Error: "XATTACH - Invalid File" when trying to attach a drawing in AutoCAD

Autodesk Support

Aug 20, 2024

Products and versions covered

Issue:

When using the XATTACH command in AutoCAD and selecting to attach a DWG file, the following message is displayed:
 
XATTACH - Invalid File
This file cannot be opened.

XATTACH - Invalid File This file cannot be opened.

Additionally, in AutoCAD 2012 this message can appear before even selecting a drawing file to attach.
 

Causes:

  • Corrupted drawing file.
  • The drawing is in a new DWG file format.
  • The AutoCAD 2012 Performance Slowdown Hotfix has been installed.

Solution:

To resolve this issue, attempt one, or more of the following:

Drawing repair 

Try to repair the drawing files (see How to repair corrupt AutoCAD files and Error: "Drawing file is not valid" when opening a file in AutoCAD).

Save the file in a format supported by your version of AutoCAD

If opening a drawing file shows a message about it being created in a more recent version of AutoCAD, with a more recent version, resave the file to the format supported by your version of AutoCAD or use the latest version of DWG TrueView to convert it back (see Error: "The drawing file cannot be opened because it was created with a more recent version of AutoCAD" when opening a file in AutoCAD).

For AutoCAD 2012 with hotfix installed 

For AutoCAD-based 2012 vertical products that have the AutoCAD 2012 Performance Slowdown Hotfix installed, restore the acbol.dll and Acmgd.dll files to their original state. Rename the affected original files:

  1. In the product installation folder, right-click the acbol.bak file and rename it back to acbol.dll.

  2. In the product installation folder, right-click the Acmgd.bak file and rename it back to Acmgd.dll.

The files are located in the product installation folder (e.g., C:\Program Files\Autodesk\AutoCAD Architecture 2012).

Products:

AutoCAD for Mac; AutoCAD LT for Mac; AutoCAD Products;

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