topic Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location in AutoCAD Electrical Forum

Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:45:58 GMT

Hello,

We recently upgraded to ACE 2020. I am having a strange issue where my default catalog database path is reverting to the old network location. Same thing for the footprint database. I understand how to setup the wd.env file for the projects and I have updated the project settings to have the new path in the project settings.

Here are my project settings. The default catalog and footprint catalog should be pulling from my E:\ drive for the active project.

If I pull up the catalog browser it takes an eternity to load because it is trying to load from the previous location. When if does finally load, looking at the properties, the path is the old path.

In my options there isn't even a path for this location anymore. The first locations are the new drive location.

If I restore ACE to default settings it then works and pulls from the E:\ drive. I shutdown ACE and open it again and the location is now back to the V: location. Is there some other place to set this path? We use network licenses, can this be set in the license file?

Thank you

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 12:57:27 GMT

Also, if I change the wd.env file to the stock one that comes with the installation that pulls from the C:\ drive locally, the default catalog location is still being pulled from the old V:\ drive. I am a little confused how this can happen. All other settings for the menu files seem to work. It's the catalog database files that seem stuck to the old file location.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:07:16 GMT

AS per the project setting, wd.env is in .....2020\aedata folder. Modify that wd.env file as shown below: Also check project setting as per the screenshot below. Then restart acade.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:11:59 GMT

Thank you for the response but these settings are already set properly.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:19:51 GMT

Remove comma and text after catalog as shown below. If still doesnt work, can you resend the project setting screenshot?

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:27:31 GMT

OK. Didn't make a difference.

I don't understand how that would revert the path to a completely different path. Also, all the other path settings have a comma and a comment behind them without issue. Something is telling ACE to revert to this path. Once the path is set to the old path, I can't change it for some reason. Not when editing the wd.env and updating the project settings. Nothing. It's stuck looking to the old path.

My project settings clearly show that my default catalog should be pulling from my E:\ location.

What else in this program can influence this path?

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:27:36 GMT

If it still doesnt work add \ after catalog

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:42:50 GMT

Doesn't make a difference.

Catalog path is now the old path. I can change the .env file to the local drive and it won't switch over. I have tried using the stock .env file. I first shutdown ACE then switch the files and open ACE back up. The project settings will show that the catalog location is on the C:\ drive but the application is still trying to pull from the old network location.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 14:53:09 GMT

Here I switched to the out of the box wd.env file and looked at the project settings. default_cat.mdb should now be pulled form my local HDD.

Opening the catalog browser and looking at the settings this is not the case.

There has to be another location this information is being stored. Where is this location?

Also, this is setup on a brand new laptop from scratch. No previous ACE installation was on this machine. My old laptop used this location with ACE 2016. I received a new laptop with all the software installed form scratch. ACE2016 isn't even on the machine. If I do a restore settings to default it works the first time I open ACE. When I close ACE and open it again, the catalog path reverts to the old network path. It is a very strange problem.

I can record a video showing all the steps if it helps.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 15:43:12 GMT

project setting normally shows the previously recorded settings. you may have multiple wd.env files, can you search all wd.env files (including in the server)? If there are more than one wd.env files, decide which one you are going to use (and modify it for catalog directory), rename other wd.env files.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:03:01 GMT

I have two env files but they get renamed to wd.env when being used. otherwise I rename them to wd - STOCK.env and wd - GEC.env.

I think I narrowed down what the root cause. It has to do with the support file search path. I am setting the top 3 paths to search to my E:\ drive location first. When this happens, the catalog defaults to the V:\ drive. Why I don't understand. But, the menu files are pulling from the E:\ drive. This is a strange issue.

Here is a link to a screen recording going over the steps and preproducing the problem.

Screen Recording

Going through these steps I can reproduce this problem the same way every time. There is something weird going on with the support file search path. Please watch the video for a detailed explanation. Adding these file locations was exactly what we did with ACE2016 to pull from the network location first.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:58:01 GMT

Are you working remotely via the VPN connected? If so, have you tried with the VPN off?
can you confirm where is your wd.env file (you have modified) located in the E drive or in the C drive? I believe you have one in c drive (in AeData folder) and another one in E drive (in AeData folder). I guess you are modifying the wd.env from c drive (AeData) folder not from E drive (AeData folder)

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 16:57:06 GMT

Can remove first line marked in RED only? keep the rest (x2) for PLC and Catalog

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:18:25 GMT

I am connected to my companies network via a VPN. I copied all of the files that were on the network share V:\ to my local E:\ drive to speed things up. I am the only one working remotely so I wanted to set up all my files locally so I wouldn't need to go over the VPN. The rest of the designers work from the V:\ drive in the office. I will periodically copy the files from the network to my local drives between projects to stay up to date.

My wd.env file is local on my C:\ drive.

First borrowing a license from the server, I then disconnected from the VPN. I then added the 3 entries into the support file search path. I can't reproduce the problem. The catalog was being pulled from my E:\ drive. Multiple shutdowns and restarts of the application. That's great but I need to be connected to the VPN all the time for the other network shares I need access to as well as a license for ACE.

I then reconnected to the VPN and returned my license. I modified my support file search path with the one line you would like removed. Everything seemed to work after a few shutdowns of the application and reopening of ACE. I put the line back in as the top line and the catalog was back to the V:\ drive. Why? Seriously that is very strange.

So it looks like when the VPN is connected that this line

E:\ACE\AutoCAD Electrical Resources\AeData

it causes an issue and only reverts the catalog path to the previous V:\ drive. I removed the line again and things were working properly.

Not sure why this is happening. But it appears to be working now. Thank you for your help. This is a very strange problem.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:46:16 GMT

I believe, the first line folder contains wd.env file which is pointing to V drive for catalog. Even you dont have wd.env file in E dirve, when the vpn is connected, acade loads your remote profile (it also depends on how your IT system is setup) and loads server wd.env file rather than the local ewd.env (you have modified and pointing to E drive).

As you need to be connected for network licence via vpn, I suggest to remove the first line completely or move it to the bottom so that acade always loads wd.env from your C: drive first. This way acade loads and work much more faster especailly when you do the catalog lookup.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 00:35:31 GMT

I am glad it is working, I believe it opens the catalog browser much faster when the first line is removed. Did you check the folder "E:\ACE\AutoCAD Electrical Resources\AeData" contains wd.env file? I guess yes, and that wd.env file is pointing to V drive for catalog lookup.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:59:16 GMT

You are correct. There was a wd.env file in that location. It was pointing to the V:\ drive. I was unaware that ACE would read in another wd.env file after the application starts. I thought it only read in the file from the local drive and then the project folder when the application starts. I learned something new today. Thank you for your help.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

ramesh.kambang — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:34:41 GMT

It will read that wd.env first because you have added first line - this means your telling acade to read wd.env from the first line folder first.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Oct 2020 13:39:58 GMT

OK. My misunderstanding. I though it read from the local AE data on boot up first and that was it. Now I know. Thank you for the explanation.

Re: Default catalog location not pulling form wd.env file location

alds02 — Fri, 30 Oct 2020 18:31:23 GMT

Now that you have it fixed, you might want to consider launching from shortcuts that point to different profiles. Then you can easily switch between a profile that works best on the network or VPN, and another profile that is optimal for using your C drive.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Start-AutoCAD-with-different-profiles.html#:~:text=On%20the%20Windows%20desktop%2C%20right-click%20the%20AutoCAD%20icon%2C,you%20want%20AutoCAD%20to%20use%20when%20it%20starts.