AutoCAD can be customized in simple ways. For example, you can change the directory structure or move a button from one toolbar to another. If you want to change the interface further, you can edit the CUIx file and use DIESEL code to create customizations with your own commands.

You can also use a number of powerful application programming interfaces (APIs) to add to and modify AutoCAD to suit your needs.

The list that follows is arranged from least to most complex:

• Organize files. You can organize program, support, and drawing files. For example, you can make a separate folder for each project that includes only the support files that project needs.
• Customize Tool Palettes. You can create a tool by dragging objects from your drawing onto a tool palette. You can create a tool palette by right-clicking on the Tool Palettes title bar and selecting New Palette. For information about customizing tool palettes, see “Customize Tool Palettes” in the User's Guide.
• Create custom templates. Use templates to define common parameters when you publish a drawing using the Publish to Web wizard.
• Run external programs and utilities from within AutoCAD. You can, for example, copy a disk or delete a file from within AutoCAD by adding the appropriate external command to the program parameters (PGP) file, acad.pgp.
• Define command aliases. You can define simple abbreviations, or aliases, for frequently used commands from within AutoCAD by adding the command to the PGP file acad.pgp. For example, you might want to start the BLOCK command by entering b.
• Create custom linetypes, hatch patterns, shapes, and text fonts. You can create linetypes, hatch patterns, shapes, and text fonts that conform to your company standards and working methods.
• Customize the user interface. The CUIx file controls many aspects of the user interface, including the behavior of your pointing device buttons and the functionality and appearance of pull-down, tablet, and image tile menus, toolbars, and accelerator keys. You can edit or create a CUIx file to add commands or combine commands and assign them to a menu, toolbar, or other location.
• Customize the status line. You can use the DIESEL string expression language and the MODEMACRO system variable to provide additional information at the status line, such as the date and time, system variable settings, or retrievable information using AutoLISP^®.
• Automate repetitive tasks by writing scripts. A script is an ASCII text file containing commands that are processed like a batch file when you run the script. For example, if a set of drawings needs to be plotted a certain way, you can write a script that opens each drawing, hides and displays various layers, and issues PLOT commands. You can use scripts with slides to create automated presentations like those used at trade shows. A slide is a “snapshot” of the drawing area that cannot be edited. Slides can also be used in image tile menus and dialog boxes.
• Record action macros. Action macros are files that contain a series of commands and command options that allow you to perform repetitive tasks. Action macros are created using the Action recorder and are similar in concept to script files. Unlike some of the other methods of customizing AutoCAD, you do not need to learn a special syntax or programming language to record action macros.
• Redefine or disable selected AutoCAD commands, either at the command prompt or as part of an AutoLISP or ObjectARX^® program. You can redefine certain AutoCAD commands to issue supplementary messages and instructions or, for example, to create a drawing management system in which the QUIT command is redefined to write billing information to a log file before ending the editing session.

In addition to the methods described in the Customization Guide, there are application programming interfaces (APIs) available for customizing AutoCAD. Introduction to Programming Interfaces briefly describes these APIs and provides cross-references to more information.