[ktdan]

When dragging a selection rectangle in the graphics viewport, the outline flickers and lags behind the mouse cursor. The effect is a bit annoying and distracting, but what really gets me is the mystery of the thing!

We have tested multiple configurations as detailed below:

Workstation 1:

Mastercam X6 MU2 32-bit
Windows XP 32-bit
Quadro FX 580 (driver version 191.66)
Performs as expected

Workstation 2:

Mastercam X6 and X6 MU2 32-bit
Windows 7 32-bit
Quadro FX 1700 (driver versions 270.71, 275.36, and 306.79)
Flickers/lags

Mastercam X4 32-bit
Windows 7 32-bit
Quadro FX 1700 (driver version 275.36)
Performs as expected

Workstation 3:

Mastercam X6 MU2 64-bit
Windows 7 64-bit
AMD FirePro V5900 (driver version 8.911.3.1)
Flickers/lags

Additional information:

• In all cases, dynamic rotation of solid models performs smoothly as expected.
• Workstation 3 is a new build with a squeaky clean installation of Windows.
• All software and drivers were fully uninstalled in before installation of different versions.
• All software is legally owned and installed from official sources

I spent some time searching for possible solutions, but this does not appear to be a common problem. I look forward to any questions or suggestions you might have.

[txcncman]

What do you have for Configuration > Screen > Graphics supports settings for each computer and software configuration?

[ktdan]

All systems are using OpenGL with ‘Disable hardware acceleration’ and ‘Disable front buffer’ both un-checked.

[Superman]

All systems are using OpenGL with ‘Disable hardware acceleration’ and ‘Disable front buffer’ both un-checked.

Play with the acceleration and front buffer settings, ( not all PCs have the same settings, IMO, buffers may need to be ON )

Check for correct & tested video drivers using Solidworks database - LINK

AMD card is under ATI Technologies

[ktdan]

Thank you for the suggestions, Superman. Those were some of the first things I tried, and I'll record my findings for the benefit of others.

The 'Disable front buffer' option seems to do nothing at all. It is my understanding that some older video cards used to have an option to render all windows in a single 'unified back buffer' such that all video memory could be used as efficiently as possible. When a unified back buffer is in use, Mastercam would need its own front buffer disabled. After a quick search through both the FirePro and Quadro drivers available to me, I suspect no modern cards support this option.

Disabling hardware acceleration both fails to solve our problem and eliminates solid and surface shading entirely.

EDIT: the drivers were originally obtained via the Solidworks website. Thanks again, mate.

[cadcam]

The Fire Pro should work but I always suggest the Quadros card. but the Fire pro is the higher end cards that support open GL well. I would go to the card manufacturers site and get there latest drivers.

PS this (The 'Disable front buffer' option ) was for some of the Quadro cards.

[ktdan]

The Fire Pro should work but I always suggest the Quadros card. but the Fire pro is the higher end cards that support open GL well. I would go to the card manufacturers site and get there latest drivers.

PS this (The 'Disable front buffer' option ) was for some of the Quadro cards.

We ended up going with the Fire Pro. We are quite pleased with the price/performance compared to the Quadro offering.

[cadcam]

Did you ever talk to Trevor about the issue or just ask here?

[ktdan]

Did you ever talk to Trevor about the issue or just ask here?

I went to trevor first.

[neilw20]

Not in MC but in other programs I have found Foxit Reader has become a CPU hog.
Checks for upgrades, nearly all the time. Too much phone home ET stuff.

[seijack]

Make sure to upgrade your video card drivers to the most updated ones. This helped me quite a bit after upgrading to Win 7

[cadcam]

Neil , why not use adobe reader instead? I had never even heard of this till you said something .So it is safe to say allot of people do not use it.
And if it is a CPU hog this would be the first thing to go. I have all my Cad and Cam software to take care of the CPU for sure. lol

[neilw20]

Foxit reader was good for quite a while and the human interface was much more window centric but now it has lost the plot with mousover crap as adobe is slowly learning to use standard key and 'normal' controls, but it has still got, bloat, really bad, and I thought DLLs were meant to keep that bit tidy. hahaha