Cannot open files

[careyc]

I'm running AutoCAD 2004 and I had to reinstall the program recently. Now there are a few files that I can't open anymore because the software shuts down when I try to open them and gives me an error message such as, "There was a problem sending the command to the program." This only happens with a few of the files.

Please help!

[Big Mike]

Try this...start AutoCAD and try to recover the drawings.

Under 'File' go to 'drawing utilities'...'recover'

[careyc]

I tried recovering the file, but it still failed. What I find peculiar is that every tiime I go to open these files, the enitre AutoCAD software automatically closes itself without warning or explanation.

These DWG files were provided by other drafters using an unknown version of AutoCAD. This may also vary with each drafter. These files should not be corrupt because they can be opened in a third party software like Solid Edge or TrueView. When I try to open them with AutoCAD, the system prompts me that the file is read-only asks if I would like to open it. When I select "yes", AutoCAD inexplicably shuts down. The error messsage does not show up all the time.

I'm afraid this may be something to do with the reinstall I did recently because I don't remember coming across this problem before. I'm wondering if anyone has experienced this problem?

[Leeeng]

I am having the same problem as you at the moment. All the files that I had made myself are the ones I can't open. Ones that I have been sent open just fine. One thing I’ve noticed is that is that the ones I've been sent can be a few Megabytes big but the ones that I can't open are all around 75k. This is pretty worrying as it appears that the data might not be there at all to recover. Anyone figured out a solution to this ongoing problem?

[Designer]

If you have another version of autocad try to open them in the other version. If it opens saved them and try to open then with the version that made you problems.

[Leeeng]

I only have the one version of AutoCAD Mechanical 2004, 12.0.0.7, I have no older versions available.

[dbroada]

I have occassionaly encountered this problem. Are you able to INSERT the drawing into a blank? If it doesn't work un-exploded try inserting exploded.

Alternatively you could try AutoDesks DWGTrueConvert (free download from their site) to convert it to another (or the same) release.

[Leeeng]

Thanks for your input but neither of the solutions you suggested worked i'm afraid.

[StykFacE]

just for laughs, go download DWG True Convert (http://www.autodesk.com/dwgtrueconvert) and use it to convert the files. just try and re-save them as AutoCAD 2000/2002 or something. sometimes it works miracles, and sometimes it doesn't. worth a shot tho....

[Leeeng]

I actually tried this when I tried what dbroada said. When converting to the same edition type failed, I tried all the other options too but to no avail.

[StykFacE]

can someone else open them? have you tried emailing it and opening it up in another AutoCAD program?

[Leeeng]

I just tried sending the file to some collogues in another company, they could open them but they said they had errors.