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How do you delete data shortcut project folder?

11 REPLIES 11
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Message 1 of 12
jefferyjensen
8839 Views, 11 Replies

How do you delete data shortcut project folder?

Hello Civil 3D Users,

How do I delete a data shortcut project folder?

Background on how I create a data shortcut

1. I set the working folder using General -> Data Shortcuts -> Set Working Folder... (I believe the default is C:\Civil 3D Projects directory)

2. I create a data shortcut project folder by right clicking on the Data Shortcut in the Master View of the Prospector Toolspace and selecting New Data Shortcuts Folder...

This creates a folder under my working folder. Problem is I made a typo. So deleted the folder using Windows Explorer. Then in Civil3D I create the correct folder. When I go to step 3 below, I see both data shortcut project folder names (one correct the other with a typo).

3. I create a reference by right clicking on the Data Shortcut in the Master View of the Prospector Toolspace and selecting to the Civil 3D object Create Data Shortcuts. Then I select the Civil 3D Object (i.e. Surfaces) that I want to share.

4. I then open my Target Drawing (make sure it has been saved and contains the necessary styles) and under Data Shortcut in the Master View of the Prospector Toolspace, I right click on the Civil 3D Object (i.e. name of the surface) select Create Reference

Everything works, but I don't know how to tidy up the typo I made in the Data Shortcuts Folder name. Any suggestions or ideas?

Thanks,

Jeff Jensen
11 REPLIES 11
Message 2 of 12
sarogers
in reply to: jefferyjensen

The answer lies in the second paragraph of step 2. Use windows explorer to delete the misnamed shortcuts folder; it will no longer shows up in the list of shortcuts folders. BTW, our practice has been to save the shortcuts in the project folder. This method requires that the working folder be changed when ever we change projects. I didn't know one could choose from various folders in a centralized location as you are doing. It almost makes sense to do it this way.

Steve Rogers
Cad manager, DSWA
Message 3 of 12

I know this is an older post but it is the only one i can find that is almost like the problem i am having.
Here it goes.

User creates a folder structure on our sever which includes the _Shortcuts folder so that Civil will recognize it as a project

They do this for about 15 projects each with own folder on server

Ooops they mess something up

Rename one of the folders then delete a couple others (total of three have been modified or deleted)

Now every time that Civil is restarted they continue to recreate the original wrong folders on the server even though they have been deleted in Windows Explorer

When you delete them from Windows Explorer they do no show up in the project list for Data shortcuts in Civil

But when you close civil and reopen they show back up in Civil Data shortcuts projects and back on the server.

Any ideas?
Thanks
Civil / Civil 3D 2010 all sp's and sap's
Message 4 of 12
rl_jackson
in reply to: jefferyjensen

Try close/reopen 3d

Rick Jackson
Survey CAD Technician VI

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Message 5 of 12

That is when the folders are being recreated.
I can delete the folders from windows explorer
look at the data shortcuts project list and they are gone
shut down civil
restart civil and they are back both in windows explorer and the data shortcut project collection
it seems that no drawings are linked to the project either?
Message 6 of 12
rl_jackson
in reply to: jefferyjensen

Is this happening in Civil only or Civil & Civil3d, I do not have this issue in C3D 2010, it may be a Civil issue?

Rick Jackson
Survey CAD Technician VI

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Message 7 of 12

OK think i am getting closer to understanding this.

We are pointing our working folder to our server

It seems that the data shortcuts are creating an XML file on the local C drives more specifically here:
C:\Users\tglidewell\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Civil 2010\enu\Project Management\ShortcutFolders.xml (using windows 7)

This file is on every users local

So everytime I delete the bad project folders off the server they are gone on my local,

Until someone else opens Civil or Civil 3D which in turn will read their local XML file,

Which will put the bad project folders back on the server and in the Data Shortcut project selection area in Civil - Civil 3D

This being the case there has to be a better way to fix this rather than modifying the local XML file to exclude these bad projects then writing a script or batch that will replace everyones local upon a reboot. Because you can never be sure who will not reboot and that one person will not get the correct XML file on their local and the whole bad process will start over again.

Any ideas?
Thanks
Message 8 of 12
Anonymous
in reply to: jefferyjensen

This is a known issue in the 2010 product. Unfortunately right now, the
solution is to delete the XML file at each user. The next time the
application is launched, they will have to set the Working Folder and we
will then repopulate the ShorcutFolders.XML file with the C3D projects
that are found on scanning. You'd want to do this one night after
everyone is gone so you can verify the working folder is clean before
people launch C3D again.

We're looking at this for a fix in the future, but this might give you
an option for now.

JW
Message 9 of 12

Thanks James that is what i was afraid of.
Message 10 of 12

Ok. was doing some thinking about this one. Where is Civil begin told to write this file to the local computers? Is there a setting in a file somewhere we can tell it to write this to a centralized location for everyone to read from rather than their local's?
If not how are we gonna archieve any folders in the future if the fix may be that far off?
Thanks,
Message 11 of 12
Anonymous
in reply to: jefferyjensen

There's no option to control this XML at this time. We're working to
resolve the folder creation problem currently. In terms of archiving, I
don't have a good answer. I find hard drives are so cheap, archiving is
a bit silly, but that's just me.

JW
Message 12 of 12
nmessina
in reply to: jefferyjensen

James,

I know the default from Autodesk is C:\Civil 3D Projects. It's our company policy is to never have project data on your local hard drives as its not part of Network backup system and not suitable for sharing. I know we can change the default to our network drive G:\Civil 3D Projects the only problem with this is that by midyear and beyond as moderately sized company we could potentially have a list of some 50+ projects to weed through for our Data Shortcuts and Survey Database folders. Our company also places our project in folders based on the year the project was started (i.e. G:\2008, G:\2009 and G:2010) also some of our projects spanned multiple years. In any given work day we have to change working folder path up to 3 to 7 times a day just to have access to our Project folders which is very annoying.

This was never a problem with Land Desktop Companion, whereas when you open a drawing the [ Open Drawing: Project Based ] dialog box allowed us select our Project Path (Working Folder); Project Name (Data Shortcut Folder) and Drawing path. This would as you know automatically set the working folder before even opening the drawing.

The other thing that was great about Land Development Desktop was the block called ADCADD_ZZ which is embedded into every drawing which automatically attached your drawing to a project. I will never understand why Autodesk got rid of that block which 100% reliable in making sure your Survey Project (Database) was automatically opened and available. The best part of the block is that even if you double click on a drawing in Windows Explored Land Desktop still knew what project folder and database to open.

Do you think Autodesk will ever give us automatic drawing to project working folder association? They could even just include it into Subscription Advantage Software package. Also I know there are 3 undocuments commands to associate a Data Shortcut project to a drawing however it will not associate and open an external Survey Database. Is there any undocumented comments to accomplish this?

ShortcutAssociateEnable
ShortcutAssociateDisable
AssociateProjectToDrawings Edited by: Nicholas Messina, Psm on Mar 27, 2010 5:39 PM
Nicholas, Messina Jr., PSM

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