AutoCAD Error Unrecognized version and cannot be read

AutoCAD Error Unrecognized version and cannot be read

ODO18
Advocate Advocate
3,928 Views
19 Replies
Message 1 of 20

AutoCAD Error Unrecognized version and cannot be read

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

This is an error previously posted but nothing seems to fix it and unlike the others this is drawing specific (see below attached dwg where 1.dwg is -exporttoAutoCAD and then _CL.dwg is the original).  I am going through some of our old blocks and all of them in this one file seem to return this error no matter what I try.  My Printer Support file directories are the same for all the other files that work fine.  I open these in 2019 or 2021 and it does it.  If I copy linework to another file that does not do it and then save that file it will then do it when I open that file.

 

The only thing that fixes it is if I change the printer from None to one of our printers.  But then if I -exporttoAutocad or anything where the print gets reset to None then it will do it again.  But all of my other files that that default to None do not do this.  IT is only the blocks in this one folder.

 

Thank you

0 Likes
Accepted solutions (1)
3,929 Views
19 Replies
Replies (19)
Message 2 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

To add to this after playing with it more.  It is just the plot styles if they are set to None.  The printer can be set to none.  And if Plot Styles is set to None in other blocks, drawings, acad.dwt template, etc then it does not do it.  It is just with the blocks in this one file.  And if I wblock, -exporttoautocad, or just copy the linework to a new drawing then it does it.

 

Thank you

0 Likes
Message 3 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

sorry to not really understand what the issue is. I have difficulties e.g. with this sentence:

>> If I copy linework to another file that does not do it and then

>> save that file it will then do it

What exactly means "it does not do it" ... any error message, anything more detailed so we can see what really happens on your system or what does not work and what is expected differently.

 

Most important would be ... please guide use step-by-step (command-by-command) what we have to try and what your result is and what your expectation is. If you could create a screencast (free: >>>click<<<) it would help us most to try the exact same steps on our systems.

 

Also important: we don't know which type of AutoCAD and which version of AutoCAD you are running. Please start command _ABOUT and show us a screenshot from this dialog.

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 4 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

Link to Screenshare https://autode.sk/3qbAOqB

 

About is shown in there as well, but the issue occurs with 2019 as well.

 

What I meant by "it does not do it" is that it does not do it in any templates or other files.  It does it just in these certain files like the _CL.dwg file I attached in the initial post and I also use this one as the example in the Screencast.  But as I show in the Screencast if I bring this linework over to a clean template or file, change the plot style back to none, and then save then the issue comes back.  But all my other files and templates are defaulted to None and they do not do it.

 

Thank you 

0 Likes
Message 5 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

thank you for your screencast!

 

The first difference between our two systems already exists within the first few seconds: If I open your _CL.DWG I don't get the message you have.

_ABOUT shows that you have the same version installed as I have. So I guess a difference might be

  • a defect AutoCAD profile, you can reset the profile as shown >>>here<<<
  • you have tools installed which get active while opening dwg-files, like shown in the following screenshot ... can you disable them?
  • 20210228_222443_0001.png
  • another question ... did you run your tests with different CTB-files (e.g. with ACAD.CTB) too? From the video I think you always used the same one, maybe the defect is there?

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 6 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

Reseting the profile worked.  Not really sure how it got corrupted and why it was just those files, but thank you.

0 Likes
Message 7 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

My apologies on the delay on this.  I thought this worked but then I dropped the task for a while and now have come back to it.  It seems clear to me that this is a file error and not profile or program.  It is only existing in these files.  I am working on a work around and have posted that here https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/visual-lisp-autolisp-and-general/plot-does-not-work-in-core-console-2...

 

Thank you

0 Likes
Message 8 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

Also here is another screenshare, https://autode.sk/3c4hdDp, of me opening problem file, changing plot style so no error, exporting to acad and reopening and error still persists because export resets plot style to none.  I also open our template and acad templates to show no error occurs when plot style is set to none.  The error are in these files.

 

Also I cannot get it to replicate you screen capture of those extra toolbars.  I do not seem to have those.  That was in the video?

0 Likes
Message 9 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

well, when you reset the profile you were able to open the file.
Now, in your screencast I see again that you have loaded additional applications on top of your AutoCAD and now the error is back! Again, with the file you uploaded in the LISP-forum, I do not get the error.


I'm not sure, but quite to...unload the application and open the file again!

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 10 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

I just ran through it again and I watched the video again.  I do not see any "Configure" or "Floodplain"  toolbars as you point out in the screen shot.  Is there a data file or something we can compare to each other to see what add-ons we have?

0 Likes
Message 11 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

sorry, this video contains "River" as add-on.

 

20210305_215846_0001.png

 

Make sure AutoCAD does not load any application, maybe with startup switch /SAFEMODE as described >>>here<<< and then open your dwg-file.

