Data Shortcuts not working with Dropbox

[jason]

I have been using Dropbox to collaborate with a remote office.  The problem we ran into was that for some reason, data references don't work when a drawing is reopened.  In other words, when I open a drawing, none of the objects I dref'd into the drawing showed up.  In the Toolspace, the objects appear just fine (i.e. no broken reference indications). If I manually synchronize the object, then it shows up int he drawings.  If I save and then reopen, the reference is gone again.  Any ideas on how to fix this?  I have seen some info about Projectwise and the problems with dref's when using that program, but haven't found a solution in that documentation that will help me with my situation.  Any help is much appreciated.

[Jay_B]

May not be related here but there is an issue where for example you have a plan and profile sheet and have a Pipe Network source dwg attached as an xref which is also loaded. Either detaching the PN.dwg or unloading the xref usually allows the dref's to update normally without a manual sync. More information can be found here

[jason]

That works and I appreciate the reply.  The problem I have is I've been setting up my drawings the same since I started using C3D 2009.  In my utility base drawing I have pipe networks and also simple linework for water lines and such that I'm not modeling.  That information gets xref'd into my sheets.  I just turn off the pipe networks in the xref and bring in the pipe network as a dref.  That has worked fine and dandy until I introduced Dropbox to the mix.  Is there anyone out there form Autodesk that knows how to fix this problem?  Although I'm happy to know this, unloading an xref to me is just a work around.

[Jeff_M]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 That has worked fine and dandy until I introduced Dropbox to the mix.  Is there anyone out there form Autodesk that knows how to fix this problem?  Although I'm happy to know this, unloading an xref to me is just a work around.

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It wasn't Dropbox. C3D2012 SP2.1 was the first to cause this issue. Then C3D2013 SP1 brought it to 2013. And I think that 2014 just plain started out with it. Something Autodesk changed in how it loads Xrefs & Drefs is the problem, and no, there is nothing at this time that we can do about it. I've been after them since 2012's SP2.1 was released.

BTW, I have used the same method for pipes as you described for years. Due to this issue I have had to change how I do things.

Oh, and welcome to the forums! I hope you find them useful.

[jason]

Ok, that helps to know there is nothing that can be done until Autodesk fixes it.  I guess I'll change my workflow.

Thanks for the welcome!  I've been using these forums for years.  However, I haven't posted much.  I have mainly searched for answers.  People I have worked with used to think I was an AutoCAD genius because I knew the answer to everything.  Truth is, I just knew how to find the answer.  Here!

Thanks to all those who reply to the problems we have!