ACAD 2017 - Viewbase error

[Anonymous]

It seems that objects created in older versions of Autocad (same file format - 2013) don't appear correctly when using ViewBase command.

Import a simple unit (cut and base from 2016 dwg) and use viewbase command to position in paperspace

Enter the command after positioning required views and you get...

Double click on view to reselect objects...

Note the 'Select is not supported by the Model or view type' 

and here is the unit in model space.

What's more if you then try and open the ACAD2017 saved 2013 format file in ACAD2016, you  get...

 'Unable to perform the requested action. This drawing was last edited with model documentation in a newer version of AutoCAD'

Basically if you use 2017 - you can't create sections/elevations of projects. And you also can't open them in 2016 to 'rescue' your work...

Please let me know if there is a workaround or prefereably a fix for this, I can't risk using 2017 if you can't even use 2016 to backup non-working features...

[john.vellek]

Hi @Anonymous,

I apologize for not responding earlier to your post but I wanted to do a bit of research on your issue. Normally I try to avoid long descriptions, instructions, and lessons but your issue is a bit more involved so please bear with me.

1) Obviously the desired result would be to have the same view as displayed in your preview Screen Shot 1. Since it does not, it is possible that the missing entities are not supported by the drawing view feature. Only Solids and Surfaces are supported at this time. If your model is composed of only these elements then please attach a sample drawing for me to examine.

2) In your third screenshot, it appears that the VIEWEDIT command is being executed on the Projected View and selecting the Model Select option. Only the base view is permitted to be edited through the Model Space selection method. Child views are not permitted and thus the error message.

3) "Unable to perform the requested action. This drawing was last edited with model documentation in a newer version of AutoCAD" This message will appear in two situations:

a) Editing the Model drawing that has been saved in a newer version of AutoCAD. This is not permitted due to Inventor server schema which, as designed, changes with each version.

b) Using VIEWSECTION, VIEWDETAIL, VIEWPROJ, VIEWEDIT, etc on a drawing where no Base view is created or present. I do not believe that is what we are looking at in your example. Please see AKN Article

Apparently there is also a possibility of a defect where some view corruption can happen on select files created using older versions of AutoCAD.

I hope that this long explanation sheds some light on your issue. If you would like to attach a sample file, I would be happy to explore whether I can replicate and resolve your issue. Thanks again for your patience.

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if my post fully solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

Hi John - Thanks for taking the time to look at my issues - I fear it isn't a simple fix as I can reproduce this error on othe machines in the office...

1) there is nothing abnormal about any of the entities within the 3d model - It's just the same unitry and processes we've been using since ACAD 2009.

     I've attached a model as made in 2017 and also one (made using the same source blocks) in 2014 - and the 2017 model copied and pasted into 2014 for you to peruse.

2) absolutley correct! Being 40+ I'll put it down to the beginnings of senility.

    Double clicking on the Parent view showed the 'complete' model selected.

3) I don't think this error message was generated in 2014 or 2015 (when opening a 2016 file) - it just didn't respond. I seem to remember the workaround 

was to copy and paste the entire project into 2014/5 to generate the VIEWBASE/VIEWSECTIONs Etc 

    This workaround does work for 2017 - I can copy into 2016, create a whole new set of views etc and export to model as a drawing. However when I open the new file in 2017 it all disappears again. 

I have 2014,15,16 and now 2017 installed on my system and would dearly love to have one stable, preferably upto date piece of software that works without glitches - and unistall all the others. I suppose there is an outside chance that having 4 versions of hte software installed is causing a conflict somewhere... but i'd like to be sure I can still do my work before unistalling etc.

Thanks again for your input - hopefully you can shed some light on the problem.

regards

Marc

[Anonymous]

Hi John

Thank you for the 'Case Escalation' and the for the pm's, it is good to know that it isn't just me that is able to produce this set of results.

Can you tell me if the error only occurs on using the files I supplied? (or when cut and pasting elements from it) or does this also happen on other drawings and new drawings? If not can you send a working drawing that I may be able to use as a template and a workaround.

Many thanks

Marc

[john.vellek]

HI @Anonymous

Unfortunately I am able to create the issue on new drawings as well. It doesn't seem to occur every time I use it. Let's see what the escalation does for us. I appreciate your patience.

[Anonymous]

Hi, I am also experiencing issues with the command viewbase. It occurs when I create a page with page setup, place the parent model and the projected views on the page. When I confirm with 'enter' the projected views pop out of the paperspace and the parent view even disappears. See the result in the video attachment. I could try to drag the popped out views back on the paper but that still doesn't give back the parentview.

You can see the video where I created the views, then pressed enter to confirm and they pop out, then I zoomed out to show where they ended up. And how the parent view isn't visible anymore, only the grip when selecting.

