Default program to open DWG files

[Anonymous]

After the update to 2017, when I try and open a file through Windows Explorer, the default program is Maps 2014. I want the files to open in Civil 3D, so I have to open Civil 3D 2017 first, then open the file. How can I fix this?

[Anonymous]

Control Panel - All Control Panel Items - Default Programs - Associate a file type or protocol with a program...

Youll have to find the .dwg extension and reassign it to your AutoCAD DWG Launcher or the actual Autodesk program you would like to use. Hopefully this helps.

[AllenJessup]

Opening a file by double clicking in Explorer is not a good way to do it. As you've found out. It's unstable. What I find works best for me is to find the drawing in Explorer and then drag it to a Desktop Icon. The Icons are very programmable using Switches. That way you know how the program will open each time. I set which Template, Workspace and Profile to use in each Icon.

[neilyj666]

My understanding is that double clicking will default to the last autodesk product used to open a dwg.

[AllenJessup]

Yes. Often you don't remember what you opened any drawing with last. 

[vandenoosterkamp]

Well, I do: Civil3d 2018 and Civil3d 2018 only. However my system seems to have irresistable need to keep opening dxf files with Map2014. I opened dxf in c3d, saved dxf in c3d, closed c3d, reopened c3d, opened dxf's, saved dxf's. All that just to make try to make the pc understand that I just want to use c3d and nothing else. It simply does not work, reassigning association in explorer is also thicked off.

Opening for me has to be done via total commander instead of via c3d because it simply saves a lot of time.

Dear autodesk: solve this utterly annoying feature please before inventing new stuff we don't want

[wfberry]

First things first.

Make sure you know where your Civil 3D .exe is located.

Open Explorer to a location of your .dwg file.

Rt Click, select Properties

Use the CHANGE button, there should be options in a list where you can select your version to open this file.

Bill

[Cadguru42]

I thought it was best practice to always open C3D (Map, AutoCAD) first then open a drawing from inside the program. I've had nothing but issues trying to open a drawing by double-clicking in Explorer. It also prevents the problem of accidentally saving a drawing in a newer version than what the project requires, which with C3D is a big issue. 

[AllenJessup]

You're right that you should not double click the drawing in explorer. I prefer dragging the file from explorer to the desktop icon . That way I can take advantages of the <Icon Switches>:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2019\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2019\\AecBase.dbx" /p "<<C3D_19.2>>" /product "C3D" /w "C3D 2.0" /t "I:\Cadlib\Template\_RCHD C3D Imperial 2019 1.0.dwt" /language "en-US"

[vandenoosterkamp]

You're right that you should not double click the drawing in explorer.

Absolutely right, pressing enter in Total Commander is the way to go in order to avoid shoulder and wrist injuries.

I had those, a few decades ago caused by working with Microstation. After that I wrote my own 10 commands, starting with

1. Thy shall avoid doubleclick

2. Thy shall avoid scroll

3. Thy shall not drag/drop

Works like a charm. Twice as fast as the mousegeneration and causing less strain.

I will uninstall Map2014 now and hope this insane feature of Autodesk might be gone after that

[vandenoosterkamp]

And now, with Map2014 uninstalled, dxf is opened nicely in C3D2018.

@ Autodesk

file associated with dwg seems to be

AutoCAD Drawing ("C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\AcShellEx\AcLauncher.exe" /O "%1")

When opting for another program I get a quite large list. One of the options in that list is:

AutoCAD Drawing Interchange ("C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2018\acad.exe" "%1")

and to me it seems that Acad2018 might run when selecting it.

However in that endless list there is no Civil3D. Can that be changed please? So make a version that can actually be linked to an extention?

My shortcut for starting C3D2018 is:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2018\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2018\\AecBase.dbx" /p "<<C3D_Metric>>" /product "C3D" /language "en-US"

For C3D2014 this is the shortcut:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Autodesk AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014\AecBase.dbx" /p "<<C3D_Metric>>"

And as you can see in the endless list of autocad programms After C3D2014 they invented a whole never superclever way to start C3D wich made sure that after that you can no longer decide for yourself wich program needs to start up when hitting a file. 

