Starting up AutoCAD with a default folder for drawings - 2000 & up *Applies to: AutoCAD 2000, 2000i, 2002, 2004 and 2005*
With most applications there are some hidden secrets that are
rarely discovered. Autodesk is very open with some of their once
kept secrets in the AutoCAD documentation, but there are still some
yet unknown to some of us out there. This tip is about one of
the mysterious things that can be done with the AutoCAD shortcut icon
and a common term in Windows called command-line switch. There
are a lot of applications that use these switches besides AutoCAD to
trigger certain behavior on start up.
Step 1 -
Right-click the AutoCAD R2000 icon on the
Desktop. Then choose Properties.
Step
2 -
In the AutoCAD R2000 Properties dialog
box, select the Shortcut tab.
Step
3 -
On the Shortcut tab, edit the value for the switch in the
Start in box.
Step
4 -
When making changes to the Start in box,
C:\My Drawings. This is the default folder that will be used
when you save a drawing for the first time or want to open up a
drawing for edit. You will need to make sure that the folder
exists that you are trying to enter in the field.
Step
5 -
Click the OK button to apply changes and exit the dialog
box. Now run AutoCAD and you should see that the splash screen
has gone away.
Step
6 -
You will need to also change the system variable with in AutoCAD
called REMEMBERFOLDERS to a value of 0. This will cause AutoCAD
to behave like prior release of AutoCAD such as R14.
Command Line
Command: rememberfolders
Enter new value for REMEMBERFOLDERS <1>: 0
0 (OFF) -
Restores the behavior of AutoCAD
2000 to that of previous releases. When AutoCAD is started by
double-clicking on a desktop icon, the path that is stated in
the Start in is used as the default for all standard file
selection dialog boxes.
1 (ON) -
The last valid path that was
used by any standard file selection dialog box is remembered
across all and within the current AutoCAD session. The
Start in field is ignored when set.
