VW2024 SP6 Mac - Systems Crash on External Monitor

[Tim Owen]

Hi, 

 

I just moved Vectorworks from my Macbook Pro display to my external Dell 4k display.

 

The external monitor divided itself into two, flashed a lot and then the entire system crashed. This is repeatable every time I move the main VW2024 window to the external monitor.  No other application exhibits the same behavior.

 

System: Macbook Pro M2 Pro 32gb Ram 14" Display

OS: 14.6.1

External Monitor: Dell P2723QE 27" 4k

Vectorworks: 2024 SP6 Build 765860

 

Cheers. 

 

Tim 

 

[Peter Neufeld.]

Hello,

If you try another monitor does it still happen?

 

Cheers,

Peter

[bjoerka]

Try to connect the display directly via HDMI.

Another solution might be to change the display setup in system preferences to make the external display the main screen with the menu bar.

 

[TomWhiteLight]

Hi Tim.

Have you tried running your external display at a lower resolution? At least until we work with Apple on a fix for this.

I can currently use an external monitor I am on 14.5, M3.

Let me know if reducing the resolution makes any difference.

[Peter Neufeld.]

This is a bit of an experiment but to follow on from Tom, please try this:

 

Open System Settings and search 'Display'.

 

Click 'Advanced' at the bottom:

 

 

 

and then 'Show Resolutions as a list' at the top of the next dialogue:

 

 

 

As you have a Retina display you will have a low and a high resolution choice for the external monitor but the numbers will be the same. I'd be interested if you chose the low resolution one as see if that makes any difference.

 

 

 

Try switching to the low resolution option:

 

 

Your problem might be something entirely different but it might be worth a try. As well as trying another monitor type and connection.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

 

 

 

 

[Kevin Shertz]

I have the same monitor... what is the firmware version of yours?

 

The latest one on the Dell website is M3F101. You can find this info in the 'Others' section on the monitor menu.

[Peter Neufeld.]

Hi Kevin,

M3F101. How come the interest in the firmware?

 

Cheers,

Peter

[Kevin Shertz]

12 hours ago, Peter Neufeld. said:

Hi Kevin,

M3F101. How come the interest in the firmware?

 

Hi Peter - frankly, just trying to eliminate all variables!

 

I have the same monitor and while I do see minor tearing when dragging the VW app from the laptop to the second monitor, it's nothing like what the OP is seeing. I also never experience a crash.

 

When I originally got the monitor, its firmware was M3F100 and has since been updated by me to M3F101. There could have been something in the firmware update that is creating the difference. I connect via USB-C and am using the monitor as the power source for my laptop. Lots of variables and flexibility with a modern laptop...

[TomWhiteLight]

"|I connect via USB-C and am using the monitor as the power source for my laptop. Lots of variables and flexibility with a modern laptop..."

What resolution will your USB-C adapter allow you to output? I found out recently  that not all are high res. This could explain why you are maybe not seeing the crash.

What's it like with the HDMI port on the Mac (if your Mac has one?)?

[Kevin Shertz]

1 minute ago, TomWhiteLight said:

What resolution will your USB-C adapter allow you to output? I found out recently  that not all are high res. This could explain why you are maybe not seeing the crash.
 

 

I am running at 1920 x 1080, which is the recommended default resolution. If I run it at native 4K resolution it too shows no problems, it's just too small for my old-man eyes.

 

1 minute ago, TomWhiteLight said:

What's it like with the HDMI port on the Mac (if your Mac has one?)?

 

Same result. No problems with monitor appearance or crashes.

 

I do, however, have the often-discussed delay problem when connecting to an external monitor, whether it be by USB-C or HDMI. But I know that's not the problem we're discussing in this thread.

 

I am running on a MacBook Pro M1 Max with 32GB of memory. It does have a built-in HDMI port in addition to 3 USB-C ports.

[Tim Owen]

Hi,

 

I have just tried to replicate the issue I was having back on 8th Aug, and cannot.  I was going to try the suggested fixes after making my computer crash.

 

The Dell 4k now seems to be playing correctly with VW.  The only difference that I know about is that I just installed VW2024 SP7.  There have not been any other OS updates that I remember. 

 

Thanks for the suggestions. If it re-occurs I will try them and report back.