SDI mode

[alan.123099]

I am unable to use the 'close' command because my AutoCAD Mechanical 2009 is in "SDI" mode.

What is this mode?
Why is it in this mode?

This has happened since I installed SP3. I don't know if the 2 are connected.

How do I get out of SDI mode?

[irneb]

SDI stands for Single Document Interface. It's a variable which allows AC to work as it did previously (I think before R14) by only allowing one DWG to be opened at a time in any one session of AC. To change it to MDI (Multiple Document Interface) type SDI at the command prompt and change the value to 0.

[ccowgill]

Dont you just love when they remove a system variable from help and all documentation, but still allow it to be used. I'm pretty positive that SDI hasnt been in the help or product documentation since release 2007, but it is still accessible if you type it in. They even removed the check box from the options dialog I believe in release 2008.

[irneb]

It makes life "interesting" ... especially for new users!

Jokes aside, what would new users do without AUGI (and such)? Bet you the ADesk support wouldn't know what this is either

[pjohnson.137155]

you may have a macro (lisp) that is old and switching the sdi and erroring out and not switching it back - i have seen this before

Patrick Johnson
http:\\www.cadenhancement.com

[oliveoil182411]

I can't imagine many companies that use strictly AC software run into this error very often. However, when I started using AC almost a decade ago, I thought that SDI was the only mode. We had an attachment civil package that didn't give licensing for more than one session of AC per machine at a time. So, you just got used to opening several sessions of AC. However, I believe this practice was the cause of many of our machines crashing. I am currently working with a 3d plant software that works the same way.

[jaberwok]

SDI stands for Single Document Interface. It's a variable which allows AC to work as it did previously (I think before R14) by only allowing one DWG to be opened at a time in any one session of AC....

Also, and related to the question, in SDI mode Acad not only allows one file to be open, it insists on having one file open.