Civil3D 2016 Lag issue

[civilSD]

We've been using 2016 for a few weeks and the issues we are having regarding the command lag time are extreme.  The lag time seems to be worse in sheet files versus base files.  After picking an item, there is at least a 5-10 second delay before the software moves on - sometimes more and sometimes a complete freeze.

I've tried all the suggestions I could find and nothing seems to help.  In fact, some just resulted in AutoCAD crashing and me wanting to take a hammer to my computer.  Getting anything done has become painful!

Any suggestions?  Is Autodesk working on this????  Thanks!

[KirkNoonan]

To avoid re-listing all of the suggestions you've already tried, what have you tried?

[Hackett1980]

I am new to using forums and finding answers but I wanted to say that we are experiencing the same problem. Long lag times between selecting or using commands. I haven't tried this approach yet, but some say to maybe save all files associated with a drawing, xrefs, data shortctus etc..., into 2016 format, then purge and audit, and then re-insert all the drawings. I tried troubleshooting this problem and noticed the more xrefs I unload the shorter the lag time.

[civilSD]

These are a few of the settings I've changed or checked: selection preview settings, constraint settings, hardware acceleration, dynamic input iis off - to name a few.   I've read all the things in this discussion group and I think I've tried them all.  I guess I should have written them down but I didn't.  There was even a suggestion to change settings in Windows - which I tried and it made CAD crash completely.

Yesterday I tried cutting layout tabs out of a file that was created through plan production and I didn't notice a difference.  There are 18 tabs in one file for plan/profile of a sanitary sewer main layout create with pipe network.  It's a pretty simple plan - just long - 8700 LF.  I stripped down my existing surface and made it as small as I can.  Things seem to be better today but there is still a noticeable lag.  But maybe it's because it's still early in the day???  It does seem that while working in a 'sheet' file, Civil3D 2016 operates worse than being in a 'design' file - response time, crashes, freezes, etc.

There are 6 computers on a network capable of running Civil3D at the same time but we have a dedicated server just for the drive that contains all the project files.  The CAD software is loaded on to each CPU individually.  We use data shorcuts and references, xrefs with relative paths and overlays. 

This is my system:

Intel Xeon CPU E5-1620 0 @ 3.60 GHz

24.0 GB RAM

64 Bit OS

NVIDIA Quadro K2000

Windows 7 Pro w/SP1

So - any help at this point would be appreciated.  And maybe I just need to wait for SP1 on 2016???  Thanks!  Claudia

[volusiajim]

I also have trouble in my plan and profile sheets in 2016.  Might it have something to do with the number of viewports?

[Hackett1980]

have you tried the 3dconfig command and update process in this link?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giOkkh3fuh0

[civilSD]

The dialogue box in Civil3D 2016 is different after 3DCONFIG so the process is a little little different, but 'yes' hardware aceleration is turned on. Thanks!

[KirkNoonan]

After you've purged and audited all of the xrefs, here are a couple of things that might offer temporary relief:

Turn off the layer status display in the layer manager, uncheck the Indicate layers in use box in the layer settings, Empty the temporary drawing file directory and the temporary xref file directory regularly (see below). Keep the properties window and the layer manager windows closed, set 'levelofdetailoff' and dock the command line instead of letting it float.

You could also play with the spatial and layer indexing of the xrefs. It is found in the tools dropdown at the upper left corner of the save as dialog box. Sometimes that helps, too.

We have a few users that work on files with many references, and sometimes the only fix is a beefier machine. In particular, an SSD to speed up the page file.

[civilSD]

Okay - I changed all these settings and deleted files in the temp folders. (I usually clean out my temp files at least once a week. sometimes more often.)  I audit and purge files on a regular basis.  However, some items can't be purged until further along in the design process - for ease of drafting. 

I use my toolspace, properties, and layers settings often and have them open; as well as my xref box.  I think that opening and closing them each time I need to change an entity or make an inquiry would offset any increase in performace.  I could be wrong - so I'll give it a try though.  They are open on my second monitor.  My command line is already docked.  I also use CCleaner once a week, and we have malware detection that runs in the off hours.  I limit the files open at the same time; and don't run anything on my computer extra while in Civil3D.  Usually, I even keep my Outlook closed. 

Beings the performance is worse when working in a sheet file with multiple layouts and xrefs (versus a base drawing file), I would think that we need to beef up the machines used for production most.  I'm going to talk to IT about it.  Any particular SSD drives you recommend?

I'll keep you all posted - thanks!!!  Claudia

[Hackett1980]

I'm not entirely sold that it's a performance issue. I have a drawing that is creating this "lag" time between comands and selections. If I create a new drawing, setup the project, import xrefs and data shortcuts etc....the issue seems to be solved. The 1st file was saved in 2014 and I'm wondering if that could be the issue. The 2nd file is built entirely in 2016. I need to troubleshoot this more but I thought I'd throw that experience out there. What do you think?

