[custommetal]

Just a quick question. I have v25 and always have had a problem with the display blanking when the selection arrow is chosen and panned over the object for an operation. BCC told me I needed a different graphics card. This is a newer computer running widows 8 64 bit. I don't use BCC much now because of the problem but need to use BobArt so need a solution. Checked the license and it is listed as v25.0 Would really not want to upgrade as even since v17....upgrades seem to be worse than the previous version.
Thanx for any comments
George

[mmoe]

I've been using Bobcad since V17 or 18 (can't remember which was my first purchase, but know I demo'd it at V17) and my opinion is quite the opposite. I'm using V26 and it's never been better in nearly every manner possible with the exception being that there is no dynamic zoom like there was back then. They've added dynamic zoom to V27, so once it's been debugged a bit, it will probably be the best yet. My only significant current complaint is that V26 takes about 30 seconds to open and about the same to shut down. I suspect it has to do with the online stuff they integrated, which I never use really, but otherwise I have no issue with V26 at all.

All that aside, the graphics card is absolutely critical to any CAD or CAM application, and to top that off, you're using Windows 8 which has not played nicely with most CAD/CAM systems for the same reason (graphics issues).How new the computer is makes less of a difference than what kind of computer it is in terms of components. My system is several years old, but it was built to provide a stable environment for CAD/CAM (I use more than just Bobcad) and it does that very well. I rarely have any problems with Bobcad V26 and have only had one unexpected shut down in the last month or so. In fact, it actually shocked me when it happened since it really never does on my system, so I can remember it quite well and know exactly what provoked it. The CPU on my system is a 4 core LGA 2011 CPU on a Sabertooth motherboard that runs at 3.7ghz (not overclocked), with 16gb of ram set up in a quad channel configuration (this is somewhat unique to the LGA 2011 processor motherboards where most consumer systems are dual channel). My opinion is that the LGA 2011 CPUs are much more of a workstation quality motherboard/CPU combo than you normally get in the more consumer oriented systems and I recommend it. Even the size of the LGA 2011 is considerably bigger than it's contemporaries (LGA 1155, LGA 1150, etc.), approx. double the size by surface area. I believe the quad channel memory feature to be a factor in CAD/CAM performance as well, since it increases the bandwidth of the memory. Keeping the CPU very cool is also quite important for these applications and I've found in the past that there were more bugs when I had the standard CPU fan (back when I had an LGA 1155 processor). I now use a radiator/water cooled system and I believe it contributes in some part to the overall stability.

I can suggest that while my graphics card is not a true workstation card, it has proven to do a solid job with Bobcad. I use an Asus Geforce 560ti and would recommend it if you want to get a less expensive older card (probably $100 or so through Ebay these days). I plan to upgrade to a Nvidia Quadro K4200 at some point in the near future, which is really the kind of card that will probably produce the most consistent results. The K2200 is also a pretty solid option by the looks of it, and runs around $400-500 which is pretty reasonable for a workstation card. If I was in your shoes, I'd probably also look at going to Windows 7 (I use Windows 7 Pro and it works very well).

I guess that my suggestion to anyone using CAD/CAM is not to just use whatever you can get at Best Buy (not saying you did, but that seems to be the more common scenario), but to consider the specifics of the workstation to be part of the cost of doing business. I've run into people running $200k machines using much more expensive CAM systems (costing over $10k) on $500 computers, and they have similar problems to those doing so with Bobcad. The computer is just like very other part of the CNC system, the cheaper you go, the poorer the performance. Poor simulation performance, buggy application operation, and graphics problems are all almost certainly related to the hardware, not the software. If you are invested in CNC as a business, it only makes sense to invest in the proper workstation to generate the very code that makes you money, but this is often the most neglected choice made by CNC owners. If it's a hobby thing, CNC is an expensive hobby and it should come as no surprise that the more you spend, the better it gets.

[magicniner]

I'm using BCC on Win 32 on a Compaq nc6400 laptop ( Noah probably had one ) and do not have this problem, are you using build 996?

- Nick

[custommetal]

mmoe, thanx for the comments and I agree however many of the current mainstream computers regardless of where you by them are not very easy to upgrade especially the all-in-one desktop models. v23 seems to run much better on this computer...just wanted to use the newer features.

magicniner.....I am currently on build 996 and if I recall the original install from disk had no problems. Always seem to have issues with the updates plus you always seem to loose a feature or two.


thanx for the replies

[BurrMan]

v23 seems to run much better on this computer...just wanted to use the newer features.

You'll have to list the video card/system (Card or built in. Make-model-driver etc)...

There may be a setting in the driver that will help......

[custommetal]

thanx to all for the replys

Burrman...spent a bunch of time and may have found a solution. The graphics is done with a chipset not a separate card and is listed as Intel HD graphics 2000. Went to the graphics properties menu by right clicking on the desktop, selected advanced, selected 3D, changed from current setting to performance, click apply.....opened BCC v25, and graphics for emboss from image a lot faster and also when vectorize was chosen and the image blanked out, the remaining vector lines did not blank out as before and could be edited as required....yeah! Hopefully the solution was this simple and can help someone else. Now if I can only learn to draw better with BCC.

George

[mmoe]

If you click on the "View Top" button, does the image come back into view as well?

[BurrMan]

That's great.. And as mmoe points out, the image will disappear when some type of angle is applied to the perspective....

The "integrated" graphics "can" work... You will also want to be careful on drivers with them.... I wouldn't puch any "Microsoft update" drivers through to them. They are usually very proprietary, so be sure to get the drivers from the cpu vendor.... With that said though, sometimes if the proprietary drivers are failing, then getting the straight from source drivers can be an option, but this should be done by someone fairly experienced in it... (special case situations.....)

Hopefully the driver will just accommodate what you need. Good luck.

Now if I can only learn to draw better with BCC.

Yes you can.. That's the beauty of it......