1-Visitor

Question

What's the difference between opengl and win32_gdi graphics settings

Forum|Forum|10 years ago
November 23, 2015
7 replies
25440 views

If I set GRAPHICS OPENGL in config.pro the part or assembly will look great, mouse manipulations, moves, zooms, spins, mouse clicks etc..will work great lightning fast. But when I let go of the mouse, the part or assembly redraws itself bit by bit, line by line, part by part which is annoying, slow, and not the way it should be.

If I set GRAPHICS WIN32_GDI in config.pro the part or assembly will look great, however, now mouse manipulations, moves, zooms, spins, mouse clicks etc...will lag and be glitchy and take a couple seconds to catch up. But now, the problem with the part or assembly redrawing itself is gone and when I let go of the mouse the part or assembly instantly appears when the mouse is released, like problem gone...except for the new lag problem that is now present.

Does anyone know anything about this and why the two settings act the way they do?

Thanks for any help I can get.

Specs: proe2001 - same problem both machines.

Machine 1: windows vista x64 with 8gb ram, core2 quad Q6700 cpu, NVIDIA geforce 9800gtx graphic card 500mb video ram, built around 2008 maybe.

Machine 2: windows 8.1 x64 with 64gb ram, core i7-5960x cpu, dual NVIDIA geforce gtx980 graphic card 4gb video ram each, running single or sli, built in 2014-15. Smoking Hot.

All drivers etc....are completely up to date and the latest available for the given hardware.

General

C

Chris3

21-Topaz I

OpenGL uses your graphics card. Win_32gdi bypasses your graphics card and uses your processor. Win_32gdi was never meant for use other than for troubleshooting if a bug is related to your graphics card.

M

mdebower

18-Opal

Even though you are using the latest drivers, they may not be the ones you want. On PTC's site they list the "certified drivers" and they might on your graphics card manufacturer's website as well. You may want to try reverting to one of those drivers to see if that helps.

I agree with Christopher, you definitely want to use OPENGL for the best performance.

-marc

S

sf_01

Author

1-Visitor

Thanks to all...OPENGL is what I always have used in the past and what you said is pretty much what I thought. OPENGL works perfect in all aspects of the proe2001 on my new machine except for that very annoying redraw problem.

I understand it must be graphic and driver related as you stated, but where do I find a list of certified drivers or graphics cards. Both of my new machines are a lot newer than proe2001 and proe2001 was probably decommissioned long before these graphics cards were even invented.

Basically then, my graphics cards or their drivers are too advanced for proe2001 and proe2001 doesn't know how to communicate with the cards to get them to do what proe2001 wants them to do. Yet, everything works brilliantly between proe2001 and the new computers and graphics cards except for just aspect....the way proe2001 tells the graphics cards how to redraw the parts and assemblies after view changes.

On the windows 8.1 x64 with 64gb ram, core i7-5960x cpu, dual NVIDIA geforce gtx980 graphic card 4gb video ram each machine the WIN32_GDI driver is almost acceptable, because of 64gb ram probably, but still not correct therefore I have to stick with this and figure out a remedy. I've never been closer than now, mainly cause the wife wants the xp machine gone like yesterday, so I'm more motivated now for a solution before it's gone. Otherwise I'll just stick with the program the way it is and if I ever find a solution then ok.

I really thought is was just going to be something simple as a changing a setting in the NVIDIA control panel for my graphics card to fix this problem.???

It's just hard to fathom my old xp machine with geforce 7300 256mb graphics card (~$75) can render all pro2001 graphics perfectly yet my geforce gtx980 4gb ram graphics card (~$500) can't??? Not to mention $1000 processor, $300 mobo, and $700 worth of memory. Didn't see that coming! Not that I was looking really but thought I was going to be covered for anything. My 2001 laptop doesn't have this problem.

So does someone know where the list of certified drivers and hardware is for proe2001 or any pro program for that matter?

C

Chris3

21-Topaz I

PTC stopped supporting 2001 10+ years ago. There is no supported hardware anymore. Product Calendar:

http://support.ptc.com/cs/product_calendar/PTC_Product_Calendar.htm#RANGE!A212

Below is a link to the supported hardware for newer releases.