In a way this is to be expected from Autodesk. Simple pulldown menus of wich one might expect to behave always in the same way have at least 3 different ways in wich it react. So random response wich is terribly annoying. Random respons is what is Civil3D and I guess every Autodesk product is all about. Select something, enter a command, after that find out if pickfirst works or not. Go to filter, select an object, add it, after that find out if the properties you want there are rpesent or not. ctrl+c something, hit ctrl-tab to switch to your other drawing, hit a key, another, another, nothing lands on the crappy program because the freaking mouse needs to be moved first. Select a C3D object, to check properties, hit enter, do not get crosshair back, click again, hit escape again in order to work on.

The list is endless and the only thing that seems to change is the price and the amount of malfunctioning commands that are NEVER fixed.

I praise the day I can use something other than this Autodesk crap

[chriscowgill7373]

Although this is an older post, and I agree with the recommended practice of open the program, then open the drawing from the OPEN dialog, many times the default program that is specified in dwg launcher just gets stuck on the wrong version, especially when changing to a new version.  I dont know if it is an Autodesk issue or a Windows problem.  Although this AKN article is titled as double clicking opening multiple sessions, the registry issue called out in the article also seems to help with the program used by dwg launcher when double clicking.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/simplecontent/content/double-cli...

[vandenoosterkamp]

Awesome to see someone liked my almost 5 year old postint. Sadly this is still not solved and keeps me annoying almost every day. Sad sad sad, no other words apply and the fatal errors keep coming while autodesk keeps pouring out more new unwanted features that only slows down the software more and more without fixing essential issues.

I was today amazed for the 142536254th time. Opening a block that contains a lot of text results each and every time in a message like 'formatting text' and makes me wait 20s for simply be able to edit a block containing text. How on earth can this expensive software be this UTTERLY CRAPPY????

[mbelleza]

Using Windows 10 I did the following to default to open files in Map3D, should be the same for Civil3D.

Right click on your Map3D (or Civil3D) and click on properties.

Copy the info on the target field. Should be something like this:

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2021\acad.exe" /product MAP /language "en-US"

Now, on Windows Explorer go to a folder where you have a .dwg file.

Right click and select Open With, then Choose Another App.

Prior to selecting anything click on the check box that says: "Always use this app to open .dwg files"

Now click on "More Apps"

Scroll to the bottom of the list and click on "Look for another app on this PC"

When the file dialog pops-up, paste the info you copied from the shortcut target.

Paste EVERYTHING, do not stop at the .exe. No need to go to that file location.

Click open and you are done!

Let me know if it works.

[k.benson]

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@Anonymous wrote:

After the update to 2017, when I try and open a file through Windows Explorer, the default program is Maps 2014. I want the files to open in Civil 3D, so I have to open Civil 3D 2017 first, then open the file. How can I fix this?

---

Here is what I did using Windows 10:

-In the 'Type here to search' bar in lower left type 'Civil 3D' until you see your app show up.

-Now right click in the app area and go to 'Open File Location'. Copy the file location.

-Right click on your dwg file, go to 'properties', go to 'change', expand it to show more apps, scroll down and click 'Look for another app on this PC'.

-Copy the File Location of the app to this folder at the top and hit enter.

-Click (in my case) 'Civil 3D 2021 Metric', 'Open' and 'Apply'

Now when you double click on your file it should open it in Civil 3D.

This worked for me, hopefully it can work for you!

I have attached a screen shot of the 2nd step.

[wfberry · Accepted solution]

If you have the version of Civil 3D opened, just select the file in Windows Explorer and drag it to the top of your Civil 3D and drop it there. (Thanks to Mr. Tim C.)

[k.benson]

Thanks that worked as well, and was much quicker!

[nikitenkotimofey]

did not work for me

[vandenoosterkamp]

Closing everything, restarting the desired program is the only 'fix' there is.

[tambet.land]

It works, but its not the case. When I right click on the Civil3D recent files then AutoCad opens instead of Civil3D. I think it is because of target line in shortcut. It opens acad.exe with parameters ("C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2023\acad.exe" /ld "C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD 2023\AecBase.dbx" /p "<<C3D_Metric>>" /product C3D /language en-US) and there is no Civil3D.exe existing.

Same crap as always. No answers to long lasting problems.