Remember folder location and preferences for publish

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to set publish to automatically find the local directory of the drawing? Setting the default location to a specific directory doesn't work for my use case as I'm creating drawings in multiple locations and always want to locate the pdf in the same folder. 

[natasha.l · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous, 

You have the option to set your preferences in the Options dialog window, shown below. 

Type "Options" in command line to pull it up then go to the "Plot & Publish" tab. Change the default" Plot to file" location & anything else that needs changing. 

Please "Accept Solution" if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[Anonymous]

What I really want to do is have my publish location default to my dwg location. 

For example I may save a drawing at C:/Category 1/subCategory 3/filename.dwg

When I open the plot dialog I would like it to automatically  take me to the folder "subCategory 3"

However I don't want this to be my default location because the next file I create will be in C:/Category 2/subCategory 3/filename.dwg

Since aCAD knows where the current dwg is located it seems reasonable that it should be able to default to that location for publish. 

[natasha.l · Accepted solution]

Hello @Anonymous, 

You are referring to the "Auto-Publish settings..." on the bottom left of the dialog window. 

Under "Location" specify a directory where exported files are saved when you publish drawings by selecting the following options in the list:

• Drawing folder
• DWF and PDF (sub-folder relative to Drawing folder)
• Previously selected location

Click the [...] button to specify a new location to save the published drawings.

Please "Accept Solution" if a reply or replies have helped resolve the issue or answered your question, to help others in the community.

[Anonymous]

It does not work as your instruction. 

Do I also need to change the file location in " Publish option" in Publish dialog? if that how can I change it?

thanks

[ToddPullen6059]

So I understand his issue, and have the same question. Natasha's answers do not quite solve the issue. At one point my publishing did use to save in the drawings respective parent folder and once I upgraded I lost that function. Is it set per drawing? Auto-publish isn't a function that suits my needs as far as I can tell, but automatically publishing to a directed folder is. 

[pendean]

AFAIK once you select a new location, the program stops remembering anything else. Which usually means this requires some Windows Registry edit to correct, but I've yet to see anyone post a foolproof way to do that.

[Anonymous]

Is there any way to change the name of the DWF and PDF subfolder to something else? Our company standard says the folder must be named "PDF" and I get pushback when auto publish names it "DWF and PDF".

[pendean]

You can rename any folder anywhere on your computer to anything you want, there is no folder name created by AutoCAD for your own files and folders.

[ToddPullen6059]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but it seems a solution wouldn't be that difficult to integrate. I essentially would love the function of publishing to a standard subfolder of each drawing with a name of my choice without having to select said folder each time...and I swear I used to have this function, or an intern was always one step ahead of me so that it seemed automatic.  Auto-publish gets really close with .\DWF and PDF (sub-folder relative to drawing folder). However I want the folder to have our standard name "0-plots". I also wish for this to happen with my command, not on "save" or "close."   Another option would be for a unique setting to travel with each drawing vs. the last setting being the choice for all drawings. 

[Anonymous]

In my Automatic Publish Settings I can set the location to "DWF and PDF (sub-folder relative to Drawing folder)". This creates a sub folder named "DWF and PDF" in the folder the drawing resides in and puts the PDF there. I was wondering if there was a way to customize the naming of that sub folder. I can go in and rename it using Windows Explorer but then next time I auto publish it will recreate the "DWF and PDF" folder and put it there.

I can set it to put the PDF in a particular folder, but when I'm working on multiple projects it's useful to just have auto publish create a subfolder in the folder the dwg file resides in.

[Anonymous]

Well I can help you with the "on command" part. I created a simple command in a tool palette with the macro "^C^C_autopublish;;" assigned to it and I just hit that button anytime I want to auto publish. It follows whatever your auto publish settings are so it will create a subfolder for you if you have it set up that way. Of course the problem remains that it will only create a folder named "DWF and PDF" however.

[pendean]

@ToddPullen6059 Please provide your feedback to Autodesk where they look for it here https://www.autodesk.com/company/contact-us/product-feedback

[mmatthews4PE69]

There's a workaround for this.

Create a temporary folder on your desktop (or wherever).

Go into OPTIONS / PLOT & PUBLISH / PLOT TO FILE and select the folder you just made

Do the same thing in PUBLISH / PUBLISH OPTIONS / LOCATION

Now delete that temp folder (you will have to close AutoCAD and maybe some other programs that you have running)

Bingo - you should be brought to your last saved location when publishing

[jason9MSBA]

I would like AutoCAD to always prompt me for name and location. I know that is possible, but not sure how to set it up.

Thanks in advance!
Jason

[pendean]

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@jason9MSBA wrote:
I would like AutoCAD to always prompt me for name and location. I know that is possible, but not sure how to set it up.

Thanks in advance!
Jason

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[jason9MSBA]

That Publish Options area is greyed out for me. I can't select that.

[cadffm]

You are not using the PDF or DWF option, right?

Select PDF (upper left section in publish command)

Is it available now?

[jason9MSBA]

Yup, that's it! Thanks everyone for the help!

[kllnglnd]

You're a genius! Thank you!