AutoCAD Electrical

[#1]

My ACE_PLC.MDB file is located on a network so that all of our users can access it. I've recently upgraded to a new computer, and when I go to edit modules, the descriptions are blank for one entire PLC model. When I go back to my old computer, everything shows up just fine. Anyone have an idea how to get around this. This issue is also true if someone else edits the MDB file.

[#2]

Get back your old computer, and never plan on upgrading?? hehehe Not using PLC's I have never had to deal with this issue, but it sounds like maybe the new computer is not pointing to the file on the network? Just a guess.


Marty

[#3]

DUH!!! Bad Guess! Since we use profiles, the search paths are the same. I suspect that this file wasn't designed to be used or modified across a network. I've noticed this issue before when someone else attempted to edit the file and had the same issues. The error message is regarding "Undefined Terminal Types", which is an error itself, as the terminal types are actually all there.

[#4]

Yeah I have noticed that ACE seems to be very "Stand Alone-ish" Hope that changes some time in the future, hopefully before I have to network 3-4 machines together......8-)


Marty

[#5]

Martin,

I believe that you have run into a logged issue. Try this for me. Type the
following at the command line:

!GBL_wd_DocSetBase

This will most likely return to you the location of the Support folder in
your Documents and Settings folder. It may look something like this:

"C:/Documents and Settings/spitzes/Application Data/Autodesk/AutoCAD
Electrical 2006/R16.2/enu/Support/"

In this folder, you should find a file called WDMBBLKS.BSF. This file is
the block settings file and contains among other things, the information
that maps the terminal descriptions to the terminal blocks. The issue is
that when you move your data for your PLCs (in this case you are sharing it
on the network), Electrical is still looking for that BSF file in your
Documents and Settings support folder. If you have made any changes to the
Terminal Block Settings in the PLC Database Editor, these settings will be
saved to this wdmdbblks.bsf file. When you do a new install on a new
computer for example, the installed file will not have your additions or
modifications in it, so you will get an "Undefined Terminal Types" error
when you try to edit a module that uses the additional terminal types that
you defined. The work around is to make sure that the BSF file that you
have local matches the BSF file that you are sharing on the network (if the
file is on the network) or that matches the file you had on your old
computer. You can copy it over, but I would suggest making a backup first.
You may need to copy this file to each users computer in order for them to
be able to edit these modules as well. This is a logged issue and is being
looked into. Hope this helps.

Mike

wrote in message news:5042189@discussion.autodesk.com...
DUH!!! Bad Guess! Since we use profiles, the search paths are the same. I
suspect that this file wasn't designed to be used or modified across a
network. I've noticed this issue before when someone else attempted to edit
the file and had the same issues. The error message is regarding "Undefined
Terminal Types", which is an error itself, as the terminal types are
actually all there.

[#6]

Thanks, Mike. That did the trick. This will also have to be done when installing newer versions of ACE, at least on the ones I am running now. I suspected that there was a file somewhere keeping track of the changes, just didn't know which one it was.

Martin

[#7 · Accepted solution]

Martin,

After reading over your post again, I think the BSF file that is the latest
is on your old computer. So if you copy it, copy it from there instead of
from the network.

Mike

"Mike Spitzer (Autodesk)" wrote in
message news:5044793@discussion.autodesk.com...
Martin,

I believe that you have run into a logged issue. Try this for me. Type the
following at the command line:

!GBL_wd_DocSetBase

This will most likely return to you the location of the Support folder in
your Documents and Settings folder. It may look something like this:

"C:/Documents and Settings/spitzes/Application Data/Autodesk/AutoCAD
Electrical 2006/R16.2/enu/Support/"

In this folder, you should find a file called WDMBBLKS.BSF. This file is
the block settings file and contains among other things, the information
that maps the terminal descriptions to the terminal blocks. The issue is
that when you move your data for your PLCs (in this case you are sharing it
on the network), Electrical is still looking for that BSF file in your
Documents and Settings support folder. If you have made any changes to the
Terminal Block Settings in the PLC Database Editor, these settings will be
saved to this wdmdbblks.bsf file. When you do a new install on a new
computer for example, the installed file will not have your additions or
modifications in it, so you will get an "Undefined Terminal Types" error
when you try to edit a module that uses the additional terminal types that
you defined. The work around is to make sure that the BSF file that you
have local matches the BSF file that you are sharing on the network (if the
file is on the network) or that matches the file you had on your old
computer. You can copy it over, but I would suggest making a backup first.
You may need to copy this file to each users computer in order for them to
be able to edit these modules as well. This is a logged issue and is being
looked into. Hope this helps.

Mike

wrote in message news:5042189@discussion.autodesk.com...
DUH!!! Bad Guess! Since we use profiles, the search paths are the same. I
suspect that this file wasn't designed to be used or modified across a
network. I've noticed this issue before when someone else attempted to edit
the file and had the same issues. The error message is regarding "Undefined
Terminal Types", which is an error itself, as the terminal types are
actually all there.

[#8]

That's what I did. And if other users want to add a module, they will need to copy this file to their computer, then copy it back so they others can have the latest file. I have a batch file that copies all of our custom files to the proper ACE folders, so I'll add this one in. Thanks.

[#9]

Has this issue been resolved? Or do we still need to use the workaround?

[#10]

This post is almost 7 years old.  Has this still not be resolved?

I've been investigating sharing autocad settings across the network as well, and it seems that the issue is that ACADE is based on MS Access databases, which do NOT like to be shared.

If this is in fact an MS Acess DB issue, and nothing Autodesk can help, would someone from staff please post so?