Render Problem on ver 14

[Tobestos]

Hey all

I've been using TFP for a few years now, having graduated from V3 thru v6 and v12, until I received my sparkly new v14 disk today.  I'm quite used to having to coax real-views from my drawings, however I seem to have come across a prob I've never encountered before... 

When I try to real-view, the drawing either shows a white screen or doesn't change at all.  The radiosity scan seems to work ok though.  I have tried updating my video drivers and re-installing the program.  I have also installed the patches from the web-site.

I am working on a Fujitsu Siemans Amilo laptop with Windows 7 x64.  I'd be really grateful for any help you guys could give.

Thanks in advance....

[Allan Chesney]

Hi - Welcome to the forum!

Seems like you have been familiar with FP3D and TFP for as long as me  (although I did have V7, 8, 10 and 11 also). It is fascinating software isn't it?
Did you mean you have just got V14 or V15?  The latter was released just two days ago.

To your question and assuming you did mean V14:

When I try to real-view, the drawing either shows a white screen or doesn't change at all.  The radiosity scan seems to work OK though.  I have tried updating my video drivers and re-installing the program.  I have also installed the patches from the web-site.

Can you please check the full version number? (under Help / About... as you no doubt know).  I know you said you have applied the patches but the symptions sound similar to the very first release of V14 and was just wondering if you had somehow been sent an old original disk, although the patch should have fixed it assuming you used the correct one - you should only need one (624 to 662).  The most recent version of V14 ends in 662.  There  are no known issues in this area with 662, so if that is what you have then the issue is presumably PC related, and hopefully Pat will see this and may be able to make other suggestions, but you could try the following:

I assume you are talking about Basic render giving the white screen. Were you saving as BMP or JPG?  Try the other and see if that helps - that was one of the issues with the original V14...624.

One other thing you could try, if you haven't already, is to turn off Hardware Acceleration (Settings/ Programme Settings/ Graphics), although if you have upgraded the video drivers it should not be a problem, (unless maybe if the driver is ATI, as some seem to have problems with them).

Let us know how you get on.

Allan

[Draftcad]

Hi Tobestos

Alan is right and. of course, please, first step--> verify / apply the patches

If the patches are OK, I have several recommendations, but I'd need to know more info regarding you video card (brand, model, etc)

In addition, and very important --> you wrote

I am working on a Fujitsu Siemans Amilo laptop with Windows 7 x64. 

note that (according with http://imsidesign.com/Default.aspx?TabId=659)  TurboFlOORPLAN is a 32-bit application. If you are running TurboFLOORPLAN on a 64-bit system, it will run in 32-bit mode.

Let us know the info regarding the VC and we'll help with the adjustments

Pat

[Allan Chesney]

Thanks Pat for following up on this one.

I have another personal issue for you but will let you handle this one first to save confusion - or I will do another post if I can't resolve it soon.

Allan

[Draftcad]

Hi Allan,

Of course, I will be glad to help! 

Feel free to post here or, if you prefer, you can email me

Pat

[Tobestos]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for the warm welcome and help so far.  You're right Alan, it is amazing how much the program can help people express their creativity!

In answer to your questions:

I am using Ver 14.0.C2.662

My Graphics Card is NVidia GeForce GT130M

When I try and install patch 624-662, it errors with Err 1642 and says that the prgram cannot be found.  The other update does install however.

[Draftcad]

Hi Tobestos

If your version is .662, you don't need the 624-662 patch

I encountered some issues with graphic programs using my second computer (with Nvidia card)
You can try these steps, they helped in my case

1 - Check the website of your video card manufacturer and update the drivers
2 - Right click on the wallpaper (look for a place without icons)--> Properties--> Settings--> Advanced--> Open GL--> Compatibility Settings--> Force 16 bits--> Apply--> OK
3 - Set your video color depth at 24 or 32 bits ("true color")
4 - Go to www.microsoft.com/directx, and see what version is current and check if you have this version installed in your computer
5- Some NVidia cards show additional problems change the color settings from 32 bit to 16 bit

Hope this helps 

Pat / Draftcad

[Tobestos]

Fingers crossed - I think it's sorted now...

I uninstalled, double checked everything above, did a clean install and it looks like it's working now.  Ver 14 is much nicer to use than ver 12 as well!

Many thanks to all for your help.  Right - I'm going to go and draw something a bit special now 

Thanks again

Toby.

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Toby,

Glad to here the problem is sorted out (hopefully!) 

Have fun!


Pat,

My problem concerns the Garden Encyclopedia.

This problem originally occurred a few weeks ago when I found I could not insert plants. I got a series of messages as in the image. It seems to think there are two copies of the ‘Garden.DB’ open, telling me there are duplicated tables and after I click OK about 100 times (presumably as it goes through that particular plant group) it says there is another copy of the Garden DB open or a corrupt file. At this point it will allow me to insert the same plant a number of times but crashes when I try another, or when I try to render.

