strange behavior

[madcowscarnival]

Several strange things happened with Chief today.  I'm going to go over all of them, though several are already solved.

 

1. On opening chief, the only thing on the screen, even with a file open, is the 'File Menu'.  No toolbars, shortcuts, etc.  I've never used any custom toolbars.  Fix was reset through default preferences.  This led to...

2. After toolbar reset, everything was back and in the places I recognize.  However, when starting a leader (for instance), picking a point brings up an array of grayed polar lines that I can move along.  I've never had this function appear before, and don't need it.  Also similar occurrence when moving a polyline edge, it brings up a grayed-out segmented line with stops at 1".  I don't even know how to describe these issues to google to determine how to turn them off.

3.  This is the problematic one.  I opened a previous layout to resave and use with new file.  Edit my Sheet '0' no problem.  Go to sheet 1, where I like to place a text box in the title block for a sheet label.  I sent the open plan to layout, no issues.  However, I can not select the send item to bring up edit handles or pan function.  My text box function is still active.  Pressing escape did not go back to a default no function, text box still active.  I did eventually figure out that I could manually select the pointer icon and go back to selecting normally but do not recall this ever having been the case before.  Coming from AutoCad (old command line style) my finger is always poised at the ESC key and it always seemed pressing it would take me back through commands to default "nothing".

 

The above described actions, does it sound like a computer error (primarily #1). This computer is older, running an insufficient graphics card, but until tonight, had functioned completely normally, just a little slower than my work machine.  I'll appreciate any replies but may not see them until tomorrow later afternoon.  Thanks folks.

[glennw]

2. Preferences>Edit panel>Snap Properties>Snap Indicators>Display Angle Snap Grid

Note that if you have Preferences>Edit>Behaviors>Primary Movement Method set to Polar, instead of seeing the straight line grids when moving an object, you will get the Angle Snap Grid.

With this setting set to Orthogonol, you will get the things you see now - Angle Snap Grid when drawing a line and straight line grids when moving an object.

3. I don't understand your problem fully.

 

It would be nice to tell us what problems are solved so we don't waste time.

[Chopsaw]

#1 sounds like a computer glitch for sure as it only seems to happen to some people but is not entirely uncommon.

 

#2 could also be a computer or memory glitch and it sounds like "Display Angle Snap Grid" has been toggled on in Preferences > Snap Properties.

 

#3 you may run into lots of issues with a procedure like that.  Likely not a great idea to routinely recycle layout files.  Take the time to start with a stock template and customize it to your liking and save it as a template to use to start each layout file.

 

If you are having a lot of really odd stuff happen it is usually a good idea to save what you have and reboot your computer.

 

Are you talking about the system in your signature as being older because if you are I am feeling older as well.

[madcowscarnival]

Chopsaw, I rebooted the computer twice before my posts just to make sure.  Hopefully its not a hardware error.  Also updated my sig so you could see this machines specs.  My work machine is about the best I can build with Win7.

 

Glennw, The first issue was solved, but not sure why it happened.  2nd issue, that suggested setting is what I was looking for, thanks. 

 

Third issue is difficult to describe.  When in layout, say I go to place text, edit my text and get out of that dialog box.  When I'm finished, the cursor stays active with the "text" command, ready to place an additional box.  Usually, at this point I'd hit escape a couple of times to cancel out of the text command, and any previous command, to get back to the point where the cursor will simply select objects for editing.  The issue is when I hit escape a couple of times, it does not return the cursor to a default state, i.e. it remains ready to place additional text boxes.  I have to manually select the "pointer" function on the toolbar to get the cursor back to an object select state.  I think I'm going to chalk this up to hardware/memory issues as well as my primary machine performs as I "expect" it to during the described operations.

 

Thanks for the help folks.Hopefully I can milk this machine along for a while.  I realize its specs are far below the minimum for Chief, it just happens to function with it.  Primarily I'm using this machine for old ACad and spreadsheets, which is pretty easy on it.

[Chopsaw]

1 hour ago, madcowscarnival said:

Third issue is difficult to describe.  When in layout, say I go to place text, edit my text and get out of that dialog box.  When I'm finished, the cursor stays active with the "text" command, ready to place an additional box.  Usually, at this point I'd hit escape a couple of times to cancel out of the text command, and any previous command, to get back to the point where the cursor will simply select objects for editing.  The issue is when I hit escape a couple of times, it does not return the cursor to a default state, i.e. it remains ready to place additional text boxes.  I have to manually select the "pointer" function on the toolbar to get the cursor back to an object select state.  I think I'm going to chalk this up to hardware/memory issues as well as my primary machine performs as I "expect" it to during the described operations.

 

I did not realize the ESC key worked for that function as I have always used the Space Bar.  Possibly you have worn out the key on that keyboard from all your ACad use.

[Kbird1]

I use the SpaceBar as well for "de-selecting" ......but ESC should work too , seems to here with a quick test.

 

Only other thing I can think of is , with the refresh / reset of Chief did you perhaps lose your HotKey settings ?

I don't use them a lot as I have never been a big "keyboarder" , so this may not be your issue....

 

If the Keyboard is programmable you could try assigning ESC to another key to make sure the ESC isn't defective perhaps....( or another keyboard)  You could try this with the OnScreen Keyboard if Win7 has it? ( Win10 does), but only the Full Onscreen keyboard has ESC though.

[CharlesVolz]

Maybe your keyboard is defective. 

 

I had a problem once and thinking it was my keyboard I bought a new one. I later figured out that Dragon Naturally Speaking had automatically set up a hot key when I installed it so I lost the use of that key in Chief.

[lbuttery]

Note: Win7 will no longer be supported by Microsoft starting Jan 2020

 

you can still use Win7 safely after that if you stay offline and are careful about introducing virus's via Jumpsticks etc

 

Lew 

[glennw]

Go to Tools>Toolbars and Hotkeys>Customize Hotkeys>type in "cancel".

What hotkeys do you have assigned to "Cancel Selection/Previous Command" and "Cancel"?

 

[glennw]

6 hours ago, Kbird1 said:

I use the SpaceBar as well for "de-selecting" ......but ESC should work too , seems to here with a quick test.

 

Spacebar is the OOB hotkey for Select Objects.

Esc is the OOB shortcut for Cancel Selection/Previous Command - each time Esc is pressed, Chief steps back through the command history one tool at a time - until you get back to the beginning of the command history which is the default Select Objects. 

[Kbird1]

1 hour ago, glennw said:

Esc is the OOB shortcut for Cancel Selection/Previous Command - each time Esc is pressed, Chief steps back through the command history one tool at a time

 

Yes , and maybe this is the Issue? press it once and it "de-selects", press it more and you start stepping back through the previous command list (upto 100 commands according to the Manual) , so if a Text Box was the Previous Command too it would seem like it hadn't changed. The SpaceBar doesn't step back AFAIK , it just puts you back in Selection Mode ( same as the icon), I usually Select with the Mouse though and use the spacebar to "release" the Selection if needed, as I don't keyboard much at all, due to a hand injury and having no feeling in most of my lefthand, so it's just easier to tap the SpaceBar than play keyboard gymnastics like some do, looking at different Hotkey files.