dwl files created for read-only drawing after autosave

[Anonymous]

I looked at some older forum posts and found similar dwl file problems (with and without solutions) but none seem to fit my scenario: We recently started to notice problems with the dwl2 files (and dwl files as well) showing up on our network when the DWGs are opened as read-only, but only after an autosave has passed.  Has anyone had similar experience with this?

A little testing has shown that both dwl files (dwl and dwl2) are not created when the DWG is initially opened, however after the autosave time has lapsed (in accordance with the SAVETIME system variable setting), the files are created, even though the user is still only viewing as read-only.  We tested on multiple machines and it happens without exception:  as soon as the command line echos an "Automatic save to <filename>...", the dwl file pair shows up on the network, even though it is open as read-only.

Is this as intended?  This behavior does create a problem when multiple users are trying to use the same file, even if one is only viewing it but also has it open for some time beyond our standard SAVETIME setting.

I noticed posts at other forums where other users may have experienced files mysteriously locking but all solutions seem to point to a network connectivity (or other glitch) and had not mentioned anything regarding Autosave or SAVETIME settings. 

[qnologi]

While researching, did you read this?

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-forum/open-drawing-as-read-only-autocad-still-creates-dwl-and...

[Anonymous]

Yes, I did see that one and that seemed to indicate a glitch or some vmware issue.  It did not really seem to be a "solution" since they seemed to have trouble recreated the problem.  Also, we are not using vmware.

Our situation is totally reproducible (with our standard CAD environment) on our network and is not a network glitch.  I recreated it many times and it always followed the autosave command line notification.  We varied the SAVETIME sysvar and it generated the dwl files each time.   I guess I am not really looking for a "solution" per se, but I'm wondering if the dwl file generation, post-autosave, is expected behavior from AutoCAD.  Beyond that, I'm wondering if anything specific may be causing it to happen.  It's possible that something we have loaded or running in the background would cause this(?).  I will try to recreate the file generation with an out-of-the-box AutoCAD environment to rule out any effect from loaded lisps, modules, etc.

[pendean]

why don't you start your own post listing your own unique problems, detail the environment you have, PCs, servers, OS versions, AutoCAd versions, instead of these two (so far) 'me too" posts of yours that really have nothing to do with the original issues in either?

Just a suggestion.

[RobDraw]

What is the issue with the creation of these files? They shouldn't be causing harm unless they do not get deleted automatically.

[Anonymous]

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@pendean wrote:
Where do you store your files exactly?
And how are all users connected to that location?
OS versions for everything (Server, client PCs etc.)?

As you correctly noted DWL files solely exist to create a text file trigger for other AutoCAD users to notify them who has that file open if anyone does (WHOHAS command is worth researching).

DWL files have not "locked" files in a dozen o more versions now, that's not their function anymore.

---

I do understand the WHOHAS function and that these are not actually locking the DWG files, but why are the DWL files created on a read-only drawing? and why not initially but only after a supposed "autosave"?

[RobDraw]

It seems that this thread has been split from another one. 

It seems that you know what the purpose of the files is and realize that they are harmless temp files. 

Isn't that enough from the perspective of operating the program?

[Anonymous]

We have old 3rd party programs that use the WHOHAS dwl files to warn that someone has the DWG open before running.   It is not checking if the file is "locked" but only warns that someone else has it open.  Crude to be sure, but has been largely effective until recently.  Now we are finding inconsistent warnings when files are open read-only.  It may just be coincidence, but this was not common before switching to version 2019.

If this is as intended, we'll deal with it accordingly but beyond that, wouldn't it seem like unexpected behavior if the DWL files are NOT created upon opening read-only but only after an autosave (or other condition)?

I say other condition because additional testing of these files also indicates that if someone opens a series of DWGs all at once, a couple different results are possible: 

1)  If the DWGS tabs are not actually viewed, the first DWG in the tab list creates DWLs after the SAVETIME has elapsed, the other DWGs each take an additional minute to be created.  (e.g. - I set my SAVETIME sysvar to 2 minutes for this test and opened 8 DWGs (read-only) at 9:00.  First DWG in tablist has DWLs at 9:02.  Second DWLs created at 9:03, third at 9:04...last at 9:09.)  This was without changing the drawing tab of the DWG I was actively viewing.  [EDIT:  After further testing, the "tablist" is actually the order in which the DWG files were opened.  Reordering the tabs does not change the order of DWL creation.]

2) After the SAVETIME has passed, any DWLs are created immediately if they are actively viewed (by clicking on its tab) and any other ones not actively viewed are created a minute at a time going through the tab list in order (skipping the DWGs that already exist).

Yes, they are harmless temp files but this behavior does not seem to be intentional.  And for purposes of actually using WHOHAS to see which files are open, this behavior seems unreliable at best.

[pendean]

>>>...If this is as intended...>>>
Yes.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for at least trying to answer the question.

 I guess I won't get into the subsequent "Why would that be intended that way?" and we'll chalk it up to another one of AutoCAD's many "features" that we must contend with.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

LATEST time of WHOHAS file creation = Time of Drawing Open + lagtime

where lagtime (in minutes) = (Ro * (Ts + (n-1)))

Ro = 1 (if drawing is opened read-only) or  0 (if drawing is opened for editing)

Ts = AutoCAD system variable SAVETIME

n = sequence number of drawing within a set of all currently open Drawings that do not have existing WHOHAS files (in order as opened).

[RobDraw]

Have you ever run into issues with the .dwl files not being deleted.

[Anonymous]

Every now and again, yes, but that seems to be more of a freak occurrence.  And not too much lately.  I think that happened every now and then but that was usually related to a crash or fatal error kinda situation...this just seemed to defy all logic.  That's why I thought it might be a case of a "known bug". 

It would've been nice to find that the dwl file(s) had a flag that indicated open read-only or something like that to be a bit more useful for our needs but oh well...I know we were not exactly definitive with that indicator but now even less so...