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CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
https://locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19149		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  RichardSIA [ November 18, 2017, 2:29 am ]
Post subject:  CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
This seems the most likely correct topic to post this on.

:BH: Really frustrated with my Win. 7 box I use for my CAD displaying all circles as ellipses! :BH:
Tried every possible setting on the PC control but it only has four options.
Switched to a larger and more expensive monitor but still cannot adjust out the ovals.
Looking closely EVERY possible circle or round shape is oblong, not just my CAD, PDF's too, even the Windows logo is eccentric.
Opened the same sample PDF on the iMAC I'm typing this on and all shapes are perfect!
Fired up my old G3, also perfect.

The PC that is annoying me was originally bought to do nothing but book-keeping so any video card would suffice.
Is it likely that a much improved video card would allow me to adjust the aspect ratio so that my CAD shows what I am trying to draw rather than a fun-house mirror's image?
Do I have to take the PC with me and try to buy a particular monitor to resolve the screwy aspect ratio?
That does not seem reasonable but with all this **** being made in China?

Wanting to draw an intake manifold that will have round ports at one side and oval ports on the other.
Never going to be able to do it if every circle I draw is oval. :BH: :BH: :BH:
Author:  Acerguy [ November 18, 2017, 1:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
And drilling those oval holes is going to be a pain! :lol:

While a new graphics card may the correct answer, I would still have thought a decent monitor will allow you to adjust the aspect ratio display so it at least looked OK. But you've tried that is sounds like.
Author:  stuie84 [ November 18, 2017, 2:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
Can you tell me a little more about the PC.

Do you know the name of the graphics card (brand and model)

Do you know if you are running it on directX graphings drivers or Open GPL?

You mentioned its win 7. Do you have the AERO descktop turned on?

What CAD software are you using? Not really going to help since you're having these issues with PDF but good reference.

It does sound internal hardware related but I'm hoping that if you reload the graphics drivers that should do the trick.

I may have an old Nvidia graphics card somewhere around here. Worked like a champ for years. I could send that to you if you have the slot for it on the PC (tower i assume?)
Author:  RichardSIA [ November 18, 2017, 2:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
I will be making a list of what I have in a few minutes.
It is a tower type PC.
Unfortunately unlike a MAC I cannot just click an icon and get a list of the system devices, speeds, memory, etc.
So I guess I will have to open it up and look inside.
Searching around the web seems to confirm the current graphics card probably does not support my larger monitors.
With CAD the largest possible monitor is still too small. :wink:

I have a couple of different trial version CAD systems.
None display properly, even the basic desk top does not display a round circle.
Author:  RichardSIA [ November 18, 2017, 4:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
Found some data on the PC.
Dell, Win 7, Intel core 13, ACPIx64 based PC.
Video, VGA Compatible, No brand, No driver!
PCI Bus 1.
Long number for bus type I hope not to need but I did write it down.

Nothing giving me a clue as to maximum display size supported.
Also note that most ads for video cards brag about being oh so great for gaming ($$$$) but also fail to mention screen size.

Lesson learned, if it's "Newly refurbished" and "On sale" it's a stripped down clunker.
Cannot even read PDF's as received.
That's another task, getting a PDF reader installed that is not "Free" nagware generator. :evil:
I would have expected Win 7 to include a basic PDF reader. :BH:
Author:  Laminar [ November 18, 2017, 5:53 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
RichardSIA wrote:
Unfortunately unlike a MAC I cannot just click an icon and get a list of the system devices, speeds, memory, etc.


If I had to make a bet, I'd say you have a widescreen monitor but your computer is outputting a standard 4:3 resolution.

"MAC" is the acronym for the hardware address on your network card. A "Mac" is a Macintosh computer.

Start Menu > Right click "Computer" > Properties gives you info about your computer - processor, speeds, memory, etc. From that window on the left bar you can click "Device Manager" to get a list of system devices.

The important question right now is your monitor - what is the brand, model, and size. From there you can figure out the resolution the monitor was designed to display. Once you have that, you can go Start Menu > Control Panel > Appearance and Personalization > Adjust Screen Resolution. Set the resolution to the resolution your monitor likes. Try 1280 x 720, 1600 x 900, or 1920 x 1080.

Quote:
Video, VGA Compatible, No brand, No driver!


You can go to Dell's website here:

http://www.dell.com/support/home/au/en/ ... pp=drivers

And enter your PC's service tag. Dell will show you drivers available for your system.

Quote:
Also note that most ads for video cards brag about being oh so great for gaming ($$$$) but also fail to mention screen size.


That's because the limiting factor on resolution is more often than not the monitor. Most modern video cards can easily display far beyond HD resolution. You need to figure out the optimum resolution for your monitor.
Author:  RichardSIA [ November 18, 2017, 9:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
Took it in and found that I did indeed already have a video card but no drivers installed.
Tech fixed that and did some other updates such as adding a PDF viewer.
Got home and now cannot launch the CAD program, no doubt related to the updates he did.

So now I will have to get the tech to reinstall the CAD, next week.
I truly DESPISE the never ending update/compatibility "Shaving cream"!
Author:  RichardSIA [ November 20, 2017, 12:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
WHEW!
Succeeded in reloading the CAD.
Even succeeded in drawing a very simple part.
Now working on the ITB adapter.
Just complex enough to be good as a learning exercise. :)
So issue resolved and thanks for the clues.
Author:  horizenjob [ November 20, 2017, 3:24 am ]
Post subject:  Re: CAD and display issue, graphics card or ?
I'm impressed you still have a G3. Those were really good machines. They don't make them that good anymore, at least for consumers. that would be about 15 years old or more and my quick math says your average computer chip can have 1000 times as many transistors on it these days.

Glad it all worked out and also that the China weren't involved... That would be so much harder to fix! Good luck with your part. I'm trying to do some simple brass castings and all these projects seem to become so much more involved than you expect...
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