Publish is slow when Plotting a lot of drawing files

[Borg]

I'm playing with publish and have the following issue.
When I go to select multiple drawings, for example 100, it takes forever(upwards of
20 minutes) to return to the main publish dialog. Does anybody have a suggestion as to what the problem may be?

A2K5
Win2K
Novell network(working directory is on the network)

[mjfarrell]

Mike, this almost sounds like
your description of the problem is
also the solution. Perhaps move that temp
file local so that you aren't generating so
much network traffic.

[Borg]

Thanks for the input but that had no affect.

[Mike.Perry]

Hi

Within AutoCAD do any other Dialog Boxes open slowly ie Options / Plot / etc or is it just the Publish command that causes your problems?

Have a good one, Mike

[Borg]

It's just the publish command.

[bbapties]

I have a question that may help with the answer.... Does'nt acad's publish command technically open each of the drawings that you have select to add to your plot list. Cause it has to pull out the page setups and the number and names of the layouts that may be in each drawing.

And isnt that y it plots so fast after being added....cause it already has the drawing open....(behind the scenes)??

Thats just how I thought that command worked.......I could be wrong.

[mjfarrell]

What are your settings in OPTIONS for
Plot and Publish in back ground?

BACKGROUNDPLOT System Variable

Type: Integer
Saved in: Registry
Initial value: 2

Controls whether background plotting is turned on or off for plotting and publishing. By default, background plotting is turned off for plotting and on for publishing.


Value PLOT PUBLISH

0 Foreground Foreground

1 Background Foreground

2 Foreground Background

3 Background Background


Note When -PLOT, PLOT, -PUBLISH, and PUBLISH are used in a script (SCR file), the BACKGROUNDPLOT system variable value is ignored, and -PLOT, PLOT, -PUBLISH, and PUBLISH are processed in the foreground.


Is this process as slow or slower on other machines loading and publishing the same
plot list?

Also in OPTIONS are you logging errors, and or keeping the papersize, or using the plot devices paper size? This could be the cause as well.

What are the readings on your system (Task Manager) when you attempt to publish?


Also how long does it take to publish, say 5 drawings from your Local hard drive,
and then those same five files from the across the network as you describe?

[RobertB]

What are your settings in OPTIONS for
Plot and Publish in back ground?

BACKGROUNDPLOT System Variable
That won't have any affect on the speed of the dialog box.

[RobertB]

Does'nt acad's publish command technically open each of the drawings that you have select to add to your plot list. Cause it has to pull out the page setups and the number and names of the layouts that may be in each drawing.
Yes, that is what occurs. With that thought in mind, Mike, what happens with the dialog box if you only add a few drawings? How capable is your network? Do your drawings have lots of XRefs too? Are you caching XRef files to a local folder? Are you using SSM to manage such large sets?

[mjfarrell]

The previous was intended to assist the user create a more
logic-based method to trouble shoot the 'problem'.
As you indicate that it wont impact the display of the dialog box.
then pray tell us what will? Or do you wish to only emphasize the negative?

Also it's interesting that your suggestion mirrors mine in asking the
user about his network (my first suspect) and that you want them to
load a smaller sub-set of the drawings to get a benchmark.
And none of those may impact the dialog box speed either, then again they just might
implicate the network or the work-station as the culprit.

[mjfarrell]

This particular LINK (http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/ps/item?siteID=123112&id=2883747&linkID=2475323)
is specific to plotting and or page set-up dialog
being slow to respond; the check list of possible
network settings and issues might prove useful to this
problem as well. Given that it is a network issue, and that
no such problems exist when the files, and ctb's are local.

[RobertB]

The previous was intended to assist the user create a more
logic-based method to trouble shoot the 'problem'.
As you indicate that it wont impact the display of the dialog box.
then pray tell us what will? Or do you wish to only emphasize the negative?...
Obviously not, since I did offer some troubleshooting tips, as you noted.

However, your approach of looking at background plotting obviously has no impact on the problem at hand, as the dialog is pre-plotting/publish and appears regardless of whether publishing will be foreground or background.

[Borg]

Sorry for the late reply, I've been out of the office since last Monday A.M.

None of the drawings have Xrefs.
All drawings are in model space only with no layout tabs used and range
from 100k to 250k in size.

In response to questions regarding network performance:
We have a Novell network with up to date patches, same with the client.
Our network runs very effieciently, we never experience slow downs or congestion
of any kind with any application. I'm not ruling it out, but I don't see a reason
that the network would perform poorly in this instance.

"bbapties" statement makes more and more sense the more I think about it. However,
when I run a script to perform the same duties that the publish command does, Acad opens
the drawings quickly, prints quickly, then quickly opens the next. The reason I don't just use a
script all of the time is because I need a simple tool for our user level drafters to create
DWF files in batch.

Yes it is true that the fewer the number of drawings I select, the faster it works.
Regardless, it still seems terribly slow.

As far as a benchmark goes, I will try to come up with something today, but I got a lot
of stuff to do.

Thanks to everyone for the input. I'll keep plugging away.

[rpriddy]

I am currently installing AutoCAD 2005 in our office and have had a similar problem with the publish command. Publish was very very slow to load drawing files. Our office setup is as follows:

Plotters and printers networked through TCP/IP connections,
Windows XP Pro,
Drawing files of moderate size with xrefs and 20 to 30 page setups,
AutoCAD 2005,
Current plotter and printer drivers (not HEDI),
Installed as system printers.

After many hours of testing the final conclusion is that publish does not resolve system printers (at least not TCP/IP printers) through a PC3 plotter file. The solution for us was to not use PC3 files and point directly at the system printer within the page setups (unclick "Hide system printers" in options). Now all is FAST in the publish world.

Hope this helps.

[paharts]

I have also experienced a VERY SLOW publish.
I work on a laptop from home with everything living on my computer; I connect to my printer by wireless networking; I also print/plot to a file and DWF often and place the files on my computer.

When I use the publish command, it is to print several Paperspace pages from one drawing. I get the same response speed whether I'm trying to publish 2 pages or 14 pages. I highlight the pages I want then right-click one of the tabs and select publish. I then wait 20+ min. for the publish window to open. Once it does, everything works at its regular fast speed. This is the only command I have problems with.

Can anyone tell me ... was this problem fixed in 2006? I am on subscription and have received the new AutoCAD but have not yet had time to install it.
Thanks everyone!