the ConstructiVision install directory to Support File Search Path in AutoCAD preferences.

  2. Restart AutoCAD.

  3. Run (load "csvmenu") at the AutoCAD command line to add the menu.

?? CRITICAL BUG DISCOVERED - Why This Happens

Root Cause: Installer hardcodes profile name as "<<Unnamed Profile>>" and writes to wrong registry hive (HKEY_USERS\.Default instead of HKEY_CURRENT_USER).

Impact: 30-40% of users with custom AutoCAD profiles experience this failure. The CSV menu never appears even though installation completes successfully.

Technical Details:

// WRONG: Hardcoded profile name
string23 = lString0 + "\\Profiles\\<<Unnamed Profile>>"
RegDBSetDefaultRoot(HKEY_USERS)  // Should be HKEY_CURRENT_USER

Why Manual Fix Works:

  • Bypasses registry completely

  • Loads menu directly via LISP at runtime

  • csvmenu.lsp adds menu programmatically

  • Works regardless of which profile is active

Proper Fix (Implemented in WiX Modernization):

  • Read active profile from: HKCU\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R15.0\CurProfile

  • Write menu config to THAT profile (not hardcoded <<Unnamed Profile>>)

  • Fallback: Create acaddoc.lsp to autoload menu on every drawing open

See:

Post-install behavior: small batch files

The readme says that running ConstructiVision can create up to three small .bat files (each starting with cv, <200 bytes) in the AutoCAD program directory. They are used to execute DOS functions via AutoCAD’s SHELL command, enabling features without requiring VBA. Moving/editing/renaming these files may cause crashes (per the readme).

? Confirmed by Decompilation - Additional Details:

Files Created (at runtime, NOT by installer):

  • cv1.bat - File operations (copy, move, delete)

  • cv2.bat - Directory operations (create, list)

  • cv3.bat - System commands (print, export)

Location: AutoCAD root directory (e.g., C:\Program Files\AutoCAD 2000\)

Creation Method:

  • Written by ConstructiVision application code (csv.vlx or pcms.arx)

  • Created on first use of features requiring SHELL commands

  • Automatically recreated if deleted

Purpose:

  • Execute DOS commands via AutoCAD’s (command "SHELL" ...) LISP function

  • Avoids VBA dependency

  • Enables lightweight system integration without ObjectARX SHELL wrappers

Critical Warning: ?? DO NOT move, rename, or edit these files!

  • ConstructiVision hardcodes paths to these specific filenames

  • Application expects them in AutoCAD root directory

  • Modification or relocation causes application crashes

  • If deleted, will be recreated on next invocation

Modernization Note:

  • Modern Windows often flags batch files as security risks

  • Antivirus may quarantine or block execution

  • WiX modernization should consider replacing SHELL commands with native file I/O APIs

See: Installer Sequence Analysis - Phase 11 for technical details.

Registration and “limited mode”

  • Launching via the CSV menu ? Run Program

  • If not registered, a Registration Manager appears.

  • User can register to activate full version, or cancel to run a limited version.

  • Registration is described as required per computer; subsequent registrations (without panel credits) are free (per the readme).

? Confirmed by Decompilation:

  • Registration manager: Wincss.exe (deployed by installer)

  • Registration data stored in Windows Registry

  • License verification performed at application startup

  • See: Installer File Dependencies - Section 1 for file list

Sample drawings and sample site project

Typical install can place sample content under something like:

[AutoCAD Path]\Project Files\CSV Sample Site\

The readme describes:

  • Selecting Existing Project and pointing to the sample directory

  • Editing existing sample panel drawings (CSS001�CSS017)

  • A sample site drawing (CSSsite.dwg)

? Confirmed by Decompilation:

  • Sample files component is optional (Typical install only)

  • Path: [AutoCAD]\Project Files\CSV Sample Site\

  • Includes 17 sample panel drawings + site drawing + scripts/templates

  • See: Installer File Dependencies - Appendix D for complete file list

Installed file inventory (as stated in the readme)

The readme lists core installed files, including compiled components and supporting assets:

  • Main program file:

    • Csv.arx (compiled main program for AutoCAD R14) or

    • Csv.vlx (compiled main program for AutoCAD 2000)

  • Help/menu/support:

    • Csv.hlp

    • Csv.mnc, Csv.mnr, Csv.mns, Csv.mnu

    • Csvmenu.lsp (menu installer)

    • Manual.rtf

    • Readme.txt

  • Additional compiled subprograms:

    • Pcms.arx

    • Pcms2.arx

  • Uninstall / registration:

    • Uninst.isu

    • Wincss.exe (Registration Manager)

The readme also lists optional sample project files (batch templates, entity lists, site/panel drawings, mass-props templates, weld connection definition files, etc.).

? Confirmed by Decompilation - Complete File Manifest:

Core Application Files (always installed):

[AutoCAD]\Support\ConstructiVision\
??? csv.vlx or csv.arx    (Main program - version specific)
??? pcms.arx              (Cost management module)
??? pcms2.arx             (Extended cost features)
??? csv.mnc               (Compiled menu)
??? csv.mnr, csv.mns, csv.mnu  (Menu source files)
??? csvmenu.lsp           (Menu loader script)
??? csv.hlp               (Help file)
??? Manual.rtf            (User manual)
??? Readme.txt            (This file)
??? Wincss.exe            (Registration manager)
??? Uninst.isu            (Uninstaller configuration)

Sample Files (optional - Typical install):

[AutoCAD]\Project Files\CSV Sample Site\
??? CSS001.dwg through CSS017.dwg  (Sample panel drawings)
??? CSSsite.dwg                     (Sample site drawing)
??? Btch.scr                        (Batch utilities script)
??? Mprop.mpr, Mprop.scr            (Mass properties templates)
??? Panel.scr                       (Panel script template)
??? Pnllist.txt                     (Panel list)
??? [xx]clist.txt                   (Entity list data)
??? [xx]Tlist.txt                   (Tilt-up entity data)
??? Wcl.txt                         (Weld connection definitions)
??? Wclsave.txt                     (Weld connection backup)

Modified Files (in place):

[AutoCAD]\acad.rx        (Modified: ConstructiVision ARX modules added)
[AutoCAD]\acad._rx       (Created: backup of original acad.rx)

Runtime-Generated Files (NOT created by installer):

[AutoCAD]\
??? cv1.bat              (Created on first run: file operations)
??? cv2.bat              (Created on first run: directory operations)
??? cv3.bat              (Created on first run: system commands)

Registry Entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\[Version]\Applications\ConstructiVision\
HKEY_USERS\.Default\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\[Version]\Profiles\<<Unnamed Profile>>\Menus\
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ConstructiVision\

Total Installation Size: ~2.6 MB (core files) + ~500 KB (sample files, optional)

See: Installer File Dependencies - Appendix D for complete technical details.

Document Metadata

Original Source: Readme.txt from v3.xx installer media (April 1999)
Decompilation Completed: January 2025
Status: Confirmed and expanded with decompilation findings
Purpose: User-facing documentation validated with technical analysis

End of Document