Autocad 2015 Multicore Processor Performance Poor

[aabufl]

I previously posted that that I am expereince very slow laggy perfomrance when working with a design that have almost 200k objects. Read more about it here: http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-2013-2014-2015/large-file-size-amp-slow-performance-with-array...

My question is how do I get Auotcad 2015 to utilize all 8 cores of my processor to improve performance? I am doing a very simple task right now in Autocad, however, its taking a long time to complete. I look at my processor utliziation, and see that Autocad is only using 20% of my CPU, and all the 8 cores are not being utlized. The task that I am doing is "Exploding" an array of Blocks. The block is a polygon which is a circle defined by 50 sides. I have over an array of blocks, summing up to almost 80k, and Autocad is exploding them one by one, thus taking a very very long time.

What can I do so that Autocad can parallelize the task so it has maximum perfomrance?

[pendean]

AutoCAD doesn't work like that, so you can't force it.

What are your system specs/details? And are you still trying to draw only in DXF format?

[DarrenP]

you can open up multiple autocad sessions

[dgorsman]

... which won't work on a single file.

[fredrik]

I think there are some limits in AutoCAD. There is a reason that the property pane only handles a bout 30k items.
Try to cut down the amount of items.
Patterns = Hatch
Polygons = Polylines
and so on...
You can split the file. And AutoCAD uses one thread, mostly, so having one CPU with high Hz is better than 8 with low Hz in AuotCAD point of view.

[aabufl]

I am using a 3.4Ghz processor...

I am usisng DWG file format. I even tried DXF. Both of them are slow.

This just doesn't make sense. WHy won't AutoCAD utilize parallel processing ability of the processor... It's nonsense.

I have also tried setting the system varible WHIPTHREAD to 3. Even with this, it is slow.

I am not a LISP programmer, but is it possible to rewrite the Burst.lsp program to a custom program with utilizes all the processors?

[dgorsman]

Not nonsense - it *does* make sense when you dig down into how things are done.  Regardless of what we wish the program will do, it does what it does and we have to adjust to work within it.

I will maintain that the problem is not one of AutoCAD, but of data management.

[braudpat]

Hello from France

ACAD 20xx is not at all multi-threads / multi-cores !

Today to get the best results with ACAD 20xx (64 bits with 16/24/32 Gb Ram) on large DWGs is to use special PC (very well designed in term of cooling) based on the new Intel Core i7 4790K (Basic speed = 4.0 Ghz + Turbo +400 Mhz) ! Cost of the 4790K = around 300-350 $ ...

And with a good ventirad (Noctua high end for example - You don't need liquid water cooling),

you can easily overclock (without any problem) the Core i7 4790K to a basic speed = 4.5-4.6 Ghz + Turbo +400 Mhz ... It's very reliable ...

This kind of PC will be faster for ACAD 20xx (and cheaper) than ANY Intel Xeon based workstation !!!

And the must (for ACAD 201X) in term of graphic card is the NVidia GTX 780 TI (3 Gb Ram) ...

It's faster than ANY NVidia Quadro ...

[aabufl · Accepted solution]

I resolved the slow process of exploding over 200k objects. The way I did it was:

1) Select all the objects

2) Type EXPLODE to inititaite the explode command

3) A window pops up asking to ignore/disregard the Draworder

Before the way I was exploding was using the Explode Attributes button located under the Express Tools tab. When I did this, I never go the option/dialog asking me to disregard the Draworder.

[kylei7449]

Unless something has changed, AutoCAD products don't support multi-threading hence you only get a single core utilized. (I could be wrong, but last checked multiple processors isn't support in the software)

Can someone confirm this 'cuz if it's changed I'd like to know.(rendering is my biggest issue with CAD)

[Mike.Lapinski.SG]

Here's the latest info as of 11/1/2014. http://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Support...

[Gabriel.N]

---

@braudpat wrote:

Hello from France

ACAD 20xx is not at all multi-threads / multi-cores !

Today to get the best results with ACAD 20xx (64 bits with 16/24/32 Gb Ram) on large DWGs is to use special PC (very well designed in term of cooling) based on the new Intel Core i7 4790K (Basic speed = 4.0 Ghz + Turbo +400 Mhz) ! Cost of the 4790K = around 300-350 $ ...

And with a good ventirad (Noctua high end for example - You don't need liquid water cooling),

you can easily overclock (without any problem) the Core i7 4790K to a basic speed = 4.5-4.6 Ghz + Turbo +400 Mhz ... It's very reliable ...

This kind of PC will be faster for ACAD 20xx (and cheaper) than ANY Intel Xeon based workstation !!!

