9.1 and network file locations

[esingleton]

9.1 and network file locations

I recently upgraded to v9.1 like everybody else. I have run into something that, for me, is a HUGE problem. My computer is running WinXP and is part of a Small Business Server 2003 domain. I am using "My Documents Redirection" which means the "My Documents" directory for me actually resides on the SBS server. I keep all my ALibre files in a directory in "My Documents" I do not use the repository system at this time. My problem is Alibre will not recognize or allow me to navigate to anything that is on a "network drive." It doesn't throw any errors, it just plays dumb and acts like I am not trying to open anything.

I have called AD support and am awaiting their response. Is anyone else out there having a similar issue?

 

[indesign]

Setup the directory on the server to share and use My Network Places to navigate to it.

Also you can map a network drive.

 

[cclark440]

I used a mapped network drive.

 

[esingleton]

The drive I am trying to get to is a mapped drive.

I have logon scripts that map my network resources when a user signs on.

Alibre 9.1 is not seeing ANY of the 4 drives when using the "File>Open" dialogue. v9.0sp1 didn't have a problem with it. Everything worked fine until 9.1 was installed.

If I browse by drive letter I can get to 3 of the 4 but not the 1 I need.

I can browse to the drive I need by using "My Network Places" but it does not update in the folder tree on the left side of the window.

Navigating via "My Network Places" gets me to the location I need but even if it opens the file it will not let me save it.

None of these issues were here until v9.1 was installed. I have uninstalled and reinstalled AD twice now. Both times all security programs were turned off.

 

[dgstoll]

I'm using mapped network drives with no problem with 9.1.

I did have a problem with having "My Documents" on a network drive.
Under My Docs I had a directory named "Draw" where I had alibre work files. The drive was "H:". At home I had c:\\My Documents\\Draw and if I transfered files home the assemblies couldn't find the parts without doing replace command for each one.
I found that by creating a h:\\alibre files\\project path at work and c:\\alibre files\\projects at home I could easily transfer files between the \\project directory and alibre was not bothered by the different drive letters.
daveS

 

[indesign]

I placed a shortcut folder to the server folder on my desktop with no problems. I can clcik the folder in the Alibre and it opens and saves. I tried all the other methods with no issue. However I do not use a script but just the mapped drive letter.

I did find an issue using mapped drives that caused a slight problem but it is windows related. The mapped drive does not always come up in 'My Computer" as being connected until I open it from the My Computer window. (strange)

 

[esingleton]

Re:

I'm using mapped network drives with no problem with 9.1.

I did have a problem with having "My Documents" on a network drive.
Under My Docs I had a directory named "Draw" where I had alibre work files. The drive was "H:"

I was using the same setup I am now with v9.0 without any issues. The only thing I have changed is upgrading AD. My "My Documents" folder is located at "U:\\My Documents\\Alibre Files" The actual network location is "\\\\Server2k3\\Users\\username\\My Documents\\Alibre Files" which is on my SBS server at "C:\\Users Shared Folders\\username\\My Documents\\Alibre Files"

I could see this as being some sort of installation issue, but I do not know what I could do any differently. The first time I did a regular upgrade from 9.0 to 9.1 when prompted while logging on to AD. As soon as it upgraded I noticed the issue upon trying to open the first assembly. Thinking something was fudged during install I uninstalled everything AD related, downloaded the complete v9.1 installer, restarted the system, disabled my anti-virus, disabled Windows Defender, disabled Windows Firewall and ran the v9.1 installer. Same problem, repeated the above steps and also cleaned the registry of any "unused" entries, reinstalled, same thing.

I do not know what I can do differently on an install.

 

[esingleton]

I did some more checking around here. I logged on to another workstation that has AD installed and was upgraded to v9.1. I logged on under my same username so the mapped "My Documents" folder would still be located at "u:". I was able to browse using AD just like I should be able to. When I opened a couple of assemblies I received a few errors about missing parts but was able to replace them using the "replace" window. I then saved the assembly file and reopened it. Everything seems fine from that workstation. What can I check on the problem workstation as far as the installation goes? Like I said I have uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times with the same problems? The problem workstation is working fine with exception of file navigation through AD.

