Sheet Sets: Using External Hard Drive as a Server

[Anonymous]

My company has recently moved on from trying to make Dropbox work for sheetset work. For anyone who as tried using Dropbox as a server for sheet sets, it never works like it "should".  Wither I save the "sheet" in the sheet set, while a co-worker was merely looking at the .DST, the .DST file will make conflicted copies by the hundreds per minute. 

So recently we bought a 8 TB WD My Cloud EX2 and when my computer is hooked up to the network at work, it works perfectly.  If a co-worker is in a sheet and I click into that same sheet, a "read only" icon pops up just like it should. Yet, using WD's online software, when I access the .DST, all the file paths aren't linked. 

Furthermore, we continue to do work on Dropbox and I made a "shortcut" to the server .DST which, when in network, works perfectly and opens the "server" file.  Yet, when trying to get in on another network, it won't even open.

I understand that neither of these "solutions" were going to work, I'm merely explaining what I've already tried in the hopes we could, in theory, Access the .DST file remotely on Dropbox.  Is this even possible?  Or do we need a VPN and keep that workstation running 24/7?  I'd rather not do that if there is another possiblility.  As well, please ask for more clarity should this all sound a bit confussing.

Thank

[pendean]

AutoCAD is not designed for online sites other than their own A360, but I've not tried it with DSTs though.
VPN still works like a charm.

[mitch]

Looking into this issue and found another article that said that SSMAUTOOPEN needs to be set to 0 on all computers that are accessing the team folders in Dropbox.  Justin Ralston is the authors name and his site is called C3dXtreme.

Would like to know if this is a truly viable option.

[john.vellek]

HI @mitch,

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

I haven't had the opportunity to try this.  I do see many customers complain about Dropbox not being a viable solution for collaborative CAD work for a variety of reasons.

If you try this and have success, please add a post with your status and details on how you implemented it in your workflow.

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous,

I am checking back to see if my post or others helped you with your problem. Please add a post with how you decide to proceed and your results so other Community members may benefit.
Please hit the Accept as Solution button if a post or posts solves your issue or answers your question.

[mitch]

John,

thanks for taking the time.  I did...partially.  I set to 0 but have not had a chance to get back in vet the process with others in my office.  I am proceeding, so as soon as I can test it out, I will respond.

[john.vellek]

Thanks Keith - I would like to know how this ends up performing.