Automation Error ... All File contents are lost !!!

[drivesafely]

Hello,

We are facing strange issue with all different versions of AutoCAD (2007, 2011, 2013). While users are working on the file, all of a sudden the contents (work done) are lost and it becomes all blank. The file size is same but when we open the file all the work done is not displayed, but just a blank screen.

It happens occasionally and there is some Automation Error in the command line below. The software is not hanging but the open file is in hang state and we have to close it. While closing whether we select yes/no the content (work done) is all lost. The temp location where the files are saved in one of the computer is become huge around 40GB will many Autocad autosave and temporary files; if it has anything to do with it !

Can anyone guide what could be the possible issue ?

Thanks,

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> "To enable the 3GB switch on Windows Vista? or Windows 7:

STOP! You are using a 64bit OS, the 3GB switch is only built for 32bit OS, I hope you have not done any of that modifications (otherwise we might have one of the possible reasons for failing).

- alfred -

[amrfooda2008]

Here are some details to what is happening to me if some one can help.

-The problem is happening to me in Auto Cad Civil 3D.

-I noticed that usually there is another error message related to undo disble precede that error. a print screen of this message is attached. If I continue to work for a while with the undo disabled, then the drawing is being erased and saved automatically without my interference .This usually happen directly after specific commands such as delete an object.

- I noticed that there is an unknown lisp called ''acaddoc''  being  downloaded automatically to the same working file path once I open any dwg. If I shift delete this lisb, it appears again during working in the dwg or  once opening a new dwg; it is placed in the same path as the opened dwg.

The text in the lisb is as follows:

Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[pendean]

That's a virus I believe: you are not running C3D 2014? 2013 and lower have no protection against them.

[rkmcswain]

---

@amrfooda2008 wrote:

..... I will turn to work with Microstation soon if this problem persist as I see that Auto Cad is not concerned with such terrible problem.

---

What leads you to believe that Autodesk is not concerned with your problem? Have you opened a support ticket with Autodesk? Have you contacted your reseller? If they couldn't solve it, did you ask for the problem to be escalated?  Not too many people can afford to dump a $4000 software app and just start using something else.

[amrfooda2008]

I am using Civil 3D 2013. I have installed service pack update for it but didn't change anything.

So you mean 2014 version have protection  in its normal installation against such viruses or I have to install specific antivirus?

Because I have installed many antiviruses and nothing make difference.

[pendean]

2014 versions of AutoCAD are designed to limit loading of unauthorized routines as you described in your post. 2013 and lower versions offer no protection from what you described so you must seek help for curing those from other venues.
Note: not all unti virus apps cater to viruses aimed at AutoCAD: try a google search to see what others are doing to stop the spread of your type of infliction (since that's all I would do to get you an answer anyway).
Good luck.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> lisp called ''acaddoc''  being  downloaded automatically to the same working file path once I open any dwg.

>> If I shift delete this lisb, it appears again

I fully agree with pendean, it's a virus.

So disconnect your workstation from network and inform your admin to do the correct actions to get it repaired.

>> So you mean 2014 version have protection  in its normal installation against such viruses

Even if you would now install 2014 you already have a lot of defects on your system and they have to be removed before doing anything else.

>> there is another error message related to undo disble

There are some other threads about that message. In that case I would never continue to work, stop Civil3D with saving the current drawing(s), clean the temp-directory from big files and restart Civil3D again.

- alfred -

[amrfooda2008]

Thank you so much for help. I was just frustrated from losing my efforts every now and then

[nedwards9820]

I have just experienced my first Aitomation Error on my brand new computer.  It has an i7 processr, 8G of memory and a completely fresh install of Windows8.1 and AutoCAD2104 with Service Pack 1.  

The only items in common with previous Automation Errors are the files that I'm using (which have been bulk purged of Regapps and have had all excess scales deleted from them), and Windows64 bit on a system with a duo-touch screen.

I am currently running AutoCAD in "Trial Mode" because I have not moved the license off my old computer yet.  So AutoCAD is not communicating with the Communication Center.

As far as I can tell, there are no errors logged in Windows Event Logger.

It is bad news that this error has reccurred.  As before, the error cannot be forced: it occurs when you are working hard and concentrating for a long period (and have forgotten to save your work).  However in this case not saving your work means you can recover the .sv$ file.

