View Cube freezes

[2herds]

Fusion 360, new UI, Apple MacBook Pro, Mojave OS.

I have been experiencing the View Cube locking up for months and have not found a fix correcting the problem. I also have not found any particular operation that causes it to lock up. It just locks up when it wants to - like playing a slot machine, it's a gamble as to when - only the Cube Knows! The complexity of the design has no effect either, a simple cube and it may lock up.

Folks have responded with various ideas to try and NONE have worked. Just today I have had 3 lock ups and had to close Fusion and signed back in to get the cube to work again. One suggestion was to  use the Orbit feature: I feel that if I want a side, front, top, etc, view the cube will provide a "flat" face, whereas the Orbit may not be as accurate, or at least as easy for me to use.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Phil.E]

Hi,

Thanks for posting about this again.

I'm assuming you are still using the same machine as when you posted this.

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-support/view-locks-up/td-p/8433882

Is that true?

Do you drag the view cube, or just click on the faces to see the views? 

[2herds]

Hope this answers some questions;

1) Old files or new fresh files makes no difference, still locks up at times

2) Clicking on cube faces, top, bottom, rotate corner arrows, etc., all fail when the lock up happens

3)

[Phil.E]

Thanks. But you didn't answer any of my questions.

Are you still using the same machine as when you posted this?

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/fusion-360-support/view-locks-up/td-p/8433882

When using the view cube, and finally experiencing a lock up, do you drag the view cube as you use it, or just click on the faces to see the views? I'm talking about when the view cube is not locked up, prior to a lockup. 

[2herds]

Same machine.

Just click on cube faces.

When I click on the link in your email I go to a post, but you are not there. Just older cube problems about the lock up. I don't understand that.

Thanks, Tom

[Phil.E]

The old post and the new post are about the same problem and you are the OP. I just wanted to be clear whether you were experiencing the same issue using the same machine. That helps me decide how to go about finding a reproducible set of steps that lock up the view cube. These steps can be used in a debugging environment to help us find the code that needs fixing. Without a way to reproduce the issue it's rather hard to debug.

[2herds]

I fully understand about intermittent issues. If you want me to do anything for testing just let me know. However, do not assume I know how to do certain asked for directions, so please explain in detail what you may want me to do.
Being 74 and retired I have the time to do what you may want, but perhaps not the computer knowhow.

Thanks,
Tom Herd

[Phil.E]

Thanks, and no worries. Let me know by responding to one of your posts and tagging me with @Phil.E  in the body of the response, if you happen to find a reliable trigger for the bug.

[untrustedone]

@Phil.E 

Macbook Air 

Intel HD Graphics 4000 1536 MB

2.0.9305
Active Plan: Fusion 360, Subscription
macOS 10.15.7

The View cube was working good for the last few updates, but the latest has caused a regression. Back to the save and restart workflow. Aggravating

Rob

[Phil.E]

Thanks for the report. This is good info. Because nothing has changed in view cube code or trackpad code in over 12 months, it must mean something else affects your view cube. To be clear, you are experiencing this only when using trackpad, or do you have a mouse?

[untrustedone]

I use a mouse. Also dual monitor if that matters.

[Phil.E]

Thanks for the info. You might want to review your macOS power settings to ensure the mac is not picking GPU for you.

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/fusion-360/troubleshooting/caas/sfdcarticles/sfdcarticles/Poo...

[untrustedone]

[GPU Information]
GPU Device: Intel HD Graphics 4000
GPU RAM: 1536 MB (Integrated card)
GPU Driver API: OpenGL Core Profile

[Graphics Effects Settings]
Use high-resolution graphics: Off
Anti Aliasing: Off
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Object Shadow: Off
Ground Shadow: Off
Ground Reflection: Off
Selection Display Style: Simple
Transparency Effect: Better Performance

[Limit effects to optimize performance]
On

[Phil.E]

My apologies, I should have noticed you already posted your machine specs. There is only an intel HD graphics chip in your machine and I'm afraid it may be contributing to the issue.

What we know: this problem has over time been reported less and less. This indicates older hardware such as your MacBook Air is more likely to encounter the problem. 

We also know: this is not easy for anyone in Fusion development to reproduce. In order to debug a software problem like this, you have to get the problem to occur, and see what your debugging says is the source. But we've tried for hours to find a way to reliably reproduce the effect, with no luck. It might be because none of us are using computers that are more than 5 years old.

If anyone reading this is using a newer apple computer and seeing a frozen  view cube, please add a comment so I have the best possible information, I'm always happy to be mistaken if it means greater understanding for all.

Here are a few things to try to avoid this:

When clicking to see a particular face/view/direction, instead of clicking the view cube:

• Use Named Views (in the model browser). Most of the view cube defaults are there.
• Use Look At command (in the navigation bar), this will turn the camera to point orthogonally towards any plane.

When orbiting, instead of dragging the view cube:

• Use the orbit command on the nav bar.
• Orbit using the hotkeys/mouse combo you prefer. These are found on the Help > Quick Setup dialog.
• Use a spacemouse

Thanks,

[2herds]

View Cube Issue

Thanks for the update. My MacBook Pro is a lap top running Mojave 10.14.6. Not the newest but should be new enough.

What I wanted to add was I have been having some vision problems so I have not been on 360 much. The times I did go on it did seem the view cube was causing less of a problem. And yes I have not yet found a sequence that will lock it up - it appears completely random.

I will post if I ever find any specific information.

Thansks, Tom

[untrustedone]

@Phil.E is there a way to force a dump of Fusion so that we could send traces? I know it is a pain to paw through them, but it even if it was to find an over all step sequence that is common.

Rob

[Phil.E]

Thanks.

After some digging I found some clues. If you don't use the trackpad, turn off gesture based view navigation in the UI preferences and let me know if that helps.

[2herds]

Phil,

Will try what you suggested and let you know results. It may be a week or but I willget back with a result.

Thanks,

[2herds]

Sorry I still haven't had the opportunity to try your suggestion, vision problems and all.

I did however make a very simple body the other day (first file - the main one) and had also generated a second opened file for testing an operation I wasn't sure how to do. The Cube locked up about 2 or 3 times on the main body file. Each time I went to the 2nd opened test file and was able to move the cube. Going back to the first main file and testing the view cube it again worked fine. (Apple Macbook Pro OS: 10.14.6)

[baumannJ8EFY]

I grant this is a very old post, but since I've been having the same issue (still) - I just stumbled on to something that may (emphasis may) give you a pointer. I didn't want to restart (again) - so I tried just switching to another design. I got an error message about being in the "form contextual environment" and "Form not closed" And when I went back to the design I was working on, the view cube was working again. That wording is paraphrased - it surprised me so I didn't pay close attention, but hope that helps.