Dialog box does not display when using commands like - Open / SaveAs

[Glenn Pope]

Chances are the system variable FILEDIA is turned off.

From AutoCAD help:

Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 1

Suppresses display of file navigation dialog boxes and the Create New Drawing dialog boxes.

0 Does not display dialog boxes. You can still request a file dialog box to appear by entering a tilde (~) in response to the command's prompt. The same is true for AutoLISP and ADS functions.

1 Displays dialog boxes. However, if a script or AutoLISP/ObjectARX program is active, AutoCAD displays an ordinary prompt.

To turn FILEDIA back on:
At the command prompt type FILEDIA. Then type 1.

Command:
FILEDIA
Enter new value for FILEDIA <0>: 1

The following is from this post made by Opie that can help keep FILEDIA set to 1. (Thanks to Tim Creary for the idea for adding this to this FAQ)

Placing the following code into your ACADDOC.LSP file will help reduce this problem. It can still happen during the current drawing, but opening another drawing or starting a new drawing should return the FILEDIA system variable back to the expected setting.

(if (zerop (getvar "FILEDIA")) (setvar "FILEDIA" 1))

An other method for dealing with this issue / problem...

Missing Dialog Boxes got you down? via Beside the Cursor


Links:
Autodesk Knowledge Base:

ID: TS37941 - Options display on the command line when starting a new drawing

ID: TS44816 - Save or Save As dialog box is not displayed

ID: TS65989 - Commands only work from the command line (no dialog boxes are displayed)


AUGI forums:

Open new drawing

Open Dialog Box not displayed

Open File Dialog Box

Can't open drawings

NEW and OPEN dialog box won't display

Lost "Last file opened path"

can't open file from pull down menu

Strange behavior on File Open and File Save

File menu not behaving

can't use open drawing function

Lost File/Open File/Save Dialog Box on Autocad 2000i

enter name of drawing to open <.>:

Select File AWOL

SaveAs dialog box

dialog boxes missing

SaveAs appears on the command line

Open file Dialogue Box does not open

Missing Open dialog box

Open command does not bring up dialog box

SaveAs does not display a dialog box

Open dialog box missing in action!

Drawings open from command line not dialog box

SaveAs command does not display a dialog box

Window not appearing for Opening and Saving commands

Dialog boxes not showing up

Open does not display a dialog box, instead prompts at the command line

Unable to Open DWG files from the Dialog Box

Open dialog box no longer displays

Command dialog boxes no longer open

Bring back New and SaveAs dialog boxes