-ne

[amrfooda2008]

The solution for me was working with 2014 version as it stops suspected lisps from being automatically downloaded to the drawing without the user's permission

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> completely fresh install of Windows8.1

Justz to mention: up to now AutoCAD 2014 is not supported for Win8.1

If I have problems and I have the chance to test with a new system I would use a platform and a hardware that meets the system-requirements given by the vendor.

- alfred -

[mast.max]

Dose any one find the solution, from last three days two of our machine facing same issue.
Windows 7 and Autocad 2007 i install Autocad 2013 free trial but same thing happened.

[amrfooda2008]

Auto Cad 2014 is the only available solution. I tried every thing. If you will not work with 2014 version, you will continue losing your work and the virus will spread to other computers

[nedwards9820]

No, we have not found a solution.... I bought a new top-of-the-range
computer with Windows 8.1 and AutoCAD 2014 and still we get the same
problem -- but possibly not as often.

Back up your AutoCAD temporary directory and your working directory to an
on-line file service with versioning such as www.Cubby.com to limit the
data loss.

-ne

[nedwards9820]

I've been working hard today: Five Automation Errors with data loss every
time.

Is it only me? Is it that I use lots of xrefs? Perhaps that I use .pdf
underlays? Or maybe .jpg's? Or drawings that are exported from
MicroStation or VectorWorks? I do all of these... but I have found nothing
in the manuals that says I should not....

It creates complex drawings that maybe AutoCAD 2014 SP1 simply can't cope
with? Even with an i7, 8G Win8.1 OS computer?

When the Automation Error occurs (invariably with entity selection) I can't
recover useful data from the .dwg or the .bak (both are wiped of drawn
entities). Even the previous .dwg saves may be wiped (one learns from
attempted recovery of on-line-stored earlier versions: indicating that the
error has some history before it causes the Automation Error crash).

My intended redirected temp directory location is not working because
Windows refuses to create a non-read-only-directory and AutoCAD refuses to
accept any directory except the default (also windows-read-only-directory)
location for temporary file storage.

I can recover data from older .dwg's in my working directory that are
stored by my www.cubby.com -- as long as I use control-S sufficiently often.

It reminds me of working with AutoCAD 8 in 1985 and the dent in the filing
cabinet that happened when I lost an entire day's work.... *Plus ?a
change...*

I regret that enough people will lose enough information that AutoDesk
simply has to address this problem. Until then, we mere minority users are
we are on our own.

If there's one thing more depressing than 10 minutes of data loss, it is 90
minutes of data loss. And we pay thousands of dollars for this privilege.


-ne

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> Is it that I use lots of xrefs? Perhaps that I use .pdf underlays? Or maybe .jpg's? Or drawings that are exported from
>> MicroStation or VectorWorks? I do all of these... but I have found nothing in the manuals that says I should not....

No, there's nothing in the manuals that says you should not use functions that are built in.

BUT: every info about your working process (like you started with the objects you use) is a help, your system info (especially the operating system, and the graphic card), your installed programs (e.g. have you installed Microstation and Vectorworks on the same system?), your apps/tools/... used in AutoCAD can help to get more close to the problem. If all here having that issues make the listing about those points (come on, it's a big chance) Autodesk might see what's equal by you and the others. That's a great start, really!

>> Even with an i7, 8G Win8.1 OS computer?

As you seem to have big troubles, why are you staying at the Win8.1 that is not supported?

If I have so many troubles I would first go back to "as recommended as possible".

>> My intended redirected temp directory location is not working because Windows refuses to create a non-read-only-directory

>> and AutoCAD refuses to accept any directory except the default (also windows-read-only-directory)
>> location for temporary file storage.

Sorry I don't understand that .. I can set the Windows setting for the TEMP-folder to any folder I want to have/want to set (well, as it's a TEMP folder, it has to have a read&create&write&modify&delete enabled (or with other words full) permission).

I'm also able to set the paths for AutoCAD temp file to any directory on your system (using command _OPTIONS ==> tab: Files) .. and I have set that folders also to special temp-folder on my system ... that works, I don't know what or why that should not work.

>> It reminds me of working with AutoCAD 8 in 1985

1985 was AutoCAD 2.1, next was AutoCAD 2.5, then 2.6 and (after some minor releases like 2.63j) the next release was called AutoCAD 9 (1987). There was never an AutoCAD 8 on the market.

