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Auto-revert to default ArchiCAD 8/8.1 preferences PROBLEM

Anonymous
Not applicable
Eversince we upgraded to ArchiCAD 8 we are experiencing a problem with ArchiCAD's preferences, as they always default to the factory setting after we restart our computers. Especially the palette shapes, as well as the positions of the palettes, the autosave preferences, and some other not so important preferences are affected by this.

I reported this to Graphisoft a long time ago and we cleaned our preference files. We do a clean install on every new version of ArchiCAD (including 8.1) but yet the problem stays with us. We run ArchiCAD on PowerMacs and PowerBooks and pull our files off a MacOS X Panther Server via ethernet network. This problem occurs under any version of Mac OS X so far.

Any thoughts on how to get this very annoying problem fixed? Any similar problems anyone?
8 REPLIES 8
__archiben
Booster
it sounds as though it could be a permissions problem - i.e. archiCAD doesn't have permission to write the preferences it needs into the folders it is meant to be writing them into.

does this happen every time you use archiCAD, or just every now and then?

also, are you having any problems with other applications' preferences? have you re-assigned any of your home folder's privileges at any time?

~/archiben
b e n f r o s t
b f [a t ] p l a n b a r c h i t e c t u r e [d o t] n z
archicad | sketchup! | coffeecup
Anonymous
Not applicable
I ran DiskUtility to reset the permissions and it did not find anything wrong with any ArchiCAD preferences. It does occur all the time. Currently it is actually worse. With 8.0v3 it would only reset the prefs after a restart. Now it does it everytime I launch ArchiCAD 8.1.

Also, if I manually delete the prefs, ArchiCAD will write new ones no problem. Therefore, even though it sounds like a permissions problem, it may yet be something else. I wonder if I am the only one experiencing it and whether it could have something to do with the fact that the files come off our fileserver...
Anonymous
Not applicable
I did a little test launching ArchiCAD and starting a new default project file. I saved that file to the HD. I was able to set the prefs and quit and relaunch ArchiCAD at will, without losing the prefs. But once I open any of my existing project files, which at this point were all generated in 8.0v3 or earlier, I lose certain settings once again. Even re-opening the default file cannot restore them once they are messed up. So, I have to set them again by hand - like every day. I can do this blindfolded by now, grrr.
David Maudlin
Virtuoso
I had the same problems with ArchiCAD 8.0 up through v3+, no problem with ArchiCAD 8.1, including opening version 8.0 files. The only difference I can see is that I am not using a server.

HTH
David Maudlin
David Maudlin / Architect
www.davidmaudlin.com
Digital Architecture
AC27 USA • iMac 27" 4.0GHz Quad-core i7 OSX11 | 24 gb ram • MacBook Pro M3 Pro | 36 gb ram OSX14
Anonymous
Not applicable
I was experiencing the same consistent problem with 8.0 v3 on older hardware running in Classic - when I reported it to my local reseller I got the impression that it was the first time he'd heard of the problem, so I waited. I just installed 8.1 on my new G5 and, to my utter annoyance, the problem persists. When I open a file - usually created in 7 - I see a brief flash of white gridded background before my project opens and it reverts to my soothing hospital green background. As stated by others, some of the toolbars reset themselves to the default and it only takes a minute to fix, but I'd still like to resolve the issue. Anyone find a cause/cure?
Geoff Briggs
Mentor
I experince similar problems. Certain prefs, dialog boxes and window positions won't stick after a Quit and relaunch. Consistently reproducible and pretty much the same since 8.0r1v1. I've been rather persistent with tech support but am yet to receive official recognition of the bug. I've experienced this in both network and stand-alone environments.

Please everyone get on GS's case about this.
Regards,
Geoff Briggs
I & I Design, Seattle, USA
AC7-27, M1 Mac, OS 14.x
Anonymous
Not applicable
Ah, finally somebody who feels my pain. I reported this many times and did get a case number once from Jeffrey at Graphisoft tech support:

case number 59044

Maybe this helps in the quest to get this issue resolved. I wish I knew exactly what causes it.

Jeffrey had me revert the HD of my Mac once (back to Macintosh HD), which seemed to help at the time. But after a few restarts and such I still experience the same problem. If anybody is interested I could list the parameters that revert to default...
David Larrew
Booster
I had reported similar experiences while Beta testing 8.0-8.1. After many bug reports and a few phone calls from GS Tech Support, it was never completely resolved. I just figured it was isolated to my machine and mostly because of my Matrox G550 and dual display settings.

One thing that I discovered during my testing was that all of the newly reworked palettes don't act like the original (untouched) palettes for example the "Coordinate Box" and "Control Box", which were never effected.

The new palettes are coded as "dialog boxes" and not "menu palettes"/'tool bars". I guess in order to allow for re-sizing and other new features. I'm on WinXP and didn't know if this made a difference on Macs... I guess it does.
David Larrew, AIA, GDLA, GSRC

Architectural Technology Specialist

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