Solid works graphics performance. 2

[sl99]

I am running Solid Works 2004, Service pack 0. Graphics Card is NVIDIA Quad 4 900 XGL.
I installed all recent drivers for the card.
I have the following problem: after I zoom OUT all my notes, dimensions, etc. became scattered all over the drawing or disappear. Some times Zoom fit does not work too.
After several zooms drawing looks normal again. Sometimes I have to quit SW and restart it again.
Does anybody know what should I do?

Thanks,

 

[ctopher]

How much RAM do you have?

 

[sl99]

1 MB RAM, 2Ghz Intel Xeon, Win 2000.
Computer is only few weeks old

 

[ctopher]

You should have 2 GIG and Win2000 Prof or WINXP Prof.
Also, search this forum. There are a lot of threads about cleaning out files, etc.

 

[SBaugh]

Try using the refresh Tool. It doesn't come on the Standard Toolbar by default. THe Icon looks like a Paint bucket dumping out the paint. Tyr using that to see if it cleans up your screen.

Go to Tools\Options\System Options\Performance and check mark "Use Software OpenGL" - Do what you were doing to see if the problem persists. - If the problem goes away then the problem is your Video card or a driver issue.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[DHALE1]

I think it is the service pack you are using. Try using the control Q (Hold control down and press "Q"), this is the force rebuild. This should clean up the Notes so you can print. You will probably notice when you save, the notes will tend to scatter or blurr again. For us, this seems to happen most often with notes in empty views. Hope that helps.

 

[SBaugh]

You don't have to have 2 gig of memory to run SW well. 1 gig is sufficent to run SW on. The only reason 2 Gig's would be needed is if your running Large assemblies or complex geometry.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[sl99]

Sorry about the typo I have 1GB of RAM. I tried refresh and sometimes it works and sometimes it does not.
Thanks for the help

 

[ctopher]

I agree w/ Scott. I use large assy's. Sl99...I hade similar problems until I installed 2 GB RAM. It fixed alot. You should download the latest SP (3.0). It may help. Also, I have no experience with the Xeon. I don't know how well it works with SolidWorks.

 

[sl99]

Unfortunately company did not buy service agreement, that's why I can not download service pack. My drawing is not an assembly, it is a quite simple part.

 

[ctopher]

Did you try what SBaugh recommended??

"Go to Tools\Options\System Options\Performance and check mark "Use Software OpenGL" - Do what you were doing to see if the problem persists. - If the problem goes away then the problem is your Video card or a driver issue."

Did it help you?

 

[SBaugh]

If are having a problem and a SP fixes the problem. You are intitled to the last SP for your Version that your using.

Did you try the Software OpenGL option I posted? If so, what was the outcome.

If not, why not?

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[DHALE1]

If sl99 is having the problem I think he is having the "use software opengl" will not help. It has to do with the service pack 0.0 and the notes(especially notes in empty views). If you are unable to upgrade. do the Control "Q" command I stated in the above post. Often when you save in sp 0.0 the notes will give the appearance of double notes or blurred notes. We are stuck on sp 0.0 and see this all the time. Control "Q" will fix it to print.

 

[SBaugh]

The Software OpenGL will rule out a Video card. If the OpenGL fixes the problem then it's a problem in the video card or the Driver. If it doens't fix the problem then I would look at for him to upgrade.

I have not seen a SP fix this sort of behavior. A Ctrl-Q should be used throughout the process of building a part, assembly or drawing anyways. If your stuck at 0.0 then how do you know that the SP will fix his problem? Do you have an SPR number you can post here on this type of behavior of double notes showing up when you save a file?

I have been using SW04 for awhile now and I have saved many drawings from SP0.0 and up. This issue has never shown itself to me. I'm not saying that's not happening to you. But if you ask me, that sounds more like a Video card or driver issue to me and not a SP fix. I might be wrong, that's why I ask if you have an SPR# for us?

What do you mean a ctrl-Q will fix it to print? Are you saying that if you do a print preview you see both notes?

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[sl99]

Guys,
Thank you for help. I received more help from you in a day then from our IT department in the last week.
Open GL option is not avaliable in the Performance window, it is greyed out.
I upgraded drivers to the latest revision few days ago, and will use rebuild option more often.
I used UG before, so do not have a habit of using rebuild at all. I was using it only after I had a problem. How often should I use Ctrl-Q and why?
I will try to get an upgrade from local SW rep anyway.

Again, thank you all for help.

 

[SBaugh]

Open GL option is not avaliable in the Performance window, it is greyed out.

You CAN'T have ANY files open when you try to use that option. So you need to open SW (NOT A FILE in SW, JUST SW) then follow my instructions above.

How often should I use Ctrl-Q and why?

A Ctrl-Q is just a deeper rebuild then the Rebuild icon in your Toolbars. The Icon only rebuilds the last feature.

Let's say your building a Complex surface model. As you build it and you only use the rebuild icon to rebuild your features. Sometimes I have seen it when you close and reopen the file that there are errors in the model that were not there earlier... Why? Because something failed in the process but didn't show itself. Why? Not sure about that one, but if the user would have done a Ctrl-Q. SW would have went to the top of the tree and rebuilt each sketch and feature all the way to the bottom. Then the error would have been seen and the user could have repaired it then.

Closing and opening the file right back and finding errors is not so bad. Try making a file and comeing back a few months later to find errors? Then try to repair it... not fun... Been there a few times myself.

Regards,



Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[DHALE1]

You need to make sure you have no files open when you go to set "use software opengl". If you have any files open it will be greyed out. If things don't update or rebuild like they should then use the Ctrl-Q. I use it occasionally throughout the day.

The spr is 190222

"Display of note text in this drawing document duplicates itself when drawing document is saved. It can only be corrected by CTRL-Q."

this is fixed in sp 1.0

 

[SBaugh]

Thanks for listing that SPR# for me DHALE1! I never seen that problem occur for me here.

If that's what your seeing sl99 then you need to upgrade. If you bought SW04 but no maintainence. You need to inform your Tech support that you are intitled to the latest SP because you have problem and there is an SPR#. You can give them this SPR# and they should send you the the latest SP or at least the SP that fixes the problem.

Do check your video card first, to rule that out. Using the "Use Software OpenGL" option.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.3dvisiontech.com

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376

 

[JNR]

Did you go into the graphics driver and select the predefined Solidworks configuration?

(Control Panel - Display - etc.....)

John Richards Sr. Mech. Engr.
Rockwell Collins Flight Dynamics

There's no place like 127.0.0.1

 

[sl99]

I used a predefined SW configuration, then "Use Software OpenGL" option. I do not have as much problems as before, but I am doing more modeling and assembly then detailing for now.
To tell the truth I expected much better software package. I used UG before, and many things there are much easier to work with. From what I understand I have to create my own slot, under-cut groove, etc features. Creation holes for a circular clamp using a hole wizard is odd at best. I will attend class next month, may be it will help.
Unability to create a section of a detail on the view, or multiple bend sections is another thing that I expected to be avaliable.
Support is difficult, corporate office in the other state bought 12 or so seats. They did not buy a support option. So local sales office does not want to support me. I can not really blame them. Corporate does not help much either. When I was able to talk to local sales they blamed computer, and of course our IT blamed the software.
Sometimes I want software and computer guys to buy a new appliance or car and then pay additional 30% to the vendor for making it work right. Just seeing them calling transmission plant, then engine plant, then tire vendor, then assembly plant makes me smile.

I received more help from all of you guys then from Solid Works and our IT department combined.
Thank you all!