I created most of the model in the 2016 version of AutoCAD and now I tried to make a layout for the first time in the 2017 version.

Would this be a bug in the software?

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/community/screencast/7ba40c1e-0952-4ee9-89c5-e4e1679f59ee

[nickbillferrellco]

Is your model a block with nested blocks? I have been having similar issues and once I explode the nested blocks everything works as it should.

Nick

[DMeeson]

Has there been any resolution on this issue? We're experiencing similar issues with ViewBase on all of our machines. We've installed all three hotfixes, but none of them seem to have addressed this problem.

Thanks,

Doug

[john.vellek]

HI @DMeeson,

To date there is no fix although I hope that a fix will be addressed shortly.  I did run across a slight workaround for the problem in this old post (look at post #8)

[Anonymous]

We have the same problems with viewbase. The lack of documention on the changes each release are making it more difficult to use. Basically we need to keep AutoCad 2015 installed to work on any projects completed when we were using AutoCad 2015, so on and so forth. And there is no warning if someone opens a 2015 viewbase drawing with 2016 and accidentily presses save. And now we have a yet another viewbase for 2017. It's crazy how it's implemented and that it's so easy to completely ruin a complex drawing.

Anyway.. from your sample drawings. You have a lot of errors if you run the recover command. Viewbase will always choke if there are errors in the drawing. I tried cleaning them up but it did not resolve the issue. The only thing that seemed to work was exploding the blocks, but there were still errors with your cabinet feet. I'm not certain, but they appear to have been made in another program and brought into AutoCad. From our experience this will cause problems also. I would probably try to redefine the blocks with AutoCad created solids, but who knows.

With most things viewbase you just kinda poke at it and hope it responds. There is not much feedback, it either works or it does not.

[Oli]

Hi John

Just read through this thread and appriciate all your effort on this - I'm still running 2016 and have lost the ability to use the section and detail tools since the last hotfix - we're about to go 2017.

I'm suprised the software managed to go out with such a massive flaw.

[Anonymous]

Dear Forum, I have found a solution (of sorts) that has - so far - worked with every file I have tried. It isn't pretty, but it gets you going. 1. Open the drawing in the previous version used to create the file (in my case 2016) 2. (This is the ugly part) use Qselect to create a selection set of all blocks in the model. 3. Explode all blocks. 4. Purge the drawing. I had to purge twice, which makes me think the problem may reside primarily with nested blocks. 5. Audit the drawing. I suggest twice. 6. Save the file. 7. Open the file in 2017. You should be able to update all views. Again, I would suggest turning off Auto Update temporarily so you can limit the work required to update multiple layouts. Hope this helps. Paul

[john.vellek]

Thanks @Anonymous!

I will give this a try and also forward to the development team. 

Again thanks for your contribution!

[john.vellek]

Hi Marc,

I have found this workaround that might help you. Please update your post with your results so others might benefit.

• Turn OFF all used layers.
• Update the views .
• Then turn on one layer.  The missing parts should now show up in the updated view. 
• Repeat for as many layers as you have used

Please hit the Accept as Solution button if my post fully solves your issue or answers your question.

[Anonymous]

I have also found this as solution. It has to do a lot with the performance of the operating system and/or graphic performance of the computer used. It think it's even better to not simply turn of unused layers but actually freeze the unused layers and unfreeze them layer by layer after the viewbase projection is created.

[Anonymous]

Dear PETrimble,

Thank you for a promising suggestion.

I will give that a try and (hoping for the best) will report back.

Thanks

Marc

[Anonymous]

Dear john.vellek

Thank you for your proposed workaround, but this is impractical at best.

Fairly complex drawings have upwards of 150 layers and it takes about 45 seconds to update a single layout. That means the workaround would take around 2 hours to turn each layer back on to (hopefully) produce a working drawing - and if there is a problem with the model (i.e. something is slightly in the wrong position) it would take another 2 hours to correct. 

A project with a couple of layout tabs would take over a day to process if it needed a single change - I doubt any business could cope with that dent to productivity.

I'm hoping that the 'Ugly' solution proffered by PETrimble will have legs - I can live with ugly if it is quick...☺

many thanks

Marc

[Anonymous]

Hi willemtermote

I understand that a computers performance will effect the speed at which the 'workaround' will be updated.

I am currently using an HP-420 workstation with Xeon 3.2Ghz (6core), 32 Gb Ram, 64 bit Win7 and an NVidia Quadro K2000 graphics - it's not a slouch of a PC...

We are a small privately owned company and there is no way I can to my boss and ask for a hugely expensive system upgrade '...because the software doesn't work like it should, or work like it used to'

I'm glad the workaround the was useful to you - and it may work on smaller files (my original example was of an isolated component used with our projects, and was chosen to simplify the example).

