AutoCAD - Escape Key Not Working

[Anonymous]

My escape key has stopped working for deselecting objects and I cannot add vertex along lines anymore. I can select the line, hover over the midpoint and select "Add Vertex" but nothing happens. I hit escape and the line does not deselect. I can shift select the line and it will deselect but not escape. All of the fixes I have found surrounding this involve having Photoshop open. I do not use Photoshop so that isn't my issue. I can restart AutoCAD and it works as it should for about 5 minutes before going back to the same issue. Any ideas? 

[ The subject line of this post has been edited to include the product name by @handjonathan ]

[BrianBenton]

It sounds like you have used the linked north arrow or scale bar to a view port and clipped the viewport. This is a known bug and we we no longer use the arrow/scale bar where I work because of it. You have to close the drawing and re-open it to get grips and escape back but it will eventually go bad again. Get rid of the arrow and scale bar and it will keep working fine. I hate this with a passion.

[braudpat]

Hello

Please which ACAD Version on which Windows ?

Regards, Patrice

[peterm]

It may sound silly, but have you tried a different keyboard?

[BrianBenton]

Are you using the Dynamic North Arrow or the Dynamic Scale bar? If so this is a known issue:

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-forum/grips-stay-highlighted-after-cancel/m-p/631952...

Discussed here. If you are then stop using them, or open and close the instance of AutoCAD. But the issue comes back.

[jandcando]

Can we get an update on this thread when the issue is fixed? Still happening to me as well and it's driving me crazy.

[Macumazahn]

I also have this problem, however it takes several hours of constant use for it to start happening. My workaround is to close the program and re-open it. That's worked every time.

That's a pain because EVERY TIME I open I have to reload my profile, my Workspace and play with STATUSBARAUTOWRAP system variable to get it to actually enact and stop bouncing the status bar UP then DOWN, then UPDOWN the DOWN UP with a mind of its own.

I had my boss re-install Factory Design Suite 2018 yesterday and I see no difference in any of my petty - yet annoying - issues.

[pendean]

Is this a PICKFIRST getting turned off issue by chance?

[fkellogg]

I am also having this problem, since prior to upgrading from 2019 to 2020 vanilla AutoCAD, Windows 10.

All updates installed, Video driver current (and NO, I will not turn off Hardware acceleration).

Dell Precision 5820 Tower PC is only a year old. Solid state hard drive. 32GB RAM

Outlook, Bluebeam and Firefox (Pandora) only programs being used.

No North arrow being used.No viewport clipping going on. Pickfirst ON, and no, I will not turn it off.

Happens in Modelspace, and possibly Paperspace also (today it's modelspace).

The problem happens at least once a day, for no recognizable reason.

Many functions still work, like pan, zoom, switch viewports, line, circle, etc.

As soon as an operation requires selecting items, Properties palette shows  "No selection" and escape key does nothing (not sure if typing "Cancel" works). Switching tabs will release the selected items, but not fix the issue.

And the program does not crash, so there is no crash report generated, or any way to notify Autodesk when it happens.

Switching to another open file shows that it is happening in all open files.

My only resolution so far is to save (TG I still can) and reopen the file (without necessarily closing all of AutoCAD).

Very annoying. No one else in my office of six has experienced the problem.

[Anonymous]

I assume you have already compared ACAD & Windows updates, 3rd-party software (in and out of ACAD), ACAD & Windows custom settings, etc. between the well behaved machines and yours(?)

When you hit the escape key, does *cancel* show in the command line?

If no, then I would suggest trying a different keyboard and or keyboard driver

If yes, does the issue happen if AutoCAD is the only program open?

If yes, I would suggest first try disabling any 3rd party add-ins (one at a time), if no joy then try using a new user profile and / or resetting ACAD to defaults

If it doesn't happen when ACAD is running "solo", then launch your other commonly used apps (again 1 at a time), and see which one causes the issue.

Unless you have more objects selected than your properties pallette is set to display (doesn't sound like you do), the "no selection" message with objects selected combined with the esc-key issue sounds like an issue somewhere in AutoCad that may require a repair/reset/reinstall. Especially if you migrated settings from a previous release.

Hope this helps. (sorry for being long-winded)

[pendean]

Can you elaborate on the remark "...problem happens at least once a day..."? quantify it, give us an idea what that possibly is.

Since you have had this in two versions on the same PC, and no one else does at your office, you most likely either carried over the problem with an AutoCAD migration, a 3rd party add-in, or you just have something going on with your PC.