Platform Support - PTC.com

You have to pick the vendor of your machine. For instance this is for Dell with Creo 3:

http://support.ptc.com/WCMS/files/162683/en/dell_creo3.pdf

R

rzukowski

13-Aquamarine

In OPENGL mode, try turning on Fast Hidden Lines Removal (fasthlr). It's under File-Options-Model Display.

S

sf_01

Author

1-Visitor

Thanks, but already tried....and no luck.

I think something changed in the OPENGL extensions between revision 2 and 3 somewhere and the newer nvidia geforce drivers must not be completely backward compatible...???

It has to be something with the way proe2001 instructs the graphics card to draw the vectors and such and there must be a difference in the older OPENGL versus the newer OPENGL and the backward compatibility....I wouldn't think it, but it must be???

Thanks for the idea though...keep em coming, please!

S

sf_01

Author

1-Visitor

I see 3 possibilities:

1- OPENGL

2- Graphics Drivers

3- Both

Proe2001 only has so many settings that the end user has control over. Therefore, given my version of proe2001 hasn't changed since I installed it on the old xp machine thru the vista machine to finally my win8.1 machine...it only leaves something in OPENGL or the graphics drivers that has changed. I really thought that stuff was suppose to be backward compatible.

I guess I need to learn how to make my own graphics driver or change OPENGL somehow. For now I'll have to rely on the shear power of my new computer to get through the redraw issue. Not the best solution, but maybe the only one.

D

dgschaefer

21-Topaz II

Keep in mind that 2001 was well before your graphics card & operating system. Heck, it was before the prior operating system (Windows 7) too and maybe the one before that (Vista). Have you tried instructing Windows to run Proe in compatibility mode? Windows compatibility mode may help Windows 8.1 & Proe 2001 get along better. It may not help, but it's worth a shot.

Here's an article on compatibility mode in Windows 8.1:

Make older programs compatible with this version of Windows - Windows Help

S

sf_01

Author

1-Visitor

Thanks but already tried all of that, but appreciate the help. Proe2001 has big time trouble even loading in win8.1 when set to any type of compatibility and in win vista will load but not any different. So I dont think compatibility is the problem anyway because it runs fine in normal, it just redraws slow. It has to be something with OPENGL or graphic drivers or both.

Proe2001 definitely wasn't written for vista or win7, 8, or 10 and on top of that probably not x64 either, but it still runs really good in those later operating systems and even x64 since those os's are mostly backward compatible...MS did something right. I've gotten programs off old floppys for win3.1 and loaded them onto win8.1 and they worked....so as far as proe2001 goes, I would say it works 99.99% on win8.1 x64 and the redraw issue, being the only issue I have run into so far, would be the 0.01% anomaly.

I'm hoping someone knows of what changed in OPENGL over the years because I'm sticking most of my eggs into that basket. And then maybe I can figure out how to fix it.

Thanks again and HAPPY THANKSGIVING to ALL!

M

mpodgorsek

1-Visitor

Hi.

This is real problem you mentioned. The only way to work normaly now in PROE2001 is to use Win XP X86 or Win XP X64.

In windows environment Vista, Win7, etc problem is in library OPENGL32.DLL.

I have downloaded many variants and replaced in directory C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Opengl32.DLL.

Some variants works well durin refreshing, other works well during spinning parts.

I have finded out, that some "gamers" write his own Opengl32.dll for some special games, but no one works fine with PROE 2001.

Because of this problem I need to use Win XP 64. Other Proe versions (Wildfire, Creo) are not usable becuse too slow and to complicated user interface.

I have also tested to copy XP library to Win7, but not works.

Do you know any enthusiastic programmer to write down usable Opengl32.Dll for Win7?

Thanks

B

BenLoosli

23-Emerald III

Have you tried installing a virtual machine on your computer that emulates a 32-bit Win XP OS?

I'm not a virtual machine expert or fan, but that may be your answer since that is what ProE 2001 was designed for,

S

sf_01

Author

1-Visitor

Sounds like a tempting idea....I know nothing about virtual machines unfortunately...I'll have to study up on this idea. Something to look in to more deeply. Thanks