Not all graphics cards are create equal, or in this case not all graphic cards can run AutoPIPE. The "readme_autopipe.htm" located in the AutoPIPE folder has a section for "System Requirements", typical Video Graphic Card requirements are:

Any industry-standard video card which supports OpenGL 3D graphics.

Therefore the fist question,

Q1. Does your graphics card on your computer support "OpenGL 3D" graphics?

• If the the answer is yes, continue to next question.
• If not, then you cannot use that computer to run AutoPIPE. 

Q2. Do you have the latest graphics card drivers installed on the computer?

• If the the answer is yes, continue to next question.
• If No or not sure, please update your drivers as needed and reboot the system before continuing.

Q3. is there more than one graphics card on your computer?

• If yes, then test both cards. First close all AutoPIPE applications, change computer to use graphics card #1, restart AutoPIPE and open a model. 
• If no, skip to testing the graphics card below.

     a. Doers this resolve the problem?

• If no, then close all AutoPIPE applications, change computer to use graphics card #2, restart AutoPIPE, and open a model. 

     b. Doers this resolve the problem?

• If Yes, continue to use the graphics card for AutoPIPE
• If no, continue below.

Q4. Are you using more than one screen?

If yes, you are using 2 or more screens, find out which screen the computer thinks is screen number 1. Move both AutoPIPE application wind and the Grids to that screen (note, size the windows to fit here). Now try to repeat the issue again with AutoPIPE and grids on the first screen.

If no, continue below to testing the graphics card.

Does the problem still occur?

If yes, continue below to testing the graphics card

If no, leave AutoPIPE application screen on monitor #1 indefinitely and report the issue with a Service Request. 

Now for the test, perform the following test to determine if your computer graphics card is able to run AutoPIPE:

1. Download file based on version of AutoPIPE in use

AutoPIPE CONNECT 11.00.xx.xx and higher

AutoPIPE V8i 09.06.xx.xx and lower

2. Unzip contents into the AutoPIPE program folder, (may need IT help with permissions)

Example:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Bentley\AutoPIPE CONNECT

C:\Bentley\AutoPIPE V8i SELECTseries\

3. After moving the application into the path mentioned above, double click on GFWTest.exe to run.

4. Once the application is opened, the program will be drawing a sphere using 3 different methods for OpenGL (OpenGL 1.2, GL Utility Library, and GL Auxiliary Library). We want to see if something goes wrong.

Typical results should look like the following:

Question: Does your graphics test look like that above?

• • If yes, my results are similar to the screen shot above, therefore your computer should be able to run AutoPIPE without graphic related issues on normal sized models.

  • If no, my results are not similar to the screen shot above, then take a screen shot of the GFWTest window, submit a service request for TSG support, attach the screen shot of the test in a ZIP file to the SR, and send for review.

Troubleshooting Graphic Card Issues:

See the following WIKI page here

To speed up the display response for large models, typical suggests that can help:

1. If you're going to be working with big models, Max out the system's RAM.

2. Download and install the latest video driver specifically to support OpenGL graphics for your video card.

3. In AutoPIPE, go to View> Settings and uncheck "Enable Hardware Acceleration".

4. AutoPIPE installed on Win XP:

a. Control Panel> Display> Settings> Advanced> Troubleshooting and select a lower hardware acceleration setting. This may be an iterative process.

b. Control Panel> Display> Appearance> Effects, "Use transition effects for menus and tooltips" should be unchecked.

5. Other tricks to work quicker in AutoPIPE include turn of segments that are not part of the area being modeled, perform a model compaction periodically, turn off point names and symbols, and turn of beam display.

See Also

Graphics

Bentley AutoPIPE