Windows folder shortcuts with paths not found cause DWGs to open slow

[Woody.Rasmussen]

We are using AutoCAD 2018 on Windows 10 and recently our archive server was renamed.  I now notice that when I open a DWG from the archive...and within the same folder there is an old Windows shortcut...the drawing takes about 5 minutes to open.  It used to be that it would open in a few seconds.  The archive server has always been set to read only by our IT dept.

What seems to be happening is AutoCAD looks at the directory your drawing is in, and verifies any Windows folder shortcuts have correct file paths within them then allows to open normal.  But since our job archive server was renamed, those older Windows shortcuts with a path no longer valid is causing the slow open time.  Is there any variable command that tells AutoCAD to stop verifying Windows folder shortcuts when opening a drawing?

If not, then lesson learned I guess.  And from now on we will create a separate folder to put our shortcuts in and never have them in the same directory as the DWG files.  Thanks.

[cadffm · Accepted solution]

Sorry to say: Lesson learned!

>>".and within the same folder there is an old Windows shortcut.."

Correct, this is how it works and how it is designed,

no setting available to change it.

(but 5min vs seconds is very long 😕  )

[Woody.Rasmussen]

Thanks.  Looks like I need to schedule a write access appt with my IT, get in the job archive and clean all of that up.  240+ jobs over the last 20 years I've been placing folder shortcuts in the same directories as DWG files.  That's gonna take a while (job security I guess).