Expert: Paul Jordan - 8/17/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello,
I operate ACAD 2008. Just recently the open command icon, command line and save as command quick bringing up the pull down choice box and started requesting the full path of the drawing file in the subject line. I used to be able to pick a drawing file from the box and see a thumbnail prior to opening it. Now I have to pick through windows explorer to open my drawings. This may have started after I tried to insert a word file through a program called word to cad (wd2cd), but can't be positive.

ANSWER: It sounds like your word to cad program might have corrupted your file structure or at least the path to the drawing locations.  You might check in your Options tab and under Files, check to see if anything has been changed.

Why not just insert the word file into MText next time?  The MText command has greatly improved and has pretty much done away with any 3rd party programs that we used to use.

Give that a shot.  You might want to just run a repair on your Autocad to make sure everything is set up correctly.

Hope that helps,

Paul

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ran a repair and also a re-install which messed up all my third party menus. Had to reinstall everything all over again, but still did not fix the original problem of open command not going into a drop down choice menu but just a command line request. Hate using the explorer to open files mainly because I could at least view a thumbnail shot before opening the file. Bummed:(

Answer
Hey Bill,

Sorry to put you through this but, you might want to do what they call a clean uninstall.  Autodesk.com has instructions for doing that and it involves going into the registry but, it's painless.  

Do a google search on Autocad clean uninstall and it should take you to an autodesk.com article.

Sorry for the headaches.

Paul