Performance issues and settings

Issue

Solution

Large models, hardware configurations and constraints, and system settings all affect the performance of NavisWorks®. There are some basic adjustments that you can make to optimize performance.

Most modeling computers operate with 4GB of RAM. However, you can enable the /3GB switch in order to free resources and use more memory for various system processes. Enabling the /3GB switch is not complex and information is widely available on its use and how it can be set.

Try turning off Hardware Acceleration to see whether performance improves. Follow these steps: 

1. Open NavisWorks.
2. Click Tools menu > Global Options > Interface > Display.
3. Clear the Hardware Acceleration check box.
4. Exit NavisWorks.
5. Restart NavisWorks.

If performance improves, the issue is probably due to the graphics card drivers. Graphics card drivers are often overlooked as an upgrade area. Some card manufacturers update their drivers every few months, improving performance and maximizing the capabilities of the card. Sometimes, drivers may become corrupted, causing performance issues. This can occur even on new computers or computers with newly installed drivers.

Check with the manufacturer of your graphics card to see if new drivers are available. If they are, install them and then turn Hardware Acceleration back on (click Tools menu > Global Options > Interface > Display). If no new drivers are available, or newer drivers do not resolve the issue, leave Hardware Acceleration turned off.

If you access files from a central server location, bandwidth may cause performance issues. This is not common. However, if you experience slow performance, try copying the files from the server to your computer to see if this improves performance.