Crashing Solidworks and the threshold of system resources

I think everyone who modeled in Solidworks came across an unexpected program closure. Bouncing solid quite often, but as a rule, when complex models are opened and closed intensively or when they are saved, which is especially unpleasant.
Do not all fall for the curvature of developers, they are trying to create a quality product. The reason for the unexpected collapse of Solidworks is the limitation of Windows that the process can only access 10,000 GDI objects.

What is GDI?

GDI objects are used to draw window elements that are not in the graphics area in SolidWorks. For maximum performance, the graphics area uses OpenGL, which gives more direct access to the equipment for video processing. GDI objects are used for the chrome graphic area, so every time a new document is opened, the number of GDI objects used by SOLIDWORKS will increase. Prior to this, SOLIDWORKS 2011 SP4, if the part was opened in the assembly and its own window, when this window was closed, it would not free these GDI objects. The default behavior is now to release these descriptors, but not all of them are released.

Why is this all due to the failure of SOLIDWORKS? Windows has a default limitation that one process can access only 10,000 GDI objects. Because SolidWorks does not release all objects when the document is closed, the number it uses increases continuously with each new document and gradually approaches the limit set in Windows.

Is it possible to use this knowledge to predict when SOLIDWORKS will knock out? 

Predicting a SOLIDWORKS crashing

As it was written above, this is not technically a failure, if SOLIDWORKS reaches the limit of 10,000 by object, Windows completes the process. This is not caused by a code error or by problems with shared memory access or anything else that causes a crash. It's just that Windows believes that SOLIDWORKS consumes too much resources and closes it to get those resources back. But since there is a certain number at which it closes, you can predict when it will happen. In fact, it's easy to control. Just follow these steps:

• Open task manager (you can right click on the task bar and click task manager). 
• Click View, Select Columns…

Select Columns in Windows Task Manager

Check off GDI and User Objects and click OK

Display GDI Objects

Now, the task manager will display the current value of the GDI and USER objects for each process

Display GDI Objects

Display GDI ObjectsIf a part is opened and closed several times the number of GDI objects it uses does not increase. SOLIDWORKS releases all handles every time.  The same applies to assemblies as well.  The problem is only encountered when a part is open in an assembly and it is opened in its own window and then closed.  

How to troubleshoot this crash problems

How can this problem be avoided? Do not keep your assemblies open unless you need them to be, and monitor your task manager periodically to see how many objects you are using.  Closing SOLIDWORKS and opening it will reset this count.  Furthermore you can increase the maximum number of GDI Objects a process can use by following these settings:

• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\GDIProcessHandleQuota 
• 
  
• Sets the number of GDI objects, the range of values is 256 ~ 65536, the default is 10,000.
• 
  
• 
  
• HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\USERProcessHandleQuota 
• 
  
• Sets the number of descriptors, the range of values is 200 ~ 18000, the default is 10 000.

Increase the values and reduce the risk of Solidworks failure. When changing the parameters, switch to the decimal system of the calculus.

P.S.
When writing an article for testing, the parameters were reduced to 1500, after the Solidworks Resource Monitor warning, after some time the Solidworks was crashed. 

The same manipulations apply only to the GDI problem, if SolidWorks Resource Monitor writes that there is not enough memory, then the problem will be to add RAM or unload other programs.

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Slow Performance Solidworks

Why is Solidworks slow? Reducing the performance of Solidworks is a very unpleasant situation. And to find the cause is not easy. 

Possible reasons:

• Errors drivers or video cards;
• Errors of settings or add-ins;
• Wrong  shortcut to launch;
• The errors on the disk;
• Fragmentation of the disk;
• Data errors in the registry;
• Power Options;
• External links.

A great help in this is provided by Solidworks Rx.

