Annotation styles automatically imported from open files

[gherrmanRQ549]

Hello,

I've encountered an unexpected behavior. When I open a drawing in a second instance of AutoCAD, the annotation styles (dimensions, text, etc.) are shared between the two files in the separate instances. The same thing happens when I tile drawings in the same instance of AutoCAD. The styles persist after saving, closing, and reopening the files. This is undesirable for my purposes as I don't want old/outdated styles automatically imported into files I create with my new template. Any thoughts on how to disable?

[rkmcswain]

Define "annotation styles" - are you talking about Annotative scale entries (1" = 100', etc), or are you talking about TextStyles, and DimStyles, and MleaderStyles, etc.?

[Edwin.Rense]

Can you elaborate on the version of AutoCAD you are using? Updates included?

Have not experienced this before. Is it possible to create a screencast/movie of this happening?
Is this when opening a New drawing (template based) or opening an existing drawing.

Perhaps there is third party software involved which start with creating the default settings for that application.

[gherrmanRQ549]

The latter - Text styles, Dim styles, etc.

[pendean]

So you open two instances of AutoCAD, separate files in each, and somehow both files swap/trade/attach their own TEXT and DIM styles into one another all by themselves and you do nothing at all but just stare at them?

Or are you copy/pasting between the files?

[gherrmanRQ549]

After attempting to replicate what I thought was the behavior (as you summarized) for a screencast, I am finding that the issue as I described it is not occurring.  The problem appears to be copying/pasting: when I copy and paste drawing objects (lines, polylines, etc.), the annotation styles are automatically imported/copied over as well. Since I was not copying/pasting any annotation object (no mtext, dimensions, mleaders, etc), I didn't think copying/pasting would cause this issue and so I incorrectly blamed it on having other files open. Feels like I need to close this post and create a new post asking how to avoid importing annotation styles during a copy/paste of non-annotative objects.

[Anonymous]

I have had this happen too, although between files in a single instance of ACAD, not multiple application instances.

I have just written it off as a "peculiarity" of ACAD, and since there is nothing in the "destination file" that references/uses these styles (at least in my experiences), thus preventing a "purge", I just purge them and move on.

I would be interested in hearing if there is a way of preventing it, but as it isn't more than a minute or 2 to get rid of them, not really a big issue for me.

[pendean]

Copy/Paste brings in a lot if you are not 100% careful and 100% aware about wat you are grabbing in the source file, which is honestly way more than any one person has the time or patience to endure.

BTW if you cannot PURGE that content it is in use in the destination file: another clue to what moved over with copy/paste.

HTH

[gherrmanRQ549]

Agreed, but this behavior (of importing annotation styles) occurs when I copy/paste just a single polyline, too. I'm not sure why this action would bring over annotation styles from the object source file, but apparently it does.

[pendean]

That's I've never seen happen: how do I replicate it exactly? In my own drawings nothing transfers over if I just copy/paste a PLINE. Can you share a DWG where this happens to you?

Also post a screenshot of your ABOUT command pop-up please.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if this will help, but here are screen shots.

Steps to recreate:

1) open new file from my standard template

2) delete all geometry, set all annotation styles to "standard", current layer to "0"

3) purge and repeat until nothing is left but an empty file with layer "0" and nothing but all standard annotation styles

4) open a file at random

5) copyclip a single pline, paste into previously empty file (green line seen behind purge dialog box in "after 1 pline paste" image)

In this test case, the current layer, dimstyle, and table style, along with 4 other dimstyles from the "copied from" file came in along with the single pline (all have no assigned objects, thus are "purgable", and since I typically purge anything I am sure is un-needed at the end of a typical day's editing, not really a big issue, just an odd quirk for me, maybe a problem for other folks....) The number of styles that piggy-back in can vary, but I can't remember an instance in quite a while when nothing has hitched a ride....

This isn't peculiar to 2021, I really don't remember the first time I noticed it, but it has been awhile....

[pendean]

OK, I had to create a stripped down completely empty file first, then opened a template file, drew a PLINE then copy/pasted it in. It does indeed do what you observed in the empty file.

R2021.1 here.

[gherrmanRQ549]

Screencast documenting issue and drawing files attached.

[Anonymous]

I used the empty file as an easily observed / demonstrated example.

It does the same thing if the destination file already has its own set of geometry, annotations, layouts, etc. Just easier to see and document if the destination file doesn't already have long lists of objects, styles, etc.

Glad to know it isn't something unknown that I inadvertently changed.

[Anonymous]

P.S.- I am thinking at this point that this is an "is-what-it-is" scenario, and not preventable.