Purging Files in Vectorworks

[nick@e8urban]

Since starting to use this program I have been having problems with the purge command.

 

I currently am refining a .dwg I have imported into VW and having put the objects I want to keep into the correct classes, deleted the unused lines, I am now trying to purge the old classes that came in with the .dwg from the file. The file was 280Mb when I saved it just prior to purging. I started the purge command at 10.30 this morning and it is now 2.30pm. So 4 hours + is what VW thinks is appropriate to recognise the handful of unused classes etc.

 

Before everyone says, "upload the file"; this is NOT a file related problem. This is absolutely a vectorworks problem as it has followed me through 3 full versions of VW, probably 9 Service packs, 3 New template files and every single file over 10Mb I have used. However,  I know I am the only person to experience this as I only get condescending comments from tech support and there is nothing discussing purge slowness in the forums.

 

Help?

[Matt Panzer]

Hi Nick,

Have you sent the file to tech support? While it may not be a file problem, that file seems to expose the issue.

[nick@e8urban]

One of the reasons I find vectorworks forums and the software itself so frustrating is that I am able to troubleshoot AutoCAD, the entire adobe suite and almost any other package I am proficient in, for others, over the phone. This is because I have a lot of experience with these packages and the software always behaves consistently or at least with an identifiable logic.

 

I am yet to have that experience with helpdesk or the forums for vectorworks. The answer is always "upload the file", which I assume is because there is no consistency between one users issue and anothers. This is reflected in the software where a tool will either work, or not work, based apparently on the whims of the gods, or an internal random number generator.

 

I fixed the issue myself.. What it turned out to be was a layer with half a dozen polylines. All the polylines looked normal and appeared normal in 'object info'. However, I couldn't select more than one object without the software falling over (now that, it does consistently). I finally managed to delete these objects by deleting the whole class (??), saved the file, which immediately dropped from 280Mb to 20Mb, and purge activated immediately. I'm pretty sure this is not an issue with the files, but rather with how vectorworks builds objects. Still, its interesting to note that 6 polylines can require 260Mb of information, and make a modern computer use all its resources to select and/or delete.

[PVA - Admin]

Asking for the file itself does not mean that we think the issue is not in Vectorworks. We ask for the file so that we can replicate the issue here and do a bug filing or if the issue happened to be related to workflow, find a workaround. whether the issue was in the file itself or was a Vectorworks bug that would affect any file, we will still want to see your file to replicate.

For instance, if the issue was something like "Title blocks with referenced text fields" it makes far more sense for you to just send the example you already have sitting in front of you, than it does to have a support tech or engineer try to recreate that scenario from scratch. If a file took hours or days to make, then any or all of those elements might be relevant to a fix. If an issue reported is not something that can be rapidly replicated in a new blank file in minutes, sending in the file is then the fastest and most reliable way to get answers.

[Kenny Green]

@nick@e8urban You're not alone, same thing on my end, I'm currently attempting to purge a file that is 458mb and it takes HOURS!!!! This is so unacceptable to work flows. Like you, this has continued to be an on-going issue through many versions. It is very frustrating. I don't have any advice, just letting you know you are not alone in this issue.