To fix a rendering problem, or any software problem requires the slogan
"Think Like a Mechanic™".
Think like a mechanic because everybody knows that to solve a problem, thinking like an architect really means "what stooge can I pass this off to with a fancy arm gesture. (see avatar)"
First, put on your Graphisoft mechanic coveralls.
When faced with a problem or malfunction, the mechanic methodically eliminates error possibilties. Renderings crash for two reasons:
Complexity and/or Corruption.
Corruption:
You made an impossible element and ignored the initial warning. Something developed bad parameters or whatever. Boogles.
Complexity:
The model's 3D temporary file exceeds the hard drive and RAM capacity. The rendering slows down or stops. Lot of hard drive grinding.
In both cases, the 50/50 approach is useful. Turn off 1/2 of the layers holding content. Does the rendering work now? Reverse - look at the other half of the layers. Does the rendering work? If so, you have a RAM/memory problem. Get more ram. Check hard drive.
If one of the 50/50 layer renderings fails, it is a corrupted element. Continue to reduce layers by half until you isolate the bad layer. It will contain the bad element. Switching layers off is way faster than guessing about elements.
Odds are that a bad element will be something involving external macro references, picture references or will be a third party object.
You must also keep track of what you are doing. The first time a rendering goes bad is the time - no matter how inconvenient - to do the problem solving with persistence and courage.
Dwight Atkinson
