Tip: Start ArchiCAD faster on Windows (WIBU settings)

[Karl Ottenstein]

It is taking only 8 seconds between ArchiCAD launch and the appearance of the Start dialog for me as a result of this tip ... compared to an agonizing 45 seconds without it.

If you are a Windows user, take a look at this updated tip on ArchiCADWiki:

http://www.archicadwiki.com/TechNotes/Limiting_the_ports_that_WIBU_scans

Your mileage will of course differ. I have one known port conflict and some issues with my network, so restricting the scan to only my USB port really made a difference. Feel free to post some before/after times in this thread... 😉

Karl

[__archiben]

Karl wrote:
Feel free to post some before/after times in this thread... 😉

well. i figured i'd give it a go with winXPpro running through parallels on OSX . . . just for giggles.

first launch of archicad on starting windows took approx. 50 seconds. each subsequent launch of archicad took a little under 7 seconds. is there some kind of remembered port that stays valid during a windows session?

next i tried to find the WIBU key control panel. no dice. thinking that the control panel itself may not be installed i went to WIBU's website and downloaded the latest driver version - 5.10 - and ran the installer.

still no WIBU control panel. i'm thinking it's going to be under "Printers and Other Hardware" right? it being 'other hardware' and all that. nah. "Performance and Maintainance"? nope. eventually i find it hidden away to the side in a small "Other Options" link.

perfect. so i open it up. i looks nothing like yours karl. (how do i make a simple screenshot in windows?)

so i keep browsing around . . . for a few more giggles . . . and find this tab called "Hardware" in the 'system' control panel... and then 'device manager' and then . . . 'WIBU'. but when i follow dialogue after dialogue through properties and details and all sorts of things, i find that it's telling me that the 'WIBUBOX/U' file version is only 4.10c. shouldn't that read 5.10 - the version i just installed?

anyways. launching archicad after all of that rigmarole still maintained the 7 second time . . .

someone help this simple mac user, please?!

~/archiben

[Thomas Holm]

Ben, so 7 seconds isn't fast enough for you

I would guess the subsequent launch times you get is a result of MacOSX intelligent caching, nothing else.

A Parallells-related question: I haven't got delivery of my MBP C2D yet, but when I get it I will try to install Windows with Parallells on it. Being a mean old bastard, I'd like to use the WinXP licence I got with the old VirtualPC7 (which I never use otherwise). Do you have a hunch on how to do this?

[Anonymous]

Interesting stuff. Using Parallels, I have installed Win 98 and updated with an XP update and now am up to the third Parallels update in less than a month! The last version has made a significant difference in the operations of both the computer and the OS. Opening a rather large Autocad file seems about the same as on the office token Dell desktop (XPS about a year and a half old). Operating ACAD is straight forward.

Installing the OS was a real no brainer and the upgrade was no additional trouble. Parallels first update took care of the WIBU issue and the second has now reduced the heat generated during use to a more acceptable level. Will be doing more on the Win side as time goes on. Haven't used the Win side for AC much as 10 works so well on the MAC side, but will try it as well.

Lew Bishop
Jon Worden Architects
MacBook Pro 17" 1GB
OS X latest - AC 10 latest XP Home SP2

[Karl Ottenstein]

~/archiben wrote:

Karl wrote:
Feel free to post some before/after times in this thread... 😉

well. i figured i'd give it a go with winXPpro running through parallels on OSX . . . just for giggles.

first launch of archicad on starting windows took approx. 50 seconds. each subsequent launch of archicad took a little under 7 seconds. is there some kind of remembered port that stays valid during a windows session?

next i tried to find the WIBU key control panel. no dice. thinking that the control panel itself may not be installed i went to WIBU's website and downloaded the latest driver version - 5.10 - and ran the installer.

still no WIBU control panel. i'm thinking it's going to be under "Printers and Other Hardware" right? it being 'other hardware' and all that. nah. "Performance and Maintainance"? nope. eventually i find it hidden away to the side in a small "Other Options" link.

perfect. so i open it up. i looks nothing like yours karl. (how do i make a simple screenshot in windows?)

anyways. launching archicad after all of that rigmarole still maintained the 7 second time . . .

someone help this simple mac user, please?!
~/archiben

OK... so this tip is for WINDOWS users, on typical Windows hardware, not MacIntel users in Parallels or Bootcamp. Typical Windows hardware has physical LPT and COM ports - which do not exist on Mac hardware, even if simulated. The search of these additional hardware ports seems to be part of the problem.

The Control Panel thing is something I should have mentioned, Ben, because even regular Windows users get confused there. Windows XP has the 'Pick a category' view for control panel which was introduced to make it easier for Mom and Pop, allegedly. It makes life much more difficult in my opinion. If that is the view of Control Panel that you see, click on "Switch to Classic View" on the left and you'll end up with one icon per function - like older versions of Windows, and like OS X (other than that OS X groups them into sensible groups). Near the bottom of the alphabetical list will be "WIBU-KEY".

The Network settings in the wiki article will likely affect a Bootcamp user; apparently they do not affect a Parallels user (Ben). 🙂

Cheers,
Karl

[Jefferson]

Thank you Karl!!!

I just "tuned" my settings as directed, then reopened a current file and did a rough count, you know 1001, 1002..........it took 4 seconds to show the opening screen. I hadn't allowed myself to count down with the previous setting and verifying my frustration.

Only question I have is in regard to the WIKI instructions regarding a network key. This doesn't mean that plugging my key into my USB server would allow more than one computer to run AC simultaneously over my small network? Not that it would be possible for a one-man-show like me to make use of this, but it does beg the question, stupid or not.

[Karl Ottenstein]

Jefferson wrote:
Only question I have is in regard to the WIKI instructions regarding a network key. This doesn't mean that plugging my key into my USB server would allow more than one computer to run AC simultaneously over my small network? Not that it would be possible for a one-man-show like me to make use of this, but it does beg the question, stupid or not.

Nice speedup, Jeff! A single-user USB keyplug cannot allow more than one user to use it at the same time - only network plugs do that. I assume that a single-user plug can be accessed over the network - but haven't tried - to permit one workstation at a time to run AC.

Cheers,
Karl

[Jefferson]

I wasn't certain that there was such a thing as a multiple user key.........Pity the fellow/CAD manager that can't remember where he put it! All the compliments go to you! That was like getting a raise Thanks again.

[__archiben]

Jefferson wrote:
Pity the fellow/CAD manager that can't remember where he put it!

and imagine the frustration when you discover your 10-user key was plugged into one of the four machines that was stolen the night before . . . we were not amused . . .

~/archiben

[Jefferson]

and imagine the frustration when you discover your 10-user key was plugged into one of the four machines that was stolen the night before . . . we were not amused . . .

sounds like the Pommy quotient is still alive and well