Materials Library Search

[ntombling]

Not sure if this is the correct method for reporting problems - please let me know if there is a better way.

I've recently been trying 3D modelling in ACAD Mac and noticed that the materials library window doesn't seem to function properly when applying a search filter. I noticed it with 2015 and then installed 2016 and it behaves the same way. When typing in the search field, the text just enters a new command and doesn't go into the serach field. No amount of clicking (or copy/pasting) could get text in the field, it kept being entered as a command.

Also, it seems to be possible to anchor the Materials Library window to the side of the screen in a way where it is not doen correctly. I can't reproduce this consistently to know what is happening. The attached screenshot shows it acting up. It has slotted itself between the Layer manager and Properties windows (there is a small part of an 'X' to close the Materials library behind the overlapping part).

[Victoria.Studley]

Hi @ntombling,

Thank you for posting your question here in the community. Since you're experiencing a couple of different problems at once, and neither is expected behavior for the program, you might try to reset AutoCAD for Mac to defaults (scroll down for Mac instructions).

If this doesn't work, it would be helpful to know if this happenns under all user accounts on the machine, or just yours?

Does it happen on all machines in your office, or just this one?

Which operating system are you running (OSX 10.10, for example)?

Have you checked that your graphics card and driver version are certified?

[ntombling]

Hi Victoria,

Appreciate your response as I've never tried to troubleshoot ACAD Mac before—gave me a couple of things to try out.

- I reset the settings back to defaults, but it did not help with the searching or palette display problem.

- I tried a new user account and it too did not resolve any matter.

- I only have a home 'office' and unfortunately don't have another Mac I can try.

My specs are

- 15" MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012)

- CPU 2.7GHz Intel i7

- 16GB RAM

- GPU NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1GB (+ onboard Intel HD 4000)

- VDU 15" Retina display 2880x1440 @ default scaling (looks like 1440x900)

- OSX Yosemite (10.10.5)

Checking the list of certified hardware doesn't seem to list any NVIDIA cards for ACAD 2016 (at the moment?). My card is listed under ACAD 2015 though and it is definitely the NVIDIA GPU being used with ACAD open.

On further investigation, both the materials palette display problem and the materials search issue occurs within ACAD 2015 and 2016. I did find that the palette display issue seems to occur as the list will not reduce in height to show less than 13 materials and as a result is not limited to when it is anchored. With reference to both attached screenshots, these are from ACAD 2015 and 2016 with the search field selected (orange and blue border) with the command line receiving the text entry.

This isn't too critical to address for me (I have Boot Camp with ACAD as well), but if there is anything else I can try it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[maxim_k · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Actually I can reproduce both issues you described in both 2015 and 2016 versions - lost input focus in the floating materials palette and corrupted materials palette effect when it is locked to the right side of the screen alongside with Properties and Layers palettes.

So looks like it is a defect (bug) in Materials browser palette interface.

The workaround for the first issue - lost input focus - is to ensure that mouse cursor is above the palette when you want to use search in it, because as soon as you move mouse out of the materials palette the input focus moves to the drawing area and input from the keyboard moves to it.

Maxim

[ntombling · Accepted solution]

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@maxim_k wrote:
The workaround for the first issue - lost input focus - is to ensure that mouse cursor is above the palette when you want to use search in it, because as soon as you move mouse out of the materials palette the input focus moves to the drawing area and input from the keyboard moves to it.

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Hi Maxim, I tried leaving the mouse over the palette but it doesn't seem to work consistently and then when closing ACAD down and loading it again it was back to not working. I also noticed that you can paste text into the search bar with the right-click menu, but it goes in as grey text appended to the 'Search' text that is already there. The right-click menu is also very windowsesque which seems to indicate it isn't running quite right.

Strangely enough all other search boxes seem to work fine (such as the layers one), it's just this one acting up.

With more clicking, I can get it to function more frequently now. With the Materials browser open, it appears to have zero focus and is not brought into focus by clicking the text field (or other objects in the browser). If I click the grey part of the window with nothing in it just left of the text field, then click in the search field it accepts typed characters. Once this has occurred it behaves normally until ACAD is closed - workaround sorted 😃

[Victoria.Studley]

Hi @ntombling,

Thank you for your response. And thank you as well @maxim_k for testing this. I've confirmed that this is a known issue that has already been reported to the development team.

Aside from the workaround that @maxim_k described, I haven't found another way around this issue. What I can do is link your case to the open development issue to demonstrate the need for a fix in a future release or update to the program.

[ntombling]

No worries and thanks for the update.