AutoCAD 2010/2011/2012 DWG Format

[#1]

All,

We are seeing some issues with some users regarding what looks like a timeout in licening?

Basically our users are opening drawings, making amendments and trying to save, however, when the user or users try to save the drawing. It will state that the drawing is being accessed by another session.

We have removed all instances of the DWL's to see if we can resave but the only option we can use is to save them as *.tmp files.

I do know that we have replaced the server in the office that is now experiencing this problem, previously they weren't having any issues.

Does anyone know of a good place to start looking into this as it seems there are too many things to consider and we would like to pinpoint the issue sooner rather than later...

I want to be able to quickly identify if AutoCAD is at fault or the server.

Our other offices are having no issues with this.

Regards,

Duncan

[#2]

Hi,

>> I do know that we have replaced the server in the office that is now experiencing this problem,

Are the security-settings equal to the previous server?

What happens if you create one directory, give this directory special rights "all allowed" and verify what happens if the user now saves to this specific directory. Also make sure that the path above this folder (including the share-definition) also have to have all rights enabled.

Another test may be to login as network-administrator on one of that workstations and try then to open and save a drawing.

>> Our other offices are having no issues with this.

On that specific server or on another server?

Good luck, - alfred -

[#3]

Thanks for getting back to me...

I'm in the process of trying to find out the answers to your questions so please bear with me

Our other offices on seperate servers are not having this issue and i do know through IT that we have some issues with AV on the drive so it could be related to this!

One user is repeatedly getting this issue that i know of, however getting reports from others is hard. Therefore i need to explore issues with the machine and connection to the server. Im not sure if its dropping the connection and then picking it back up within seconds. However, AutoCAD is not relising this is the same user then trying to save the drawings.

The other thing is that its not a constant issue so people can save drawings, it just seems to be certain times when this happens and when.

Regards,

[#4]

The problem we have with this issue is that unless the problem occurs on other PC's and it just so happens to stop them from working, we dont get reports about the issue until it happens.

We have asked that the error is monitored so that we can look into the issue further however, i was wondering how others have resolved this?

Is the issue related to the network? the workstation? the server?

What i dont understand is that one user can open the drawings, leave it open or edit it for half an hour and then get the error message that the file is being used by someone else even though its the same user. It appears as though there is a drop in the network connection which is locking out the user from a drawing that they have edited. However what it doesnt realise is that its the same user trying to save.

Regards,

Duncan

[#5]

Hi,

>> However, AutoCAD is not relising this is the same user then trying to save the drawings

Is it possible that this user has the drawing opened twice? That may declare a lot of things you describe here.

Other questions now are:

• what OS does your server have
• what OS do your workstations have
• have you any services running like Vault or any DMS or ...?

- alfred -

[#6]

I can confirm that the users are not opening the drawings twice.

Also, to answer your questions.

• Our new servers are currently running 2008 R2 with nothing unusual in the Build.
• Our workstations are currently Windows XP for 32 Bit and Windows 7 for 64 Bit.
• We are running Enterprise Vault for archiving purposes and PCounter, we are currently not utilising a Data Management System like Vault

Regards,

Duncan

[#7]

Hi,

next time the problem appears: can another one try to open this drawing from the server? It is interesting then if the other guy get's the message "do you want to open the file in read-only mode".

Also verify the files *.DWL and *.DWL2 (and if exists *.DWK) at the location of the drawing. If possible upload them, maybe anyone have then an idea.

- alfred -

[#8]

Same problem with AutoCad 2013 LT!

http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/AutoCAD-2013/AutoCAD-2013-unable-to-save-drawing-as-it-is-being-access...

[#9]

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Also verify the files *.DWL and *.DWL2 ..... at the location of the drawing. 

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These files have no bearing on the situation.

Those are not lock files. They are created and used by WHOHAS.ARX.

The .dwl file contains the name of the machine, user, date and time.

The .dwl2 file contains the same info, but in XML format.

[#10]

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DuncanBrannan82 wrote:

All,

We are seeing some issues with some users regarding what looks like a timeout in licening?

Basically our users are opening drawings, making amendments and trying to save, however, when the user or users try to save the drawing. It will state that the drawing is being accessed by another session.

---

Stop right there.

Go to Start>Run>fsmgmt.msc

Right-click on Shared Folders (Local) and choose "Connect to another Computer"

Enter the computer name of the server where the DWG files are stored.**

When you get back to the main window, click on "Open Files"

Look in the right pane, until you find the DWG file in question.

This will tell you who has the file open for Write.

(** If you do not have this level of access to the computer where the DWG files are stored, you'll have to get permissions from your IS/IT people, or have them finish these steps)