AutoCAD 2020 Creating Blank hardcopy.txt Logs

[nrz13]

I've noticed that since upgrading to AutoCAD 2020, blank hardcopy.txt logs are being created in project folders.  So far, I've noticed that a log will be created if you:

1) Right-click on any existing Layout tabs and select delete
2) Navigate to the automatically-created "Layout1" tab
3) A prompt will appear "AutoCAD Error: Printer Name is invalid." and a blank hardcopy.txt file will be created in the same directory as the .dwg file


There may be other situations where the log is generated, but that's the only easily reproducible one I've figured out so far.  The file cannot be deleted until AutoCAD is shut down.

"Create a log file" is unchecked in the Advanced "Plot Stamp Settings..." and "System printer spool alert" is set to "Never alert (do not log errors)".  I've found a similar post for AutoCAD 2017, but the post is unsolved and no solution there worked for me.

[lionel.bekale]

Hi @nrz13,

Welcome back to the Autodesk Community. .

I logged a support case in your name. Please see case 15307322.

I will try to recreate the issue from scratch as you described then contact you to discuss it. 

Thank you for co-operation.

Regards,

[Anonymous]

Has anyone figured out what is causing this issue? I thought I had turned it off in 2019 but once I upgraded to 2020 it seems to make more hardcopy.log files than it ever had before.

[nrz13]

Nope, no resolution yet. Still getting them fairly regularly.

[scottMHX4E]

I get them periodically and today saw the file created when I opened a dxf by double-clicking from explorer window.  No other error, wasn't trying to plot, and have default printer as pdf.

[JGAo1]

Hi, was a solution to this problem ever found?
Our server is getting littered with the empty hardcopy.log text files since we moved up to LT 2020.

[nrz13]

No, we haven't found a solution.  AutoCAD 2020 is still piling them up on our file server as well.

[Anonymous]

Any update? some employees, not all, are having this same issue within our company. we cant find a fix, has one been published?

We have all attempted the same fix as previously stated and we are all running ACAD 2020

[nrz13]

@lionel.bekale 
Any update on this issue?

[Anonymous]

This started happening to me over the past couple weeks. Initially they were all blank. Thankfully one of them ended up printing the error into the txt file.

It said "AutoCAD LT Warning: The following shortcuts in the search were invalid and ignored: Drafting\AutoCAD Program Files\Set-up Plot Files\Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard.lnk"

I guess a faulty shortcut to our add-a-plot style table wizard somehow ended up in the set-up plot files folder. The shortcut was deleted and it seemed to resolve the issue.

Check your AutoCAD Program Files folders and make sure there is nothing in there that shouldn't be.

[nrz13]

@Anonymous 

This was not a solution for me.  I still get "random" blank hardcopy.txt logs despite removing the "Add-A-Plot Style Table Wizard.lnk" from all locations.

[lacinybros]

We've been having the same problem for some time now. It seems that every time AutoCAD is used and the file is saved, the "hardcopy.log" file is generated, but it's blank so there's no clue what error is creating it.

[pendean]

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/how-to-t...

[ergoarchitecture]

Still no resolution to this?

[nrz13]

Still not fixed in version 2020.1.3.  I haven't spent a lot of time in AutoCAD 2022, but so far the issue hasn't cropped up for me in that version.

[nrz13 · Accepted solution]

We're not seeing any more hardcopy.log files being generated in our office since upgrading from 2020 to 2022.  This was never resolved for me in 2020, so the only resolution to this bug I'm aware of is to use the 2022 version.

[manju.danga]

Try these

open any file

1. type: op <┘(go to setting)

2. Go to open and save dialog

3. in file safety precaution deselect the Create backup copy with each save file

4. apply and close

5. exit from autocad

Then 

open any file

1. type: op <┘(go to setting)

2. Go to open and save dialog

3. in file safety precaution tick again the Create backup copy with each save file

4. apply and close

5. exit from autocad

Now use any file. I hope it will work as it worked for me.

Thanks

[ergoarchitecture]

Thanks for the hint @manju.danga, but unfortunately that didn't work for us with 2020.  There is a report that they may have fixed it in 2022 but I still haven't loaded that.  Hopefully the problem will be resolved!