Getting an error saving an Autocad file, tmp files created?

Hi Joe,

It seems that those files are automatically generated by another application, not Dropbox. If that's the case, I would recommend you to contact directly with the support organization of that application to ask for further instructions about how to prevent those files from being created or how to make the application to store them in a different location.

I hope this helps!

I don't think you understand. The *.tmp files are created and saved to my Dropbox folder because Autocad was 'unable' to save the original file, which is on Dropbox, in the first place. A .tmp file is created and stored to Dropbox when this happens. Usually, but not always, after the second save attempt, the file saves to Dropbox. I stress, not always because sometimes, I have to try to save 3 or 4 times before it actually saves the original file. In the mean time, after each failed attempt, a .tmp file is created and stored in my Dropbox Folder. Autocad doesn't have this problem saving my files anywhere else. Take for example, if I work on a file that is stored on my Hard Drive or on our Company Network, Autocad never, I repeat, never has a problem saving the file, never gives me an 'unable to save' error message, and never creates a .tmp file because it was unable to save the original. On the other hand, working on a file or files that are stored in my Dropbox Folder, numerous times throughout the day, after trying to save the file or files, I get this error message. And since Autocad couldn't save the file to my Dropbox Folder, a .tmp file is created and stored to Dropbox. So why would you consider this an AutoDesk (the maker of Autocad) problem? Isn't Dropbox supposed to be an extension or similar to an external hard drive? In the mean time, my Dropbox Folder is filling up with these .tmp files which I have to manually delete at the end of the day. The only solution I have to remedy this situation is to work on the file locally, then save it to my Dropbox Folder at the end of the day. But that doesn't do much good when I make numerous changes to the drawing throughout the day, yet the other 6 trades I'm collaborating with don't see those changes till the end of the day. I guess it's the best I can ask for until a real solution to this problem can be discovered. But I doubt Autodesk will have the answer. This, I can almost certainly say, is a Dropbox problem. Here's another example, from software that is not created by Autodesk. Cadpipe is software that I use to draw 3D Piping Systems for large buildings. Cadpipe uses a Database that it loads at startup for it's pipe dimensions, fitting dimensions, what type of material the pipe is made of, such as copper, cast iron, pvc, etc. This Database is critical for Cadpipe to properly work. The Database File I point Cadpipe to load through it's .ini file is stored on Dropbox. Cadpipe can never load this critical database file directly from Dropbox. It gives me an error also. Yet I'm looking at the file right now. It's there. The only way I can get Cadpipe to load this database file is to copy it from my Dropbox Job Folder over to a folder on my local Hard Drive or my Company Network Job Folder and load it from there. The Problem with this is, when I work at home, I don't have access to my Company Network, forcing me to save the file locally at home also just so Cadpipe can properly work. Are you going to blame this one on Cadpipe? As with a lot of software companies I've dealt with over the years, when I point out a bug or flaw, it never seems to be their problem, it's always the other guys problem so it never gets looked into, therefore, never fixed. We shall see if I have these same problems if I were to start using Box.Com or Wuala.com, or Google Drive, Sky Drive, or Team Drive or any of the numerous other alternatives that are out there.

I am having the same problem with Office applications. As of 7 days ago, all save operations from Word or Excel to a dropbox folder on my harddrive fail. Office does not create tmp files in this case - it just prompts you to save somewhere else. Something is locking the file in the folder, preventing the application from saving. It could be dropbox, it could be windows search, not sure. Google has not turned up any ideas.

This is happening for both my corporate and personal dropbox folders. I'm running windows 8.

Strangely, I CAN save wordpad or notepad documents to the same folder. This only is affecting Office documents.

I thought that perhaps dropbox is putting a lock on the file, so I did a file/Save As from word to a different filename in the same folder - it still fails. It creates a 0 byte file, then prompts me to save somewhere else.

Same problem with AutoCAD. Using Dropbox to backup all my work files more for two years and several days ago this problem appeared. When I turn off Dropbox sync everything is fine. I didn't change anything on my computer, it just started by itself.

I've started having this issue in the last month or so while working in Photoshop. I've used the same process for nearly three years, which is to open a PSD file from a Dropbox folder and do a "Save As" and a "Save" (first to save as a TGA file, then to save the PSD) as I work on it. I do this every few minutes or so. This process has worked fine with no errors for years, but I'm now getting a message (randomly, but very often) that Photoshop is unable to save the file. When this happens the original file that I'm saving over is deleted from the folder. If I pause Dropbox syncing this does not happen and I'm able to work on the files like I always have.

I am having the same exact problem and it just started happening a couple of weeks ago. I also use Autodesk's Autocad and am also having issues saving. I also agree that it is something with dropbox cause when I save a file to my desktop I no longer have any save problems. Likewise I had my other employees do the same thing with the same result. Is there a solution to this problem yet? Can someone direct me to a way to fix this? I really have enjoyed using dropbox and it has worked great for me with no issues until this. Thanks for the help! One other interesting note is that when you turn off dropbox syncing and then hit save it works fine. Though I would rather keep it always syncing therefore I would like to get this resolved.

Dustin, Pausing the Sync is the only work around I've found. After reading some of the other responses, some of the people who had been using Dropbox for years just started experiencing this same problem. I wish Dropbox would come up with a fix because I've forgotten to Resume Syncing at the end of the day a few times, making the file unusable from my Home Computer.

I also just started having this issue with saving my AutoCAD Files on Dropbox.  I have been doing it for several months with no issues - but just recently The warning message in AutoCAD Shows up saying the file cannot be saved (directly to where the file is located on Dropbox).  What is strange is that I can click "OK" on this error message and then try to save it again, which will likely produce the error again - but if I keep hitting okay and then trying to save again - eventually It will save....So I just don't understand the consistancy issues.  It certainly does seem like Dropbox as I do not have these issues with saving on my desktop or any other drive for that matter.  Here is a link to a webpage I found on AutoDesk's website - but I honestly do not understand the whole Indexing by Windows - but it seems like that could be a solution - or even "disabling the TCP Offload setting in your network adapter".  Please post if you have any luck with anything....So Annoying!

http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Error-One-or-more-objects-in-this-drawing-cannot-be-saved-to-the-specified-format.html

I have also just started having the same issue with saving AutoCAD files in Dropbox, which I have been using for a number of years without any issues, and it is definitely something to do with Dropbox because if I put my work in a folder away from Dropbox AutoCAD works just fine. Clearly this is something that Dropbox need to address and it appears to me to have only started in the last few weeks.

Same problem here as everyone else.  "One or more objects in this drawing cannot be saved..."  It doesn't happen every time that I click save.  The only thing that is consistent is that when I pause syncing AutoCAD saves just fine.  I don't want to do that every time I save or save as.  This problem has started within the last week or so.  Until now Dropbox has served as a backup for several years without any issues at all.