AutoCAD's default open folder?

[muck]

Is there a way to make AutoCAD's open default directory be the directory of the last

opened file directory no matter if it open by AutoCAD open or MS explorer?

 

 

If you go into MS explorer and open an AutoCAD file, AutoCAD opens it and uses it but

when I use the AutoCAD open command in the next scission it defaults to a different directory.

Is there a way to make the two default directories match?

 

Thank you.

[CyberAngel]

I was always told to open drawings through AutoCAD, not through Explorer. That would solve your problem, even though that's not the question you asked.

 

To answer the question you did ask, I don't know. I would guess that it is not possible.

[JPlanera]

I was always told to open drawings through AutoCAD, not through Explorer. That would solve your problem, even though that's not the question you asked.

 

To answer the question you did ask, I don't know. I would guess that it is not possible.

 

Agreed, I see no need to open drawings through explorer. In case OP did not know, you can define the default "Start in" directory by opening the properties of the desktop icon for acad...

[ReMark]

Look at this from AutoDesk:

 

"For the Start In folder to be recognized as the default location when working with files, set the REMEMBERFOLDERS system variable to 0 (off).

 

The REMEMBERFOLDERS system variable controls the default path for the Look In or Save In option in standard file selection dialog boxes. A setting of 0 restores legacy behavior, using the Start In path. With a setting of 1, the last used path in each file selection dialog box is remembered across all drawing sessions."

[rkent]

Create a command in CUI with this macro, then drag that up to any toolpalette.

^C^C^P(startapp "explorer" (getvar "dwgprefix"))

I learned this on one of the forums, not my solution.

[muck]

Reason I want to do this is because I work on a large server with a lot of folders. I save desktop shortcut icons

to those folders that I work on. AutoCAD needs to remember what directory it is in

when it saves a file that was opened by explorier. If there was a way for explorier to let AutoCAD know

its opened folder then AutoCAD could be set its default folder.

Maybe a Batch, Lisp or maybe VBA routine would work here?

Thank you,

[nukecad]

AutoCAD needs to remember what directory it is in when it saves a file that was opened by explorer

 

 

I also work on a large server with thousands of folders and sub-folders.

 

Rather than using desktop shortcuts to folders, my solution is to save the 9 or 10 folders that I am working in at any time to the FAVOURITES list.

Then in Autocad when opening a drawing I can just click on the favourites list to go to the folder and pick the drawing to open.

OR in explorer I can click on the favourites list to go to the folder and double click the drawing to open.

 

If you use QSAVE then the drawing is saved back wherever it came from.

If you want to SAVEAS in the same folder then you can just pick it from the favourites list.

[Squirltech]

I was always told to open drawings through AutoCAD, not through Explorer. That would solve your problem, even though that's not the question you asked.

 

Thank you for this. I am always telling people, where I work, this rule. I think it will become my signature on CADTutor.

[rkent]

Reason I want to do this is because I work on a large server with a lot of folders. I save desktop shortcut icons

to those folders that I work on. AutoCAD needs to remember what directory it is in

when it saves a file that was opened by explorier. If there was a way for explorier to let AutoCAD know

its opened folder then AutoCAD could be set its default folder.

Maybe a Batch, Lisp or maybe VBA routine would work here?

Thank you,

As I posted earlier, this is a very simple solution.

Create a command in CUI with this macro, then drag that up to any toolpalette.

^C^C^P(startapp "explorer" (getvar "dwgprefix"))

I learned this on one of the forums, not my solution.