All text is unreadable in Graphics Area only - SolidWorks '05

[LogicPaintball]

OK, I am a new user of Solidworks, so if I use the wrong terms for things, say something stupid, etc., I don't mean to.

I am currently running SW '05 SP0.0 on an AMD 1600+ with 512MB of RAM and an ATI All-In-Wonder 8500 video card. Running Windows XP Pro SP2+ for the OS.

This is a fresh install of Solidworks, and I am getting garbled text in the Graphics Area. The text in the Property Manager pane is fine, as are all the menus, pop-up balloons, and toolbar buttons. This problem also does not seem to be related to the font used for dimensions, as every one of them looks the same. It's not isolated to just dimension text either (though that is the most irritating one to be without), as even the labels on the reference triad are unreadable.

When I do a smart dimension, and am prompted to input the dimension I want, the text inside the prompt window is fine, but once entered, the generated dimension is unreadable.

I got no errors when I installed, and it models just fine, I just can't read the dimensions when they're shown.

It's a very odd problem, and while I can still model just fine, it is very irritating to not be able to read my own dimensions, or even reference the feature tree in the upper left hand corner of the graphics area (it's still there, but I can't read any of it).

Here are a couple of JPEG's to illustrate what's happening:

Dimension Text:

Reference Triad:

Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[TCARPENTER1]

Hi LogicPaintball,

This isn't official, but, my experience with SolidWorks and ATI graphics cards has yet to be pleasant. Starting with 97 to 2004, text display has always been an issue. I still haven't found a decent work around yet, so if you can change your graphics card, that is probably abou the only fix.

HTH
Todd

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Only the ATI Fire GL range of cards are certified for use with SW.

You can check which cards are certified at

http://www.solidworks.com/pages/services/videocardtesting.html

Helpful SW websites every user should be aware of faq559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions faq559-1091

 

[J-C]

You could maybe try OpenGL mode. Open Solidworks but close any documents, then go to Tools/Options/Performance I think and check on "Use Software OpenGL". That might clear it up.






Jason

UG NX2.02.2 on Win2000 SP3
SolidWorks 2005 SP5.0 on WinXP SP2
SolidWorks 2006 SP0.0 on WinXP SP2

 

[TheTick]

What driver are you using for your graphics card? Make sure you are using a factory driver from disk or website and not a default driver installed by Windows. This sometimes helps.

 

[LogicPaintball]

Yowza! I had no idea that SW was so hard on graphics cards. My drivers are up to date, with the latest right off of ATI's website.

I will try the software OpenGL trick, but I found that advice in a search I did before I posted, and could not find the tick box you're talking about. I can't rememeber if I had a document open at the time though, so I will go back and try it that way.

Thanks much for the assistance everyone, you've just saved me many days of irritation searching for a workaround that doesn't exist.

If the software thing doesn't work, I will just pop for the new video card, I've been wanting to upgrade again anyway.

Thanks again.

 

[LogicPaintball]

Victory!

The Software OpenGL trick worked like a champ. Are there any drawbacks to using SW this way?

At any rate, my text is readable, and it still seems to model OK, so I am happy as if I had my right mind.

Thanks much fellas, as much as I would have liked to have bought a FireGL card, those bad boys are quite pricey. This fix is infinitely cheaper (as long as it doesn't cause any problems).

Have a good one all, I think you can mark this case as closed.

 

[MadMango]

The only draw-back is now the software is doing your rendering instead of the graphics card you have. Should be fine as long as you aren't working with large assemblies (100+ parts) or complicated geometries.

[green]"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."[/green]
Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.
Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[TheTick]

New graphics card recommendation:
Along with speed, you want the greatest amount of on-board memory as possible on the card.

 

[LogicPaintball]

Roger that.

I'm currently looking at a Rage GL T2 128. It shows up in the middle of the ATI card list on the SW website, and it comes in at less than $200.

While I know you get what you pay for (to a point anyway), I can't justify a $500 video card when the one I have now is working. Now, it's much easier for me to let $175 slip by, and I might even spring for another 512mB of RAM while I'm at it. Even at that it still comes in under half of what the highest dollar Rage card goes for.

Plus, it's not like I'm modeling the main engine compressor assembly from the Space Shuttle anyway.

 

[SBaugh]

faq559-1058 - Here is the FAQ on setting the Software OpenGL option.

Regards,

Scott Baugh, CSWP

http://www.scottjbaugh.com

faq731-376