Launch the Solidworks Rx

At the bottom of the diagnostic page, there are two safe modes. The choice of the first ignores the video card driver and runs SolidWorks in OpenGL mode for the next SolidWorks session. This can help to eliminate the problem with the video card. If this safe mode resolves the problem, it becomes clear that your problem is related to your card and you need to get a new driver or replace the old video card. Command line of this mode:

"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /ForceSoftwareOGL /SWDisableExitApp

Another safe mode is "Ignore Tools / Options" for the next session. It uses the ready-made SolidWorks settings and disables all add-ins. If this security mode fixes the problem, you may need to fix the SolidWorks configuration or add-ons. The command line for this mode is as follows:

"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\sldworks.exe" /SWSafeMode /SWDisableExitApp

Use safe modes to narrow the range of possible causes:

• Driver or video card errors;
• Errors of settings or additions;
• Wrong shortcut to start.

Driver or video card errors

If the problem disappears in OpenGL mode, then you need to update the driver. Not the fact that the new driver will solve the problem, in practice very often the older version is a solution to problems. Another option is to replace the video card with a more powerful gaming or professional. List of certified video cards you can see on the site Solidworks. 

Errors of settings or additions

If the second safe mode solves the problem (which disables all add-ons and works with the default settings), you must disable all Solidworks add-ins and test it.

 If the performance is normal, then we include add-ons one at a time and after each test. So if the reason is in the supplement, then including one by one we will find it. If, after disabling all extensions, Solidworks does not restore the performance, then reset to the default settings.

In this way, we set the mode in which Solidworks Rx checks the system.
In this way, we set the mode in which Solidworks Rx checks the system. There is another way to reset all user settings. To do this, start the Registry Editor, browse to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016" and rename SolidWorks 2016 to anything you like.The path is specified for Solidworks 2016, find for your version and rename, for example, "Solidworks 2016_old". This will force SW to create a new default SolidWorks key the next time it's launched, which will also mean you'll lose any custom settings.



There are cases when, despite disabling add-ons and resetting parameters, Solidworks slows down, but if you run it through Solidworks Rx in the second safe mode - it works fine.
The reason for this is a wrong shortcut to start.

Wrong shortcut to start

Sometimes when installing Soliworks, the installer incorrectly determines the installed system and prescribes compatibility with another operating system in the properties of the shortcut. For example, when you install Solidworks 2012 on Windows 7 x64, the shortcut properties have compatibility with Windows Vista. As a result, Solidworks is slow on fairly simple assemblies.

True shortcut Solidworks 2012 on Windows 7x64

Wrong shortcut Solidworks 2012 on Windows 7x64

Because of the compatibility with Vista, Solidworks is slowing down. After creating the correct label, the solidworks works normally.

The following reasons for the slow work of Solidworks can be reflected in the tab: "Diagnostics"

You can see whether the system parameters are recommended. After these problems are resolved, click the Update Results button to restart the diagnostics.

 "Troubleshoot"

Using the tools in this tab implies the presence of a valid Solidworks serial number and a valid contract for subscription services.

"System Maintenance"

This tab contains the necessary tools for removing temporary files that Solidworks uses. Especially I wanted to pay attention to clearing temporary files in Solidworks data folders. During an improper completion of a solid, temporary files beginning with "~" remain in the folder, in some cases this is the cause of the failure of Solidworks. It is desirable to delete such files, you can manually, but you can assign this procedure to Solidworks Rx. Running disk checking and defragmentation can be done by Windows utility tools without resorting to Solidworks Rx. System maintenance is possible and even desirable to plan:

Problem Capture

On this tab, you can record an error for technical support, attach additional files and send. I have no relation to independent resolution, so I will not go into more depth.

Add-in

On this tab, you can run a performance test and compare them with the data of other users, and add another application to the tab. You can see the results of other users by the link.

It should be noted, even if you seemed to have found a problem with the driver or add-on, to maintain the service after all, there can be several errors.

Error data in the registry

There is one more reason that can not be detected using the Solidworks Rx utility. Those. after all sorts of manipulations, the solid still slows down. The error can be in the registry - there is a possibility that the necessary data in the registry has been deleted or changed. And this obviously happens, because the SOLIDWORKS installation directory contains the "graphicshardware.reg" registry file, which restores the default settings for the video card. The path to it is the following "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang". 

