OLE Links not maintaining connection: all files are located in OneDrive

[c_t_reed79]

Hi everyone,

First post here.  I've been a daily ACAD user for almost 20 years and I've always been able to find solutions to my ACAD issues with the old Googler.  BUT, I can't seem to figure this one out.  I'm running ACAD 2023 on Windows 11 Home that is up to date.

The issue is with pasted Excel objects into drawings using 'Paste Special'.  I can copy the table and paste special and everything works fine.  Upon closing and re-opening the drawing, I get a warning that says 'Failed to connect.  Link may be broken' for each instance of a pasted table.  If I try to re-map the link (OLE Links > Change Source) and point it to the Excel file, I get 'Invalid Source: do you want to correct it?'  Clicking Yes doesn't do anything.  

It used to work up until a few months ago.  I suspect a Windows update may have screwed something up.

File location doesn't seem to change anything.  If the drawing file and Excel file are in the same folder, it still doesn't work. 

One thing to know is that all files are located in OneDrive but only accessed by one computer (not a network issue).

I've tried the solution listed here for Solidworks that describes the same issue due to a Visual C++ update but it didn't work:

https://support.hawkridgesys.com/hc/en-us/articles/6715714055437-Design-Table-Error-Failed-to-connec...

Has anyone had this issue?  Is there a solution?

[ The subject line of this post has been edited for clarity by @pendean Original: OLE Links not maintaining connection]

[jreidKVSUZ]

I know this is an old post.

But if you still have problems, one thing I accidentally fell into because we use OneDrive as well in Remote offices and our XREF links were not showing up.

First with OneDrive, it does not like having files in other folders. All files pertaining to your drawing should be in the same folder as your working dwg drawing. This is a must.

Once you have moved all your files into the same folder, open your working drawing. If the links are still missing. Do the following crazy thing that I did.

Type XREF and Select all your XREFs and DETACH them all!

Now type UNDO and hit enter. At that point my screen flickered and flipped the XREF names up and down fast.  Now all links appeared and started working. Hope your system did as well.

Now one more change is needed. Go to XREFs and do a right click onto each one (you can sect all if the same type of files). Go to Select-Path-Type and select Remove Path.

At that time there should not be:  .’s or /’s showing up for your saved path.

Now SAVE, close then reopen. It should load with no issues now. If so, recheck the XREFs location and path. If still an issue. You may have to always select all detach and then undo.

Hope this helps!!

JRR.

[c_t_reed79]

Thanks for the detailed writeup reidKVSUZ

Unfortunately, after attempting several times, it still will not work.  However, you have raised an interesting point in that I was focused on the Excel file links not working but the PDF's that I have inserted fail to load as well.  I will investigate that further and see if ai can find anything.

[jreidKVSUZ]

.

CT Reed. Do you have all of your XREF (.DWGs, .PDFs, .JPGs, Excel, ETC) files in the same folder as your working drawing?   And have you Removed Their Paths?   

We use all of these types of files in our drawings using One Drive and since doing those two items, we have not lost any files from not being loaded. We also use Sheet Sets for all of our projects, and it runs perfectly on One Drive.

If you have made those changes and still does not work. Start a new drawing and Rebuild it. Re-XREF in the files you need and save it off and see if that helps. We only use OVER-LAY when XREFing in drawings. But this should not matter.

Hope this helps!

Thanks, JRR!