Topic: Land Desktop 3 opens in Autodesk Map, AEC commands don't work

[Big Al]

Hello all.  Sorry to be so behind the times here, but still using Land Desktop 3 at our office.  Cost of training, and software is just overwhelming and haven't migrated yet to Civil 3D etc.  So, am using Land Desktop 3 for our civil/survey work.

A few days ago, I received a DWG file from an engineering client that I attempted to open in LDD3, and it rejected the attempt because the DWG file I had received was of a newer version than my software would support.  My workaround for this in the past, when it occasionally occurs, is to use the DWG convert program provided by Autodesk as part of the DWG TrueView software.  In the past, that has worked for me.  However, when I attempted to load this DWG file into TrueView 2009, it also failed, again because the creating software was newer than 2009.  So, I decided to download and install the 2012 version of DWG TrueView, which in turn required that I install the .NET framework 4.0, amongst other requirements (up to date virus protection - using Microsoft Security Essentials).

So, I got the 2012 version of True View installed on my machine, and I was able to open the DWG file, and was also able to convert it to AutoCAD 2000 version.  Yeah!

Here's the rub:  After all this, now when I open LDD3, it starts as in the past by opening AutoCAD 2002, but then it switches to Autodesk Map, and the Autodesk Map Today window opens up, and I get the following on the command line:

AutoCAD menu utilities loaded.  No entry for AEC Modeler was found.  error: ARXLOAD failed.

And, when I open one of my projects that worked fine yesterday, I no longer can perform any of the AEC functions.

If I click on Projects>Menu Palettes, where I would ordinarily switch between Survey and Civil modules, I get the following error: "Unknown command: AECMENUPALMGR", and nothing happens.

Would one of you kind folks happen to know how to deal with this issue?  The only thing I can think of is to uninstall LDD3 and then re-install, but maybe there's an easier solution?

Any advice would be much appreciated.  Thank you!

[Jeff_M]

A few ideas....

Make sure the shortcut you are using still looks something like this:
"C:\Program Files\Land Desktop 3\acad.exe" /p "C:\Program Files\Land Desktop 3\lddt.arg"

Verify the profile "Land Desktop" still has correct paths in the Acad section of the Registry(HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R15.0\ACAD-138:409\Profiles\Land Desktop\General\Acad):
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\;C:\Program Files\Land Desktop 3\Support;C:\Program Files\Land Desktop 3\Fonts;C:\Program Files\Land Desktop 3\Help;;C:\Program Files\Common Files\Autodesk Shared\GIS\ImportExport\1.0;

Last resort, use the SystemRestore and set your configuration back to how it was before the TrueView install.

Good Luck!

[Jeff_M]

Oh, and how are you starting LDT3? It sounds like you are using the shortcut, but just verifying that is the case.

[Big Al]

Jeff, Thanks for your suggestions. I open LDT3 by a single left click on I believe what is called a "quick launch" icon at the bottom of my screen. I'll check the properties of this shortcut.

[Jeff_M]

One other thing to try is a repair install (I think LDT3 had that option).

[Big Al]

I'll check that out too. Thanks!  I'm guessing that the installation of 2012 TrueView has caused this problem. When it was installing I noticed that part of the installation process involved the registry values. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the LDT3 registry values had been altered as a result.

[mjfarrell]

The LDT profile has become corrupted.
You should have a saved copy of a known good profile (ARG) file to import and set current, then all will be well.
I've had this happen a few times myself.

As to the 'cost' of civil 3D training; your company can save a lot of money by hiring myself to perform your training, NOT the local dealer/ATC.

[Big Al]

If the LDT profile has become corrupted, wouldn't that imply that a change to the file had occurred?  And, if that is true, wouldn't the date and time of the change to the profile file be recent?  To be specific, I believe I have located the profile file that you refer to at:

C:\Program Files\Land Desktop 3\lddt.arg

In an explorer window, the date that file was last modified was 7/20/2010 4:48 PM.  I suspect that date corresponds to the last time I installed LDT on my workstation.

[mjfarrell]

If the LDT profile has become corrupted, wouldn't that imply that a change to the file had occurred?  And, if that is true, wouldn't the date and time of the change to the profile file be recent?  To be specific, I believe I have located the profile file that you refer to at:

C:\Program Files\Land Desktop 3\lddt.arg

In an explorer window, the date that file was last modified was 7/20/2010 4:48 PM.  I suspect that date corresponds to the last time I installed LDT on my workstation.

one might draw that conclusion..however it isn't alwas the case....
a repair install should set you right again...IF you do not a a copy of a known good profile to load and set current

[Big Al]

By the way, I checked the path for the shortcut and the values of the Land Desktop profile in the Registry, per Jeff M's post of June 22, 2011, 08:15:23 pm.  Everything on my machine is exactly as his post suggests.

[Big Al]

I'll try the repair install.  Thanks!

[Jeff_M]

Note that the ARG file is ONLY used when the saved profile is not found (the profile is saved in the registry). So the file date just means that's the last time it was exported. You might try renaming the ARG file, and changing the shortcut to point to the renamed file.

[Big Al]

Jeff, The paths listed in the Registry appear to be valid, however the Registry does not point to specific files.  So, how would I know whether or not it found the saved profile?  What is the saved profile, if not lddt.arg?

[Big Al]

I tried to do a repair installation.  The instructions I found from Autodesk's website for this operation indicate that I must use the Add/Remove Programs feature of my Windows XP SP3 operating system.  Land Desktop is not even on the list of programs in the Add/Remove Programs window.  Although, there are two line items within that list that take up a huge amount of space within the list, but which appear to have no contents.

I'm thinking about uninstalling Land Desktop, and then re-installing from scratch.

[mjfarrell]

sounds like you may need to do a 'clean' install
by first removing all instances of Land Desktop from the registry and deleting the Landdesktop program folder from your hard drive as well...a process that really bites....

Before you attempt any Installation