Whats the most effective way to repath an entire drive

Discussion in 'AutoCAD' started by Dave Lewis, Feb 25, 2004.

  1. Dave,

    With all of the suggestions... maybe the answer is to simply rename your
    drive to the existing Xref paths. We did this years ago when our system was
    updated. The administrator gave us a new drive letter then changed it to
    the old drive letter when problems showed up.

    Hope this suggestion is workable and so can be useful.

    Arnold Williams
    Architectural Designer/CAD Coordinator
    SCM Consultants, Inc.
     
    Arnold Williams, Feb 26, 2004
    #21
  2. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    please doug don't take it personal no offense is needed. I didn't take it
    personally as an insult.

    "Doug Broad" <>
    |>Dave,
    |>I didn't mean to insult you. It's often the simple solutions that
    |>we overlook. I'll be sure to keep quiet next time you need help. ;-)
    |>
    |>
    |>
    |>>If you are smart enough
    |>> to use newsgroups and come to a customization group don't you think that
    |>> you would be smart enough to know how to use the SUBST command or
    |>> some other simple solution. I guess I really have to spell out each little
    |>

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 1, 2004
    #22
  3. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    bla bla bla all you seem to do is offer critisim on how you disagree.
    This answer does not add anything to the discussion. I have been
    offering answers here longer then you think. I think I'll put you back
    on the plunk list as you do not offer any additional help in these forums

    Anne Brown <>
    |>Normal business politeness will gather more answers than writing
    |>as you did below. The discussion groups are for EVERYONE and are
    |>not your personal resource. You post only questions and then
    |>argue about the answers you get. You do not reach out and help
    |>others as so many here do. Perhaps this is why you don't always
    |>get what you want?
    |>
    |>No one owes you an answer. Those who do so are giving freely of
    |>their time and efforts and do so to the best of their ability.
    |>---
    |>Anne Brown
    |>Discussion Groups Administrator
    |>Autodesk, Inc.
    |>
    |>
    |>Dave Lewis wrote:
    |>>
    |>(snip) If you are smart enough
    |>> to use newsgroups and come to a customization group don't you think that
    |>> you would be smart enough to know how to use the SUBST command or
    |>> some other simple solution. I guess I really have to spell out each little
    |>> detail when asking a simple question in these groups. For years now I will
    |>> ask a relatively simple question and get "absurd" responses that are not
    |>> solutions. Its like I have to write a book explaining the entire problem when
    |>> all I needed was a simple answer to the question.

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 1, 2004
    #23
  4. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    thats what I am ending up using. But as you know opening 25,000 files is going to take a long time. I hope it gets
    done in a week. I had to spend a bit of time trying to get a drawing list into script pro and still it invalidated a
    bunch of files so I had to skip them

    CadDiva <>
    |>We use Express Tools --> File Tools --> Edit Xref Paths. It works great for our use (about 50 to 200 files at a time). I don't know how well it will work with a large number of files. It will also depend on what your directory tree looks like (sub-folders).

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 1, 2004
    #24
  5. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    Now for Anne's benefit I am going to be polite.

    As stated above this method will not work in my situation. The previous admin
    had no future vision about multiple offices working together. The problem is that
    we need the J: that is now in use for another purpose. The new J: is going to be
    used by the other office. So we have to modify all instances of J: in the drawings
    to a new drive letter. We chose V: to match the name of the office. Going back
    to the J: is not possible. Now there is 25,000 drawings to modify. This has long been
    a sore issue with autocad is if you move your files they will not work.

    "Arnold Williams" <>
    |>Dave,
    |>
    |>With all of the suggestions... maybe the answer is to simply rename your
    |>drive to the existing Xref paths. We did this years ago when our system was
    |>updated. The administrator gave us a new drive letter then changed it to
    |>the old drive letter when problems showed up.
    |>
    |>Hope this suggestion is workable and so can be useful.
    |>
    |>Arnold Williams
    |>Architectural Designer/CAD Coordinator
    |>SCM Consultants, Inc.
    |>
    |>
    |>|>> We need to change a drive letter for an entire drive for xrefs and images.
    |>> Whats the best method?
    |>> --------------------------
    |>> Dave Lewis
    |>> CAD Manager
    |>> http://www.cadthinking.com
    |>>
    |>> Just say no to HTML Posts!
    |>

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 1, 2004
    #25
  6. I'll do it for a buck per dwg ;)

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

    We need to change a drive letter for an entire drive for xrefs and images.
    Whats the best method?
    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    michael puckett, Mar 1, 2004
    #26
  7. Dave Lewis

    A Diaz Guest

    Dave,

    You could do the same thing I did.
    I used the two fastest computers at the office. I split the 30,000+ drawings
    on two hard drives and I installed them in the computers and I disconnected
    the computers from the network. So the computers run locally. In my case I
    used two new hard drives with a fresh AutoCAD installation and a simple and
    lean profile.