I can understand that you are annoyed about the situation, but continue to report things that might help to identify the issue! Ranting like that does really not help to get the problem solved.

- alfred -

[nedwards9820]

>>your system info (especially the operating system, and the graphic card),
Sony Vaio Duo13 Intel HD Graphics 10.18.10.3316 driver,i7, 8G; Description
: Laptop SV-D1322C - Configurable

None of the above is specific to the problem as it occurred on different
machines too.

>>(e.g. have you installed Microstation and Vectorworks on the same
system?),
No

>>your apps/tools/... used in AutoCAD
Plain vanilla Autocad 2014 SP1

>>As you seem to have big troubles, why are you staying at the Win8.1 that
is not supported?
Because I had the problems in Windows 7; then in Windows 8.0 and now in
Windows 8.1 it does not seem likely to be OS-version-related.

>>Sorry I don't understand that .. I can set the Windows setting for the
TEMP-folder to any folder I want to have/want to set (well, as it's a TEMP
folder, it has to have a read&create&write&modify&delete enabled (or with
other words full) permission

I did not know there was such a thing as a TEMP-type folder. I don't think
you are using Windows8.x. Attached are the screen-grabs. I understand the
problem is a Windows 8.x bug that prevents the read-only attribute being
cleared, coupled with recent changes to AutoCAD to make it less prone to
attacks.

>>1985 was AutoCAD 2.1,
Yes. My point is that I have been using AutoCAD continuously since 1985.

These are the factors common to each occurrence of the Automation Error:
1) it is always at the moment of selection (possibly with a
crossing-window) that the error occurs
2) drawings with xrefs (and perhaps .pdf's and .jpg's but no definite
pattern)
3) drawing _and back-up_ are wiped of drawn entities but retain uninserted
blocks.
4) previous file-save-when-working may have saved a blank drawing (I can
tell by looking at versions from on-line back-up)
5) occurs with different hardware (Toshiba, Sony)
6) occurs with different OS (Win7, Win8.x)
7) possibly only occurs in Win64 environment [can anyone else confirm this?]

-ne

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

thank you for your detailled info! 🙂

>> Sony Vaio Duo13 Intel HD Graphics 10.18.10.3316 driver,i7, 8G; Description: Laptop SV-D1322C - Configurable
>> None of the above is specific to the problem as it occurred on different machines too.

As I understood your situation (many XRefs, some PDFs, some JPGs) ... how many memory does your AutoCAD use then? Because I think 8GB is not that much in Win7/Win8 64bit environment.

Besides of that I think an Intel graphics is not a CAD-graohic hardware at all ==> look to that >>>list of certified drivers<<< and check your hardware, if it's compatible to the suggested drivers, if your versions are different to the recommended ones then try the recommended driver instead of the installed one.

>> >>your apps/tools/... used in AutoCAD
>> Plain vanilla Autocad 2014 SP1

You forgot at least your sync software you mentioned above (www.cubby.com)

>> I did not know there was such a thing as a TEMP-type folder. I don't think you are using Windows8.x.

Look to the screenshots I attached, you see there that you can set your TEMP-folder to wherever you want, also for Win8 (sorry for German screenshots).

And at least, you can set the AutoCAD-temp folders to different folders then the os-ones.

>> Attached are the screen-grabs.

Sorry, I don't find any.

And now to all the others, please follow up! It's the chance now!

- alfred -

[nedwards9820]

the missing screen grabs (my earlier reply was via email and it drops the attachments).

I cannot get Windows to change the permissions on the folders.  I am administrator of my system.  AutoCAD won't (nowadays) write to a read-only directory.... but I can write to the same directory, so what it means by "read-only" who knows. 

/TEMP is a file (directory) name not a file type.

I am aware that AutoCAD 2014 is not certified for Windows 8.1, but we have exactly the same problem in Windows8 and Windows7, so I really don't think the OS version has anything to do with the Automation Error problem.

-ne

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

playing with permissions of a temp folder is quite critical, I would not do that (as I would then fear about loosing my work).

Any software using the temp-folder uses it as like haveing really all permissions.

Turn that back to default, maybe that's the source of the problem.

- alfred -