Power Saving Mode

Another reason for poor performance may be the power settings. If you have a laptop, then this must be checked. So Start - Control Panel - Power - Set up a power plan - Change additional power settings, set "High Performance".

High Perfomance

 Referenced Documents

 This option refers to the settings of Solidworks, so it is better to check it before resetting. The speed of opening Solidworks documents can be affected by the Search for Linked Documents option. For diagnostics, you must remove all paths from the "File Location" menu from the "Referenced Documents" item.

I hope this article has helped you.

SolidWorks Thumbnails Graphics Do Not Display

Sometimes SolidWorks Thumbnails Graphics Do Not Display in Windows Explorer.

It was like this

To fix this problem you need to make a few mouse clicks:

Run Solidworks, go to settings and put a check "Display a smaller copy of the image in Windows Explorer

Go to the Windows Control Panel - Folder Options and on the tab "View" remove the tick (if installed) "Always show icons, never thumbnails."

Scroll down and put a tick if it is not necessary "Display handlers in preview pane view"

Go to the Control click on the "Counters and productivity tools", then "Visual Effects Settings" panel, put a tick "Show thumbnails instead of icons.

Check the display of thumbnails if the image does not appear, it is necessary to do a little more action: download files Setting SolidWorks Thumbnails.zip Extract and run the file "Setting SolidWorks Thumbnails.cmd". The batch file does the following: Go to the directory "SolidWorks Shared" and re-register the library "sldwinshellextu.dll"

Listing File "Setting SolidWorks Thumbnails.cmd"

In the process of implementation will be two information windows.

Library unregistered

Library registered

As a rule, then all should be displayed normally.

If there is still a preview, re-registering another library "swdocumentmgr.dll". The archive is necessary to run the file "Setting SolidWorks Thumbnails 1.cmd". Also there will be information about the logout window and registration, as in the previous case.

File Listing "Setting SolidWorks Thumbnails 1.cmd"

Re-registration of the following libraries will be available on the latest versions of Solidworks. In previous versions, such as Solidworks 2012 it is not there. Please note, the previous batch files to the library path formed with the use of system variables, so no changes are working. The following batch file needs editing, depending on the path established by Solidworks. Open the file with Notepad to edit and change the path "D: \ Solidworks \ sldthumbnailprovider.dll" on your path to Solidworks directory. Example "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\sldthumbnailprovider.dll" (the default path).

File Listing "Setting SolidWorks Thumbnails 2.cmd".

Save and run.

If a thumbnail does not appear, restart Windows.

I hope the article helped you.

How to Fix SOLIDWORKS Toolbox

Error Solidworks Toolbox:

1. Failed to get writable document
2. Unable to open read-only file
3. Failed to  save Toolbox library: Access to the path is denied

Failed to get writable document

In this case, you need to check the access rights to the Toolbox directory (by default C: \ Solidworks Data can be viewed in the Toolbox settings)

To do this, right-click on the Toolbox-Properties - Security tab. Check that your account has write permissions.

Unable to open read-only file

With this error, you must tick the "Change the status of the read-only document to the record" in the Toolbox- "User Settings" configurator settings

Failed to  save Toolbox library: 

Access to the path is denied

In the third case, you need to check the write permission of the "ToolboxFiles.index" file, which is located in the Toolbox - \ Browser directory. This error may appear in SW2012 and higher versions. This is due to the fact that starting from Solidworks 2012 the toolbox does not depend on the SWBrowser.mdb database, but stores the structure in the "ToolboxFiles.index" file.

Running Solidworks in English and Russian (or other) languages using bat / cmd-file

To run Solidworks in English and Russian (or any other localized in Solidworks) languages using the bat-file, we need two additional reg-files that change the language parameters of Solidworks. For example, we will run Solidworks 2016 and launch will do for the Russian and English interface.

