Flex Files Being Created

[CodeDing]

Hello,

Has anybody ever seen AutoCAD create these flex files before? It appears to be creating one when I open my dwg for edits.

*file saved on company server

*have not added any addons into AutoCAD to create suspicion

*this file path is NOT anywhere in my Working/Supported path

*when I open the files they are BLANK with no characters in them

*deleting them does not appear to have any affect on my dwg (it just creates another)

Wondering how to stop AutoCAD from creating them.

Any help is appreciated.

Best,

~DD

[Ed.Jobe]

Not specifically flex files, but I have seen network backup software create files/folders on the network drive so that they can be backed up. Normally you can't recover a network file if you delete it. Our IT dept has additional software for performing backups. Its not AutoCAD doing it AFAIK.

[CodeDing]

@Ed.Jobe,

Thank you for the insight. I know our IT backs up our files somehow. However, I do not believe this would explain why only my computer is creating them and not other users! But then again, sometimes things can get weird with those network connections

Best,

~DD

[john.vellek]

Hi @CodeDing,

I am not sure these have anything to do with AutoCAD but they appear to be text files. Can you zip some up for me to look at or can you open them and tell me if there is anything intelligible in the file(s)?

Are you connected to any Cloud-based services?  Do these files go away when you close down any apps or wait a certain amount of time?

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[pendean]

I've never seen that before: where are these files stored exactly? What is the OS of the file/folder host? What is your chosen backup method for dwg files?

[CodeDing]

@john.vellek,

Attached are a couple flex files. They appear to be empty to me. This is the same for every file.

- Cloud based services? ...these drawings use the GEOGRAPHICLOCATION built-in Bing maps, that's about the extent of "cloud-based services".

- They do not disappear when every program is closed out. I have not seen them disappear after an extended period of time.

@pendean,

- I have not reached out to the IT department as of yet, it seems more of an AutoCAD issue so I have not asked them.

- We use a network drive

... Our network drive does not appear to be the issue as I can recreate it on my Desktop as well.

... I have noticed that these files are created ONLY when a new application of AutoCAD is opened (i.e. if I already have AutoCAD open and open another dwg, one is NOT created, but when AutoCAD is not open yet and I open a dwg, then a flex file IS created for the dwg) ..hinting at perhaps a network licensing issue? idk.

Further info: I am running specifically AutoCAD Civil 3D 2018.

Best,

~DD

[pendean]

Network drive?

Looks like they are log files of some sort (you have extensions turned off, I do not): are you using VMWARE on the PC hosting the "network drive"?

[john.vellek · Accepted solution]

HI @CodeDing,

I was talking with one of our Licensing experts and he indicated that he has seen this issue before with Network Licensing.  He indicates that it is safe to simply delete them.

Why they get created is still a bit of a mystery.  Can you tell me if you are using network licensing in your network?  If so, I wonder if you are having some sort of latency server and thus creating the empty log files.

It might be worth some effort to monitor your connection for a while to see if this is the issue.

Back in my former IT days, I used to run a script daily that would remove junk files such as log, bak, tmp, etc from specific locations to keep folders clean. Perhaps this can be done by your IT person as well.

Please select the Accept as Solution button if my post solves your issue or answers your question.

[john.vellek]

Hi @CodeDing,

I am coming back to your thread to see if the issue or question you posed has been resolved.  If so, please mark the post or posts as Solution(s) to help others find the answer quickly. If your issue persists, please give me a bit more detail on this issue so we can continue to work towards getting this solved.

[CodeDing]

@john.vellek,

While my issue is still ongoing, I have marked your answer as a solution until I can provide better update since I believe you are correct on where this is stemming from. I am using a network license. I will have to coordinate with our IT department further on the issue. They have come up stumped so far. We will possibly try to resolve it in the fashion you mentioned. Thank you for your input and following up on this.

Best,

~DD