Tag: performance

UseGraphicsHardware=0 if running Revit 2013 on Macbook with Parallels

Luke Johnson

As per the Revit Architecture 2013 Known Issues:

 Hardware acceleration is not available in the Parallels 7 environment, and Revit will revert to a DirectX 9 based software graphics mode, which will not render materials, sky, artificial lights, and other features when the Realistic visual style is in effect.

o   Workaround 1: When you first start Revit and see the Graphics Options – Cannot Use Hardware Acceleration dialog, select the Save Hardware Acceleration Setting option, and then close and restart Revit. Upon restart, DirectX 11 software mode will be used and features will display correctly in Realistic visual style.

o   Workaround 2: Manually add the following to the [Graphics] section of the Revit.ini file before startup:   UseGraphicsHardware=0

EDIT: Workaround 3 (allow hardware acceleration hack) – from Gordon in the comments:

Dig down to the Revit folder in program files, where Revit.exe lives, and look for a file called AdskHardwareCertificationReport.xml. Delete this file. Revit will now allow you to enable hardware acceleration, and performance will be MUCH better than the no HA fallback of using WARP (which is an API that uses the CPU to mimic graphics hardware and manages to provide performance on par with, say Intel HD2000 hardware). WARP is much better than true hardware acceleration disabled as in earlier versions, but no where near as good as Parallels virtual hardware.
End Edit

This issue was also reposted at microsolresources.com:

Workaround 2: Manually add the following to the [Graphics] section of the Revit.ini file before startup: UseGraphicsHardware=0″
Workaround 1 did not present itself to me, but workaround 2 was pretty easy to achieve:

[Graphics]
TempDimFontSizeInPoints=12
InvertBackground=0
Antialiasing=0
SemiTransparent=1
UseGraphicsHardware=0
 
I added the last line above to the 2013 Revit.ini file, restarted RAC 2013, and….

As they say these days: “SWEET!!”

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‘Scuse me, while I kiss the sky! � microsolresources

NVIDIA drivers 295.73 WHQL – download

Luke Johnson

This is the first WHQL-certified driver from the R295 family of drivers. It is the recommended upgrade for all GeForce users…

These drivers come packed with GeForce-exclusive performance and quality enhancements and are now Microsoft WHQL-certified.

Version:

295.73 WHQL

Release Date:

2012.02.21

Operating System:

Windows Vista 64-bit, Windows 7 64-bit

Language:

English (U.S.)

File Size:

157 MB

Download

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NVIDIA DRIVERS 295.73 WHQL

Revit Hardware

Luke Johnson

Alexander Vysotsky makes the following recommendation:


CPU – i7 second-generation
Memory – 8 or 16 GB of DDR3
Video – NVidia Quadro, more accessible – GeForce (Budget)
Hard Disk Drive – solid-state, more available – WD Raptor
Screen – 1 or 2 display with a resolution FullHD (1920 x 1080), 22 inches

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Google Translate
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Заметки о Revit и том, что с ним связано: Конфигурация компьютера для работы в Revit

For further information, check out my previous posts:
Xeon vs Custom Built

The CPU to beat (December 2011)

Hardware priorities for Revit

Computer configurator for Revit

Revit benchmark

Forum links (2009)

Overclock your video card – but stop if you smell something burning

Luke Johnson

In the past, overclocking your graphics was risky, difficult, and yet at the same time it could be very beneficial.  These days, it is easier to do, but video cards are often cheaper and some people may ask ‘is overclocking really worth it?’

In any case, if you are interested in giving it a go, the new overclocking utility of choice is MSI Afterburner.

