Troubleshooting 3D Camera View Display Problems in Chief Architect

The information in this article applies to:

QUESTION

I am experiencing problems with generating 3D camera views in Chief Architect.

Either an error message displays, the program crashes, hangs, displays a blank white, black, or gray screen, or the view generates, but it doesn't look correct in some way.




How can I resolve these types of problems?

ANSWER

In 3D intensive software, such as a Chief Architect product, you may encounter a variety of problems in your 3D camera views particularly if:

• Your computer does not meet the software's System Requirements in relation to the graphics card.
  
  
• You're attempting to run in an unsupported fashion, such as using an emulator or virtual machine environment.
  
  Common examples include Parallels, VirtualBox, VMWare Fusion, or when accessing a computer remotely such as by using Remote Desktop, LogMeIn, TeamViewer, and other similar applications.
  
  
• You're not using the latest available driver for your system's graphics card which is compatible with your operating system.
  
  
• You're experiencing a hardware or software incompatibility. To learn more, please visit our Known Incompatibilities page.
  
  

Generally, if your graphics card does meet the minimum system requirements for running the software and none of the known incompatibilities apply, then these issues can be resolved by simply updating the driver for your computer's graphics card to the latest available version which is compatible with your operating system. This can often be done for free on most computer and graphics card manufacturer's websites.

For Mac users, the drivers for the hardware are typically included as part of the macOS operating system, so it's important to make sure that your system is up-to-date.

• To determine the graphics card Chief Architect is using
• Finding the latest drivers for your system
• Adjusting Camera and Render Settings in Chief Architect
• Advanced Troubleshooting
  

Whether you're on a Mac or a PC, the information below will help you to determine which graphics card your Chief Architect software is currently using.

To determine the graphics card Chief Architect is using

1. Open your copy of Chief Architect and select Edit> Preferences from the menu if you're on a Windows PC, or Chief Architect> Preferences  if you're on a Mac.
   
   
   
2. Click on the Video Card Status panel of the Preferences dialog to see information regarding your graphics card.
   
   
   
   
   
   • The current version of Chief Architect has the following minimum system requirements for a graphics card:
     
     
     • Windows: 4 GB of dedicated RAM or Intel integrated graphics on 8th generation or newer Intel processors. DirectX 12 requires Shader Model 6.0 or newer.
       
     • Mac: Apple M1 or newer, or an Intel/AMD card with 2 GB of dedicated video memory with support for Metal GPUFamily macOS 2 or newer.
       
     • CPU ray tracing is supported on Windows and Macs. GPU real time ray tracing on a Windows computer requires an NVIDIA RTX or an AMD Radeon RX series graphics card. The Mac requires at a minimum an M1 processor.
       
     
     
     To learn what graphics card is in your computer, please see KB-03129: Locating Your Computer's Specifications.
     
     
     Prior Chief Architect version requirements can be found by accessing the System Requirements article.
     
     
   • Ideally, you want to see a Driver Date from within the past 6 months listed, especially if you're using a compatible Intel graphics model.
     
     Mac computers will not display a date here.
     
     
   • If this dialog shows Microsoft Corporation for the Device Vendor or OpenGL Vendor and GDI Generic for the Device Name or OpenGL Renderer, it indicates that the software has not been able to use the driver from your actual graphics card. You must save your work, exit out of the software, and update the driver to the most recent version following the instructions in the next section. Once you have done so, return to this location and verify that the actual graphics card information is listed.
     
     
   • If your system has multiple/switchable graphics, and the wrong chipset or graphics card is listed in Preferences, make sure that the cable connecting your display to your computer is connected directly to the dedicated graphics card. If the cables are connected properly, and you are operating a system with Windows 10/11, please visit KB-03140: Forcing Chief Architect Programs to Use a Specific Graphics Card in Windows 10/11 and KB-03199: Troubleshooting Gray or Blank Camera Views on Computers with Multiple Graphics Cards.
     
     
   • Make a note of the Device Name or OpenGL Renderer, save your work, and exit out of Chief Architect before continuing to the next section.
     
     
   
   

Finding the latest drivers for your system

Windows PC:

Computer manufacturers

It is recommended that you check your computer manufacturer's website for the latest drivers first. If they do not provide the drivers directly, then they should have links to the appropriate manufacturer to download the drivers that are compatible with your system hardware, or you can search separately for the most recent graphics card driver compatible with your version of Windows.

For more information, please visit the support page of your computer manufacturer's website before going directly to the graphics card manufacturer.

Some common computer manufacturers include: Dell/Alienware, HP, Dynabook/Toshiba, Acer, Lenovo, Asus, Sony, and Samsung.

Graphics card manufacturers

If your computer manufacturer does not have specific drivers for your system, then you may need to go to the graphics card manufacturer's website directly.

The largest graphics card/chipset manufacturers currently include: NVIDIA, AMD, and Intel.

Some graphics card manufacturers have the option to allow their site to auto-detect the graphics card on your system. If your graphics card manufacturer's website does not offer this feature, then either search for your particular graphics card on the manufacturer's website, or browse to select the link to download drivers and locate your particular graphics card.

Follow the instructions on the graphics card manufacturer's website to download the driver. Save the file to an easy to remember location, such as the Desktop. Now that you have downloaded the appropriate driver for your graphics card, you are ready to open the downloaded file in order to install the new driver. After updating the driver, shut down the computer, and restart it even if the end of the installation does not prompt you to do so.

For more information on how to install or configure drivers, please consult the manufacturer of your computer or graphics card.

If you're still encountering issues with camera views, previews in dialogs, or the Library Browser after updating the system, continue to the next section on adjusting settings.

macOS:

Apple's operating system comes pre-installed on your Mac and generally contains the drivers needed for your hardware, including the graphics card.

