PARTIALLY SOLVED - Altium freezing when saving SCH/PCB Libraries - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2021, 05:17:27 pm
content: Hi,I have the latest version is Altium and works at a snail pace. Like when I save a PCB or SCH libraries with just ONE component, Altium freezes for up to 7-10 seconds. Similar thing (with different freeze times) for other operations such as opening library search, and few more.I have read a lot of posts about Altium speed issues. But I am not sure if mine are too extreme because of my hardware or Altium itself.So before buying the latest workstation I thought of asking here your feedback. How does your Altium perform and what are your PC specs?Also what specs do you guys recommend?Thank you

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2021, 06:41:39 pm
content: Network access is a prime suspect for arbitrary long delays like that. Work locally out of a Git or SVN repo and commit as needed. This includes avoiding symlinks to network locations, or sync/mirror services that are set way too aggressively (maybe see if there's a setting to sync only every so often?).Having too many libraries installed can be troublesome, or other resources (SVN? Vault stuff? Dunno, never used a private vault).Large (C sheet+) schematics can be slow, give or take computer performance; have maintained a few older designs like that. That's not a delay thing, just a framerate thing. A or B (or A4/A3) sheets are easier to read anyway. What are you drawing schematics for if not to read!..I've got a 2010 laptop with XP, running AD15 (last version supporting XP), it's fine. NVIDIA graphics is a must; Intel or other onboard graphics may be okay these days but YMMV. You're better off following Altium recommendations. Also if you've got one of those power management settings tools, make sure it's set to use the GPU with Altium. Mostly a framerate thing again, though PCB stuff may just not show if it's really bad.And moving things, can have slowness from compiling, online DRC, building planes, or populating tables. I don't know how to avoid compiling (I also don't use the latest version that does it constantly), but the rest can be disabled or mitigated. Planes in particular are irritating as the algorithm is really, really bad; I recommend just not using plane layers at all, use polygons on signal layers instead (and repour them as needed, not automatically). Tables include PCB List panel and drill table. If you're using PCB List, set it to selected only, so it's not querying 10k+ objects every time anything changes... (The same doesn't work on SCH I think, and I tend to leave that one disabled.)Tim

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 03, 2021, 08:17:08 pm
content: Thank you Tim, as always!!Ref the network, I only work locally as far as I am aware. I am logged in Altium because otherwise the license does not work but I am not logged into the active server and after your suggestion I turned off all network related operation/options in the options page. I also don't use 365 or any other online services generally anyway. But hasn't made any difference.Is there a way to use Altium current license without logging in (just in case logging in causes some continuous background operations)?Ref the sheet size, I always only ever used A4 because it is easier to print and read exactly like you say.Compile and DRC don't seem that bad. Sometimes I have PCBs with 600+ components and that does take a bit of time but never more than 20-30 seconds. That's why I think there might be something else either not set correctly or the machine not being fat enough. But then again you say that you don't have those issues with a 2010 machine so it looks like the hardware is not an issue...Thank you

author: TimNJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 12:02:06 am
content: I had similar issues a week or two ago. Company migrated old file server to new hardware. Seemed like Altium was looking for the old server address/directory (mainly when loading component libraries), and would spin its wheels for many seconds ~per library~ that it did not find. For whatever reason, it seems to find some of them in the new location, but not all. For those it could not find, I uninstalled, and re-installed referencing new address.Then it was fine.

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 02:38:07 am
content: Thank you Tim,I did a fresh install and not using any server, just my local drive.did you import the settings from previous version Altium?Thank you

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 02:50:22 am
content: You can use a tool like Process Monitor to see what it's doing, and if it is waiting for something.

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 03:32:47 am
content: Thank you Amy

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 03:35:34 am
content: Full install shouldn't be necessary, but on the uninstaller you can check "clear caches and reset to initial state" or whatever it's called, then import your settings again and so on from there.Settings shouldn't be problematic, but if you find something I'm sure Altium Support would like to know / be able to help.Tim

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 06:10:10 pm
content: Thank you Tim,I disabled already all network-related tasks in the options apart from the one required to check the license. Then after logging in I also disabled that. And only doing that then it gets faster.I have contacted Altium for an explanation but their new tech support via chat is insane. I hope they go back to the classic one soon.Thank you

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 09:16:47 pm
content: Hmm, disabling auto login did it then?I always phoned them up, probably faster to wait on hold a bit than to jump through whatever other hoops there are...Tim

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 09:52:17 pm
content: Kind of did it. I then have to do all that network enable/disable in Altium option every time I launch Altium because it needs to check for the valid license on Altium servers. As well as every time I use the manufacturer part search for some reason.It is good you still have phone support in the US. Over here they don't offer it anymore, only chat, not even the old online ticket system. Insane!