We design and manufacture inhouse and are also responsible for the installation of our furniture and all associated finishes to the end client - without this detail it is proving to be awkward to explain to the client and fitters exactly what is requried.

And very difficult to explain to someone why something that used to work now doesn't and can't be fixed.

Are you using the workaround on models/drawings with similar levels of detail - and if so what system spec are you running?

many thanks

Marc

[Anonymous]

Dear Marc, In reviewing your system hardware configuration, I note you are using an NVidia video card. Our systems appear to be quite similar. I have a strong hunch that NVidia may be at the core of the problem, or at least a strong contributor. I noted increasing issues as we transitioned from 2015 through 2016 and then release 2017. Unfortunately, we were also moving to 100% solid modeling at the time, which introduces uncontrolled variables. Perhaps I can find a Radeon equipped system to test. I will post any results (though they will be far from scientific).

[elshawadfy]

Hi @Anonymous, @Anonymous, Hi everyone,

I created a lisp file that automates the workaround proposed by @john.vellek and @Anonymous,..

Hope it helps all those suffering the same issue.. 🙂

(Tell me if any thing went wrong)

The lisp does the following:

- saves the current layer state..

- turns off all layers..

- Updates all viewports..

- For every layer:

     - Freezes and offs every other layer..

     - Updates all viewports

     - Moves to the next layer

After finishing: It restores the layer state and removes it from saved layer states

+  Some error handling..

;;; 
;;; 
;;; 
;;; 
;;; This file was created by El-Shawadify to address an issue reported by Autodesk Community Members about ViewBase Command..
;;; The essue appears when opening a drawing that contains ViewBase ViewPorts, created in a different release of AutoCAD..
;;; Some of the objects disappear..
;;; 
;;; The issue was reported several times, icluding the ones mentioned in these threads:
;;; http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-2013-2014-2015-2016-2017/acad-2017-viewbase-error/td-p/6241719/page/2
;;; http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-2013-2014-2015-2016-2017/viewbase-not-generating-drawings-correctly/td-p/6401401
;;; 
;;; According to @John Vellek in that thread:
;;; "This is a known bug but a Community clever user posted this workaround which appears to work properly for me.
;;; ---- Turn OFF all used layers.
;;; ---- Update the views .
;;; ---- Then turn on one layer.  The missing parts should now show up in the updated view. 
;;; ---- Repeat for as many layers as you have used"
;;; 
;;; 
;;; The purpose of this LISP now is to Automate this process for those suffering from the same essue 
;;; 
;;; 
;;;
;;; ==============================================================================================================================
;;; You may use, distribute, modify this file  - as long as you keep this header at the beginning..
;;; 
;;; Regards,
;;; El-Shawadify
;;; 
;;; June 24th, 2016
;;; 
;;; My Profile On AutoDesk Community Forum:
;;; http://forums.autodesk.com/t5/user/viewprofilepage/user-id/2780584
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;
;====================================================================== Main Defun
;
(defun C:VBUP(/ CurLayerProps CurLayerName 
                *error* msg OriginalErr Err
             ); 
;
;====================================================================== Error Fuctions
;
(setq OriginalErr *error*)
(defun Err ( DimModErr)
   (command-s "-layer" "a" "r" "BeforeVBUpdate" "d" "BeforeVBUpdate" "" "")
   (command-s "undo" "end")
   (setvar "CMDECHO" 1)
   (princ (strcat "\nError: " DimModErr " The command was interrupted while Updating ViewBase ViewPorts, some elements may still be missing.."))
   (setq *error* OriginalErr)
)
(Setq *error* Err)
;
;
;
;====================================================================== Command Main Body
;
(Command "Undo" "Begin")
(setvar "CMDECHO" 0) 
(command "-layer" "a" "s" "BeforeVBUpdate" "" "" "")
(command "-layer" "off" "*" "y" "")
(command "ViewUpdate" "all")
;
;
(setq CurLayerProps (tblnext "LAYER" t))
(while CurLayerProps 
   (setq CurLayerName (cdr (cadr CurLayerProps))) 
   (command "-layer" "t" CurLayerName "on" CurLayerName "s" CurLayerName "f" "*" "off" "*" "y" "")
   (command "-layer" "on" CurLayerName "" "regen")
   (command "ViewUpdate" "all")
   (setq CurLayerProps (tblnext "LAYER"))
)
;====================================================================== Revert Env. Changes
;
   (command "-layer" "a" "r" "BeforeVBUpdate" "d" "BeforeVBUpdate" "" "")
   (setvar "CMDECHO" 1)
   (command "undo" "end")
   (setq *error* OriginalErr)
);
;====================================================================== Command End

Lisp Attached..

Enjoy 🙂

Regards..