Error: The following shortcuts in the search were invalid and ignored...

[Anonymous]

Autocad LT 2013, fresh install on new computer.

I read thru other posts of the same issue, but none of them fixed my problem or had slightly different issue which the solution doesn't work/apply.

The first time I try to either open the options dialog or plot  I get this error:

"The following shortcuts in the search were invalid and ignored: \\<network path to the current file>\shortcut to <directory>.lnk"

I tried this solution regarding the "add-a-plotter.lnk" and plotstyle, while the shortcuts were incorrect, it didn't solve it.  I had also removed them as other posts suggested

http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/dl/item?siteID=123112&id=8950243&linkID=9240617

The shortcut is looking at the drawing directory not a plotter.  After a liitle experimenting, it seems to only have an issue with files located on the network.  Local files don't appear to be giving me an issue at the moment

Any help would be great,

Thanks

[pendean · Accepted solution]

One or more of your support folders contains a dead link (lnk file). Find it in any/all folder and remove it.

Yes, this is not an easy task.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Got it.  You were close, it wasn't one of the listed support files, but it got me on the right track.  There were some dead shortcuts in the job folder I happened to be working in when I started using 2013, as well as our main clients folder.  Removed them and no issues so far.  It seems Autocad uses the drawing's folder as a support folder when ever you open a particular drawing.  Strange that it didn't happen to our other machines.

Thanks for the input.

[ragheednakkash]

Thanks Dean, I just came over this issue and found your reply... much helpful, I fixed it. Thank you

[CADbloke]

"The warning may also indicate that there is a Windows shortcut with a non-existent target in the same folder as the DWG file that you are opening. When opening files, AutoCAD tries to resolve any shortcuts that are in the same folder as the drawing file. All invalid LNK files in the folder will be mentioned in the warning message. "

from https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Warnin...

What the hell kind of a bug is that? Not as much fun as the obscure and factually incorrect error message. Sloppy, very sloppy.

[pendean]

Most of us into customizing, aka don't use software as is, use LNK link files to extend the reach of the program into other folders/files.

So it's hardly a bug, and it's only sloppy in that the program should distinguish between the two in the error message to make it more helpful for you to remove the problem file(s).

[Ldlorcad]

I just had this warning rear its ugly head recently. I am on Civil 3D 2022.....After some investigating it seems that in my case it was looking for a 2021 folder in that link (Don't know why it used 2021 and that folder did not exist) and I'm on version 2022. I simply went to the directory and changed the properties of the link to 2022 instead of 2021. 🙂

[sdownsQ8F2X]

This weird thing was it!

[austin_anderson27JZM9]

This was a big help.....so my entire 'desktop' folder was the support folder....good lord. 1 file for another program causing issues.