[civilSD]

Interesting...I have a sheet file with 18 layouts in it that was created using Plan Production in 2016. I'll have to take note while working in this file as compared to others created in 2014 and modified with 2016. Some of our projects get complex with phasing, xrefs, etc. - I certainly don't want to go back and recreate them to speed up performance. Although - some are painfully slow!

I also hope that Autodesk addressed something like this - but maybe not??? I would also hope that having my 'working' properties menus open wouldn't be an issue - but again - maybe it is??? I also wish that pressure networks were as user friendly as pipe networks but they are far from it! I have learned that Autodesk seems to work in strange ways.

Hopefully, something will click and the frustration experienced with some of these files will go away. Again - thanks!

[KirkNoonan]

It might be a good idea to do a save as on your sheet file and delete all of the layouts but one and see what happens. An xclip on the xref might also help, but it wouldn't be feasible with all of the layouts in one drawing file. We try to keep the layouts per dwg at about 10 if possible. Are the C3D labels in the xref, or are you labelling in the sheets? Lots of labels take a long time to display.

BTW - Our IT guy swears by Samsung SSD's

[civilSD]

Last week, I made a copy of my sheet file with 18 layouts and deleted half of them in the new file. I didn't notice any difference. The file with the 18 tabs is a sanitary layout (8800LF) so, other that some lot lines from an xref file, it's really just a strip topo, etc. I was going to recreate it base on half of the alignment, bust didn't after I didn't notice any performace difference.

Using Plan Production and creating the sheets in a separate file from the design base file, the manhole and pipe labels from the parent profile in design do not show up in the sheet file profiles. I label them again in the sheet file and all other labeling is done in the sheet file as well. There are just a plan and profile viewports on each sheet.

On previous projects, we have had issues with the data bands not showing in the profile after creating sheets using Plan Production. We have never resolved that issue either but I did find an odd work around. I don't seem to have that issue with this project...yet.

[Arfman]

At my office we are experiencing this lag issue as well. We have machines that have SSDs and others with 7200 RPM HDDs, all have lag when entering any command that requires a selection.  I have tried the things suggested in this forum post with no help.

I did a little testing and have found that xrefs seem to play a part. I created a new drawing and drew a line and arrayed it to create 800 objects in it. I then saved that dwg file as 3 different files; A, B, and C. Each one with the objects moved to a new location. I then opened A and initiated the move command. NO LAG. Then I xrefed in B, initiated the move command and there was LAG. When I xrefed C and initiated the move command EVEN MORE LAG. I unloaded the xrefs and there is a slight LAG. When I detach the xrefs there is NO LAG.

All drawings were created from the same template and were all 2016 files. I have attached these dwgs.

[KirkNoonan]

The problem isn't unique to 2016. It started to become very noticeable in the 2015 version.

[civilSD]

Well thank goodness we didn't update from 2014 to 2015...I would have been frustrated a year ago...lol.  We waited until 2016 came out hoping it would solve some issues we were having with 2014 - no luck - dang!  So, now I guess I'm waiting for SP1 for 2016 to see what that does.  Maybe we will have to roll back to 2014???

Today I'm trying to udate plan/profile sheets created in 2016 using Plan Production and of course, that issue of not having dynamic updates is coming in to play.  I'm at 65% submittal and I know I'll be making more changes to my 8800 LF sanitary network.  I hate the thought of recreating the sheets just to get the updates; but I also hate having to make changes in both the design file AND the sheet file.  I get so frustrated having to duplicate work!

I wish Autodesk would have some 'real world' users test the software before it comes out.  I would think someone would have picked up on this lag issue and the plan production update issue and the pressure network issues...etc, etc. 

and BTW - what do you think is a solution for those of us that work in files with several xrefs?  I don't think we can get around using them...

[civilSD]

Thanks for the test...I suspected that xrefs had a part in this but not sure how to get around it.

[KirkNoonan]

I haven't been able to find a solution yet, just ways to minimize the problem. As far as I have been able to tell, the problem doesn't carry over to DREF's. Maybe it would work for you to dref all of the civil objects you can into the sheet drawing and label them with the XREF linework unloaded or detached. That would at least reduce the frustration level - as long as you don't runn into the magically changing pipe style bug. 

[civilSD]

Thanks...I do that already. I've really tried to get these files to be as simple as possible to work productively. Magically changing pipe style bug...oh, dear!? And I have 8800 LF in a pipe network project...aaagggghhhh!!!!

[civilSD]

Good morning all...just wanted to let you know that I just ran in to the "magically changing pipe styles"!  I went to swap a part and the parts list did not list the parts as it should.  Of course, I could not add that pipe size because it was actually already created.  So, I transferred the parts list from our template as a 'rename'.  I then had to first use the renamed parts list to get back to my original parts list.  Happy days!!!

I've been noticing some other "magical" things happening in 2016 as well.  Very odd.

As a footnote, we have been talking about just going back to 2014 until Autodesk gets the performace issues resolved for 2016.  It was most disappoiinting to learn that they have known about the lag issue since 2015 and it's still not resolved. (I can tell that they are not concerned about employees' billable time to a project.)