And the must (for ACAD 201X) in term of graphic card is the NVidia GTX 780 TI (3 Gb Ram) ...

It's faster than ANY NVidia Quadro ...

---

BEST HARDWARE SOLUTION FOR AUTOCAD!

WELL SAID!

[Erik.Morgan]

Although i understand everyone has their own opinions about Cad stations and what not, and it generally changes throughout the years as more tech is evolved, at this current moment, a faster lower-core CPU is going to be your best bet for AutoCad programs. In the last 10 CADstations i have built, i have used the i7-4790k Intel CPU because of its great performance and its high speed in MHz. the only thing i DO NOT agree with from the above statement, is the GPU. Their are gaming cards, and their are Workstation cards. VERY BIG DIFFERENCE!!! Mostly the price, but never buy a Gaming card for a workstation. The drivers are never set up the same, and your cad program may not have the drivers for that card. the GTX series is really for gaming. If your going to build a Cadstation, you need a good workstation card. I have used most of the Nvidia lineup, but for 3D Modeling, even with add-ons like CADWORX, i suggest the Quadra M4000 or higher. This will really take the build of rendering and modeling and you will never have lag or graphical tearing issues.

[braudpat]

Hello from France

SORRY but I am speaking about Autodesk Software not about CATIA, Creo, PTC, etc ...

I had the pleasure to test in November a special PC :

- 4790K overclocked at about 15% : basic speed 4.6 Ghz + Turbo-Mode at 5.0 Ghz

- 32 Gb DDR3 1866 Mhz

- NVidia GTX 980 (10% overclocked) 4 Gb Ram

- Very fast SSD + fast SATA 7200 rnd/mn

This kind of PC will outperform ANY workstation (with a very good performance/price ratio) !

And BETTER, you can switch to the NVidia GTX 980 TI 6 Gb Ram (about 20% faster than the GTX 980) - But for me, the price is too high !

An NVidia Quadro Series 4000 (more expensive) is slower slower compared to a GTX 980 !

NOTE: The new Skylake 6700K is not faster than the old 4790K !!

because its Turbo-Mode is limited to 4.2 Ghz and if you overclock it, it seems less easy to get same results ...

And if I remind well, the 6700K can't engage Turbo-Mode simultaneously to its 4 cores !?

I have tested with ACAD, ACAD MAP, ACAD CIVIL, REVIT, InfraWorks ...

With InfraWorks, the GTX 980 is a MUST !

NOTE: I am Workstation Engineer certified ...

Happy New Year and the most important : THE HEALTH !

Regards, Patrice (I am not an Autodesk advisor)

[DGRL]

AutoCAD DOES NOT SUPPORT Multi-threading and will never do such

Please do not use AutoCAD to render your dwg's
Consider 3DS Max or Navisworks

( EDIT )
what do i say?? #DS Max heheheh sorry i mean SHOWCASE sorry bout that

If you have any question please let me know
If this was of any help please kudo and/or mark as solved

[DGRL]

Braudpat,

I can tell you that a gaming card and this configuration will be SLOWER then my Pentium 4
Simply coz a GAMING card is not and will never be supported by Autodesk
For most Autodesk product its all about CONFIGURATION and not SPECS
You can take the fastest pc in this world with 256 GB RAM and an 64GB TESLA GAMING card and still have slow performance
this is solely due to the fact that the specs and drivers are not compatible with this configuration and Autodesk product will fail or generate FATAL errors coz of this

This is what I know out of my own experience
I work for over 12 year with Autodesk products and I saw a lot of pc's with way better specs then mine but who failed to even draw a sinlge 3D solid.

Hope I informed you enough
Kind Regards

[braudpat]

Hello

SORRY I don't agree with you !

SORRY but I know (in France) a lot of people using high end Core i7 (overclocked or NOT) like the Core i7 4790K (or before the reference was the Core i7 3770K with 16/24/32 Gb Ram and a GAMER Graphic Card like : NVidia GTX 780 / 780 Ti / 970 / 980 / 980 TI / etc ...

They are using this Config every day to design very complex 3D models with ACAD 201X, REVIT, Inventor, etc and even with Solid Works !

And they are VERY HAPPY with the performance/price RATIO of this kind of GAMER PC !

<French Humour ON>

Maybe the froggies are very lucky with these PCs !?

<French Humour OFF>

I have already used these PCs, and it was a pleasure !

"Unfortunately" I use high End (and VERY EXPENSIVE) Dell or HP Workstations daily !!

NOTE: I am almost 59 years old and I began tu use ACAD with Release 1.4 at the end of 1984 ...

I am Alpha/Beta tester on ACAD and I estimate that I am too a hardware specialist ...