To make sure that your hardware drivers are up-to-date, you must make sure that your operating system is current. 

• To learn more about updating your Mac's operating system, see: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108382.
  
  
• If your Mac has two graphics cards, and switches between them for better battery life, you may want to switch off Automatic graphics switching so that the best graphics will always be used. Instructions on how to accomplish this can be located on Apple's website at: https://support.apple.com/en-us/102265.
  
  
• If you are still encountering issues with camera views, previews in dialogs, or library previews after updating the system, continue to the next section.
• 
  

If you use multiple monitors, and continue to experience crashing after updating the driver, then temporarily disconnect the extra monitors. Once you have done so, restart the system and test whether the crashing still occurs after restarting, launching and using Chief Architect with only the primary monitor connected. If the crashes no longer occur, then it is likely that your graphics card is not capable of supporting the extra monitors, and you will want to leave them disconnected while working in the software.

If you are not using extra monitors, your computer meets the System Requirements, and you have updated to the most recent graphics card driver compatible with your operating system, but you are still encountering trouble with generating 3D camera views, then this section discusses the additional settings you may need to change in Chief Architect.

To adjust Camera and Render Preference Settings

1. First, exit out of any 3D camera views you may have open.
   
   
   
2. Select Edit> Default Settings> Camera Tools and open the Camera tool you're experiencing trouble in.
   
   
   
3. On the Camera panel of the Camera Defaults dialog that opens, make the following changes:
   
   
   • Remove the check next to Show Shadows.
     
   • Remove the check next to Reflections.
   • Remove the check next to Bloom.
   • If available, remove the check next to Edge Smoothing when Idle.
   • Set Ambient Occlusion to 0%.
   
   
   
   
4. Click OK and Done, then attempt to create a new 3D camera view. Do not open an existing saved camera in the plan, as it would be using settings different from the defaults just changed.
   
   If the camera view is able to generate successfully without issue, then you can exit out of the view, return to the Camera Defaults, and go through and restore one setting at a time until you determine if one or more are specifically responsible for the initial undesired results, and then leave just those options disabled.
   
   If making these changes does not affect the view, leave the settings disabled.
   
   
   
5. Certain preference settings may affect camera views. Select Edit> Preferences from the menu if you're on a Windows PC, or Chief Architect> Preferences  if you're on a Mac, then access the Render panel.
   
   
   • In X15 and prior versions, set Hardware Edge Smoothing to None and test if this produces better results. If there is no change, set this back to its original value and proceed to the next option. This setting is not available in X16 and newer versions.
     
   • On a Mac, toggle the check next to Disable Render Target Aliasing if you're experiencing pixelation in 3D camera views.
     
   • On a Mac, the Enable Retina Render Targets option is checked by default but should be unchecked on systems that do not have Retina displays.
     
   
   
   If you're using X12 or a prior version, make the following adjustments:
   
   
   • Set Hardware Edge Smoothing to None and test if this produces better results. If there is no change, set this back to its original value and proceed to the next option.
     
   • Toggle the check next to Use Global Illumination;
     
   • Toggle the check next to Use Enhanced Lighting.
     
     

     With Use Enhanced Lighting toggled off, you may experience crashing, error messages, pixelation, or other unexpected behavior when creating 3D camera views. If this behavior occurs, please leave this setting enabled.
     

     
     
   
   
6. Click OK and try to create a new 3D camera view.
   
   If the view can generate successfully after making these changes, you can go back and one at a time restore these settings back to their original settings, until you locate which setting specifically causes the issue to occur, and then leave just that option or options disabled.
   
   
   Note: You will need to recreate the camera view to see the changes after each modification to the Render settings in Preferences. 
   
   

ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING

If your graphics card meets the System Requirements for the software, has the latest driver installed which is compatible with your version of Windows or macOS, and following the above instructions does not resolve the problem, then please contact our Technical Support department directly, and include all of the following files listed below.

1. If the issue only seems to occur in one particular file, use the Backup Entire Plan/Layout  tool to create a folder with a copy of the problem file, along with all referenced files.
   
   See Knowledge Base article: Using the Backup Entire Plan/Layout Tool to Send Files to Another User.
   
   
   
2. If you are receiving an error or warning dialog box, make sure to first search this Knowledge Base for the exact wording of the error, or click on the Check Knowledge Base button in the message if one is present, as there may be specific information relevant to that error recorded in another article. If a Send Report button is present, select this option, then take note of the date and time.
   
   If you are unable to locate any additional information on the error, make sure to attach a screen capture image of the message.
   
   See Knowledge Base article: Creating a Screenshot
   
   
   
3. Locate the Message Log.
   
   See Knowledge Base article: Locating the Message Log
   
   
   
4. Locate the Rendering Log if you're using Chief Architect X13 or a newer version.
   
   See Knowledge Base article: Locating the Rendering Log
   
   
   
5. Export your System Information.
   
   See Knowledge Base article: Retrieving System Information to Send to Technical Support
   
   
   
6. Sign in to the Technical Support Center and create a new support case to send to Technical Support.
   
   See Knowledge Base article: Using the Technical Support Center.
   
   
   
7. Give the case a short but descriptive title.
   
   In the text of the case, type a detailed description of the problem, including the exact steps that cause the behavior. If you submitted a report, be sure to reference the date and time the report was sent. The more detailed you are, the more likely we will be to reproduce the issue and identify the problem.
   
   Click the Browse button and attach the Backup, Screenshot,  Message Log, Rendering Log if applicable, and System Information files to your case, then Submit it.
   
   It is possible that Technical Support may need additional information regarding the issue, which they will request via a reply in the Technical Support Center.