AutoCAD 2014 freezing

[jason.bowman]

Yes... People are still using 2014, been nagging our IT to upgrade my software as everyone else is on 2016/2017

I'm having more and more issues lately where AutoCAD is freezing doing even the most simple of commands line 'Line' so does anyone have any solution? I have turned off hardware acceleration, turned on adaptive degradation and tried all configurations but nothing I do is working, even 'GRAPHICSCONFIG' has no effect.

Only thing I can see working is upgrading the software but that's like getting blood from a stone.

[nikospur]

In my experience, AutoCad should never freeze doing a simple command as Line. Maybe, and I´m guessing in the dark but based on my own exeriences, this couuuuld be your problem:

Have you heard of DGN linetypes? they are generated by other software like civil, etc, but if by any chance you are working with someone else´s files that had these DGN linetypes, they reproduce inadvertently, making your files huge and slow at an exponential rhytm. These linetypes cannot be purged with the simple purge command, at least in autocad 2014, but there are workarounds.  When we had this problem, no one seemed to be able to even copy and paste from one drawing to another without freezing Autocad.

To see if this is your problem look for 2 clear symptoms:

1) your files are very large after purging even though the content doesn´t justify it.

2) Your linetype pull-down is filled with hundreds of weird linetypes that you didn´t add, are not being used and cannot be purged.

We reduced files to about 1% of their size just by eliminating these and had this problem no longer.

Other than that, I can´t explain how if autocad 2014 worked fine before it now works terribly wrong. I just shouldn´t.

I cleaned up my files with BatchInDatabase, you can look it up. Or ask someone with autocad 2017 to clean them up for you. But be thorough, because if you copy and paste anything in the future from a damaged file, the process starts over again. 

[john.vellek]

HI @jason.bowman,

I can understand your frustration but having been on the other side of the equation I understand budgetary constraints as well which might be the reason an upgrade is not yet possible.

At any rate, is this  happening on all computers and all files?  Is it possible to attach one of the problem files to a post so I can take a look at it?

What is the typical computer configuration?

OS, Graphics card, driver, RAM, Processor

Have all hotfixes and service packs been applied to AutoCAD 2014?

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

[jason.bowman]

I've downloaded the hotfix that was issued to fix the DGN problem but for some reason, it wouldn't let me use the "DGNpurge" command, either way the drawing is only 2mb in size and there's no additional lineweights showing.

[jason.bowman]

All service packs and hotfixes have been installed and it's only happening on my machine as I'm the only one using 2014

OS - Windows 7 Professional

Graphics card - NVIDIA Quadro M2000

RAM - 32GB

Processor - Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E3-12750 v5 @ 3.60GHz 3.60GHz

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I'm having more and more issues lately where AutoCAD is freezing doing even the

>> most simple of commands line

With one specific drawing, or with drawings that are based on the same template? ... or also when you start command line in a new drawing based in original AutoCAD template (e.g. ACAD.DWT or ACADISO.DWT)?

Do your colleagues have the same issue on their systems?

If you have a chance and login with a new WIndows account (at least an account that was never using AutoCAD yet) ... same problem with hangups`'s?

- alfred -

[jason.bowman]

Hi Alfred,

I've noticed its on drawings in which have been significantly built up, i.e drawings which have XREF architect drawings etc which is why I was led to believe @nikospur had the right idea but I can't find any DGN linetypes in the drawing and the drawing isn't even large in size. Other than it happening on "built up" drawings it only happens on my machine as I'm the only one currently using 2014, with all service packs and hot fixes installed.

Unfortunately I can't sign into another windows account as there is only one account per machine and that would be an IT issue. Template wise we don't use DWT files, we seem to have a DWG set up to our design standards which contains all the linetypes, layouts etc which we just open a new copy and start working in it.

[jason.bowman]

UPDATE 05/06/17 -

I have tried isolating objects in the drawing such as XREFS and layers not currently in use to see if that would help the regeneration of the model as I've narrowed the issue down the the program hanging when panning a drawing while performing a command like "LINE" or "COPY" - if the pan is done slowly then it tends not to hang, but when I say a slow pan I mean a snail could move quicker over the screen as a point of reference.

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> I've noticed its on drawings in which have been significantly built up

As you mentioned that you don't have issues when opening these drawings with 2016/2017 I guess it's not an DGN linetypes issue.

But trying it is not incorrect ... so why can't you run the tool, what did you exactly do (starting at download ... starting the function and getting a response in the commandline)? Then we (hopefully) can help to get that working.

>> it only happens on my machine as I'm the only one currently using 2014

Does that mean your colleagues are working on 2016/2017 and you are in 2014? Are you only working with your own drawings or are you working also on drawings which were opened and saved with 2016/2017?

>> Unfortunately I can't sign into another windows account as there is only one account per machine

You might then need an admin to create a second account to continue isolating the issue.

We have to check is the issue in the drawings or in your user-profile (AutoCAD profile). Starting with another (new) user account is the most simple step before resetting your profile (and so resetting all your settings).

- alfred -

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

>> hanging when panning a drawing while performing a command like "LINE" or "COPY"

Please start command _ABOUT, create a screenshot from that dialog and upload this screenshot here.

- alfred -

[jason.bowman]

As attached

This is a public forum, please refrain from posting serial numbers or personal information


Edited by
Discussion_Admin

[Alfred.NESWADBA]

Hi,

so sorry, I was wrong, I have meant command _GRAPHICSCONFIG and then a screenshot from that dialog.

- alfred -

[jason.bowman]

Downloaded the hotfix, extracted it as per the read me file, open Autocad, NETLOAD, loaded the .dll but when typing "DGNpurge" on the command line, nothing came up.

And it's a drawing I created and I'm working in but other designers may go into it if I'm out the office so that's possible but it has happened on drawings only I've been using as well. 

I reset my AutoCAD anyway, I've just backed up my custom settings.

[jason.bowman]

Was wondering why you wanted to gander at the legal stuff haha, as attached

[nikospur · Accepted solution]

hmmm

other options that could help:

1)take a look at the variable DRAGMODE. If you can handle disabling it, great

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoC...

2) Make sure "Ignore hatch objects" is usually checked in the Drafting tab of your Options

3) Reduce your visual effects to your preferred minimum 
Variables that governed this in AutoCAD 2014 and prior versions are SELECTIONPREVIEW, PREVIEWEFFECT, PREVIEWFACEEFFECT, and PREVIEWFILTER. These variables can also be controlled through the Visual Effect Settings dialog box under Selection tab in Options.

Source: https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/How-to...

4) Freeze unneeded layers instead of turning them off. When they are frozen Autocad doesn´t calculate anything with them, as opposed to when they are simply turned off, in which case they are calculated but hidden

5) If you can stomach it, turn off Selection Preview completely (Selection tab of your Options)

These are just aids and not a solution, but when it becomes impossible to work on a file, i generally do all of this and Autocad Flies

Or at least I did until I found out about thse damned DGN linetypes

If anything I said is misleading or wrong I apologyze - I´m just an enthusiast hehehe

[john.vellek]

Hi @jason.bowman,

Is it possible to attach a sample file that demonstrates the problem on your computer?

I have found this to be the most current graphics card driver - does it match what you have installed?

Can you try a Diagnostic Startup and turn off everything so only AutoCAD is running? It would be good to know if this improves the behavior.

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

[jason.bowman]

This helped the most, didn't cure it but it worked best.

Thank you.