Drawing preview is not visible within the Select File dialog box when using AutoCAD

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Applies to AutoCAD 2014, AutoCAD 2015, AutoCAD Architecture 2014, AutoCAD Architecture 2015, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015, AutoCAD Electrical 2014, AutoCAD Electrical 2015, AutoCAD LT 2014, AutoCAD LT 2015, AutoCAD MEP 2014, AutoCAD MEP 2015, AutoCAD Map 3D 2014, AutoCAD Map 3D 2015, AutoCAD Mechanical 2014, … Applies to AutoCAD 2014, AutoCAD 2015, AutoCAD Architecture 2014, AutoCAD Architecture 2015, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014, AutoCAD Civil 3D 2015, AutoCAD Electrical 2014, AutoCAD Electrical 2015, AutoCAD LT 2014, AutoCAD LT 2015, AutoCAD MEP 2014, AutoCAD MEP 2015, AutoCAD Map 3D 2014, AutoCAD Map 3D 2015, AutoCAD Mechanical 2014, AutoCAD Mechanical 2015, AutoCAD Plant 3D 2014, and AutoCAD Plant 3D 2015
 

Issue:

In the open dialog box, the drawing preview does not show up (see the image below).

User-added image

Causes:

Registry key for PreviewVisible set to 0.

Solution:

To resolve this, the registry key must be changed back to 1.  Each AutoCAD program has its own registry key.  The key format is as follows:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\Rxx.x\ACAD-xxxx:xxx\Profiles\<<xxx>>\Dialogs\Select File

In addition, most of the AutoCAD programs will have multiple profiles.  For instance, AutoCAD Mechanical comes default with both the “<<ACADMPP>>” and “<<Vanilla>>” profile.  This is so a user can decide to run AutoCAD Mechanical as Core AutoCAD (or Vanilla AutoCAD).  It is suggested that the registry keys for all program profiles be checked.  This can be done by (using AutoCAD Civil 3D 2014 as an example)

1.      Close Civil 3D 2014 and go to Start | Run
2.      Type regedit and press OK
3.      Select the following; HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D000:409\Profile\<<C3D_Imperial>>\Dialogs\Select File
4.      Double click “PreviewVisible” on the right side of the window to bring up the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value box
5.      If the Value is set to 0, change it to 1 and press OK and launch Civil 3D 2014 and you should be able to check the option for Initial View and that should display the preview of the drawing selected
6.      If the Value was set to 1, change it to 0 and press OK
7.      Launch Civil 3D 2014 and check the Open dialog window, the entire right pane should be gone
8.      Exit Civil 3D 2014 and repeat steps 1 to 5, and change the Value back to 1 and press OK
9.      Launch Civil 3D 2014 and see if the program now shows preview

For AutoCAD Mechanical 2014 English version, it should be:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D005:409\Profiles\<<ACADMPP>>\Dialogs\Select File
User-added image

See Also:

Other Registry Keys:

  • AutoCAD 2014: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D001:409\Profiles\<<Unnamed Profile>>\Dialogs\Select File
  • AutoCAD Architecture: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D004:409\Profiles\AutoCAD Architecture (Global)\Dialog\Select File
  • ​AutoCAD MEP 2014: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D006:409\Profiles\AutoCAD MEP (Global)\Dialog\Select File
  • AutoCAD Plant 3D 2014: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D017:409\Profiles\<<Unnamed Profile>>\Dialogs\Select File
  • AutoCAD P&ID 2014: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D016:409\Profiles\<<Unnamed Profile>>\Dialog\Select File
  • AutoCAD Electrical 2014: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD\R19.1\ACAD-D007:409\Profiles\<<ACADE>>\Dialog\Select File
  • AutoCAD LT 2014: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Autodesk\AutoCAD LT\R20\ACADLT-D001:409\Profiles\<<Unnamed Profile>>\Dialog\Select File