shrug-l: RE: AutoCAD Civil 2013 quirk

[Sykes, John]

What version of Windows are you running?  They handle empty USB slots differently.  Also, if the USB is connected via an attached device, they are sometimes handled differently (e.g., my USB and SD card reader slots located on my monitor are seen as external drives, not empty USB ports).  If the latter is the case, disconnecting the USB cable to the monitor's ports usually solves the problem (as long as the monitor video is working off a video cable and NOT the USB cable).

-- John



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From: shrug-l-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us [mailto:shrug-l-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us] On Behalf Of Porter, William B.
Sent: Wednesday, November 28, 2012 11:36 AM
To: shrug-l at lists.dep.state.fl.us
Subject: shrug-l: AutoCAD Civil 2013 quirk

I found a problem in AutoCAD Civil 2013 with the Hyperlink command that my vendor/tech support could not solve.  This version replaced Map 3D but has the same functions allegedly.

The first time I type the command "Hyperlink" AutoCAD  locks up for hours - literally.   If I am running more than one instance, they all lock up.  I crashed out a couple of times and could not make the hyperlinks.
One day I went to lunch and worked on other stuff - then came back to the CAD project and found it had finally come out of its dazed state. I could use Hyperlink normally for that session.
Every time I start an instance of CAD the same thing happens.

The best CAD support could tell me was to minimize network mapped drives.  That was not my problem.
Later it occurred to me:   I have a USB card reader [for SD and Compact Flash chips] with six apparent drives [MyComputer insists they exist,  even when no cards are installed.  It's possible to hide them, but that has no effect on this problem].   This version of AutoCAD insists on checking every placeholder for the chips - and apparently has a 45 minute timeout for each 'drive.'

So - if you use AutoCAD 2013 and need to use the Hyperlink command, disconnect chip readers.  This is a little tougher if it's built into your PC.
Don't have inactive mapped drives and I suppose that an empty diskette drive [if they still exist] or a damaged CD/DVD could cost time as well [it does not have a problem with an empty CD/DVD drive].

It was an infuriating problem and I am surprised that it is not documented by AutoDesk.


William  B. Porter     william.porter at famu.edu<mailto:william.porter at famu.edu>     850 412 5972
Application Coordinator for GIS / Infrastructure
Florida A&M University
EIT / GIS
Perry-Paige, West Wing Ground floor,
Office 1 -C
1740  S. M L King  BLVD
TLH FL 32307



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