ArchDesktop 2005 and laptop

[Robert Balicsak]

I am currently using AutoCAD Architectural Desktop R2005 through a network
configuration where all the support paths on on the network drive. I have a
laptop and need to work from home a few times during the week. When I last
borrowed a license it screwed up all my support settings when I brought
autocad up at home and then when I got back to office it was still screwed
up. How can I get around this? How can I borrow a license and it copy the
support information over and then when I return the license it returns the
support information???

Rob

[Doug Bowers]

Robert,

We have standalone licenses of ADT for our laptops, so this may not work for
you, but it is worth trying. I wouldn't think that it would matter whether
the license is standalone or a network license.

We have all of our common support files (content, menus, routines, etc.) on
the server and that information is referenced by all machines - laptop and
desktop. We use the Windows XP function of making folders and files
available offline. To do that, we log onto the network with our laptop then
open the Windows Explorer. Browse to the folder on the server that contains
all of that common information, right-click on the folder, and select "Make
Available Offline" from the pop-up menu. That makes a duplicate copy of
that folder on the local hard drive. We then have those folders synchronize
when the user logs off. That way, when the user logs off of the network,
Windows XP synchronizes the files on the server with the files on the local
drive. Then when a user takes the laptop home and logs onto the computer
away from the network, they "see" the network drive letter and support
folders that were synchronized.

It actually works well for us. It can take a few minutes to synchronize
files when logging off, but the payback is worth it. The user never has to
make sure that they have the correct files and whenever they are on the
network they are using the same support files as everyone else.

I hope that helps some.

--
Doug Bowers, AIA
CAD Operations Manager
Bloodgood Sharp Buster Architects and Planners, Inc.