Relative XREF Paths on Network

Anyone know why relative XREF paths that work fine on a local system are
not recognized when the identical folder structure is recreated on a
network drive?

-peter

 

depends on several factors
acad search path
current folder

projectname variable
paths are case sensitive

and probably others as well

 

Mark;

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I should explain that I'm trying to make this work on a client's system,
so I don't have easy access to experiment. They are using Microsoft
server software. I'm talking about a path like "....\Maps\Ref\xxxx.dwg",
stored in the drawing itself. It needs to work for any number of users
from various locations, using various drive letter assignments.

I don't understand how the ACAD search path would affect this, and in
any case I won't have any way of controlling this.

I suspect it may have something to do with how AutoCAD assesses its
"current folder". But again, I don't know how I would be able to control
this. I was counting on the internal reference using the file's location
as a starting point, to avoid all the "local" issues.

I have to admit I don't understand how the "projectname" variable works
- it seems like something of a "black box" - and it too has the same
limitation of being out of my control.

As for case sensitivity, I have replicated the structures exactly, even
to case, although case doesn't seem to affect anything when the setup is
local.

-peter

 

Sorry, I don't have the answer, but I'll be lurking with interest!

 

XREFs can "look" for the source drawing by getting the drawing name and
using it (it will look in the location that the XREF drawing is located and
then next, where the support paths are pointing to). The other method is the
full path (i.e. K:/SomeFolder/SomeOtherFolder/DwgFolder/MyXref.dwg). The
path has to match exactly. Some companies "K" drive and another companies
"K" drive are usually totally different. That is why generally, you should
not use the full path. Also make sure that dwg file names are not getting
renamed. You may already know these things, so I hope I am not being
insulting with this explanation.

JRWalker

 

Your AutoCAD shortcut needs have the start in folder set to the folder from
which the the relative path is based.

 

JR;

Thanks for your comments - not at all insulting.

The newsgroup seems a bit disarrayed at the moment, so maybe you didn't
see my reply to Mark Propst, which explains that I'm using "relative"
paths, like "....\Maps\Ref\xxxxx.dwg". Note the 4 dots which refer to
the 3rd folder above the current one. You accurately described the "no
path" & "full path" mechanisms. Neither of these will work in this case
becasue (a) I can't ensure that everyone who wants to access these files
will have the ACAD search path appropriately set, & (b) the network
location has different drive letters assigned from different locations.

I do know how XREFs are supposed to act, they just aren't behaving
themselves the way I expect in this case, & I'm trying to determine if
it's the network that's the issue.

-peter

 

Martin;

That's a good suggestion, but it doesn't seem to require that on my
system, with the files local - different drive letter (partition) from
the "start in" folder - but not networked. The relative path is
*supposed* to be relative to the parent drawing's location (I thought).
In any case, I couldn't implement your suggestion, since I won't be able
to set up all the systems that might access the files, nor would they
all necessarily want them set up that way.

-peter

 

Theoretically, if you have successfully applied relative paths to XREFS in a
drawing, you should be able to copy that folder "branch" containing your
parent DWG and associated XREFs, copy them to any drive letter or folder
level, and all should work and XREFs should be found. We use relative XREF
and IMAGE pathing for drawings at our company. Look for a lisp utility I
uploaded to the customer-files newsgroup entitled "XREF Relative Pathing
Lisp" dated 4/23/04. I'd be curious to know, if you gave it a try, whether
it would work for you. This utility uses the syntax of ..\..\..\ to go up
multiple folders.

 

All I know is it works for me.
Our cad files are llways located in sub folders of P:\project_name\Cad so we
use a shortcut pointing to this folder.
If we don't, xrefs are not found

 

Mark;

Thanks for your reply.

I think you may have clued me to a possible solution. I've been using a
simple string of dots to move up the path, which works fine locally, but
you use the "..\..\" syntax, which I'm hoping is more universally
recognized.

-peter

 

Hi, Peter. Sheesh, word from der BugMeister and you at (almost) the same time!?

Dunno what your structure looks like, but bear in mind that if the path is
truncated to the drawing name (images too), and the file is located in the same
folder as its parent, then AutoCAD will resolve the xref/image without path.

Taking a stab at playing psychic, if you're looking to take things home and
emulate the office setup, then copy (actually like XCOPY) the files to a local
folder and use SUBST to temporarily map a drive to that folder. I do it
regularly. I also use SecondCopy (http://www.centered.com) to transfer only
those files that are changed or new. With full paths, drive letters vs. UNC
names are the key. Please expound.

 

John;

I just saw the posting from SteveJ. I almost mentioned him in Luis' "Top
Ten" thread, but I figured his name would sound even more foreign than
mine. Wow. And the lively exchange about (grread) & kludges, with half
of the candidates showing up. La plus ca change...

So, thanks for your thoughts. I've just been pounding away here in my
own little sandbox (for far too long), so no it's not "bringing the
office home". In this case my client has a legacy folder structure into
which they want a new set of maps inserted. They want broad, if
read-only, access via their intranet, & I suggested the relative path
arrangement, without a second thought.

So I was frustrated when the file set, which I had installed in an
emulation of their structure on my system, didn't find the xrefs/images
when I copied it into theirs. I'm not certain yet, but it appears that,
although "....\Maps|Ref|xxxxx.dwg" works OK in a "local" context,
limiting the folder (I keep wanting to say directory) referent "." to 2,
delimited by "\", (i.e. "..\..\..") is a more universal syntax. I'll be
able to test the new scheme in the morning. Essentially, I've been (once
again?) shot in the foot by my own cowboy cleverness.

And no, they want the maps & references separated - different people use
them, in different ways, & they do not want to be confused - so putting
them all in one folder was not an option. And yes, I too still lean on
SUBST - I work mostly in phantom drives called W:, & P:. And I use a
shareware utility called DirectoryToolKit to synch things between the
desktop & the travel machine. I'll look into the tool you mentioned.

Great to see you are still helping out here, & deservedly making it onto
Luis' list (which I seconded). Keep it up. I am (once again!) grateful
to this group (& Mark McDonough in particluar) for the timely help.

-peter