Backed up computer, changed directory name, all Images/Logos Gone!!

[Anonymous]

I know this question will speak volumes about my cluelessness but I've been putting together a large drawing for submittal, 10 tabs and there are various logos and background images in it.  Finally I got it to perfection and then backed up my computer and renamed the main directory (I always add the date it was backed up to the name) and then went to open my drawing and all images/logos are gone ... saying this is painful is an understatement ... 2 questions:

1. is there ANYTHING I can do to reverse what happened and get my drawing back without having to do a ton of work reinserting images/logos???

2. to avoid this in the future is there a command I can use to make the images/logos a permanent part of the drawing so that when I backup my computer this won't happen again??

thanks

[RStillwell]

Easy fix is to return the directory name to it's original name.

Not so easy fix is to repath all of the images you referenced and path them relatively.

Basically what you have done is told all if your images to take the left fork in the road at the tree near the red barn and then you removed the tree and red barn.

[nestly2]

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@Anonymous wrote:

 renamed the main directory (I always add the date it was backed up to the name) and then went to open my drawing and all images/logos are gone ...

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AutoCAD can't find the images because you changed the path to the files. You will either have to re-path all the images, or change the directory name back so the files are where AutoCAD expects them to be.  Obviously, the 2nd is easier.

In the future, I would suggest renaming your backup directory, not your working directory.

[steve216586]

Keep the images in the same folder as the drawing.

Why are you changing the name of the current directory and not the backup at the time of backup?

[dgorsman]

Same-folder is not always the best path when the referenced material requires some management e.g. several hundred images and XREFs.

For the OP, have a look at the Reference Manager.  Its installed along with AutoCAD, and provided you didn't change file names you can use it to modify search paths for referenced files in drawings.  Alternatively, if your reference material is in the same drive and relativley close to the same folder, look into relative paths.  These can save a lot of time when moving files between host folders.  Finally, look into the PROJECTNAME system variable and the Project Files search path in the Options dialog.  These can save time if you have to hop around between projects with wildly differing XREF paths.

[Anonymous]

quick note - thanks for all responses, will write more later, I did NOT change the working directory name at all, just the root name

i.e.

before:

my backup 052113\Pelican\Final Drawings

after:

my backup 072213\Pelican\Final Drawings

[Anonymous]

will it say somewhere in the drawing what the original path name was? I ask because just renaming the directory back to that name is the most appealing solution so far and the path name is actually more complex than the example I cited above, I have no way of knowing what it was because it had a date and time stamp in the name etc...

ALSO, is there a way to "hardwire" the images into the drawing somehow to avoid this in the future??

thanks all!

[jggerth]

the old saved path should show up in the XRef manager dialog.

As for burying the reference or images into the drawing -- bad choice.  Doesn't work well and creates future problems.

To avoid in the future, Do Not Rename the working directory, including ANY portion of the path name from the drive letter on down.  Instead, if you want to maintain dated folder names as an archive, copy or eTransmit you working draings to a separate, date-named folder

[Anonymous]

"Instead, if you want to maintain dated folder names as an archive, copy or eTransmit you working draings to a separate, date-named folder" - thank you very much for answering can you elaborate a little bit on this part and explain what you mean? as in give me an example or describe the steps so I get it? Thank you

[pendean]

Try it: start ETRANSMIT command and create package of drawings with it. You have the choice of folder or Zip for this bundle and it will include all the necessary files you choose to include.

[Anonymous]

thanks

is it possible to simply edit the "saved path" in the external references area for the images?  I am attempting that now and don't see a way ...

[Anonymous]

never mind, used reference manager, worked great, thanks for all your help everybody!