Slow SW file Icon updates in XP

Has there been any resolution to the slow icon update when opening
files in solidworks on WinXP? I have a large folder (1500
..sldprt's)and it takes 20 seconds to get to the last file. I cannot
scroll until it updates the icon. In the folder w/ .slddrw files, I
can scroll happily along before it figures out what the file icon
should be.

Thanks in advance

 

The resolution is to turn off the switch that causes that. For whatever
reason SW insists on making that a default setting even though it has
always had atrocious performance and isn't even very useful, since the
icons are far too small to actually see. You can turn it off at Tools>
Options>System Options>Show thumbnail graphics in Windows Explorer.

What you should do instead of using that switch is to use the "Thumbnail"
view setting in Windows Explorer (View>Thumbnails). This is actually big
enough to be visible and doesn't take as long as the SW setting.

Dezignstuff
www.dezignstuff.com

 

I should be more specific. The problem I have is not "thumbnails" but
the ICON that shows up for a .sldprt file (iso view of a tetris block).
There was a post on this way back on 24 Apr 2004. The determination
seemed to be that it was WinXP related. The specific problem is that
when the "open file" dialog window is up and I open my parts folder,
the generic icon that windows assigns to unknown files is shown for
every part. Then the system chugs through the files and changes the
icon to the SW part icon. While it is trying to determine what icon to
assign each file, I cannot scroll through the list of parts. I have to
wait for it to display the .sldprt icon for every file in the window
before it will allow me to scroll.

My folder w/ 1500 parts takes 20 seconds just to get to scroll to the
last part in the folder!

 

Are these files located on a Network Drive?
Best Regards,
Devon T. Sowell
www.3-ddesignsolutions.com

 

The files were on a network drive, but I have copied them to my local
machine and the results are the same...slow.

 

A couple of tricks

1.) If you just want to go to the end of the list click in the view of
all the files(unfortunately I can't think of a more inteligent
description right now I haven't finished my morning coffee yet) Hit the
End button. This will greatly increase your speed moving to the end.

2.) Because of this inherintly slow loading of icon images (we
typically will have 1000+ parts in a folder) I created a macro that
would generate a preview of a part by typing in the part number. This
is tailored to our directory structure. Something similar could be
tailored for your company (I would do this for a fee) or if you have an
API guru at your place they could probably handle it. I did a similar
program for saving files that puts them in the correct location based
on a user supplied part number.

Regards

Corey
contact me directly @

corey
scheich
skip this line
at
hotmail
dot
com

 

I suppose I forgot to mention with the macro I created it allows you to
select a configuration, view only, read only, lightweight and Open the
file. Again it must be the coffee thing.

 

Whatever else it may be, the problem's not XP specific. I see the same
issue on my Win2k machine.. (1354 files in a local directory).

One tip I can offer is that scrolling with the arrow keys is problematic,
but dragging the scrollbar on the right side of the window does not seem to
be affected. Using the scrollbar, I can drag to anyplace I like in the list
and get to work while the icons are still grinding away.

 

I USED to have the ability to "get to work while the icons are still
grinding away." but now it will not let me pull the scroll bar or
click in the slide area next to the scroll bar or click on the arrows
for the scrollbar, until it gets the icons up for .SLDPRT file folders.
Actually I can jump ahead if I click and drag the bar while it is
thinking, the command is queued and as soon as it fills in the icons
for the files showing, it will jump farther thru the files and then sit
there determining icons again.

I have a folder w/ only .slddrw files and THIS one lets me scroll away
while it is filling in the icons behind me. I can scroll back and see
it changing each individual icon to a .slddrw. .SLDPRT folders do not
change each icon in such a way as to see them change individually. The
controls lock up for a second or two, and then POOF! all the visible
files change icons at once.

I appreciate all the input. Maybe I could find a way to just turn off
the icons.......or start making subdirectories and be happy that I can
relink parts to me assemblies.

 

I USED to have the ability to "get to work while the icons are still
grinding away." but now it will not let me pull the scroll bar or
click in the slide area next to the scroll bar or click on the arrows
for the scrollbar, until it gets the icons up for .SLDPRT file folders.
Actually I can jump ahead if I click and drag the bar while it is
thinking, the command is queued and as soon as it fills in the icons
for the files showing, it will jump farther thru the files and then sit
there determining icons again.

I have a folder w/ only .slddrw files and THIS one lets me scroll away
while it is filling in the icons behind me. I can scroll back and see
it changing each individual icon to a .slddrw. .SLDPRT folders do not
change each icon in such a way as to see them change individually. The
controls lock up for a second or two, and then POOF! all the visible
files change icons at once.

I appreciate all the input. Maybe I could find a way to just turn off
the icons.......or start making subdirectories and be happy that I can
relink parts to me assemblies.

 

I USED to have the ability to "get to work while the icons are still
grinding away." but now it will not let me pull the scroll bar or
click in the slide area next to the scroll bar or click on the arrows
for the scrollbar, until it gets the icons up for .SLDPRT file folders.
Actually I can jump ahead if I click and drag the bar while it is
thinking, the command is queued and as soon as it fills in the icons
for the files showing, it will jump farther thru the files and then sit
there determining icons again.

I have a folder w/ only .slddrw files and THIS one lets me scroll away
while it is filling in the icons behind me. I can scroll back and see
it changing each individual icon to a .slddrw. .SLDPRT folders do not
change each icon in such a way as to see them change individually. The
controls lock up for a second or two, and then POOF! all the visible
files change icons at once.

I appreciate all the input. Maybe I could find a way to just turn off
the icons.......or start making subdirectories and be happy that I can
relink parts to me assemblies.

 

Robert,

From reading all this it seems like you might have file indexing turned off.

From Windows explorer, right click on your data drive icon and bring up the
properties dialog. Down at the bottom is a check box "Allow indexing,,,etc".
Is it checked ??

I use Win2K SP4, and mine is instantaneous with an 800 file folder


Regards

Mark

 

Yes "allow indexing" is checked. Might do a trial run w/ a fresh Xp
install and a Win2k install....or just create subdirectories.

Thanks again.

 

Robert,

I have this same problem that you are talking about. The problem only
exists on large directories of SolidWorks files using Windows XP. I
tried moving the directory of 4000+ files locally and the same problem
exists. It is not happening on all computers. I have another user that
can access the same files in Windows explorer through Windows 2000.
Also we have a large directory of AutoCAD DXF files that the scrolling
is normal. I have not had a breakthrough on this yet. Have you had any
luck on your end? How did the fresh install go?

Regards,
srowan

 

~1023 files per directory limit without the OS using the
long file name "tricks" to fake it (actually in multiple sub-1024
fragmented directories)?
Perhaps fragmented files inside all of that .....?

Just guessing ... but your file system might matter.

 

Has anybody found a solution to this problem yet? This is definitely
an XP issue, as we have not changed anything on our end to warrant the
slow performance while browsing through SW files. We have directories
with thousands of PDF, DWG, DXF files that we can scroll through
without any problems, but not SW files. This was not an issue until we
began implementing XP.

Anyone??