Topic: Free RAM memory

[Jimmy D]

I know there are a lot of topics concerning this matter but I couldn't find an answer.
We have to do some (automated) operations on a large 3D-dwg (+100Mb) but we always run out of memory and have to shut down Autocad completely between different operations!
Is there a way to free RAM without shutting down Acad?

(Using Acad 2002 / XP / 2.6Ghz - 1Gb RAM)

Thanks in advance

[daron]

I'd say you need more RAM or break your drawings down. Don't get too much detail in 3D. Let the materials take care of that. Then again, you need a visualization program like VIZ to accomplish your task. You can fake detail better with less 3d faces.

[hyposmurf]

Also try to keep other programs you dont need running closed while your working in CAD.You can also tweak what services/progrmas you want running via MSCONFIG.You can download this for windows 2000.MSCONFIG

[Mark]

I'm having a hard time believing you're running out of ram when the machine has 1GB worth.

[daron]

Mark, if you put enough detail into it, you could slow down 1GB easily. Especially if the file size is 100MB+.

[Mark]

Sounds like an ACAD problem to me. Windows should be better at handling it's memory too. I can see the machine slowing down but "run out of memory", no, sorry. That's why Windows uses the paging file.

[ronjonp]

I have a gig of RAM and I've only seen the "Out of Memory" alert once in the past 3 years. It wasn't 3d stuff.....it was many large xrefs in a drawing (20+ @ 50mb total)

[CADaver]

Close all other applications.  Outlook, Work, Excel, Media player, etc. eat up RAM.
Set SDI=1.  That will allow you to have only one drawing open at a time.  Multiple large drawings will eat RAM.

Work on making the file size smaller.  Judicious use of non-uniformly scaled "unit" blocks can reduce 100MB files to under 10MB depending on content. Purge Layer States and Layer Filters.

[Jimmy D]

I think ronjonp gave the best clue of our problem. The drawing is packed with xrefs. I'll try binding all xrefs and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks for all the help.

[Amsterdammed]

Wouldn't binding the xrefs making the files even bigger?
You wrote

We have to do some (automated) operations on a large 3D-dwg (+100Mb)

We had problems with xrefs that slowed down everthing and the reason were some true type fonts in the xref that require obviously a lot of regeneration work.

Can't you, automatic or not, unload the xrefs while doing your operations and reload them again after?

[ronjonp]

I'll try binding all xrefs and see if that makes a difference.

I wouldn't do that...IMO, I think your problem would get worse.

[hyposmurf]

How abolut doing a partial open of the drawing,the segment you only need to be working upon.You can also add additional geometry into the partially open drawing via partiaload

[Amsterdammed]

How does this work?

[ronjonp]

I have a gig of RAM and I've only seen the "Out of Memory" alert once in the past 3 years.

Me and my big mouth:



LOL

4 drawings open all with large xrefs and irregular shaped viewports.

[hyposmurf]

Thats the kind of thing that happens to me.You both on 2006?Partial open can be carried out in the following fashion:
Go to open the file and click on the arrow next to the open button.There should be a drop down list, select Partial Open.You can then choose what to open in your drawing,by sepcifying the layers.Once in the drawing you can use Partiaload to specify what you want loaded next time the drawing is opened,you can even slect views that you just wnat loaded.Should help if your loading big portions of your drawing that you dont need.Ive heard of many CAD users working from one huge XREF this way,each had their view marked out on a drawing,so the knew what section theyd be working upon.