Solution:
Test the drawing for corruption
A drawing exhibiting poor performance may need to be cleaned and repaired, using the the PURGE, AUDIT, RECOVER, and other various commands. See the following article for further details. See
How to repair corrupt AutoCAD files.
Graphic Performance Issues
Confirm that AutoCAD Products is current with updates
The installation media available for AutoCAD Products does not contain the current updates available. Often issues with software not working as expected may have been resolved in an update to the software after the original release date. Ensure that all updates are installed. See
Install Updates, Add-ons, and Enhancements.
Text style
Specific text objects contained in the drawing or in attached external references may have been assigned a corrupt text style. To test if so, try the following.
- Type QSEL and press Enter.
- Under Object type, choose a Text object type.
- Under Properties, choose any value.
- Under Operator, choose Select All.
- Verify that Include in the new selection set is selected and that the Append to current selection set option is active.
- Click OK.
Note: Repeat steps 1 through 6 for every text object type (for example, MText, Text, Attribute Definition, etc.).
- Type CH and press Enter.
- In the Properties palette, under Text, go to the Style entry and select a default text style (such as Standard) or one based on a True Type Font.
Note : If text properties have been locally overridden, assigning a new style will not change the object's appearance. In this case, local overrides will have to be cleared for the style change to have effect. See
Texts do not follow the Text Style.
Large coordinates
Drawing elements located at high coordinates may cause a performance drop. To solve this, move the objects closer to the origin both in the drawing and in any external references, if present.
- Unlock, thaw, and turn on all layers.
- Type MOVE and press Enter.
- Type ALL and press Enter.
- Choose a point close to the objects as a basepoint and 0,0 as an endpoint.
- If needed, use # when inputting the second point to switch to absolute coordinates.
Note : If the coordinates are still too high on one site, use DWGUNITS to convert for example from millimetres and meters.
Z values in the drawing
Especially when rotating a drawing, 3D objects can decrease the performance. If Z values are included in a drawing can be best figured out by switching from the top perspective to the front perspective. To remove Z values in the drawing, follow any of these procedures.
- Flatten the drawing.
- Switch to the top view in the drawing (View > Top).
- Run the FLATTEN command.
- Use a LISP expression.
- - (command "_change""_all""""p""e""0"""). This command will change the elevation for all the objects in the dwg to Z=0.
- - (command "_move""_all""""""0,0,1e99""_move""_all""""""0,0,-1e99"). This command will stretch the objects in the dwg on the plane at Z=0.
- Remove object Thickness.
- Switch to the top view in the drawing (View > Top).
- Select one or more objects with Z values.
- Enter PROP on the command line.
- Set the Thickness value to 0.
Data complexity
For large drawings, break them up into smaller drawings and add them back as external references.
- Use the WBLOCK command to export data to a new drawing.
- Use the XATTACH command to import it back as reference.
Inclined or askew current view
Specifically but not exclusively for 3D drawings, the current view may be slightly inclined. Orthographic views might then have a subtle Z direction. This may be exacerbated while Ortho is active (F9). See AutoCAD Help | About Saving and Restoring Views and AutoCAD Help | View Manager.
Note : To check if so, use the VIEW command. For Orthographic views, the values for the Camera Target and Position should all match apart from one. Also, note that the values there are expressed in absolute coordinates.
Viewports/Visual Styles
- If the issues are mainly present in paper space, or on specific layouts, check for the Visual Style used by the viewports.
- Double-click within the viewport to activate it.
- At the top-right of the viewport, check the name of the current Visual Style.
- If it's a Visual Style other than 2D Wireframe, select that one instead.
- Repeat for other viewports as needed.
Note: AutoCAD LT does not allow changing Visual Style. In that case, delete and recreate the viewports from scratch. See AutoCAD LT Help | To Create a New Layout Viewport.
- If the issue is in model space and the objects are 2D objects with a Thickness, switch to the Visual Style 2D Wireframe instead of any 3D Visual Style.