    I started on saturday at 12:00 noon and I left the office at 6:00pm. The
    computers were keep running the script. It finished on Sunday, around 11:00
    am. So it took around 23 hours to change 30,000+ drawings.

    ScriptPro gives you a report at the end of the process. I fixed the drawings
    with errors (around 150) and then I copied back the fixed drawings to the
    network drive.

    The next week you have to be alert of any drawing with missing xref and/or
    images and fix it.

    But in my case this solve my problem.
     
    A Diaz, Mar 1, 2004
    #27
  8. With the reference manager
    Drag and drop your root folder/drive letter from Explorer/My
    Computer/Etc to the reference manager.
    Don't know about that. I just tried 2000 files and it's taking a little
    bit to read them all but it does appear to be working. I don't use Ref
    Manager anyway. I typically just run a script file that call a lisp to
    do what I need. I've processed batches of 40,000+ files that way
    before. One such batch, I broke the script into pieces and had it
    running on 20+ systems to speed up processing.


    --
    Darren J. Young
    CAD/CAM Systems Developer

    Cold Spring Granite Company
    202 South Third Avenue
    Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

    Email:
    Phone: (320) 685-5045
    Fax: (320) 685-5052
     
    Darren J. Young, Mar 2, 2004
    #28
  9. That is what I suggested, guess it was too easy :)
     
    Jason Piercey, Mar 2, 2004
    #29
  10. That is what I suggested, guess it was too easy :)

    Perhaps he missed it. I just tried 2000+ and it worked. Took a bit to
    load up but so what. Just drag and drop on a spare machine. Actually be
    nice if there was an "Import/Export" list. That way he could at least
    generate the list himself and import it.


    --
    Darren J. Young
    CAD/CAM Systems Developer

    Cold Spring Granite Company
    202 South Third Avenue
    Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

    Email:
    Phone: (320) 685-5045
    Fax: (320) 685-5052
     
    Darren J. Young, Mar 2, 2004
    #30
  11. Sorry to horn in on this but I wonder about the necessity of processing all
    these files before they are needed.

    I would have thought that you would just add the script or lisp to repath
    the drawing to the start up so that it would repath them as you loaded them
    to edit, print or distribute. Now "distribute" may be the place for batch
    processing but I still don't understand why you have to upgrade all your
    files to new versions or network system changes.

    Puzzled in Kelowna,
    Dave Alexander
    Keen Engineering Co. Ltd.
    www.keen.ca
     
    Dave Alexander, Mar 2, 2004
    #31
  12. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    yup that would be nice then I could cut up the list easier.
    I'm sure reference manager is going to choke on 25,000 drawings
    Good think I don't have to modify our main office, we have 45,000 on
    our main office network

    Darren J. Young <>
    |>> That is what I suggested, guess it was too easy :)
    |>
    |>Perhaps he missed it. I just tried 2000+ and it worked. Took a bit to
    |>load up but so what. Just drag and drop on a spare machine. Actually be
    |>nice if there was an "Import/Export" list. That way he could at least
    |>generate the list himself and import it.

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 3, 2004
    #32
  13. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    ya I wish that was the case. The user is going to get all sorts of errors saying
    this and that file is missing. Then again 2000+ doesn't actually stop the loading
    like R14 did. But then you would have to post process the repath. I'd rather
    not do all that. I would just rather fix the problem without the user ever carring
    about it.

    "Dave Alexander" <>
    |>Sorry to horn in on this but I wonder about the necessity of processing all
    |>these files before they are needed.
    |>
    |>I would have thought that you would just add the script or lisp to repath
    |>the drawing to the start up so that it would repath them as you loaded them
    |>to edit, print or distribute. Now "distribute" may be the place for batch
    |>processing but I still don't understand why you have to upgrade all your
    |>files to new versions or network system changes.

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 3, 2004
    #33
  14. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    1) Script pro did not properly import all the files correctly. I suppose there was some
    problem with my dir /b/s>dir.txt; excel conversion to script pro.

    2) script pro crashed already once while processing the files.

    3) The files are in use and I cannot move them off the NAS (raid) onto a local machine.

    4) I visit this satalite office once a month so I am doing everything remotely.

    You what would be really slick, like back in R12 is if the drawing paths were in
    clear text in the .dwg file. Then a hex editor could just globably search and
    replace. Ah the good old days.......

