the_real_ptb Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 Does anyone know how to make the dwl and dw2 files so that they are not hidden? We have been trying to replicate data across two servers in two seperate offices. The drawings are being copied across but the dwl files get left behind since they are hidden. The dwl's are not coping across and this allows two people to open the same drawing at the same time without either knowing the other is working on it. They then go on to save over each other's work all day. We have been able to crack down on the problem of two drafters in the same drawing at the same time, but ideally would like to be able to just get the dwl files to copy along with the drawing files to take care of the problem at the source. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbucket Posted December 28, 2009 Share Posted December 28, 2009 :DYes, go to control panel. Go to Folder Options. Under second section, Hidden Files and Folders, click Show Hidden Files and Folders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_real_ptb Posted December 29, 2009 Author Share Posted December 29, 2009 Thanks for the tip, but that's not exactly what I meant. I know how to make it so I can see the files, as a matter of fact I am looking at the files right now. I want to make it so the dwl files are not hidden in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbucket Posted December 29, 2009 Share Posted December 29, 2009 I think you have lost me. If your looking at them, how are they initially hidden? I might know what you mean, but maybe not. EDIT: Will this help? http://www.cadforum.cz/cadforum_en/qaID.asp?tip=3186 http://discussion.autodesk.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=579053 Also, one more thing. Have you thought about having a "card" or a board with a list who is working on what? With the card, you pull the card when your on the project, and put it back when your done. No card, you go ask who has it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_real_ptb Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 They are hidden files to the computer. I have formatted my machine so that I can see them (and all hidden files), but to my computer they are still hidden. I am looking for a way that I can make them normal non-hidden files right when they are created. AutoCAD automatically creates the files when you open a drawing, I just want them created as as regular files instead of hidden files. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbucket Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Right, ok. Thats what i thought you meant. Is it possible they are being written to another location instead of the Save As location? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_real_ptb Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 I was told that our servers are being copied back and forth as files get changed. The actual dwg files are being copied back and forth, but since the dwl file is hidden, it gets left behind. The theory is that if the dwl file were not hidden it too would get copied along with the dwg file and our problem would go away. I'm just trying to figure out if there is a way to tell AutoCAD to make the dwl files regular (or not hidden). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbucket Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 Did you read through the links I posted? There seems to be some answers in there. BTW, when a file is opened from the same location twice, the second person that opens it gets a warning prompt that it is already open on the network, and prompts you for read only. Why are you not getting that warning prompt? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_real_ptb Posted December 30, 2009 Author Share Posted December 30, 2009 Here is one more description of my problem. The problem is that we have two servers that replicate each other in two different offices. When I cange a file in office A it gets backed up at office B. The people in office A work off one server and the people in office B work off the other server, but since they replicate each other it is like there is just one sever and one file (in reality there are two files, one on each server). For most files there is no problem. If I have a file open affice A and someone tries to open the same file at office B they get the warning that someone is already in it. It behaves like there is just one file. Since the replication takes place whenever a file changes there is no problem. If you are wondering, I'm told that this makes it possible for people in either office to work on the same project without the slowdown of working over a vpn. I also provides for a backup of the server at office B. Anyways, back to AutoCAD. With AutoCAD files if I open a drawing at office A and begin working on it, the dwg is updated on the server at office B, but the dwl file is not coppied across. That means that anyone in office A can try and open the drawing and get a read only message. If someone in office B decides they are going to work on the drawing, they will open the most current drawing that is on the server at office B which is a direct copy of the file I am currently in, but they do not get the read only message (because the dwl file is not on their end). Now we both are working on the file and everytime either of us saves it writes to the file and gets replicated. Somewhere along the way it is either going to crash and lose all the changes or at the end of the day, the last person to save is going to overwrite the other person's work. We have a policy that you need to let people know if you are in a drawing that others may want to get in to avoid problems, but of course that has already not worked a couple times (not to mention it is a very lame work around). When the files replicate, it appears that the dwl is left behind just because it i a hidden file. I was asked to see if it is possible to make the dwl visible to the computer so that it will replicate along with the dwg file. If it did that I believe the problem would no longer exist. Thats why I am trying to figure out if it is possible to get the dwl to be created as a visible file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbucket Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I got ya! Yikes, sounds somewhat confusing for sure, and I understand now why you would want that. Do you guys use Outlook with a full office calender visible to everyone? That would be a decent way to log your project status and see who is working on what. I know it doesnt answer your question, but just an idea for 2 offices to delegate project responsibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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