Catalog error since SP1

[Anonymous]

Im not sure if this issue has been addressed already. I checked and didn't find anything on it.

I've been unable to use components "Lookup" function ever since I got the SP1.

I've been on ACADE 2013 for a couple of months now and the "Lookup" function has been working perfectly fine, until a few days ago. Now when I try to use the Lookup button on any project, ACADE freezes and I have to force close it. It actually locks up all my programs until I close ACADE.  

Im not absolutely positive its the SP1 that caused this, I could have changed a setting that caused it, but I can't figure out what it could have been. Im hoping its just a silly mistake on my part. I'll try to give as much info as possible.

-I believe I have the "default_cat.mdb" in the right folder (it matches the "Active catalog lookup" search path). However a locked file called "default_cat.ldb" is in the same folder as the .mdb, im not sure if that is suppose to be there.

-Here is info from the wd.env file:

* Catalog Parts Database Path
WD_CAT,%WD_DIR%/catalogs/,AE catalog file path
*WD_XCAT,x:/some path/wd_xcat.lsp,to override catalog look-up and call user's external routine

-I used an untampered default_cat.mdb file from a coworker that worked for his ACADE, (which doesn't have the SP1) but it didn't work for mine.

I've attached a picture of what the error looks like, its nothing special.

I would really appreciate some help with this.

Thanks,

James Bunch

[RobinShou-Autodesk]

Hello,    

We have installed the ACE2013 SP1 in the Win7 64 OS in our side, but we can still use the catalog lookup to open the lookup dialog successfully with no issue.

Would you please help to try to uninstall the SP1, then check if the issue still happen? If after you uninstall the SP1, the issue is still there, then it should not be the SP1 cause the problem.

If it is not the SP1 cause the issue, then should be some settings you change or some special problem in your machine, as you mentioned the same catalog data file default_cat.mdb works well in other machines. If this is the case, can you try to uninstall the ACE2013 and reinstall it again to check if the issue still there?

Thanks,    

Robin Shou    

Quality Assurance    

AutoCAD Electrical    

Autodesk, Inc.

[Anonymous]

Hello Robin,

Yeah, I confirmed that isn't not the SP1, by uninstalling it.

I tried the Look up function with the SPI uninstalled and it didn't work.

I've also tried a couple of other things too with out success.

After talking with someone from solidCAD for a bit, we came to conclude that the error is most likely with the computers hardware. It seems like the next thing to do, other then getting a new computer, is to try to uninstall ACADE.

Im not looking forward to this task, since I have a lot of custom settings. I will have to back up a lot of files.

Thanks for the help though.

James Bunch

[testsubject]

One thing that will make this a little less painful is if you use AutoDesk 360. I signed up and let it copy my settings (CUI) to the cloud and when I installed and activated ACE at home, logged into AutoDesk 360, waited a few minutes and bamm, all my customized menus there. I did not check for .MNU files for ACE, but all my RCM menus where available. Very cool.

[rhesusminus]

Are you sure the program is hanging? If you press ESC, does anything happen?

Could be that the lookup-dialog is placed off screen...

[zalant · Accepted solution]

If AutoCAD Electrical freezes or locks up when performing a catalog lookup, it could have to do with some table fields being empty in the database default_cat.mdb. At the very least, fields 1, 2, 4, and 5 must be populated for all records. We've seen this lockup issue caused by table records which don't conform to this. Once the lockup occurs, even switching back to the default catalog database (MDB) file won't correct the freezing behavior.

If you've confirmed that another Windows user works fine on the same workstation, then try the following:

1. In the AutoCAD Electrical folder on the Windows Start menu, run Migrate Custom Settings > Export AutoCAD Settings.  This will create a ZIP file with backup copies of your CUI, LIN, CTB/STB, fonts, and other support files.
2. Open the Windows Registry Editor and browse to the following key:
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R1x.x\ACAD-x007:409 (where the x value will vary with the version of Electrical that you have installed)
3. Use the Registry Editor's File pull-down menu to export the ACAD-x007:409 key (for backup purposes)
4. Delete the ACAD-x007:409 key
5. Replace the default_cat.mdb with the default version or one that is known to be working
6. Launch AutoCAD Electrical

The deleted registry key will be rebuilt and catalog lookup functionality should return to normal.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Zac,

I deleted the key and added a default_cat that i knew worked, and now my lookup function works.

I imagine reinstalling ACADE would have done the same thing, but this way i didn't have to back up so much.

I lost my cuix settings but that isn't too big of a deal. Hopefully there isn't anything else that I've lost.

Thanks again,

James Bunch

[zalant]

Thanks for your reply James.  I'm glad to hear that your lookup is working again.  I just now edited the list and added another step in order to back up the AutoCAD support files, in case they need to be put back after the procedure.  Hopefully, you're back together on that front.

[Anonymous]

Zac,

This issue of AE2013 locking up when performing a lookup search has just happened to me as well. I must then manually force AE to close. I have seen several posts on this so I suspect this is more of a global problem. In all cases it seems that we have all verified that we do have the appropriate data in columns 1,2,4,5. You mentioned that you updated the steps for clearing this out. Would you please send those latest steps to me? Also, does Autodesk have an explanation as to why this is occuring so we can avoid in future?

Thank you,

Jeff

[Anonymous]

Jeff,

The latest steps were added to his original post, you can see that he edited it. I think Zac just added step 1, backing up your files first. I've been working with my catalog for a few weeks and I haven't encountered that error again. Just before the error occurred for you did you try to add a large "Secondary catalog lookup" to a project? Because I think my error happened shortly after I tried that.

Also, while I'm on the forum, do you know if there is any way to momentarily turn off terminal snaps? Sometimes I want to place a wire close to a terminal but not snap to it. It would be great to be able to disable able the snap for that one time.

James Bunch.

[zalant]

When you go to place the wire, use Shift + Right-click to bring up the Osnap menu.  Choose 'None' and then you should be able to place the wire with no snap marker involvement.

[Anonymous]

That’s just for ACAD Osnaps, right. Does that disable terminal snaps?

I tried setting it to "None" but that didn't seem to help.

My block has the attribute “TERM04” and sometimes I don’t want to snap to it...

James Bunch

[Anonymous]

James,

No I was not using a secondary catalog, but on 3 of the occasions I did modify the table headings (changed names of the USER1-USER5 columns) shortly before the freeze. This last freeze occured with a virgin database. I opened up a drawing with components in place already and then tried to do a lookup. The components at the time were not in the catalog so I was doing a lookup so I could be able to add them. It has happened 5 times now on two seperate machines. Has to be some kind of user error but we aren't sure what.

[Anonymous]

Jeff,

That's sounds pretty much like what I did.

I incorrectly  modified the catalog and when I went to use the "Look Up" function it gave me an error saying my catalog didn't have the appropriate categories filled out. Which was true, I had blank information in some of the columns that require something and I also modified the headings.

So then I reverted back to an unmodified catalog and then it started freezing on me.

James Bunch