When it first appeared I assumed it was a corruption since I did not have two copies open. I did not worry about it at the time as I was expecting the beta of V15 any day and so decided not mess around with things. I assumed V15 would install new copies of everything, which it did, but it didn’t fix the problem, even though it is a different folder and file. When I try to access the Plant Encyclopaedia directly from the menu I get the same last message and this says it is using the V15 file, not my old V14 one (which was the one I thought was corrupted).

Now I don't know what to think - I can't see how V15 could be accessing the V14 file but also I cant see how both could be corrupted. I have re-installed V15 but it made no difference. The file name and date/time for the Garden.db file is the same for both versions but they are in different folders and the message shows that V15 is accessing the file from the V15 folder.

The Garden Encyclopedia in V14 and V15 works fine on my XP desktop.  I have also copied the Plant Encyclopedia from the desktop to the laptop and it still fails, so something on the laptop presumably is casuing the issue.

Any suggestions how to resolve it?

Allan

[Draftcad]

Hi Toby,

Glad to know that the problem is solved! 

Hi Allan,

I will be glad to help, and I think that I know where the problem can be. However, today (Sunday) is "Unistall / Install day"  , so I just uninstalled my TC version 15 and my TFP version 14 and I am cleaning / defrag in order to install my new TC V17 and TFP V15
As soon as I've all installed will check the plant issue

Pat

[Draftcad]

Hi Allan ,

(all my programs are installed now )

OK, I verified the TFP folders, just to sure. Sorry if I explain in excess, but, in a future, this post can be usefull for other TFP users with less computer experience
*.db files are database files, they work a "computer Rolodex" where each element is a card. In this case, each plant is a card. Unfortunately, the db files become corrupted with a certain frequency, and sometimes, for odd reasons like a bad shut up, a virus or a Trojan, or a corrupted sector in the HD.
In my opinion, if you are copying the db from the desktop to the laptop and it is still corrupted, the problem is not in db original file--> there is something in your laptop preventing the database execution. There are several programs to fix databases (some of them free in the MS website) however, once you've he original file, I'd try to fix the problem and not the database 
The radical solution is --> uninstall both versions--> clean + defrag --> run a good cleaning program (I'd suggest Spybot and / or Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, both are free) and then start by installing one of the programs
If you wish to start slow, try to run the cleaning programs + clean + defrag

Anyway, I'd run a CHKDSK (checkdisk) to be sure about the physical conditions of the HD--> CHKDSK for Win 7 --> http://www.w7forums.com/use-chkdsk-check-disk-t448.html
If you find bad sectors, the problem is there

Let me know about the results

Pat

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Pat,

Sorry to bother you again but I am having issues with this.

First - I am still on Vista (Home Premium).  I did not switch to Win7, even though I got a free upgrade with the laptop purchase. Turns out it had to be registered on their website by a certain date and I missed the date by a few days.  So....

I decided to do a backup first and when I clicked the Backup option it said I have a corrupt 'C' drive (sounds like the problem you suspected) and that I need to run a checkdisk first. I clicked 'Schedule Checkdisk' but when I reboot, it just starts Windows as usual and no check is performed.

There were many references to this issue on the internet but all the explanations were too long or too technical.  Many are forum responces so the explanations are all over the place ,so that after hours of reading I was so confused I did not know what to do.

Can you put the steps into plain simple English, or would I be better off to just take it to the computer shop, buy Win7 and get them to install it?

Allan

[Draftcad]

Hi Allan,

Of course you are not bothering! I am really glad to help!
(Just wait for my questions regarding TFP 15... )

OK, I think that the *.db" issue is identified--> a bad sector, so the first step is a very good backup

I think that you performed the right steps but anyway--> Go to the Windows Explorer--> My computer --> Local Disk C (if this is the HD)--> Right click--> properties--> "Error-Checking" --> "Check Now" button  --> Select "Automatically fix file system errors" + "Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors" -->"Start" --> --> "Schedule Check Disk," --> Turn off your computer --> turn your computer back on --> Chkdsk will run before Windows is loaded
If this doesn't work, try this--> Start--> Run--> Chkdsk

Let me know if you need additional help

Pat

[Allan Chesney]

Hi Pat,

Sorry but nothing happens when I do either of the options. 

If I select Schedule Check Disk and reboot the PC nothing happens - it just starts Windows as usual. 

If I use Start / Run / Chkdsk again nothing happens - my normal desktop image and shortcuts just sit there.

Any other ideas to make it start?

Allan

[Draftcad]

Hi Allan,

Something is preventing this process
Important note: a rootkit virus can be preventing the check disk, so check this possibility first

If the virus cleaning is OK --> First of all, try to deactivate all and any antivirus running in the computer and after this, try to run the check disk again

If this doesn't work--> Try this--> start your computer in Safe Mode--> (By pressing the F8 key when Windows starts) --> try to Check Disk using the same procedures

Let me know if you need additional help

Pat