Attached Xref won't stay attached

I attach xref's in model space, but they detach themselves and the note says path not found. I did not move my file on the network (nor did anyone else). Example: I batch printed a drawing that has a multitude of tabs and it printed fine... then I went back to my computer and the one of the xref had detached, yet I was holding the printed sheet. (I am using a relative path to attach pdf's in model space).

It feels like the program is losing communication with my network server... could this be the case here? If so, how do I fix it? Do brown outs in electric affect AutoCAD?

This does not sound like an AutoCAD issue and you may be on to something with losing network communication. Fixing it requires trouble shooting because there could be a variety of reasons this is happening. Contact your IT person.

Place both the drawing and Xref on your Local drive and see if the problem goes away, if so, it could very well be a network problem.

I contacted my IT. they are looking into the network challenge, but after I described the variable things going on, they still seem to think it is AutoCAD.

here is a thought... I got my AutoCAD from a download off a web site. I don't think I should mention the company's name on this form, but perhaps there was something that got "jumbled" in the download. I have been using this program for 10 months.

It still seems to be a communication problem, but I am going to try copying things to the local drive (as suggested) and see if the pdf's hold... thanks.

I will let you all know if this solves the problem.

ok... this is continuing with my last post. I went to lunch. When I came back, AutoCAD, which had sat idle, was now listed as "not responding".

this has got to be a communication problem. Since I got this program off the web, I dont have an AutoCAD tech person.

My co-worker is having the same issues I have discribed here. What would be my next step?

My network IT person does not believe it is my network since I am pulling pdfs from the same file to place into my drawing and they stay, but one or two will disappear at random. Yet, all are from the same folder on the network.

In your other post, you could not say where you got AutoCAD from, which leads me to believe that the source may be questionable. It is my understanding that CADTutor does not support the use of pirated software. Therefore, you may not get any other responses.

WOW... didn't say where I BOUGHT the program because I did not want to bad mouth the web site. this is a public forum. I did not pirate this software or any other CAD software. I work for a reputable antenna company and wireless communications firm. You may wish to re-phase your accusation.

I worked for AutoDesk for a couple of years as a helpdesk contact... but that was a time back and the program has evolved. I have taught myself this program since the mid 1980's, but left the field to do other things. If you cannot give me legitamate answers to my questions, tell me now and I will find someone who can.

Look, I may have misinterpreted what you said but I did not make any accusations. I was merely offering up and explanation as to the lack of responses. You cannot deny that the way you phrased it in your other post that it could be interpreted the way I took it.

Since this is more than likely not an AutoCAD issue, I would ask that your IT person do more than just "think" it's not a network problem.

Have you done the test that SLW210 suggested in your other post? That may verify that it is a network problem.

BTW, you may want to rethink buying licenses for a very expensive program for your employer from a source that you cannot get any form of support from?

I merged your threads.

No one has accused you of anything, I don't see where merely posting where you purchased AutoCAD would be considered "Bad Mouthing" the website as there has been no determination they are at fault.

I doubt if this is an AutoCAD problem.

Do you receive any messages when opening the drawing?

Know when a Referenced Drawing has been Relocated

 

If the drawing you are working on contains an xref that has been moved to a different folder, a message is displayed at the site of the xref when you load the drawing. The message indicates that the xref cannot be loaded using the old path. When you specify the new path, the xref is reloaded into your drawing.

You could try adding the location of the xreffed files to the Support File Search Path and using No Path option.

Have you tried using the Full Path option?

Specify a Full (Absolute) Path

 

A full path is a fully specified hierarchy of folders that locates the file reference. A full path includes a local hard drive letter, a URL to a website, or a network server drive letter. This is the most specific but least flexible option.

Specify a Relative Path

 

Relative paths are partially specified folder paths that assume the current drive letter or the folder of the host drawing. This is the most flexible option, and enables you to move a set of drawings from your current drive to a different drive that uses the same folder structure.

 

If the file that is being referenced is located on a different local hard drive or on a network server, the relative path option is not available.

 

The conventions for specifying a relative folder path are as follows:

\

 

Look in the root folder of the host drawing's drive

path

 

From the folder of the host drawing, follow the specified path

\path

 

From the root folder, follow the specified path

.\path

 

From the folder of the host drawing, follow the specified path

..\path

 

From the folder of the host drawing, move up one folder level and follow the specified path

..\..\path

 

From the folder of the host drawing, move up two folder levels and follow the specified path

 

 

Note

If a drawing that contains referenced files is moved or saved to a different path, to a different local hard drive, or to a different network server, you must edit any relative paths to accommodate the host drawing's new location or you must relocate the referenced files.

Specify No Path

 

When no path information is saved with the attached external reference, the following search is initiated in the order shown:

•Current folder of the host drawing

•Project search paths defined on the Files tab in the Options dialog box and in the PROJECTNAME system variable

•Support search paths defined on the Files tab in the Options dialog box

•Start In folder specified in the Microsoft® Windows® application shortcut

 

Specifying the No Path option is useful when moving a set of drawings to a different folder hierarchy or to an unknown folder hierarchy

You may also want to look into using the PROJECTNAME method.

Use Project Names to Define Referenced Drawing Paths

 

Project names make it easier for you to manage xrefs when drawings are exchanged between customers or if you have different drive mappings to the same location on a server. The project name points to a section in the registry that can contain one or more search paths for each project name defined.

 

If the program cannot find an xref at the location specified by the search path, the prefix (if any) is stripped from the path. If the drawing has a PROJECTNAME value set and a corresponding entry exists in the registry, the program searches for the file along the project search paths. If the xref still is not located, the program search path is searched again.

 

You can add, remove, or modify the project names that exist in the registry. The folder search paths beneath the project name can also be added, removed, or modified.

 

The search paths beneath the project name can be added, removed, or modified in the same manner as the project name. The order in which the folders are searched can also be modified. Projects and their search paths can only be edited through the Files tab in the Options dialog box. You cannot edit project names at the Command prompt.

 

Once you have established a project name and the search paths you want associated with that project name, you can make that project name the currently active project. The program searches the paths associated with that currently active project for xrefs that were not found in the current folder of the host drawing, the full search path, the current drawing folder, or the program support paths.