Troubleshooting AutoCAD

The following topics may help you to resolve errors you encounter and help you with troubleshooting the problem while using AutoCAD with Desktop Connector.

Topics in this Section

• What's New in AutoCAD 2025
• Desktop Connector and AutoCAD 2024 and 2025
• Undesired files
• Sheet Set (DST) error
• Backup (.bak) files read-only or corrupt
• Recommended Settings for backup (.bak) files
• AutoCAD Xrefs not found
• Material texture references
• AutoCAD System Variables

What's New in AutoCAD 2025

For additional information about the new features in AutoCAD visit What's New in AutoCAD 2025.

Desktop Connector and AutoCAD 2024 and 2025

• AutoCAD 2024 and 2025 + verticals (Civil 3D, Plant 3D, and others), require Desktop Connector 16.x or above.
• If Desktop Connector versions of 15.x are installed, you will receive a warning that Desktop Connector needs to be updated.
• The sign in process for Autodesk 2024 and 2025 products has changed. You may have to sign in twice depending on the version of the software you are using with Desktop Connector version. Refer to the Sign in Sign Out help page for additional information.

Undesired files

• Beginning in AutoCAD 2022.1, opening files from the Desktop Connector workspace may cause an extra Checking for Latest Version dialog to show once the file is opened.
• The dialog is only showing because of calls made during the Xref Compare feature and not a sign of more changes to the file. If you wish to avoid seeing the extra dialog, the work-around is to disable the Xref Compare feature using the SYSVDLG command in AutoCAD and set the XCOMPAREENABLE value to 0.

Sheet Set (DST) error

• Sometimes opening a Sheet Set (DST) from the recently used list in the software home view may result in an error Sheet Set file is not valid. This typically happens when the file attempted to open and is either corrupt or no longer on disk.
  • When this happens, manually sync the file (by right-click in File Explorer and select Sync or Always keep on this device) and try again.

Backup (.bak) files read-only or corrupt

• The AutoCAD .bak (backup file) sometimes becomes read-only or corrupt in the workspace.

  • This can result in the Drawing file is write protected error to display blocking save to an AutoCAD .dwg, or the file is not saved and a .tmp file is generated instead.

  • Deleting the .bak file from the workspace allows the .dwg to the saved. A work-around for this issue is to use the MOVEBAK command to change the storage location for .bak files outside the Desktop Connector workspace.

    • For example you could set the folder to C:\Temp\BAKfiles.

Recommended Settings for backup (.bak) files

• Starting in AutoCAD 2022, AutoCAD will recognize that Desktop Connector is being used and backup (.bak) files will not be created in the cloud.

  Note:

  By default, AutoCAD creates a backup file (.bak), and it will be saved on your local connected drive. However, these backup files are blocked and are not synchronized or uploaded to the cloud workspace.

• The AutoCAD system variable DCDOCSSUPPORT is available to control backup (.bak) file creation. It is important for you to note that the behavior of this variable can vary across different versions of AutoCAD and is explained by the following statements.

• AutoCAD 2022: DCDOCSSUPPORT <63> Do not create backup (.bak) files in the DC workspace.

• AutoCAD 2023 and above: DCDOCSSUPPORT <59> Create backup (.bak) files in the DC Workspace.

  • In AutoCAD 2023 this setting is not working as expected. Backup files (.bak) will be created no matter what the user selects.

• AutoCAD 2024 and 2025: This setting has been resolved and will work as expected.

• If you do not want backup files (.bak) created in the Desktop Connector workspace but still want backup (.bak) files to be created, then we recommend using the MOVEBAK command.

AutoCAD Xrefs not found

• When opening an AutoCAD data set with the Desktop Connector, some Xrefs may not be found even though they exist on disk at the referenced location. Close AutoCAD and move the files that weren't found to a shorter path. The files will then be found when reopening the data set.

Material texture references

• When dwgs that have material texture image references are uploaded to the cloud, Desktop Connector will not upload those material texture references. The Large Model View (LMV) generated for cloud viewing will not display the material texture.

AutoCAD System Variables

Starting with Desktop Connector 16.0.x the following AutoCAD system variables behavior has changed. Refer to the AutoCAD help topics for more detail.

• CLOUDCOLLABMODIFIEDOPTION (System Variable)
• ENABLEDSTLOCK (System Variable)

Related Concepts:

• Files with XREFs fail to synchronize on BIM 360
• Changes done to nested Xrefs will not automatically update in the host drawing when working in AutoCAD with Autodesk Docs