XREF Problem II - Changing paths

[Engineeeeeeeeer]

In our company, the files names are drawing number - Revision Letter (ie 34562-Rev B). This system has been used historically, and cannot be changed.

All the drawings are stored on a server, and the CAD people create drg on their terminals.

The 'parent drawing' containing x-ref's may be opened by different users, and because of this, when the x-ref is inserted into a drawing the 'Relative Path' option is taken, and it works well.

The PROBLEM is that if the 'child' drawing is updated (ie 3456-Rev B to 3456-Rev C), when you need to change the path to route to the new drawing, it changes from 'Relative Path' to the real path, and thus when another terminal opens the drawings the x-ref's don't work.

Has anyone else come across this problem and are there any solutions?

Thanks,

PS. We use AutoCAD 2006 & 2008

 

[ctopher]

It's because each user has the path mapped to different letters. When they change the xref, they are searching for a new xref and attaching to whatever their mapping letter is. If Joe is mapped to M:/Server, and Sue is mapped to P:/Server, they are looking at the same path and server, but the drive letter is different...so the xref is broken.
THey need to be the same letter.

Chris
SolidWorks/PDMWorks 08 3.1
AutoCAD 06/08
ctopher's home (updated Apr 30, 2008)

 

[cvg]

keep the path relative if possible, than drive letters aren't a problem. To take care of the drive letter issue, we map the servers with the same letter for everybody. It is just a login script that everybody runs

 

[DonPhillips]

I try to avoid drive letters unless everyone standardizes. I try to use the absolute address, \\server\share.



Don Phillips

http://worthingtonengineering.com

 

[Engineeeeeeeeer]

Thanks for the replies. There's some good ideas, but I just remembered that sometimes I do drawings on the laptop out of the office, in which cas I would copy the project drawing directory.

I think that the only surefire way is to leave the Rev No off the drawing - which can be a bit 'dangerous'.

Thanks,