    "A Diaz" <>
    |>Dave,
    |>
    |>You could do the same thing I did.
    |>I used the two fastest computers at the office. I split the 30,000+ drawings
    |>on two hard drives and I installed them in the computers and I disconnected
    |>the computers from the network. So the computers run locally. In my case I
    |>used two new hard drives with a fresh AutoCAD installation and a simple and
    |>lean profile.
    |>
    |>I started on saturday at 12:00 noon and I left the office at 6:00pm. The
    |>computers were keep running the script. It finished on Sunday, around 11:00
    |>am. So it took around 23 hours to change 30,000+ drawings.
    |>
    |>ScriptPro gives you a report at the end of the process. I fixed the drawings
    |>with errors (around 150) and then I copied back the fixed drawings to the
    |>network drive.
    |>
    |>The next week you have to be alert of any drawing with missing xref and/or
    |>images and fix it.
    |>
    |>But in my case this solve my problem.
    |>
    |>

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 3, 2004
    #34
  15. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    nah, thats ok. I'm already doing it for the cost of my salary

    "michael puckett" <>
    |>I'll do it for a buck per dwg ;)
    |>
    |>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
    |>
    |>|>We need to change a drive letter for an entire drive for xrefs and images.
    |>Whats the best method?
    |>--------------------------
    |>Dave Lewis
    |>CAD Manager
    |>http://www.cadthinking.com
    |>
    |>Just say no to HTML Posts!
    |>

    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 3, 2004
    #35
  16. Dave Lewis

    Dave Lewis Guest

    For those who are keeping score....

    Terry Dotson has been great working with me all day on a VBA
    app that modifys the XREF paths without opening the drawings
    in the drawing editor like a script program would do. Its the Toolpac
    Reference Repath. He is working on a new version to be included
    in the next toolpac release.

    I really like the power of what the autodesk reference manager has
    the potential to do, but once again it falls short. For a solution today
    Terry's app is the best solution for such a large job.

    Thankx Terry!!
    --------------------------
    Dave Lewis
    CAD Manager
    http://www.cadthinking.com

    Just say no to HTML Posts!
     
    Dave Lewis, Mar 3, 2004
    #36
  17. Tony Tanzillo, Mar 3, 2004
    #37
  18. Sorry to horn in on this but I wonder about the necessity of processing all
    I can see ripping through a whole server. Adding "on-demand as needed"
    repathing code means only a portion of your archive is getting updated.
    Some might get updated 2 years from now. And perhaps some, 10 or even
    never. That "on demand" code then sits there forever. This time
    repathing, next time something else. When do you know you can get rid of
    it? Perhaps it's not a big deal for architects who once a project is
    done don't have as great a need to call lon old drawings as a
    manufacturer who's continually pulling from old drawings for the like of
    their product lines.

    Also, this approach doesn't help LT user or users of viewing packages
    where they can't perform on-demand conversions. And there's always the
    chance that someone calls up a drawing in AutoCAD, just for viewing, but
    then doesn't save it. So even then it doesn't get fixed.

    Your point is well taken however. There are times where "on-demand" code
    can be helpful. In fact, I use a fair amount of it myself along with
    processing an entire library of files. Just depends on what the changes
    are and my need to access the files at a later date.

    --
    Darren J. Young
    CAD/CAM Systems Developer

    Cold Spring Granite Company
    202 South Third Avenue
    Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

    Email:
    Phone: (320) 685-5045
    Fax: (320) 685-5052
     
    Darren J. Young, Mar 3, 2004
    #38
  19. yup that would be nice then I could cut up the list easier.
    I'd try it anyway. Perhaps cause I'm just a glutton for punishment. One
    of the first things I did when Acad200 came out was setup a repeat loop
    that repeats 1,000,000 times to create layouts just to see where it
    would break. ;-)


    --
    Darren J. Young
    CAD/CAM Systems Developer

    Cold Spring Granite Company
    202 South Third Avenue
    Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

    Email:
    Phone: (320) 685-5045
    Fax: (320) 685-5052
     
    Darren J. Young, Mar 3, 2004
    #39
  20. I really like the power of what the autodesk reference manager has
    All of Autodesk's utilities for batch processing files, Attribute
    Extraction Wizard, ScriptPro, Web Publishing Wizard, Batch Standards
    Checker, Reference Manager, Batch Plot, Drawing Convertor all of them
    with the exception of perhaps the Publish command, fall way short when
    it comes to large scale use on thousands of drawings.

    That's why I still use scripts for most of my batch processing unless
    it's something I need to do over and over, then I'll generate a VB
    processing app for it.

    --
    Darren J. Young
    CAD/CAM Systems Developer

    Cold Spring Granite Company
    202 South Third Avenue
    Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

    Email:
    Phone: (320) 685-5045
    Fax: (320) 685-5052
     
    Darren J. Young, Mar 3, 2004
    #40
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