Using multiple layouts

[mnorton]

On projects with long baselines it is often convenient to create drawings with multiple layouts. Generally, I try to limit the number of layouts per drawing to seven, the number that will typically appear when you open the drawing. The primary purpose is to facilitate multiple user access, but it's also a performance issue. Seven layouts open faster than thirty-seven layouts.

Well, I stepped in a project with multiple 37 layout drawings.  Opening time was running at almost 5 minutes each drawing.  I made multiple copies of the drawing, deleting layouts from each, thinking performance would be increased due to the reduction in drawing size - but the performance is still poor.  No matter how much you rub your shoe in the grass, the stink still follows you everywhere.

I told you all that so I could ask you this:  Should these new truncated drawings be purged somehow to remove the excess baggage from memory?

[tcorey]

A big part of opening a drawing is loading all the Civil 3D objects: Surfaces, Alignments, Corridors, Section Views, etc.

Loading  layouts isn't necessarily what is making your drawing slow to load.

All that said, a good way to get seven sheets (layouts) in each drawing is to use Civil 3D Plan Production. You can put all sheets in this drawing, all in a new drawing, or some number (seven in your case) per new drawing.

[mnorton]

Thanks, Tim, but we're in too deep to be laying out sheets again and adjusting to multiple drawings wasn't a time issue. I only have one alignment and five surfaces spanning just over five miles, no section views or corridors. The surfaces are a 100 yard swath along a channel. I can't help but feel I'm taking a performance hit elsewhere.

[rl_jackson]

@mnorton , Its still going to be easier from a setup perspective doing it with plan production as @tcorey  suggested,  even if you use the basic default template provided, and copy paste in your title block later, IMO. I rarely have a need for it myself with survey stuff, as I'm just working on a single site, but I've done it with a large boundary that was grew to 70 sheets, and it would have take a great deal of time to but that together.

[tcorey]

This is becoming a stock reply, sorry, but I have found that removing folders from Quick Access in Windows Explorer can help. I forget where I read it, but someone else suggested this. I was personally having severe speed issues with Civil 3D, until I removed Documents, Pictures and Downloads folders from Quick Access. 

And empty your system temp folder. %temp%

[mnorton]

Thanks, Rick, but I'm at 95% submittal in less than two days. These responses may be a solution but they are not viable in this time frame. I resolved the layout problem in less than an hour. If Plan Production is the only solution to the performance issue it will have to wait until the next project. I'm not convinced it's the only solution. 

[mnorton]

Thanks, Tim. I've tried that recommendation before with no noticeable results. I think it's on a stock list from Autodesk. I tried it again but still no help. In fact, my drawing just opened slower. I clocked it at 3:40 yesterday - today at 5:10.

I've set up projects using multiple layouts without issue. I inherited this one and it's the first time I've had to break it down for multiple users.

[Todd_Rogers]

Hey dude. Long shot here, but install and run this app. It will be in the Add-ins tab once installed. It cleans a lot of garbage, including RegApps...

https://apps.autodesk.com/ACD/en/Detail/Index?id=3773138176974634673&appLang=en&os=Win32_64