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Layer Control and Performance

13 REPLIES 13
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Message 1 of 14
dasindog
509 Views, 13 Replies

Layer Control and Performance

I have a performnace issue that I have been experiencing in Civil 3d 2013 and previous versions. I have a long delay after ending the layer freeze command when in layout mode. This happens for many of my drawings though not all. Purging and auditing seem to have no effect.

 

Civil 3d does not run the regen command after ending the layer freeze command, but it seems as though this is what's happening. Normal behaviour is when I freeze a layer and upon exiting the command the layers are no longer shown, no delays.

 

What could cause this?

-Dustin
Civil 3D 2013 64 bit SP1
Windows 7 Pro 64
Intel Xeon 2.93GHz
24GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
explodetheblock.wordpress.com
13 REPLIES 13
Message 2 of 14
BrianHailey
in reply to: dasindog

I'm not sure what you mean by, "...when in layout mode." Are you in the layout tab instead of the model tab? If so, does it matter if you are in paper space or model space?

Brian J. Hailey, P.E.



GEI Consultants
My Civil 3D Blog

Message 3 of 14
dasindog
in reply to: BrianHailey

Yes, sorry about the confusion. It only happpens when in a layout tab. 

-Dustin
Civil 3D 2013 64 bit SP1
Windows 7 Pro 64
Intel Xeon 2.93GHz
24GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
explodetheblock.wordpress.com
Message 4 of 14
dasindog
in reply to: dasindog

more info: After running the freeze command, if I want to change layouts I must click the different layout, wait for a refresh, then click the layout again before it will switch.

-Dustin
Civil 3D 2013 64 bit SP1
Windows 7 Pro 64
Intel Xeon 2.93GHz
24GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
explodetheblock.wordpress.com
Message 5 of 14
TCARCAMO78
in reply to: dasindog

Try going into the Options dialog box, System tab, and check Cache model tab and all layouts. Maybe this will help. Also make sure your hardware acceleation is not on (3DCONFIG  command)

 

 

 

Tony

CAD Manager

www.tonyscivil3dworld.blogspot.com

 

Tony Carcamo
CAD Manager
www.tonyscivil3dworld.blogspot.com
Message 6 of 14
dasindog
in reply to: TCARCAMO78

I'm giving this a try now, Tony. My hardware acceleration was already disabled but the Layout regen options was set to regen when switching layout.

-Dustin
Civil 3D 2013 64 bit SP1
Windows 7 Pro 64
Intel Xeon 2.93GHz
24GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
explodetheblock.wordpress.com
Message 7 of 14
jmayo-EE
in reply to: dasindog

That should help. If it still lags and you have any of these open, close them.

Layer manager, xref manager, toolspace, properties dialog and anything similar.

In Layouts/Paper Space I typically see things working faster when these dockables are closed.

John Mayo

EESignature

Message 8 of 14
murray-clack
in reply to: jmayo-EE

Instead of using the "new" Layer Palette, try using the "old fashioned" Layer Dialog box.  You can either enter the command CLASSICLAYER, or, set LAYERDLGMODE to 0.

 

Also try setting SHOWLAYERUSAGE to a value of 0 as well.

Message 9 of 14
dasindog
in reply to: murray-clack

John, I do remember this help in the past with some performance. I'll try that out again. I have just been in the habit lately of leaving those windows open most of the time.

 

murray-clack, I'll check out the SHOWLAYERUSAGE variable and see what results I get. I'll also try using the classic layer manager too.

 

thanks guys.

-Dustin
Civil 3D 2013 64 bit SP1
Windows 7 Pro 64
Intel Xeon 2.93GHz
24GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
explodetheblock.wordpress.com
Message 10 of 14
dasindog
in reply to: dasindog

No luck so far. Showlayerusage was already set to 0. I am keeping all dockable palettes closed and using the classic layer manager. Model and Layout tabs are all cached. I also decided to run recoverall on this project and nothing seems to have changed. Since I am working with files that were created in 2008 and have been upgraded each year I am just going to bet something happened along the way to cause some issues. If I find the culprit I'll update the thread.

-Dustin
Civil 3D 2013 64 bit SP1
Windows 7 Pro 64
Intel Xeon 2.93GHz
24GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
explodetheblock.wordpress.com
Message 11 of 14

We recommend that you don't cache all the layouts because it uses a lot of additional memory to do so. Use the setting where model space and the current layout are cached and let release the memory from the other layout.

 

Regards,

 

Peter Funk

Autodesk, Inc.



Peter Funk
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 12 of 14

Peter, does this still apply even with 24GB of memory? I don't know if I've seen performance change regardless of the cache settings but just curious.

-Dustin
Civil 3D 2013 64 bit SP1
Windows 7 Pro 64
Intel Xeon 2.93GHz
24GB RAM
NVIDIA Quadro FX 580
explodetheblock.wordpress.com
Message 13 of 14

If you work at it, you could burn 24gb of memory if you cache all the layouts (it might take an excessive number of drawing elements and layouts, but it could be done).  You have to change to the layout before it is cached. You might get bored before you run out of memory.

 

The last informal testing of this I did (we were trying to blow out the memory) the cache was created after the layout was drawn and the cache took a period of time to save. If you are just walking down the layouts (for a plot) and not going to reuse the layouts, this is additional time and memory that the system uses that gives no benefit. If in some workflow (that I can't think of you) are flipping between a number of different layouts all day long, then it would useful.

 

For most people and most workflows I think setting it to only cache model space and the current layout should be fine. If you don't really use the layouts that much, then no cache may even work better.

 

Regards,

 

Peter Funk

Autodesk, Inc.



Peter Funk
Autodesk, Inc.

Message 14 of 14


@peterfunkautodesk wrote:

 If in some workflow (that I can't think of you) are flipping between a number of different layouts all day long, then it would useful.


Most of the projects I've worked on we tiled the project up for each type of drawing, four horizontal control plans, four grading plans, four erosion control plans, etc. When working on any one type of drawing, I'll have all four in the same drawing with different layouts and I end up switching back and forth between them quite often to see how changes to the model appear in the sheets or simply working within the viewport. In this situation I would definitely want all the layout cached. 

 

What I usually recomend is to set AutoCAD to cache all layout tabs (provided you have a lot of available RAM) and then, if you notice a performance hit to AutoCAD, then change it to cache just the model and last layout. The problem with this recommendation, you have to remember that you set AutoCAD up this way and how to change it if the system starts to lag. For advanced users, it shouldn't be a big deal. If you aren't all that familiar with how AutoCAD works (especially in this area) or you have newer users then I would recommend to set it up the way Peter recommends.

Brian J. Hailey, P.E.



GEI Consultants
My Civil 3D Blog

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