AutoCAD File Extensions – Section 2 Menus

A list of file extensions and what they are used for and what they mean.

Written by YZ, Jan 2004

Revised April 2006

XML based menu file new for AutoCAD 2006, superseeds older menu files.

Template menu file. (This is where we code from)

Compiled menu file. This binary file contains the command strings and menu syntax that defines the functionality and appearance of the menu.

Menu resource file. This binary file contains the bitmaps used by the menu.

Source menu file (generated by AutoCAD).

Menu resource file. This file is generated when the MNR file is unavailable, for example, read-only.

Menu LISP file. This file contains AutoLISP expressions that are used by the menu file and are loaded into memory when a menu file with the same file name is loaded.

Standard bitmap icons used on the toolbars. (16×15 pixels for the small size and 24×22 pixels for the big size. Most of us use the 16×15 size.

A Windows resource file containing the standard AutoCAD toolbar bitmaps, all bundled into a single file. This is a standard AutoCAD support file, and it lives in the AutoCAD program directory.