Error: Out of memory

The following error message is displayed while you are working in the program.

Out of memory

You may also notice that system performance is slow.

This error occurs because the computer ran out of usable memory before it was able to complete the operation you requested.

You can get out of memory errors while doing any process. Some examples of when these problems can occcur are:

• Processes involving a large number of objects or files.
• Working with files that contain large images, even when the drawing file itself is small.
• Drawing normally if there are several other programs running while you work.

Following are a few ideas on how to gain more memory and/or maximize the available memory.

• Close unneeded programs. Identify what other programs are running and then shut down the ones that do not need to be running in order for you to perform the operation that is causing the error. You can use the Windows Task Manager (press CTRL+ALT+DEL) to identify the applications and processes that are running and click End Task to shut down any unnecessary applications. In Windows ® operating sytems you can also look at the Performance tab to try to determine what applications are using system resources.
• Install more RAM. If you have more RAM on your computer, Windows dependence on the swap file is reduced, and performance increases.
• Check the space available on the hard disk drive. Not only is space needed for various temporary files, but it is also needed for the Windows swap file. If your swap file is dynamic (grows and shrinks in size as needed) then freeing up space by deleting files or removing programs you no longer need will give the swap file more room to grow. If the swap file size is static (does not change), then freeing up more space on the hard drive will allow you to adjust the size of the swap file.
• Check and adjust system swap file settings. When Windows runs out of available RAM, it writes some of the information in RAM to the swap file so it can clear that area of RAM and reuse it. If your swap file is set to let Windows manage your swap file settings, you probably do not need to make any changes; performance may suffer, however. If you prefer a static swap file, you may need to increase the maximum size of your swap file to avoid the out of memory errors. See related solutions, Windows Help, and the resource guide for your operating system for more information about performance and how to configure the swap file.
• Reduce the amount of information you are working with. If you can simplify the drawing you are working with you may be able to avoid these errors. For example, if you are hatching large areas, try breaking it down into smaller sections. If you have images and/or xrefs in the drawing, try unloading the ones you do not need at the moment. If there is a lot of TrueType® based text on the screen, try replacing it with a SHX font instead. If there are multiple drawings loaded, try closing the ones you are not working with. There are many other methods you can use within the program to reduce the amount of memory being used.
• Enable 3 GB switch. See Enabling the 3GB switch on Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows XP