AutoCAD 2007 Xref bug - I can't detach any Xrefs with [ ] in the filename.

[andy.89024]

I can't detach any xrefs with [ ] in the filename.
Not a big deal? not when all our files have this in the filename. I now have to save the file, close it, open up 2006, detach the xref, save it, close it, and re-open it in 2007. not ideal.

when will this be fixed or is there a work around four this?

[Ed Jobe]

Bugs should be reported directly to Autodesk.

[Wanderer]

those can be done here -> http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet...&siteID=123112

Bugs should be reported directly to Autodesk.

[cwade]

Don't waste your time reporting to AutoDesk, they already know and refuse to fix it at this point in time (I have reported this and similar issues with other characters in the filenames, such as $), use the command classicxref to detach it, classicimage also works for images.

It's a work around, but that's the best that can be done.

[DarrenYoung]

Don't waste your time reporting to AutoDesk, they already know and refuse to fix it at this point in time (I have reported this and similar issues with other characters in the filenames, such as $), use the command classicxref to detach it, classicimage also works for images.

It's a work around, but that's the best that can be done.

CLASSICXREF doesn't work either. In fact, if you understand how AutoCAD works under the hood, it's not really a bug as much as it's a feature that's not completely implemented to support other functionality within AutoCAD.

The issues is specifically with the characters. AutoCAD, under the hood, uses a wide variety of characters as extended wildcards. These wildcards manifest themselves in many locations throught the product althought you typically don't see it. Make a block with the 2 square brackets as the block name in even AutoCAD 2000 then try to use the rename command to rename them. It doesn't appear you can....

..or can you?

the square brackets are part of AutCAD's extended set of wildcards. Knowing this, you can detach, unload, bind, Xref's with square brackets in the name using the command line version of the Xref command.

If your Xref name is..

MYXREF[1234]

when prompted for the Xref name to detach, type...

MYXREF`[1234`]

using a reverse quote to escape the wildcard characters (which are the square brackets) so they are interpreted litterlay insdtead of as a wildcard.

The "functionality" of these wildcards is intended and important to AutoCAD which is why it's throuyghout the product. The reall issue is, features like the Xref Manager or the Xref dialog, aren't aware of or don't implement the wildcards within their design when they should.

It looks like a bug, but it's really poor design of the new features.

If you want to learn more about these etended wildcards, the only place they are documented in in the AutoLisp reference under the function WCMATCH. While documented in Lisp code, you can use this information, as I did above, many places within the core product even if you aren't an AutoLisp programmer.

While not the best solution for you, hopefully it helps.

[cwade]

Actually, ClassicXref does work with these characters (I have tested it several times myself), these characters should not be treated as extended wildcards, there would be no use for doing so as a [ or ] doesn't mean anything in wild card terms, only * and ? does. This is a bug, AutoDesk has admited it is a bug, and even has the source code for how to fix this bug, but didn't have time to impliment it into this release of AutoCad as they "can not delay the ship date" which is what this version needed desperately (I am hoping that the first Service Pack fixes a lot of these issues and comes out in the next week or two, but I am not holding my breath on that one). Trust me, AutoDesk knows about this and knows that it IS a bug.

[jimmy.bergmark]

Don't waste your time reporting to AutoDesk, they already know and refuse to fix it at this point in time.

I don't agree. The more people complains about this the better chance that it gets fixed.

[Mike.Perry]

I don't agree. The more people complains about this the better chance that it gets fixed.

I agree with Jimmy, make your voice heard - send those reports back to Autodesk... help build a better product.

[Wanderer]

you took the words right out of my... fingertips, Jimmy.

I always send in my CER's when I crash, and have submitted a couple of bug reports... it's important... squeaky wheel gets the grease and all that...

I don't agree. The more people complains about this the better chance that it gets fixed.

[Steve Johnson]

these characters should not be treated as extended wildcards

Agreed.

there would be no use for doing so as a [ or ] doesn't mean anything in wild card terms, only * and ? does.

Actually, the [ or ] could be part of a wildcard definition. Not that it should matter, because the names should not be being passed through the wildcard parser.

This is a bug

Agreed.