Of course I know that AutoCAD 20XX is not using Multi-Cores

but other softwares like: REVIT, Inventor, Navisworks, etc are using Multi-Cores BETTER than ACAD !

ReCap is using really Multi-Cores ONLY when indexing the XYZ files ...

And 3DSMax, Maya, InfraWorks, etc are using WELL the Multi-Cores !!

Regards, Patrice (I am not an Autodesk Advisor)

[DGRL]

Hi Braudpat,

Thanks for your open reaction on what i wrote.

I would love to get into a (private)  chat with you about this subject if you like ( to exchange knowledge ect. )

The experience i have with DELL pc's here is that when using off spec hardware that will not use Autodesk certified drivers for the specific graphic card will not preform on the full 100%

Ok maybe i over reacted by saying that high end pc's cant draw a single 3D solid and i am sorry for saying such but in the end if you use a grahpic card and dont instal drivers from this page -->  http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/syscert?id=18844534&siteID=123112 ( and fill in specs ) <-- you simply have a system that will not preform as good as it would.

If you change the gaming card into one that has specific drivers MADE and supported by Autodesk you will gain preformance

For example with Recap. this program is so sensitive if it comes to settings and ram use that it sometimes looks like you need more then 12GB ram
But thats not the case

Change some ( system) settings and you will see that you gained a lot more performance ( same specs )

Kind regards

[DGRL]

I want to add this as last

1. What is “Certified” hardware?

“Certified” hardware meets Autodesk’s minimum hardware requirements for the applicable Autodesk software product as listed on the “system requirements” page under product feature for the applicable product on our website. At least one configuration (e.g., GPU + driver, or CPU + GPU + RAM + HD + BIOS) has passed tests designed to verify that the hardware supports the product’s features.

2. What is “Recommended” hardware?

“Recommended” hardware meets Autodesk’s recommended system requirements for the applicable Autodesk product. At least one configuration has passed tests designed to verify that the hardware supports the product’s features.

3. Why should I use Recommended or Certified hardware?

Hardware that is not Recommended or Certified may not adequately support advanced product features; in some cases, it may cause problems during use.

9. Why is hardware designed for desktop or gaming applications not Certified or Recommended?

Some desktop or gaming-level hardware may work with the 3D display features in certain Autodesk software, but these products are not supported by Autodesk or the hardware vendor for use with 3D applications.

14. I am using a noncertified driver and have hardware acceleration disabled. Why could I still be having issues?

Some of the new user interface elements in Autodesk products (like the ribbon and the application menu) use the Microsoft .NET Framework. .NET utilizes Direct3D and video card hardware to visualize the user interface. This visualization is done even when hardware acceleration is disabled. We recommend you use a certified driver for the best experience.

And please take a look at this page
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/index?siteID=123112&id=16318759

I hope this is of any help for you

Kind regards

[Erik.Morgan]

DGRL is right. 

Braudpat, i understand your setup. 

I am a avid gamer, Mechanical Designer and PC tech, and i mix my units together when im doing work. I build only customs, i never trust HP or Dell workstations, but i understand companies buy in bulk.

Now, my gaming PC at home, which Runs the Devils Canyon i7-4790k Non-OC (Never good to really overclock a CPU past factory standards) 16GB 1866Mhz Ram, and the current GPU is a GTX 970 for gaming. 

I can run autocad on this, And i have done it before, but because this is not an Autocad CERTIFIED Graphics card, and the Gaming card does not have the Drivers to run 3D Modeling, my PC has a hard time running my Pipeing sites. 

Now, my workstation at work, which i do modeling on every day, has 2 Quadro K5200s in SLI, and it can run models all day long. I could render a 1sq Mile plant of piping and not have any problems. 

Heres the truth about these cards, and you may not like the truth. 

They both have the same chipsets, between gaming and workstation cards. Only 2 differences, More ram for workstation cards, and the drivers for how the card is used. Gaming cards are meant for gaming, Workstation cards are mean for modeling, rendering, and what not. These are DEFINED by the drivers INSTALLED by Nvidia and AMD.

They do this to make MONEY, to force you to buy a Workstation card, even though it uses the same chipset as the Gaming card, but what you are paying for is the Drivers and the Compatibility to Autocad and other Cad programs. 

In the end, This whole thread was about Multi-core ability with Autocad. We are not talking about other programs here. 

So to answer the origial question, No autocad is not currently multi-core capable. So if picking CPUs, pick one with less cores but higher MHZ per core, 16Gb+ of Ram, and a Workstation card, either Quadro offered by Nvidia or FirePro offered by AMD. 

Maybe someday autocad will unlock the other cores, then our $1,000+ Xeon core processers will be worth something  haha