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2021, 11:49:18 pm
content: Hmm... well, at least you can roam your license for a while, assuming it's not shared with anyone else that is. Or if it's yours-yours, might as well cut the cord and keep the persistent local copy.Tim

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2021, 01:19:44 am
content: Yes it is mine and I am the only one who uses it. But I thought it needs to check every time. What do you mean by "keep the persistent local copy". I just checked and the only option I can see is "save the standalone license file" but it is grayed out. I submitted a request in chat tech support so hopefully they will get back to me tomorrow.Thank you

author: atochimani
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 06, 2021, 09:02:26 pm
content: Hi,I have similar issues with altium. I have a new windows 10 machine with the latest altium ver. 22, and sometimes altium freezes for like 1 to 3 minutes.My computer has 24 gig of memory, and it is an HP Z600, with a new video card with 6 gig of memory.I will Keep following this post for any more answers.Thanks.

author: laydn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 08:07:32 am
content: Disable version control integration of Altium from the preferences. 99% of the time, this is the problem.

author: atochimani
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 02:42:10 pm
content: Hi laydn,Do you have a screen shoot on "Disable version control integration of Altium from the preferences?.I am using the latest altium ver 22.Thanks,

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 05:32:20 pm
content: Thank you laydn,I haven't even setup version control and Altium hasn't got back to me yet.Any other suggestions?Much appreciated!Thank you

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 05:44:05 pm
content: ...also, atochimani you mention version 22 but I don't think that is out yet? The latest update I can see is 21.3.2Where did you get 22?Thank you

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 05:51:29 pm
content: Heh, it may be out for beta users (...or crackers?).Tim

author: atochimani
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 07, 2021, 09:12:25 pm
content: Hi Ricko_uk,My IT department installed for me ver 22.3.2 a few days ago, and from Altium website it was the download we have annual subscription with them.I am using version control and today I've tried a bit of the "Disable version control integration of Altium from the preference" but not much to do here.And also under"preferences - system - network activity"there are some other thing to disconnect from the altium server, and it seems that altium today has been a bit stable than other days with playing with these network activity.I also tried the Print Spoler enable, disable, enable, etc.Thanks for all info on windows 10 and latest altium journey

author: laydn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2021, 06:50:06 am
content: I have 17, and here is the screenshot in the preferences:

author: enz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2021, 07:05:21 am
content: Quote from: atochimani on May 07, 2021, 09:12:25 pmI have also annual subscription, but the latest version the altium download portal shows me is 21.3.2Country/Local differences?

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2021, 07:12:16 am
content: Virus protection. Whitelist the folders, or delete it completely and install one that doesnt do this.

author: atochimani
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2021, 10:20:12 pm
content: Hi,I apologize my Altium version is 21.3.2, I don't know why I was thinking on version 22.Here a screen shot of my version control, there is no version control integration.

author: laydn
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2021, 06:01:04 am
content: I am confused. You do have the "Enabled" checkbox checked ?

author: atochimani
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2021, 04:19:22 pm
content: Hi,The box is checked because we at work we have version control repository database for footprints.

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 11, 2021, 05:57:34 pm
content: SOLVED... Kind of...the issue seems related to storing the libraries on Dropbox. If I save them in C or outside of the Dropbox folder save is immediate and no freezing at all.(side note: the freezing never occurred to me when saving just schematics or PCB files even with massive PCB files.)Tech support also mentioned that there might be issues if you setup the Dropbox Backup (in settings). But that was not my case.If you must use dropbox then when I find a full solution (i.e. works while using Dropbox) then I will post it here and mark the thread as SOLVED so hopefully it will be of help to others. But I thought of posting this finding so far for those people that don't need to use Dropbox for library save.

author: atochimani
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2021, 06:15:54 pm
content: Any more comments on this issue?,I might have something that seems to help with this issue.Thanks,

author: ricko_uk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 04, 2021, 06:18:45 pm
content: Thank you atochimani,no, haven't solved it yet apart from the partial solution above (moving all the libraries off Dropbox) which does not work for me.What is your suggestion/solution?Thank you

author: atochimani
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2021, 03:01:31 pm
content: Hi,I changed the set CPU priority to above normal and it helps a bit, but the freezing keeps on, when it freezes I unplugged the network cable and altium comes back alive.Thanks for the updates.

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2021, 10:40:45 am
content: I have had issues with schematic documents that likely have references to network locations buried in them somewhere. These will load quickly when I'm on the office network, but take a minute or so each when not. A poke around trying to find what the reference to the unavailable share wasn't successful, though I didn't spend too long on it.

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 23, 2021, 12:22:33 pm
content: Wireshark capture and analysis might help. If network connections have to be made there may be surprises how many sites the application is trying to reach. There may be DNS resolution delays/issues or some sites not reachable and such, digital certificates validation, etc.