AutoCAD Civil 3D

[#1]

I am using a six month old PC with Windows 7, 8 GB RAM, 3.2 GHz. quad core AMD Phenom II processor &  2011 Civil 3D 64 bit.

We have 10 workstations, one desktop with a shared drive as a server all tied togeter with a 16 port Gbit switch.  We use two Civil 3D and two AutoCAD licenses.  All are up to date with current Autodesk updates.  I am using one of the Civil 3D workstations.

When I choose the hatch cmd. (icon), it usually takes about 50 seconds for the cmd line dialogue to show up.  This happens in model space both in the model tab or in a layout tab.  Paper space hatching doesn't seem to be a problem.

In the drawing I'm working on now, the program freezes often.  Such as when I try to change to a different tab, or sometimes when I pan or zoom.  I can usually do a few commands but I spend more time waiting on the computer than work.  It is about 15 MBs.

It was started with AutoCAD 2008 with some Eaglepoint processes thrown in.  It now has some Civil 3D items in it.  Other drawings are not as bad as this one with the exception of the hatch cmd.  That seems to be universal.  Any ideas?

[#2]

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BillElam5439 wrote:

When I choose the hatch cmd. (icon), it usually takes about 50 seconds for the cmd line dialogue to show up. 

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What do you mean by the "cmd line dialogue"?

What is HPDLGMODE set to?

Do you get the same delay in a new, empty drawing?

[#3]

HPDLGMODE is set to 2.  When I use the hatch cmd., the cmd. line gives me two options: .Select and seTtings.  Settings brings up the traditional dialogue box and select allows me to select my hatch boundary or an internal area.

 I was told that to bring up the standard dialogue box when first hatching, I would have to change my workspace to "Classic" and then change back when I was through hatching.  Not a desirable choice.

No.  I hatched a simple area with the default template and with our own base dwg. and the dialogue is instantaneous.  I haven't figured what is causing the delay in our current dwgs-some simple, others more complex.  i have concidered that it may come from Civil 3D sharing a dwg that has Eaglepoint artifacts. ( We recently switched to Civil 3D.)

[#4]

I did find some issues today since I finally had a break in the panic mode here.  Someone had copied the dwg from our "base" dwg that has all the civil info in it.  I had over 217,000 tin objects plus a bunch of other items that didn't belong.  The hatch is still slow but at least I can change layout tabs without the freeze.  I got the dwg down to <7Mb from 25Mb.

[#5]

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BillElam5439 wrote:

HPDLGMODE is set to 2.  When I use the hatch cmd., the cmd. line gives me two options: .Select and seTtings.  Settings brings up the traditional dialogue box and select allows me to select my hatch boundary or an internal area.

 I was told that to bring up the standard dialogue box when first hatching, I would have to change my workspace to "Classic" and then change back when I was through hatching.  Not a desirable choice.

No.  I hatched a simple area with the default template and with our own base dwg. and the dialogue is instantaneous.  I haven't figured what is causing the delay in our current dwgs-some simple, others more complex.  i have concidered that it may come from Civil 3D sharing a dwg that has Eaglepoint artifacts. ( We recently switched to Civil 3D.)

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No, you do not have to switch your workspace to "Classic". Just set HPDLGMODE to the desired setting (explore it in HELP).

I would set it so that you get the old style dialog, not the command line prompts and the contextual ribbon tab. Even in a moderately size drawing, the latter method is very slow as you have seen. In a decent sized C3D drawing, it will appear that you have locked up for a while. Not worth whatever gain there might be in the "new method"

[#6]

Like the new hatch on the ribbon,

However...  I want the Hatch command to stop trying to decide what to pick.  Thats whats slowing me way down.  If I could just hit select, I woud be fine, but where ever my mouse is when I type hatch it trys to hatch but it tries to think about it forever first.  I try to get my mouse in an open area before it type hatch, but its just dumb that I need to do that.

[#7]

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brad_in_omaha wrote:

I want the Hatch command to stop trying to decide what to pick.  Thats whats slowing me way down.

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So turn off the HPQUICKPREVIEW sysvar.....

[#8]

Perfect!  Thanks! 

Autodesk, Off should be the default setting!

[#9]

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Jeff_M wrote:

So turn off the HPQUICKPREVIEW sysvar.....

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I'd like to be a fly on the wall at the "ADESK Hatch enhancement group"..... I imagine the conversation went like this... "Hey Todd why dont we make the default setting for Hatching automatically try to flood a drawing where ever the crosshairs may be.....? Brilliant Joshua... absolutely brilliant!... "let us be sure to call the Palette department, they have plenty of resources"....

"... and dont forget to add extra file preview tiles on the layout tabs, and previous file list - that'll speed things up. "  - Oh! about the previous file list make sure Terrance over at "File pull downs" gumbs it up with dst files." Afterall, its all about performance, right?

[#10]

Ha!

And lets add the necessity for core autocad to calclate the area of every polyline selected before it moves on to anything else.  That'll be awesome if someone's trying to look at a contour dwg created with a GIS app.