Change Path to AcTpCatalog.atc

[RocksterB]

I have added my discipline Tool Palettes (TP) to the network and have them loaded in our AutoCAD session. In the TP on the network are to files, AcTpCatalog.atc and AcTpCatalog - Copy.atc. The copy version seems to be the file that is currently being used and updated. My question is how or where do I establish the AcTpCatalog.atc file as the primary file used by the TP?

[RocksterB]

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to handle this problem?

[dmfrazier · Accepted solution]

"The copy version seems to be the file that is currently being used and updated."

What makes you think so?

"My question is how or where do I establish the AcTpCatalog.atc file as the primary file used by the TP?"

We can certainly specify a location (folder) via Options, Files tab, Tool Palettes File Locations, but as far as I know there is no place within Options (or otherwise) to tell AutoCAD to use a specific ATC file (other than AcTpCatalog.atc).  I have always assumed this is managed internally by AutoCAD.

It may be that what you are experiencing is caused by lack of edit/modification permissions on the folder where the ATC file is stored (or on the file specifically).

Can you test to see what happens if you take the "copy" file and rename it to the "non-copy" filename (after renaming the non-copy file to something else so that you can restore it if necessary)? (While AutoCAD is not running, of course.)

[RocksterB]

I knew the AcTpCatalog - Copy.atc was being used by AutoCAD to update the TP because the file dated changed each time I made a change t the TP.

Success! I closed AutoCAD and renamed the AcTpCatalog - Copy.atc file to a different name: AcTpCatalog - CopyZZZ.atc. The AcTpCatalog.atc file in the same folder remains unchanged. I reopened AutoCAD and the TP came in as they should. I made a few changes to the TP and the AcTpCatalog.atc's file date changed, indicating it is being used and linked to AutoCAD's Tool Palettes.

I thought the Tool Palettes .ATC file was hard linked somewhere. Thanks for your suggestions.

[dmfrazier]

"I thought the Tool Palettes .ATC file was hard linked somewhere."

(What is inside that black box?)

Based on this experience and the apparent solution (which you devised), it appears that AutoCAD, on occasion (what occasion, exactly, we don't know, unless you can point to an event that may qualify) creates a copy of the "normal" ATC file and uses that instead of the original.

Because you mentioned a network in your earlier post, I assume this means there are other users accessing these palettes. I suspect the "copy" ATC file is being created by one of those other users (or maybe it's you!), who has create but not modify permissions on the folder containing the ATC file(s), by modifying "their" tool palette(s).  If my suspicion (hypothesis) is correct, it is just a matter of time until you see another "copy" ATC file show up.