Graphical glitch causes model to disappear

[glitchtechscience]

While working on a model dual screen windows desktop, I'll occasionally get a strange bug. The secondary screen (which is blank or contains a webpage or reference image) will turn green for a few seconds. Then both screens will flash black or white. After that, everything returns to normal, except for Fusion. The contents of the model will disappear. The program makes it seem as if I can look around or zoom into a single component, but nothing except white screen.

Fortunately, a quick restart of the application fixes this issue.

If there is an error log that I can dig up to attach, let me know. I'll grab it next time this issue happens and submit it.

[Phil.E]

Welcome to the Fusion 360 community.

This sounds like a graphics problem caused by your hardware. As you may know, CAD is very graphics intensive compared to regular apps. A weak (for CAD work) GPU, trying to run multiple applications, on multiple monitors, may suffer failure like this.

To be sure, let's start by checking your graphics diagnostic information. You can find it under the ?Help menu. Copy and paste the information it provides into a reply here. Let's see if we can get you into a better experience.

Thanks!

[glitchtechscience]

I'd hope my machine could handle the graphics (built originally for gaming), but I wouldn't be surprised considering some of the geometry I've tossed in these models. Also, this isn't too frequent of an occurrence and I don't believe one model or another is causing issues more frequently.

Here's what I got.

[GPU Information]
GPU Device: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970
GPU RAM: 4096 MB
GPU Driver API: DirectX 11.0
GPU Driver Version: W\S.ystem32\DriverStore\FileRepository\nv_dispi.inf_amd64_63f40b686fe9309f\nvldumdx.dll,C:\WINDOWS\System32\DriverStore:22.21.13.8569
GPU Driver Date: Unknown

[Graphics Effects Settings]
Anti Aliasing: On
Ambient Occlusion: On
Object Shadow: Off
Ground Shadow: On
Ground Reflection: Off
Selection Display Style: Normal
Transparency Effect: Better Performance

[Limit effects to optimize performance]
Off

[Phil.E]

Thanks.

That isn't too bad actually. It may be insufficient to run two 4k monitors, or not. Let's try some things.

You can turn off the graphics effects, using the toggle checkbox in Graphics Diagnostic, for a while See if that helps. 

It's not clear how old your drivers are for the NVIDIA. If they are more than a year old, you might want to check on the NVIDIA site for new drivers. 

Another thing, only after you try the above steps, you can try is forcing Fusion to use DX9 drivers. This setting is in Preferences, which is in the menu under your name, upper right corner.

Please let us know how it goes! 

[glitchtechscience]

I did notice an update was available so I snagged that.

I'll check and test those settings you mentioned.

[Phil.E]

I guess we eliminated the monitor load. 🙂

[glitchtechscience]

I managed to somewhat reproduce the issue. I imported a part (M3 bolt) from McMaster-Carr and it happened 2 of 3 times just now for different bolts.

[Phil.E]

Just to be clear, can you tell me the steps you have already taken? If you can still reproduce it, we need to start eliminating variables.

Did you update video drivers?

Did you try DX9 in Fusion preferences?

What kind of bolt file did you insert? SAT, IGES, or STEP?

Thanks, and I apologize it's not more obvious and easy to fix.

Regards,

[glitchtechscience]

I updated my drivers to the latest version. I did not have DX9 set up at
the time (I now do). I was importing a STEP file from MMC.