 

[esingleton]

I received a call from Alibre customer support. I downloaded and ran a program from them called forceuninstall which removes any and all traces of Alibre from a system. After doing that I reinstalled v9.1 and all seems well now. The tech said something about a hardcoded path that might have been left over from previous versions. Running the forceuninstall program completely wiped all paths.

Anyway, I am in good shape and can now work on learning motion.

 

[indesign]

Nice to see it is fixed but it looks like you had a problem maybe in the registry. I wonder if it is a simular issue with what has caused other problems with the upgrade.

 

[esingleton]

I suspected a registry problem from the start which is why before I posted here, or contacted support I uninstalled AD, cleaned the registry with CCleaner, and then manually removed anything from the system that made mention of Alibre. Obviously I missed something. what that something was, who knows.

Thank you for everyones help.

 

[esingleton]

I am about this -> <- close to giving up on Alibre design all together. Most of the time it works fine until I really need to get something done and it does something wonky. My network location problem is back and I have a model with a bunch of configurations I speant all day working on. I closed the assembly, reopened it to continue working and over half of the configurations have just disappeared.

Solidworks, even at the substantial cost increase is sounding very appealing right now.

 

[indesign]

The only time I saw something that screwy was when a backup was used to recover files on the server. They inadvertently replaced the models with a backup that was days older.

 

[flyboydave]

Forgetting for the moment your problem (that is hopefully fixed) with using parts and assemblies from the windows file system - you have GOT to try the repository. It has some features that are still lacking, like being able to search it, but it also has some huge benefits you just don't get with the file system. The biggest one is the version history. Every time you save an assembly, you can let it create new versions of the assembly and any part changes. Then if you screw something up, or want to undo some changes you made, you can roll back to those earlier versions.

You can also attach notes to parts, assys, etc.

You can insert ("deposit") non-alibre objects like word or excel docs into the repository. Once you do, changes made to them can also have a version history.

There are other very nice features with the repository that you just have to try out to understand their significance.

 

[esingleton]

Re:

The only time I saw something that screwy was when a backup was used to recover files on the server.

I do perform regular backups of my server however I have not had to "restore" anything regarding AD or my parts.

flyboydave,

I used to use the repository when I first started out with AD quite a few versions ago. I switched to WFS when there wasn't a good way to transport models between work and home using the repository system. Has that changed at all?

Back to my problem, I haven't fixed it yet. I am currently reformatting my computer and re-installing windows. I am doing this with the thought that something is/was wrong with my computer not AD. We will see.

 

[flyboydave]

Re:

flyboydave,

I used to use the repository when I first started out with AD quite a few versions ago. I switched to WFS when there wasn't a good way to transport models between work and home using the repository system. Has that changed at all?

Back to my problem, I haven't fixed it yet. I am currently reformatting my computer and re-installing windows. I am doing this with the thought that something is/was wrong with my computer not AD. We will see.

What I do for transferring files from home to work is just create a shapshot of the repository. I then copy it to a USB drive to take home, and then recreate that repository from the snapshot on my home computer. To keep them organized, when I create the shapshot I add the location and date to the snapshot when I create it. For instance, Office 10-31. Then when I shapshot the one from home to take back, it is named "Home 11-2", etc.

If the snapshots start to get too big, you can create repositories just for the project you want to work on and send that back and forth.

But for your current problem, I think it is a problem with your computer. Folder redirection should be transparent to the applications that use files from it. But I would also be surprised if reloading windows would help, if the My Documents works correctly in other cases. I know its not a problem with network drives per se, my associate at work has his entire Alibre repository on a network drive, and it works fine. Well, as long as the repositories don't disappear completely, hopefully that will be fixed soon.

Also, check your personal messages.

 

[esingleton]

Re:

I will have to try the snapshot approach if I switch to the repository system.

But for your current problem, I think it is a problem with your computer. Folder redirection should be transparent to the applications that use files from it. But I would also be surprised if reloading windows would help, if the My Documents works correctly in other cases. I know its not a problem with network drives per se, my associate at work has his entire Alibre repository on a network drive, and it works fine. Well, as long as the repositories don't disappear completely, hopefully that will be fixed soon.

That is what is so puzzling, EVERYTHING ELSE is using the same folder locations as they should with out issues. Only AD is throwing a fit. This is just the latest of issues I have had over the years with AD. Some I have been able to attribute to my computer/network, most have been known issues they are "working on."