Troubleshooting common problems in AutoCAD and DWG files

Errors in AutoCAD can be divided into two broad categories, the error related to the CAD file and error related to the Software itself. If the issues are related to corrupt CAD files then you can easily repair corrupt AutoCAD drawings using simple AutoCAD commands.

There are also some specific and known issues that can be easily solved by making small changes in your software. Here I have listed those issues along with their possible troubleshooting tip.

Can’t select more than one object

If you are not able to select more than one object in AutoCAD then change the value of PICKADD system variable to 1 or 2.

Some products fail to install

This issue is related to the installation of new software. At the end of AutoCAD installation, you may see this error message stating it failed to install some of the products. You can solve this issue using tips mentioned in Autodesk forums, check it here.

File tabs missing

You can use FILETAB command to bring back file tabs in the interface, you can also hide the file tabs using FILETABCLOSE command. You can also toggle the visibility of file tabs from Interface panel of View tab.

Mouse scroll wheel not panning

If clicking the mouse wheel is not activating the PAN tool instead it is activating the object snap menu then change the MBUTTONPAN system variable value to 1.

Cursor disappears in the drawing area

This one is another known issue where your cursor becomes hidden from drawing area but it will continue to work normally and remain visible in the ribbon. You can still make selections and make windows but the cursor will not be visible.

To solve this issue type 3DCONFIG on the command line and uncheck “High quality geometry” and also “Smooth line display” check box, leave all other settings unchanged and click OK to close Graphics Performance window.

Can’t explode blocks

If you try to explode blocks from your drawing and encounter this error “1 could not be exploded” then you need to allow exploding for the block using Block Definition window.

Type B and press enter, select the block which you are unable to explode from the list of blocks and click on Allow exploding check box and click OK to save the redefined block.

Can’t edit text with the double click

If you are not able to edit text or attributes with the double click then change the value of DBLCLKEDIT system variable to 1 also make sure PICKFIRST system variable is set to 1.

Copy and Trim command not working

This issue is mostly seen with COPY and TRIM commands but it can also happen with some other commands.

Generally, this due to some custom LISPS overriding system variables or default command aliases.

To solve this issue open a drawing in which everything seems to be working fine and go to Tools panel of express tools tab and click on System Variables icon. Alternatively, you can also use SYSVDLG command to open System Variables window.

Export the complete list of system variables by clicking save all button and import the saved system variable file (SVF) in affected drawing using Read button of System variables window.

Some text and symbol are missing from the print

In many cases, you may find that the printed or PDF output has some text or symbols missing. The issue generally happens if the plotter fails to capture custom fonts used for creating the symbols or text.

To solve this problem start the PLOT command then select your plotter and click on properties button to modify its properties. From the Properties panel select the custom properties option and check the radio button “capture custom fonts”.

For newer versions of AutoCAD, you can also click on PDF options button on Plot window to change custom properties of PDF plotters.

AutoCAD splash screen abruptly closes

This issue is related to AutoCAD license manager where you try to launch the software and it shows the splash screen for some time and then closes abruptly. In some of the cases, you may also see an error message “The security system (softlock license manager) is not functioning or is improperly installed”.

To resolve the issue you need to replace corrupt AutoCAD license file with a new one. In this case, reinstallation does not solve the issue.

Open task manager by pressing ctrl + Alt + delete for windows 8 and 10 users and select Services tab. Select FlexNet Licensing Service from the list then right click on it and select Stop from the contextual menu. For windows 7 users you need to stop FlexNet Licensing Service from Services shortcut of Administrative tools in Control panel.

After stopping the Licensing service go to C:\ProgramData\FLEXnet folder and delete all of its contents. Return back to the FlexNet Licensing Service option and right-click on it and select Start from the contextual menu.

Launch your AutoCAD software again and it will now prompt for License detail. Enter the product license details and you are good to go.

Restart your PC

This may sound trivial but restarting your PC can solve many common issues and this is probably the first thing that you should do before tweaking any software related settings.

Reset Software

In most of the cases restarting the PC solves many issues but if restart fails to solve your problem try Resetting AutoCAD, the reset button is in the Autodesk AutoCAD 20XX folder on start menu as shown in the image below.

If the reset option further prompts you to make a backup before creating rest then choose the option which you want and then hit the reset option. I prefer to reset it completely without any backup as the backup might contain the scripts or files causing the error.

If the issue is related to custom settings of your software profile then you can delete your current profile or migrate a profile from another PC to your current PC. Changing the profile can also remove your customizations, read the article below for more on profile migration.

Related: Migrate custom settings of AutoCAD using profiles

Hardware acceleration

If the issue is related to the graphics then update your graphics driver. Also, toggle on/off hardware acceleration option. You can access hardware acceleration option using 3DCONFIG command. This feature is only available if your video card supports OpenGL, a 2D and 3D graphics API.

Hard Reset

If none of these tips are working for you then you can try manual AutoCAD reset as well. By doing a manual reset you essentially return AutoCAD to an out of the box condition removing all of your customizations and possibly errors too. Check the related article mentioned below for instructions of doing hard rest in AutoCAD.

Related: How to manually reset AutoCAD to the default setting

I hope this article helped in solving issues with your AutoCAD software or drawing, If you still have issues then I would suggest you post it in Autodesk forums. You can also share your AutoCAD related issues in the comments below.