topic Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive in AutoCAD Forum

Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

jcrispino3 — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 20:23:52 GMT

I've been experiencing cases where while working on a drawing the ribbon and the model/layout tabs become unresponsive. I can't click on any of the ribbon commands, nor switch ribbon tabs. I can't swap between models and layouts. Keyboard shortcuts work to switch between views. Also, anchored windows still work.

Has anyone experienced this issue as well? Any fixes short of doing a reinstall?

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

Patchy — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 20:29:23 GMT

The size of the file, is it too large?

How many Xref?

Graphic acceleration on or off?

Audit your drawing, purge....

If you're thinking about reinstall, try reset to default first.

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

jcrispino3 — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:58:44 GMT

Still experiencing this issue.

Xref's don't seem to be a common issue.

Audit shows everything fine.

Not sure what is causing this issue.

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

RobDraw — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:55:34 GMT

@jcrispino3 wrote:
Any fixes short of doing a reinstall?

Different computer?

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

pendean — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:57:04 GMT

How do you normally have to fix it?
Is this a sudden new problem? What's suddenly different with your setup?
Or is this a new install?
Or have you just been suffering quietly for years?
Where do you store your files? How are you connected to them?
Your OS is...?

Post screenshots of ABOUT and GRAPHICCONFIG commands too please.

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

jcrispino3 — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 18:04:48 GMT

I usually close out and restart ACAD.

Not sure what can be different. I only experience this issue with ACAD. I also use ACADE and don't have this issue when using that app.

Been experiencing it for about 2 months now.

Files are locally stored, but via Dropbox.

Win10

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

pendean — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 18:21:28 GMT

Post screenshots of ABOUT and GRAPHICCONFIG commands too please.

If I may ask, why use two different programs instead of just using ACADE "as autocad"?

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

jcrispino3 — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 18:45:33 GMT

About...

R.118.0.0 AutoCAD 2021.1

As for why I use ACAD and ACADE and not just use ACADE, there's really no particular reason. The way that ACAD is set up out of the box allows for easier use for projects that I have that weren't created in ACADE. Particularly, the ribbon tabs. But I know I could easily set up ACADE to have the tabs that I want so as to mimic my experience with ACAD. I'm just too lazy/busy I guess to take the time to set it up.

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

StephenThomasGrace — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 14:30:04 GMT

Happens all the time for me.
If you have full AutoCAD with lisp, this works for me.
Click on the command line, type in (gc)
Exactly as shown with parenthesis. This is a lisp garbage collection and usually frees up the unresponsive tabs
-steve

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

t_galano — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 15:41:49 GMT

Thank you, I have been struggling with this terrible bug for years at multiple different companies. not only the tabs, but the ribbons, command line, layout tabs and settings @ bottom right very reliably freeze when the application is full screen. Exiting full-screen sometimes helps but I was having to hover over the taskbar icon and switch drawings that way. I always thought it was multiple monitors/resolutions causing this behavior. What does (gc) do and why does it fix this?

Re: Ribbon & Layout/Model Tabs Unresponsive

StephenThomasGrace — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:20:51 GMT

GC is an autolisp function that forces a garbage collection, which frees up unused memory.
I've found that when I have a lot of 3rd party ribbon plugins, sometimes there is a collision of duplicate functions.
Sometimes autocad will give you a "rewind" or "namespace" error.... sometimes not.
Anyway... this works to clear out unneeded function definitions in the memory.
Since it is an autolisp function, you need to add the parenthesis for it to work.
That's all I've got. Glad it helped!
-steve