topic Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive in AutoCAD Forum

Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

wsfilus — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 19:43:02 GMT

I am under the impression that AutoCAD 2021 files can be saved directly into a Google Drive folder. My students save their files in their Google Drive as they bounce between in school and virtual. Now they save locally and then upload to their Google drive each time they finish working. Is there a way to save .dwg files directly from AutoCAD into Google? I seem to see that you can with 2021 but I am unable to figure out the proper process. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

pendean — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 20:12:58 GMT

>>>...I am under the impression...<<<
Where did you see that? Read this from Autodesk (and in HELP in AutoCAD2021), it lists supported online services https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2021/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-65DCD609-25FA-467B-8C27-9A3F17F8387A-htm.html

HTH

Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 10:15:54 GMT

Thanks for the update and quick reply. I'll be sure to keep an eye on this thread. Looking for the same issue. Bumped into your thread. Thanks for creating it. Looking forward for solution.

mypascoconnect

Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

AmericanScenic — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:04:37 GMT

I'm very curious about this too! Will this system work with the Sheet Set Manager (SSM) on Drive?

We currently have our files on a cloud server through the Dropbox app on desktops with selective sync. The problem is that the SSM doesn't work, since we get conflicted copies ever time another person tries to access the DST file. To be clear - we've established work arounds, so that's not my concern. My main focus is using the SSM on Drive if possible. That would be awesome!

Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

pendean — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:29:18 GMT

Changing cloud file service providers is not a fix. Sorry.

Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

wsfilus — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 14:27:17 GMT

One method I found that works is to download Google Drive Stream.

'https://support.google.com/drive/answer/7329379

(go to Downloads & install)

It creates a link between your Google My Drive and a drive on your computer. Once set up, they can save directly to their google drives.

Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

pendean — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 14:43:50 GMT

Desktop connectors are not new: how well does that work with shared content like DST file that reside in only one place? Cool feature if it works with AutoCAD fully.

Re: Saving AutoCAD 2021 files to Google Drive

JimsTools — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 23:06:43 GMT

Google Drive Stream (now just Google Drive) works well from one location. If you have multiple computers you are going to access the files from, here are some things to keep in mind (these are from my own experience using Google Drive for 3 years):

Sometimes files are not refreshed quickly. So if you edit a file on computer A, then try to access that file on computer B, it may still be the old version. Give it a few seconds to sync.
Google Drive sometimes does not refresh the file at all. You will edit a file one day using compuer A, then another day try to access that file from a different computer B and the file is still the old version. You can force a refresh in File Explorer by holding Shift and Right-click, then select the Google Drive Refresh Folder option (F5 does not help).
Because of the above issues, Google Drive is not great for multiple people working on files at the same time. It does not synchronize the DWL and DWL2 files quickly enough to be of any use.
If a file is edited in two locations at the same time, Google Drive is smart enough (sometimes) to save a copy to the same folder for you to compare, but it does not even tell you that it is going to do that. You just have to discover the alternatively named file, and know to compare and merge. Sometimes it does not make a separate file and just overwrites the first user's changes.
Sometimes files are just completely removed from your local drive where Google Drive stores them. If you look on the Google Drive website you will see the files there, but your local path does not show the files or folder. So in AutoCAD you may open a file and the Xrefs are missing. You can refresh using the steps outlined above. This seems to happen less frequently than it did a year ago. Not sure if this was some sort of Max Cache limit or if it was just old files...
Google Drive stream picks a drive letter for your Google Drive. If your two computers are not configured to use the same drive letter, then you should implement Relative Paths for all Xrefs, or configure Google Drive to use the same drive letter on both (all) computers.
I have had no issues (other than above) with other files such as DST.

For one user, with one computer Google Drive is fantastic, except for the occasional issue #5 above.

Hope this helps some people make some decisions.