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 12 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

That does not prevent the pop-up.  I tried adding the /safemode tag and I tried moving the add-ons out here C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\ApplicationPlugins.  Both methods not only returned the error but the "river" tab was still present even though one of the add-ons was called "Autodesk RiverRibbon.bundle".

0 Likes
Message 13 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

strange, but good to know you tested with the /safemode switch.

 

Can you please start command _ABOUT and share a screenshot with us?

Can you please create a new Windows user account on your workstation, login with that account, turn off antivirus (and other defending software), start AutoCAD and open the file ...same issue again?

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 14 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

Version R. 118.0.0 AutoCAD 2021.1

 

Ok this blows my mind.  The following I did with these files in this folder:

If I move any other file in this folder, to a clean folder by itself then I do not get the error. 

If I delete all of the other files from the original folder except the one I want to open then I do not get the error. 

If I rename the original folder I get the error.

If I copy all of the files to a clean folder I get the error.

It seems to happen only when all of the files in this folder are together in the same folder regardless of name.

 

So I started deleting files from the folder by letter and then by name once I found the impacting letter, Ns, and then found the none.dwg file.  If this file is in the folder with any of these other files then the error occurs.  If I remove this file no error occurs with any of them.

 

There is nothing in this file.  I even recreated this file from acad template but as soon as I saved the template to "none.dwg" the error returned (this file is attached).  And when I dropped this now brand new template file into the folder the other files did it too.

 

Thank you

0 Likes
Message 15 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

good catch ... then inside this folder you have a file that starts with AutoCAD/gets loaded into AutoCAD and forces this message. Look for files with extension .LSP or .FAS or .VLX

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 16 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi again,

 

my theory that any autoloaded file is used from this folder could fail if you had the switch /SAFEMODE activated. So I'm wondering if this was really tested.

You might also check the variable LEGACYCODESEARCH, turn it to ON, then restart AutoCAD and load a file from this folder. Anything works different then...?

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 17 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

LEGACYCODESEARCH changed nothing.  Safemode was tried by the directions at the link but there was no indication that I was in safemode so whether or not I was in it I cannot tell you.  Does it say safemode at the top or anything?  Regardless I have identified the troubled file and this file needs to be in the folder so I am not sure what the safemode test helps us with at this point.  I just need to identify what the issue with the file is and fix it.

 

Your file types and/or file called AutoCAD are not present; however, there are .sld files with the same names as each .dwg file.  I have attached the troubled file in .dwg again and below is the .sld text (from notepad) because it will not let me attach the file:

 

AutoCAD Slide
 VµMª 4 ü

 

I do not know what these .sld files are for or if they are needed.  I will tell you these blocks are used as symbols for points for our Carlson software that runs on top of Vanilla CAD.  My previous tests were with just the .dwg, but I will tell you now that I have all of the .dwg and .sld files back in the same folder, the error occurs if either of these files are in the folder and will not occur only if both files are out of the folder.  So they both are causing a problem.

 

Also just to see if it was some name association thing, I renamed both files to none1 and the error still occurred.  They have to be out of the file.

0 Likes
Message 18 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant

Hi,

 

>> attached the troubled file in .dwg again and below is the .sld text

>> (from notepad) because it will not let me attach the file

Copy and paste from Notepad to this message does not copy real binary content. But you can ZIP the file and upload the ZIP-file then.

 

>> I do not know what these .sld files are for or if they are needed

They were used for menu-lists of images, e.g. for dialogs with previews of your blocks to insert blocks. Also applications can use these files for their dialogs. However, today I guess this type of menus or dialogs are not used any more or at least very rarely.

 

As you have identified this file, what happens when you delete it (or all SLD-files inside this folder), should not be any issue.

 

- alfred -

 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes
Message 19 of 20

ODO18
Advocate
Advocate

See attached zipped .sld file.

 

Ok so that makes sense.  I bet Carlson Creates them for their Symbol Preview image because since I cleaned up these .dwg the preview images not longer appear most likely because the .sld files would need to be updated to the current .dwg.

 

0 Likes
Message 20 of 20

Alfred.NESWADBA
Consultant
Consultant
Accepted solution

Hi,

 

yep, I can confirm that this SLD is the source of the issue, but I have no idea, why.

As I don't have an application using SLD's, I could say "just delete it", but as I don't know your exact situation, I can't suggest this as solution.

If you think it has to do with the application you mentioned then ask the vendor of this app if he creates the file and why it is needed (currently).

 

- alfred -

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfred NESWADBA
ISH-Solutions GmbH / Ingenieur Studio HOLLAUS
www.ish-solutions.at ... blog.ish-solutions.at ... LinkedIn ... CDay 2026
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(not an Autodesk consultant)
0 Likes