Can't Save, Open, Edit or do much of anything else... Menu options all greyed out.

[hollister design Studio]

screen grab of the File menu:

 

VW let's me draw new polygons - but not delete anything.

I can move things around - but no undo.

Create a blank file - but not open an existing file.

Right-click doesn't work.

 

Won't let me save work so I can restart.

 

Second time this has happened today.

 

Thoughts?

[hollister design Studio]

Additional info - when this happens the 'data entry box' (not sure of the correct term) that appears when a tool is in use is getting 'stuck' on even with no tool active.

 

 

 

[Pat Stanford]

Could it be there is a notification window/dialog box that is off screen or moved to the back that is preventing VW foreground activities?

[hollister design Studio]

I moved everything to a new file hoping it was something with that file, but I will look for that if it happens again. I couldn't open any other files will the issue was happening to test - but I could create a blank file and they were affected also.

 

It happened about 10 time yesterday, once in the morning, twice after lunch and then with increasing frequency until I just quit for the day.

 

 

It's odd because many tool worked fine - polygon, circle, rectangle - but no 'higher functions' worked.

[Elite Exhibits]

FYI

 

I have had things disappear and cause issues - Happens when I place Palettes on other than the main screen. - See attached -

 

In this case the keyboard appeared to be malfunctioning as the Resource Manager would not open  pressing the Command-R combination.

 

¿ I assume that it is based on the video output in the laptop ?

 

Peter

827803353_ResourceManagerLost_1.pdf

[hollister design Studio]

Just started up again after a day of behaving normally

There is definitely something like a tool is stuck open - but there isn't a window open on or off screen.

 

The windows 11 task bar shows a second instance of VW that is just the "data entry box" by itself - this is not normal.

 

 

This 'data entry box' shows X,Y, L and Angle although there is no tool selected.

 

If I use a basic tool (the only functions that work seem to be basic geometry) the "data entry box" changes to that tools default.

 

 

 

Again, most menu items are greyed out.

 

There is no way to get out of this except by restarting.

 

Vector works is 2023 SP4 build 693289

 

 

 

[Pat Stanford]

I am not familiar enough with Windows to be able to help on this one. It is probably a good one to contact Tech Support about directly.

[Nana Ama Astra]

I have the exact same issue. Is there a solution?

 

Thanks in advance.

[hollister design Studio]

@Nana Ama Astra I unfortunately don't remember what I did (if anything) to fix this... but I no longer have the issue.

 

So sorry.

[CSzymberski]

I had the same problem just recently, with a fair amount of work done since the last save and auto-save. I also had that separate and floating data entry box. I opened Task Manager to see what VWX was doing. Usually, there are (2) subtasks open for VWX. This time there were (3). As I could not close the data entry box manually, by clicking on the 'X' in the top right corner of its window. I forced closed the smallest subtask in Task Manager. After a few thoughtful seconds, it closed and I was able to save my work. I have never had this occur, and must admit that I found it confounding at first. Hopefully, it doesn't happen again.

[hollister design Studio]

Started again for me last year - I have this at least three times a week.

 

It also changes all my preferences causing startup issues.

This happens so often I made a backup copy of my preferences (named "Vectorworks Preferences BACKUP.xml) and delete the corrupted .xml file, copy my backup and rename to Vectorworks Preferences.xml.

[mdrohn]

This happens to me often enough that it is a real inconvenience.  VW 2025 update 3.1.   I am having the exact same symptoms as described in the OP in every detail.  The only way out is to quit the document.

Can we please escalate this issue?