Relative Xrefs not found when I save-as

[rdoonan2UTU4]

Since getting a new pc, when I copy a drawing with relative xrefs to a different folder with the exact same folder structure, the xrefs are still pointing to the "old" folder, despite still being relative. Example below:

Original drawing, paths are relative:

Drawing copied to different folder (exact same folder structure) paths still relative, but path now includes "old" project name:

[pendean]

@rdoonan2UTU4 Your screenshots (and masking) do not support your statements from all I can tell in your post, they look different.

Which LT version is this?
OS?

Server files I presume, did you also get a new login?

Is anyone else in your office facing this exact same issue or just you?

[rdoonan2UTU4]

It's AutoCAD 2025 LT. In the first screenshot, there is no project number. In the second one, the path includes "1917". That's the project number of the original drawing, which is the problem I was trying to highlight. As you can see "Make path relative" is greyed out in both, meaning that they are both relative (as they should be) . However because the Xref path now contains the old project number, it no longer finds the xref. Yes they are server files. No new login. No one else is facing this issue, and I wasn't facing it either until a few weeks ago when I got a new pc. I think there is some setting I need to change in AutoCAD but not sure what.

[paullimapa]

In the now copied dwg, are you able to actually locate Title Block Xref - Project.dwg within the same folder structure?

To test on the External References palette:

1) On the top portion select only the xref Title Block Xref - Project.dwg

2) On the bottom portion select the field next to Saved Path

3) Click on the three dots to the right

4) In the Select new path window that appears see if you can locate that same dwg now within the new folder structure and click Open

5) Save, Close & re Open the dwg

Does the now saved path stay without reverting back to the previous folder structure location for xref Title Block Xref - Project.dwg ?

[Blue_Mojito]

If the link now has the "1917" it seems like the referenced file on the source folder was renamed and re-pathed (without renaming the reference name). 

[rdoonan2UTU4]

Yes, when I update the saved path as you described the new Title Block xref is found in the new folder structure. I saved, closed and re-opened and the new saved path stayed. I thought the paths would update automatically as long as the folder structures were the same though. Maybe relative xrefs don't work the way I thought. To me it seems like having to do this extra step of manually updating the path defeats the purpose of using relative paths. 

[paullimapa]

Relative path is supposed to work so something is going on with your computer set up.

Now rename this dwg in this new folder location (that has Title Block xref attached) and copy this to the old folder location.

Next, open the renamed dwg in that old folder location.

Does the Title Block xref still hold the relative path?

[rdoonan2UTU4]

Yes it retained the relative path correctly when I copied the drawing back to the old folder.

So it seems like the problem only occurs when I use "SaveAs" to copy drawings.

[pendean]

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@rdoonan2UTU4 wrote:

.... I think there is some setting I need to change in AutoCAD but not sure what.

---

There is no such option especially since a new name in the path suddenly shows up, that just indicates your copies did not maintain their original pathing.

FYI, "greyed out" does not mean it's working, it just means nothing changed only for autocad. But when you see 1917 show up that means a change did take place outside of autocad.

Ask someone else to make those copies for you, then you try accessing those files (aka take you out of the "move the files" action). Any difference in your autocad?

I also recommend you engage with an I.T. person, at your desk, watch you make copies, be able to trace those copies outside of AutoCAD, you both try to figure out what "1917" has suddenly appeared from outside of AutoCAD. Bet between you all the issue can be resolved.

In the meantime, you can repath to "full path" then try to put it back to "relative path" to keep working: at the end of the day you'd be all done by now and moved on, and that's all our bosses really care about really 🙂

[paullimapa]

Then let’s do the Saveas test on the dwg in the new folder location to the old folder location. Then close and reopen that dwg and see if the relative path sticks. 

[paullimapa · Accepted solution]

Perhaps when you execute the SaveAs command, does this window appear for you to select "Don't update paths"?

If this does not appear, that means you may have checked "Always perform my current choice" in a previous session and now this window no longer appears.

To have this window appear again for you to make a different selection using the SaveAs command again, do the following:

At command prompt enter:

1) OPTIONS

2) Click on System tab

3) Under General Options click on Hidden Messages Settings

4) Expand External References

5) Check References - Relative Paths

6) Click OK

Now when you enter SaveAs command again you should get back the original window prompt

[rdoonan2UTU4]

That was it selecting "Don't update paths" worked, thank you!

[paullimapa]

you're welcome...cheers!!!