Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler - Help please - OT: Display problems with CAD programs

Delta Virtual Airlines Water Cooler | PC Support | Help please - OT: Display problems with CAD programs

DVA1933
Senior Captain, B727-200

Joined on September 19 2004
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Monterrey, NL Mexico

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Posted onPost created on February 20 2010 20:33 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

I know we have a lot of smart people around here who know computers better than me, so I just thought I'd throw this question, because I can't come up with an answer.

I've been having problems with every single CAD program I use on this computer: AutoCAD 2010, PTC ProEngineer, SolidWorks and CATIA V5. I recently started taking courses at college on these programs.

Every time I put the mouse on a menu, or on any part of the piece, the screen goes wrong, as shown in the picture. It's almost impossible to work like this.

I used to run AutoCAD 2006 a few years ago, with NO problems on this very computer.

Specs:
Pentium 4 HT 3.0 Ghz
1 Gig DDR RAM
GeForce 8500GT 512MB
250GB SATA HD
Tweaked with NHANCER (could this affect?)

For example, when running SolidWorks, I will not even reach 700MB of RAM in use!

Does anyone know what could be going on?

Thanks in advance!

David Eugenio Gomez (DVA1933)

DVA043
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Posted onPost created on February 20 2010 20:59 ET by Luke Kolin

I see a new video card in your future. Do you have the same problems with FS?

Cheers!

Luke Kolin

Senior Captain, MD-11

Posted onPost created on February 20 2010 21:30 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

Nope, zero problems with FS, or any game whatsoever. That's the weird thing.

The card's about a year and a half old.

David Eugenio Gomez (DVA1933)

Posted onPost created on February 22 2010 09:11 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

BUMP

Anyone else?

David Eugenio Gomez (DVA1933)

DVA7209
Captain, B767-300

Joined on April 11 2009

Seattle, WA USA

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Posted onPost created on February 24 2010 09:42 ET by John Byre

Are you rendering in this program?

DVA7636
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Posted onPost created on February 24 2010 10:09 ET by Tracy Norris

David,

Since it seems to be specific to SolidWorks then my guess is that there is a setting somewhere in the program that's affecting the rendering. Especially since it only happens on the model display panel and not the menu, sidebars, etc (since that would indicate a hardware failure).

Does it happen with complex models only or all models? Since it happens across many programs (CAD, but not FS) then it seems to indicate that there is a mode being entered that the card is having trouble with. Check your video card settings at the desktop and back off the hardware acceleration, etc.

Turn on/off hardware video acceleration and BitBlt modes to see if that changes anything. I work with CNC machining programs and some of them can get pretty weird when it comes to video modes required (3 x NVidea 7600GS cards with two in SLI mode). Once I've identified the problem then I create an NVidia profile for just that program so the settings will revert back to "normal" once I exit it.

Tracy Norris

Senior Captain, L-1011-100

Posted onPost created on February 24 2010 11:36 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

Thanks both!

This happens with all the CAD programs: SolidWorks, ProEngineer, AutoCAD... and, sadly, I found that this computer can't even run CATIA! And it happens with a complex model, or with a 2D line, doesn't matter.

I don't render (yet...)

The 8500GT is being controlled by nHancer, so I'm guessing that could be the problem?

I'll try and play with the settings. The teacher at college even told me to remove the graphics card and try this with onboard video, to see if it solves the problem.

Will report the results... thanks!

David Eugenio Gomez (DVA1933)

Posted onPost created on February 24 2010 13:22 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

Problem solved!

Disabling Antlialiasing and Anisotropic filtering solved the problem via new profiles in nHancer for every CAD .exe

The pieces look full of jaggies, but at least it's a workable environment now.

I don't know why - it should work with full AA and AS. That's what the video cards are for. Unless these programs really punish the PC... maybe I need more RAM or a whole new CPU... who knows.

David Eugenio Gomez (DVA1933)

Posted onPost created on February 24 2010 13:26 ET by Tracy Norris

Glad to hear it worked! Make sure you have the latest versions of your drivers.

Also, now that you solved it, you may be able to go to the SolidWorks, etc forums and check with others to see if they had the same problem or if it's a known issue with certain cards.

Also, depending on how the rendering is performed (OpenGL, DirectDraw, etc) then maybe an update is in order if you haven't done that in awhile.

Good to hear you got it somewhat fixed David! Now slowly re-enable a minimal level of AA and AS and see if it comes back eek

Tracy Norris

Senior Captain, L-1011-100

Posted onPost created on February 24 2010 13:40 ET by David Eugenio Gomez

I did LOL - any use of AA or AS, or both, results in image tearing. I asked in other forums as well, nobody's seen that before. However, most people agree that 1 GB of RAM is too low these days.

My teacher at college says he had the same problem, but his problem was related to a faulty video card, nothing worked. On my end, only CAD programs don't work.

I didn't really touch the drivers, everytime I update them, I end up with more problems LOL.

CATIA V5 is still kinda faulty. But that thing seems like it takes a NASA computer to run well... amazingly complex program! Lookin' forward to start learning to use it!

David Eugenio Gomez (DVA1933)

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