topic Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs in AutoCAD Forum

AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

nrz13 — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 16:10:14 GMT

I've noticed that since upgrading to AutoCAD 2020, blank hardcopy.txt logs are being created in project folders. So far, I've noticed that a log will be created if you:

1) Right-click on any existing Layout tabs and select delete
2) Navigate to the automatically-created "Layout1" tab
3) A prompt will appear "AutoCAD Error: Printer Name is invalid." and a blank hardcopy.txt file will be created in the same directory as the .dwg file

There may be other situations where the log is generated, but that's the only easily reproducible one I've figured out so far. The file cannot be deleted until AutoCAD is shut down.

"Create a log file" is unchecked in the Advanced "Plot Stamp Settings..." and "System printer spool alert" is set to "Never alert (do not log errors)". I've found a similar post for AutoCAD 2017, but the post is unsolved and no solution there worked for me.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

lionel.bekale — Thu, 25 Apr 2019 18:38:07 GMT

Hi @nrz13,

Welcome back to the Autodesk Community. .

I logged a support case in your name. Please see case 15307322.

I will try to recreate the issue from scratch as you described then contact you to discuss it.

Thank you for co-operation.

Regards,

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 20:31:23 GMT

Has anyone figured out what is causing this issue? I thought I had turned it off in 2019 but once I upgraded to 2020 it seems to make more hardcopy.log files than it ever had before.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

nrz13 — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 22:06:28 GMT

Nope, no resolution yet. Still getting them fairly regularly.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

scottMHX4E — Tue, 30 Jul 2019 19:49:47 GMT

I get them periodically and today saw the file created when I opened a dxf by double-clicking from explorer window. No other error, wasn't trying to plot, and have default printer as pdf.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

JGAo1 — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 11:41:57 GMT

Hi, was a solution to this problem ever found?
Our server is getting littered with the empty hardcopy.log text files since we moved up to LT 2020.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

nrz13 — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 13:56:58 GMT

No, we haven't found a solution. AutoCAD 2020 is still piling them up on our file server as well.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

Anonymous — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 18:02:08 GMT

Any update? some employees, not all, are having this same issue within our company. we cant find a fix, has one been published?

We have all attempted the same fix as previously stated and we are all running ACAD 2020

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

nrz13 — Tue, 03 Mar 2020 19:45:59 GMT

@lionel.bekale
Any update on this issue?

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Aug 2020 15:59:13 GMT

This started happening to me over the past couple weeks. Initially they were all blank. Thankfully one of them ended up printing the error into the txt file.

It said "AutoCAD LT Warning: The following shortcuts in the search were invalid and ignored: Drafting\AutoCAD Program Files\Set-up Plot Files\Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard.lnk"

I guess a faulty shortcut to our add-a-plot style table wizard somehow ended up in the set-up plot files folder. The shortcut was deleted and it seemed to resolve the issue.

Check your AutoCAD Program Files folders and make sure there is nothing in there that shouldn't be.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

nrz13 — Sun, 20 Sep 2020 03:54:55 GMT

@Anonymous

This was not a solution for me. I still get "random" blank hardcopy.txt logs despite removing the "Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard.lnk" from all locations.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

lacinybros — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 19:15:31 GMT

We've been having the same problem for some time now. It seems that every time AutoCAD is used and the file is saved, the "hardcopy.log" file is generated, but it's blank so there's no clue what error is creating it.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

pendean — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 19:19:21 GMT

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/how-to-turn-off-the-hardcopy-log-file-in-autocad.html

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

ergoarchitecture — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 16:02:26 GMT

Still no resolution to this?

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

nrz13 — Fri, 09 Apr 2021 16:10:51 GMT

Still not fixed in version 2020.1.3. I haven't spent a lot of time in AutoCAD 2022, but so far the issue hasn't cropped up for me in that version.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

nrz13 — Fri, 21 May 2021 21:23:44 GMT

We're not seeing any more hardcopy.log files being generated in our office since upgrading from 2020 to 2022. This was never resolved for me in 2020, so the only resolution to this bug I'm aware of is to use the 2022 version.

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

manju.danga — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 13:05:58 GMT

Try these

open any file

1. type: op <┘(go to setting)

2. Go to open and save dialog

3. in file safety precaution deselect the Create backup copy with each save file

4. apply and close

5. exit from autocad

Then

open any file

1. type: op <┘(go to setting)

2. Go to open and save dialog

3. in file safety precaution tick again the Create backup copy with each save file

4. apply and close

5. exit from autocad

Now use any file. I hope it will work as it worked for me.

Thanks

Re: AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

ergoarchitecture — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 23:54:49 GMT

Thanks for the hint @manju.danga, but unfortunately that didn't work for us with 2020. There is a report that they may have fixed it in 2022 but I still haven't loaded that. Hopefully the problem will be resolved!