Opening Autocad electrical by double clicking the DWG file

[md.cawley1]

I started AutoCAD electrical then imported a border created in mechanical and saved it,but whenever I double click the DWG extension for the file it opens mechanical?

Is there a way to force this file to open with electrical, lazy I know but it saves time when opening a number of files.

Thanks

Mike

[testsubject]

Somewhere along the way, .dwg was set to mechanical. You will need to go to Windows File Manager and change it there.

[TRLitsey]

Hi there,

You might try to go to a .dwg file with your browser.  Right click on the file name and select the Open With option.  Since you have more than one flavor of AutoCAD use the Browse button and go to the folder with the ACE executable file and select it.  Be sure to check the little box for "Always use the selected ...."   That may do it for you.

Good luck

[md.cawley1]

Hi thanks for replying so promptly, I tried going to open with but only seem to be able to find one application to start acad.exe?
Do you know if there is a different one for electrical?
The shortcuts on the desktop both seem to point to the same directory.
Mike

[TRLitsey]

Hi there,

I apologize, it has been a long time since I played with that but I see your point.  It looks like you will need to select the application from the Open With window.  Looking at the Windows Start Menu I see an AutoCAD selection and a AutoCAD Electrical selection.  Right click and looking at the properties it seems that they both open the same exe program but the path for one target ends with /p <<vanilla>>  the other path ends with /p <<ACADE>>.  The /p is a switch that opens AutoCAD and switches to the designated profile.  The vanilla profile opens with the standard tool bars but the acade opens the program switches profiles and loads the electrical tool bars.  At least that is what it looks like but like I said, it has been a long time since I had to work with those tools.  Try playing with the Open With window, if one does not work try another AutoCAD icon presented there.

Good luck, sorry I could not be more exact

[md.cawley1]

Hi thanks for your help I have come to the same result at the moment.
I have Autocad 2017 installed and Autocad electrical 2018 installed,I just opened Autocad electrical created a file and saved it but when I try to open it from the file name it defaults to the 2017 version and then says it can’t open it because it was created with a later version of Autocad! Even if I say open with the 2018 electrical version?
I think this is not going to be straightforward however I can open it by opening Autocad electrical and then going and find the file, stops me being lazy!
Thanks for looking into it, if I find a way I’ll post it.
Mike

[TRLitsey]

Hi again,

Sorry for your trouble.  I still think if you go back to the Open With window and try one of the A icons.  If it does not work try it again but make another selection.  I believe one of them will set it back to 2017 as the default Open With.  It would seen the selection is not clear because the Open With window does not offer much info on which icon is pointing to what.  This maybe a Win 7 problem.  Win 7 probably did not consider multiple versions of the same software on a single machine.   The other thing I would say is that from 2013 up to and including 2017 drawings were saved in 2013 format.  2018 changed to a 2018 format which 2019 now saves files in 2018 format.  Seems Autodesk will change a revision every year but it only changes the Save As format every 3 or 4 years.  When you are in 2018 and go to Save As a drawing, you will have the chance to select a previous format for the save, so previous revision can open the drawing created with 2018.

Good luck, please post up if find the good answer for Open With

Window you will see with Save As ...

[rhesusminus]

Did you have a look at this link?
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/DWG-fi...