Obviously, you use this utility at your own risk…

MSI Afterburner

Platform: Windows
Price: Free
Download Page

Features:

  • Change your core clock, shader clock, memory clock and fan speed using simple sliders
  • Works on nearly any video card, not just MSI-manufactured cards
  • Turn on voltage tuning for super high overclocks
  • Built-in access to MSI’s Kombustor benchmarking tool
  • Monitor your clocks, voltage, fan speeds, frame rate and more from the app’s drawer or from an on screen display during games
  • Save your settings to five different profiles for quick loading
  • Take screenshots and capture videos from your games with hotkeys
  • Fine tune the automatic fan control so you stay at the temperatures you want
  • Multiple different skins for changing the interface
  • Start with Windows or apply settings at boot, so your card is always overclocked

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App Directory: The Best Video Card Overclocking App For Windows | Lifehacker Australia

Family Creation, Performance and Standards post – with tips (BIMAdvent)

Luke Johnson

There is huge post on content (family) creation over at this link.  I have provided a few useful excerpts below:

A handy list of relevant Agencies / Organizations:

Nice tip on formulaic materials:
How do you parametrically change a material parameter in a family if the material itself depends on factors outside of each type designation? After all, it’s impossible to control materials through formulas. Our approach (when the number of ‘stacked’ geometry instances is few) is to model separate pieces of geometry, apply their unique material and then control their on/off visibility through parameters.

How to provide error messages to the family user:
One solution to this perplexing problem is to include 3D text displaying a message to the user when a non-existent configuration is selected.

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WARNING! This may void your manufacturer’s warranty: The Pros Dissect Autodesk Revit Content – BIMAdvent

Show me a tablet PC without its head in the cloud

Luke Johnson

I’m waiting for a tablet PC that can run Revit – without its head in the cloud.  In other words, I want it to be powerful in its own right.  I don’t want to have to rely on someone else’s processor to do my work for me.  And I want a decent amount of storage on-board. 

Currently, there are only a couple of Tablet PCs that I would even consider buying:

I’m particularly interested in these two tablets because I like both brands – I own a Samsung LCD TV, which is beautiful, and my ASUS laptop has been very reliable and capable.  Both of these tablets run Intel Core i5 processors and can have 4 GB of RAM.

If you didn’t know already, I am NOT an Apple guy – I have no iPhone, iPod or iPad.  Nor do I have any plans to purchase any of these devices.  I don’t care to elaborate (maybe in another post), but I’m just not interested in joining the masses in this particular instance.

With regard to tablet PCs in general – I know that things will improve next year, with Windows 8 and cheaper, more powerful Tablet tech.  So I may wait for a while before making a final decision.

Do you have any tips or advice?  Feel free to comment.

CNET links for the above two tablets:
ASUS – CNET

Samsung – CNET

Samsung

Asus

New AMD Bulldozer chips may help with local Revit rendering?

Luke Johnson

AMD has released the first true 8 core processors. Current Intel i-series chips have up to 4 cores with Hyperthreading, which displays 8 cores to the OS. However, the new AMD architecture may ultimately provide some performance benefit in certain applications (such as rendering).

Initial benchmarks for the new ‘Bulldozer’ architecture show that they are roughly on-par with some of the midrange Intel offerings. However, the new processor architecture has the potential to offer significant gains as applications are optimized and as price points improve.

In Revit terms, more cores means faster rendering.  In day to day computer terms, more cores means you can do more things faster.

In terms of technology and competition, I guess we can be glad that there are at least two big CPU manufacturers.  If you want to read about their mutually assured destruction, check out this link.

More information about Bulldozer CPUs here:
Unlock Your Record Setting AMD FX Series Processor Today

and here
Bulldozer (microarchitecture) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Defrag from the Command-Line for More Complete Control

Luke Johnson

/X
Perform free-space consolidation. Free-space consolidation is useful if you need to shrink a volume, and it can reduce fragmentation of future files.

/T
Track an operation already in progress on the specified volume.

/H
Run the operation at normal priority instead of the default low priority. Specify this option if a computer is not otherwise in use.

/M
Defragment multiple volumes simultaneously, in parallel. This is primarily useful for computers that can access multiple disks simultaneously, such as those using SCSI- or SATA-based disks rather than disks with an IDE interface. 

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Defrag from the Command-Line for More Complete Control