Create date reset for the TDUCREATE system variable?

[Anonymous]

I'd like to here from an expert on what scenarios cause the file create date (TDUCREATE system variable) to be reset. I'm looking for two or three known scenarios that will cause this.

Thank You.

[Anonymous]

Or maybe there is just one scenario?

[pendean]

It's a per drawing setting for one, and easily defeated/reset.
Are you perhaps expecting too much from it? explain your dilemma, experience and your expectations.

[natasha.l]

Hello @Anonymous, 

After setting a system variable to a specific value the setting is reset to default after restarting AutoCAD or AutoCAD vertical applications, not all system variables are saved permanently. 

Also, System Variables are stored for the current drawing or program configuration on the given user profile.

You can review the System Variable Editor in command line type SYSVDLG. Review the variable, check where & if or if not the variable has been saved. 

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

[Anonymous]

Natasha, TDUCREATE is a read only system variable. Can you connect me with an AutoDesk employee who knows one or more scenarios that would reset this variable? (I'm a customer).

Thanks,

Don

[natasha.l]

Hello @Anonymous, 

Can you please share the setting under the SYSVDLG dialog window for the TDUCREATE variable? I will move this post to the proper Customization forum for you.

[dbroad]

This forum is for customers to help each other.  If you really need support, setup a support case.

I can think of several ways to intentionally change things:

1. Save the file as a dxf file and manually delete all the TD variables. Then save it and import it.

     9
   $TDCREATE
    40
   2458617.362743056
     9
   $TDUCREATE
    40
   2458617.529409723
     9
   $TDUPDATE
    40
   2458778.614074074
     9
   $TDUUPDATE
    40
   2458778.780740741
     9
   $TDINDWG
    40
   0.0310763889
     9
   $TDUSRTIMER
    40
   0.0117245370
     9
   $USRTIMER
    70
        1

2. Save the current drawing as a template and then use that template to start a new drawing.  Then save the drawing over the original.
3. Rename the current file by changing the current extension to .dwt.  Then open it and save it as a dwg file.
4. Probable but uncertain: Open the DWG with another application and then save it.

IOW, it's easy to hack but otherwise, given an honest user, pretty reliable as record.  It is interesting that the create date managed by the operating system isn't the same as that maintained by $tducreate

[SeeMSixty7]

To Add to @dbroad 's list

You can WBLOCK the drawing out to a new file then replace the file with the New File.

You can insert the file into a new drawing exploded and save the file to the old file name.

You can start a new drawing and Copy the contents of the old file to the new and save over the old file.

There are a number of ways to reset the value, and often it's not with intent to work around that variable, but to work through potential problems.

Sometimes a drawing may have some corruption and any of these methods can help remove that corruption.

[dbroad]

Actually, for some reason, wblocking a file doesn't change the $tducreate variable.  So that isn't a possible hack. Wblock uses the current drawing's $TDUCREATE setting to create the new file.

[Anonymous]

I should have asked what scenarios would "unintentionally" reset the create date. We have many files from a client with the exact same, incorrect, create date: I need to know what caused this.

[SeeMSixty7]

@dbroad WOW! That's a new one. Of course how new? ... is who knows. It used to reset it. I have not used that feature in years or I guess it's possible my memory sucks, but I would say it used to rest it all. I've been using AutoCAD for over 30 years now, so it could be memory or it could be they changed it at some point. Either way, good to know.

Thanks!

[cadffm]

>"with the exact same, incorrect, create date:"

If you know the date is incorrect, then you also know how the files was created.. : How?

Plain AutoCAD:

Are you sure they doesn't use the same file everytime for a "new" drawings?

instead to use a DWT, just DWG and saveas or copy the file in filesystem (win explorer).

If we talk about vertical products like Civil3D, perhaps there are special things i don't know about.

For example: In the past i read about one installation which changes the edit-date to the create-date by using the project manager..

[Anonymous]

CADffm, that is a good observation. If many files were started with the same dwg file they would all have the same create date. I consider this one of the scenarios that would explain how we have many files with the exact same create date. Thank You.

[dbroad]

The only way to have a correct start date is to start a drawing from a template or to start from scratch.  Any other way of beginning a drawing will reuse the date of the drawing it was sourced from, such as:

• Copying a drawing and editing it.
• Saving a drawing as another drawing, either with save or saveas.
• Wblocking the drawing.

Currently resetting the timer doesn't reset the $TDUCREATE variable.  The operating system information is probably more reliable than the $TDUCREATE variable.  It often reports different information than $TDUCREATE.  I always use the folder system to search for files based on their create or modify dates.  I never access or use the timer information for anything that is important. It has never been of much use. Don't rely on that information. This stuff has been around since around release 2.0 and has never been modified or updated AFAIK.

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know the implications of moving DWG files from one computer to another with a different operating system; or moving DWG files to/from a NAS or SAN? does this reset the create date variable (TDUCREATE) ?

-Don

[SeeMSixty7]

No it does not reset the variable when moving or copying to a new location.

[dbroad]

When you copy files from one computer system to another, the internals of the file shouldn't change.  $TDUCREATE is an internal variable.  The OS file dates don't typically change either. Are they changing at your office?

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Thanks all for your input. I ran this by Autodesk Support and the only idea they have is the scenario mentioned by CADffm of starting new drawings with an old DWG and not a DWT. They also confirmed the point made by a couple of you (see below).

Copying or moving DWGs from drive to drive, machine to machine, etc. will not affect TDUCREATE as that value is internal to the DWG file. You may see the file created/modified times reported by Windows would change but that wouldn't reach into the DWG and change the TDUCREATE variable.

[dbroad]

Starting drawings with other DWG files can be done two ways.  It is unclear whether your "solution" is to keep the source file's date or to use the current date for the new file. Since starting with a DWT file always uses the current date, I'm surprised that that doesn't seem like the solution.

When the goal to have all revisions or derivative work to have the same creation date as the original version any of the following techniques could be used:

1. Open the starting point DWG file with the OPEN command.
2. Open the starting point DWG file by double clicking on the file in the file explorer.
3. Wblocking objects or the entire file to a new file.

This could be misleading if the derivative work is a new idea based on the original.  Unfortunately that causes $TDUCREATE to be misleading in much of my work because I often reuse work to create new ideas. So I ignore the timer variables.

When the goal is to have $TUCREATE be based on the current date and time, whether or not the drawing is completely new, a revision, or is other derivative work, there are several convenient ways to start a drawing with the current date, the following solutions are straightforward and easy.

1. Start a drawing from a DWT file. DWT files for example could
   • be blank, basically start from scratch
   • be based on a blank starting point using office standards.
   • be based on a drawing saved as a DWT (which puts it into a special folder)
   • be based on a drawing renamed with a DWT file extension (which keeps it project specific).
2. Start a new drawing from a DWG file by using the NEW command instead of the OPEN command.
   • the new file can use a DWG file as a template, allowing you to conveniently browse the current project or office libraries.
   • the new file becomes unnamed whether or not it was based on a DWT or DWG.

A final caveat:  It is possible to fake a file date, either by manipulating  $TDUCREATE or by setting the OS system date to any desired date and using save, qsave, or saveas.  Everything depends on the integrity of the content creators and those who manage the libraries.