Topic: Slowness of Tool Palette(s)

[MSTG007]

We are running 2016 Civil3D. I have noticed lately as I change tool palettes, its incredibly slow. Is anyone else having that kinda of problem? Our tool palette is stored on our network. The only fix I have found is to go to the options, Remove the tool palette path, Click OK. then go back into options and repath it and then its back to normal. Its just weird....

[mjfarrell]

what if you move them local, for a comparison of load times


or perhaps just prior to switching the palette, use windows explorer and refresh the drive path, does that alter the load time?

could be how your network drives/paths are being cached, and or network latency

[MSTG007]

We have tried what you mentioned. Same results. We also came across this article... It is interesting.. .

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-general/custom-tool-palettes-loading-slowly/td-p/2855668/page/3

[mjfarrell]

We have tried what you mentioned. Same results. We also came across this article... It is interesting.. .

https://forums.autodesk.com/t5/autocad-civil-3d-general/custom-tool-palettes-loading-slowly/td-p/2855668/page/3

now I'm squinting at you like Samuel L. Jackson


did you post that to show you already had an answer to the problem you posted?

OR 

WHAT!

[MSTG007]

no, not at all. I wanted to share this is what I started with. After troubleshooting around like you mentioned, I finally did what I said above with repathing the tool palettes.

[alanjt]

Give only one person write-access to the network tool palettes folder.
Each time someone with write-access opens and closes cad, a tool palette is updated. If autocad thinks two people made edits to the same palette, it will create duplicates, which is the main culprit for the horrible lag.

For the ONLY person with write-access, leave folder read-only unless working in file.
Autocad will create a Palettes folder and a AcTpCatalog.atc file in whatever tool palette directory you specify.

Normally the tool palette path is set to map to the default (eg. g:\cadd standards\tool palettes) - will build tool palettes based on AcTpCatalog.atc file; instead, set the tool palette path to bypass the AcTpCatalog.atc file (g:\cadd standards\tool palettes\palettes). This will severely decrease load time.

[MSTG007]

Interesting... I will give that a go. Thanks for the heads up!

[alanjt]

Interesting... I will give that a go. Thanks for the heads up!

Good luck.
There are several convoluted methods about editing the tool palette files after, but I've found this to be the simplest method.
I did add a secondary user folder for each person that allows them to create their own custom tool palettes if they see fit (stored on server).

[MSTG007]

Now, that is smart. I like that idea.

[rkmcswain]

Give only one person write-access to the network tool palettes folder.

This ^^^^^^^^^

I'm sure that Autodesk is working hard on a more robust system of deploying/sharing/updating tool palettes (and TP Groups) as we speak.

[MSTG007]

Just curious here, if you were to move away from Tool Palettes. What would you lean towards?

[ChrisCarlson]

Contexual ribbon panel

[MSTG007]

I wonder... How could / would you migrate a CAD Detail Library from the Tool Palette to the Ribbon....

[mjfarrell]

I wonder... How could / would you migrate a CAD Detail Library from the Tool Palette to the Ribbon....

build it...they wont use it anyway 

[mjfarrell]

https://knowledge.autodesk.com/support/autocad/learn-explore/caas/CloudHelp/cloudhelp/2016/ENU/AutoCAD-Core/files/GUID-78D92793-AE85-4383-B54A-ECFA39BDF402-htm.html

this is possibly the exact opposite of what you want