C3D 2023 - Data Shortcut 'Working folder' doesn't hold

[sfore]

I have all the updates installed for Civil 3D 2023. The Data Shortcut 'Working Folder' doesn't hold when you close Civil 3D  down and re-open. Has anyone else seen this? I've repeatedly set the Working Folder, but it doesn't hold.

[Cadguru42]

Do you have any custom startup routines? If not, are you using the default locations for installation and support paths? Do you have the proper permissions? If I recall correctly (don't quote me on this one) those are stored in the Windows Registry, so it could be a permissions issue. 

[sfore]

Nothing custom. C3D 2019 is fine. I just opened 2019 and the working folder is still set. I think its a bug in 2023.

I'm migrating us from C3D 2019 to C3D 2023. I'm the first to install 2023 because I build templates and test for my company. I don't think its a permissions thing because 2019 is fine and I set the same working folder for 2023. It just doesn't hold. We house our data shortcuts on the server in a separate folder from our projects to keep data safe and to avoid having to set the working folder repeatedly every time we switch projects.

[Kevin.Spear]

There is a new system variable that controls this - https://help.autodesk.com/view/CIV3D/2023/ENU/?guid=GUID-B6F47E9E-B912-4B30-BE61-92489E2617E9

LoadRecentDSProjectOnStartup should be set to 1 (one). I think ootb its set to 0 (zero)..

[Kevin.Spear]

I may be wrong here, but the intention of setting this to zero is to speed up the launching of C3D. When a working folder is read by c3d, it has to parse every project in that working folder. Granted, this isn't too long when on a local server. But many people are beginning to use Autodesk Docs with Civil 3D.

Related but unrelated, there is another system variable that can automatically switch the working folder based on the DWG associated to a project; SHORTCUTASSOCIATEENABLE. I don't think it's even documented anymore. I think it may even be automatic in more recent versions. It was added way back in 2010 or 2012 if I recall.

[sfore]

Kevin, appreciate your feedback but setting the LoadRecentDSProjectOnStartup to ON did not work. Also, I experimented with the SHORTCUTASSOCIATEENABLE and shortcutassociatedisable. I tested 2 different projects with 2 different drawings. I dref'd a surface into each drawing from 2 different projects, closed down drawings and opened each drawing to see if Data Shortcut Project folder would update in Toolspace - It Did Not. I also experimented with closing down the whole session of 2023 and then re-opened both drawings separately - It Did Not change projects. I also experimented with setting only the LoadRecentDSProjectOnStartup to ON and setting the shortcutassociatedisable (back from enable) and vice versa. Nothing worked. By the way, I had never heard of these system variables and have never had to set them in prior versions. Everything works in 2019. I'd be interested to hear back from Autodesk on this. I personally think its broke.

[Kevin.Spear]

Sorry to confuse. LoadRecent... is set to OFF by default. Setting to ON and then closing C3D will 'save' the current DS project and make it current when re-launching c3d.

If the DS project is not recalled with that variable ON, then you likely need to reset your profile using the application - "Reset Settings to Default" in the Civil 3D 2023 program folder.

[sfore]

I don't have that option under start, see pic.

If you're talking about the reset setting in Profile Tab under options, there's a setting in there to reset, but why would I reset everything just because the Data Shortcut Working folder doesn't hold in 2023? This would reset all of the pathing's to the default C:\. We house our plotters, plot styles, pipe catalogs etc.. on the server, so clicking on the reset would take all these Network server paths back to C:\ in options.

There may be some confusion here, but I don't have a problem setting the loadrecentdsprojectstartup back to OFF. That's done.

I'm assuming you're using Civil 3D 2023. When you open a different project drawing, does your data shortcuts change to that project automatically?

We have a unique setup here which has always worked thru multiple versions until 2023. We have a Project Cadd Database folder which is set as the Working Folder. We only store the Project Data Shortcuts here under their respective project folder. In version 2019, I could switch to 30 different projects in 1 day and the correct Project folder comes up correct 30 times.

[Kevin.Spear]

Yes, Windows 10 & 11 do not show all apps in an app folder. You have go to the old program folder (C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Autodesk Civil 3D 2023 - English) to see the full list.

In that folder is the reset tool to cleanup your profile. If you have a custom profile, you need to export it first. When using the reset tool, it cleans up the local user, launches vanilla autocad. Let it completely load. THen close it. THen launch C3D - imperial first. Test your DS scenario there before reimporting your profile. Make sure it works without customizations.

[sfore · Accepted solution]

Ok, I found it but I did not reset. I wanted to do further testing with current project drawings rather than creating new drawings. I did 2 rounds of testing after setting DS Working Folder again:

First Round:

I set shortcutassociateenable and loadrecentdsprojectonstartup to OFF. I opened up 5-6 different project drawings and all opened up the correct Data Shortcut Project Folder in Toolspace. I even closed the session down and launched Civil 3D again to open up drawings. All is good.

Second Round

I set shortcutassociateenable and loadrecentdsprojectonstartup to ON. I opened up 5-6 different project drawings and all opened up the correct Data Shortcut Project Folder in Toolspace. I also closed session down to relaunch. All is good.

Question: When I configure other users computers, I import the .arg file that I created so I don't have to re-path all of our support file paths. After I import the .arg file and set it current at their workstation, will the shortcutassociateenable and loadrecentdsprojectonstartup variables be set as I set them or will the user have to set them?? I just wasn't sure if the .arg file carried over these system variables or if this was something set inside the template so that every drawing created from template would have these variables set.

Not sure if my initial testing was flawed at this point and not sure why it's working now but I'll take it. Thanks for your help Kevin!

[Kevin.Spear]

Glad its working. Looking through my ARG, it is not in the ARG but you can put it in the acaddoc.lsp file that can be called on launch. Here's some instruction for using acaddoc.lsp
https://jtbworld.com/acaddoc-lsp
http://docs.autodesk.com/ACD/2011/ENU/filesACG/WS73099cc142f4875513fb5cd10c4aa30d6b-7f72.htm