This can be done for any of the languages that is the localization of Solidworks: (Czech, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Turkish, Russian, English, Chinese Simplified)


Listing reg-file (sw_2016_eng.reg) for changing parameters in English

---

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016\General]

"Use English language feature names"=dword:00000001
"Use English language"=dword:00000001

---

The first parameter indicates that you need to use file names and element names in English. The second is to use the menu in English.
To automate this process, create a bat-file or cmd-file.
Listing the bat-file (sw_eng.bat) of the launching Solidworks in English

---

echo off
regedit -s "C:\Users\LeninSW.com\Desktop\sw_2016_eng.reg"
"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\SLDWORKS.exe"

---

As you can see, the bat-file starts importing values into the registry, followed by the launch of a solidworks. Of course, the paths will need to be edited according to your file locations.
Similarly, we create files for launching Solidworks in Russian.

Listing reg-file (sw_2016_eng.reg) to change the settings in Russian

---

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016\General]

"Use English language feature names"=dword:00000000
"Use English language"=dword:00000000

---

Listing the bat-file (sw_rus.bat) of the launching Solidworks in Russian

---

echo off
regedit -s "C:\Users\LeninSW.com\Desktop\SW_2016_rus.reg"
"C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\SLDWORKS.exe"

---

Thus, when you start sw_eng.bat, Solidworks will start in English, and when you start sw_rus.bat in Russian.
It can be done only through a bat-file, without a reg-file, a little more complicated.
Listing the bat-file (sw_rus1.bat) of the launching Solidworks in Russian

---

echo off
reg ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016\General" /v "Use English language" /t REG_DWORD /d "00000000" /f
reg ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016\General" /v "Use English language feature names" /t REG_DWORD /d "00000000" /f
start "Solidworks_rus" "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\SLDWORKS.exe"
Listing the bat-file (sw_eng1.bat) of the launching Solidworks in English
echo off
reg ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016\General" /v "Use English language" /t REG_DWORD /d "00000001" /f
reg ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\SOLIDWORKS 2016\General" /v "Use English language feature names" /t REG_DWORD /d "00000001" /f
start "Solidworks_eng" "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\SLDWORKS.exe"

When installing Solidworks, you can select several localization languages: French, German, Polish, etc. To run Solidworks in these languages, you must change the locale in Windows. You can manually, but it's more convenient through a bat-file.
An example of a bat file for launching in German. Naturally German or some other language should be installed in Solidworks. This is done when you install / modify Solidworks. The bat-file changes the locale to German, starts Solidworks and after closing the solid it changes the locale back to Russian. You can correct the bat-file to run in any other language. Change the value of "de-DE" to the appropriate locale.

Listing the bat file

---

echo off
reg ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International" /v "LocaleName" /t REG_SZ /d "de-DE" /f
start /wait "Solidworks_rus" "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\SLDWORKS.exe"
reg ADD "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\International" /v "LocaleName" /t REG_SZ /d "ru-RU" /f

---

List of values for different locales:

Czech - "cs-CZ" 

French - "fr-FR"

German - "de-DE"

Italian - "it-IT"

Japanese - "ja-JP"

Korean - "ko-KR" 

Polish - "pl-PL"  

Portuguese (Brazil) - "pt-BR"

Spanish - "es-ES"

Turkish - "tr-TR"

Russian - "ru-RU"

English - "en-GB"

Chinese simplified - "zh-CN"

---

There is also a way to change languages without changing the locale, just rename the directories with resources. You can even make a bat-file.
Listing the bat file renaming the language resources
and running Solidworks. After the closure of the solidworks, the language resources are renamed again.

---

rename "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\english" "Lang_temp"
rename "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\russian" "english"
rename "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\Lang_temp" "russian"
start /wait "Solidworks_rus" "C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\SOLIDWORKS\SLDWORKS.exe"
rename "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\russian" "Lang_temp"
rename "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\english" "russian"
rename "C:\Program Files\SolidWorks Corp\SolidWorks\lang\Lang_temp" "english"

---

An example with bat and reg-files can be downloaded from the link

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