Talk to your I.T. about logging into your PC as an all new user to test for a day (easier than a reformat and start over) and see if the problem persists.

[lmcculley]

I have the exact same problem. Its been happening for at least a couple weeks now. Yes I do use the North Arrow! That is what it is there for. It is a very annoying problem. I have no 3rd party add-ons. It is NOT my keyboard. I use a laptop with a wireless keyboard and both of them do the exact same thing. The strange part is that the properties box will say "No Selection" when it is happening. Sometimes it goes away on its own, but usually it takes closing the program and reopening it. Here is a screen shot of the items selected and the No Selection showing in the Properties box. I sure wish Autodesk would quit assuming the problem is with something besides them.

[pendean]

That usually means you have to repair reinstall AutoCAD, your Windows Registry may be messed up.

PICKFIRST and PICKADD settings are...?

[AMestern]

Replying to another post, is it your keyboard? I go through one or two keyboards a year, and usually the escape key fails first.

[fkellogg]

Sorry for the no replies to all offers of help; notifications were going to junk mail.

As for the "escape key not working", I maybe should have said "escape function not working".

Working in my PC at work, from home (not in AutoCAD locally).

The anomaly just happened again, in AutoCAD on my work computer, with a new keyboard at home.

A few weeks ago, after a day of multiple crashes, and upon the suggestion of an Autodesk tech, I "reset" my installation back to no customizations. did not Repair the installation. Version 2020 with all updates.

Pickfirst and Pickadd always ON.

Nice to know it's not just me, lmcculley.

The above-mentioned tech had never heard of this issue.

At least it does not crash the program, and I can save and close (unlike the basic COPY command does fairly often!!)

[Anonymous]

Hi,

I have also been experiencing the issue described in this thread for a good few months now.

This occurs when I work on a drawing for a longer period of time (2-3hrs) without shutting it down AutoCAD. Usually once or twice a day.

I have experienced this on multiple devices, as my workplace has recently changed my computer and also the AutoCAD software.

I was previously using AutoCAD LT 2019 and attempted to solve the issue by upgrading to the latest 2020 version. - That didn't help!

I have later been upgraded to the full AutoCAD 2020 software on a different computer at work. - and yet the issue is still there!

Just to clarify, this is not an issue with the keyboard, when the problem after selecting a line or object, I repeatedly press the Esc button to try and deselect. The command line then reads the typical "Command: *Cancel*" as it normally would which therefore suggests the software is responding to the button press but not carrying out the function.

The only way I have found for solving this issue is to restart the AutoCAD software. - which always work but is really annoying!

I'm glad to see that this issue is not only happening to me and hope that we can get to the bottom of it one way or another..

[pendean]

What have you tried and researched so far, other than posting? There are a few reasons why this would happen, including not updating the software, using an older OS update, memory leaks, "something" happening after 2-hours, another software open/interfering, your anti-virus software, and these solutions
https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Escape...
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-forum/escape-key-not-working/td-p/7829085
https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/civil-3d-forum/escape-key-and-cancel-command-not-working/td-p/2790970
https://www.google.com/search?q=autocad+esc+key+stopped+working

[fkellogg]

David Savage . . .
So Sorry to see you had the misfortune to have to find my post and "Like" it.
If you look for other posts I have made, this here topic is NOT the only one where I have desperately been trying for over 3 years to run this issue down. As well as my "Hard Crash on Copy Command" topic. Both issues have plagued me for years. Some more recent posts discuss the lengths to which I have gone to fix one or the other or both.

After a NEW PC, upgrading to v2022, re-stetting the program, stripping all possibly suspect code from my acaddoc.lsp file, etc. etc, the escape key business has reared its ugly head again! (it seemed to have stopped for a couple of weeks). Yesterday, I thought it was caused by/during autosave, but today proved otherwise.
CFK

[kevinluebbert1851]

I also have the same issue as of the last month. Only occurred after installing C3D 2022 in May 2022. The drawing will be working fine for hours. I then click on something to drag, edit, or right click and then I cannot deselect it. Switching from paper to model space will clear the blue or red grip highlights, but, it will not return the functioning click grip. All keyboard commands (including escape) still work fine, but, visually the grip cannot be deselected. My only option has been to save the open tabs, close Civil 3D 2022 and restart Civil 3D.

[fkellogg]

Still happening to me at least once a day.
Escape key will not deselect, and Properties palette says "No selection".
Usually across all open files.

Vanilla AutoCAD 2022, all hotfixes and drivers up to date.

Only salvation is that the program does not crash, and I can save and restart without losing anything but a few moment$ of time.