Known issue - monitor display scale and resolution

Last updated: 2022-04-19

Background

Application errors may occur when using Civil 3D with certain monitor display scale and resolution settings. The problems most often occur when using high resolution monitor, when using monitors plugged into a USB dock or hub, or using a multi-monitor setup with displays of different types. Issues can also arise when moving from one computing environment to another (for example, home to office) where there are different monitor setups. Unwanted behaviors include, but are not limited to:

  • Frequent "fatal error" crashing
  • AutoCAD right-click or hover menus not working
  • "Lost" toolbars or palettes

Known issues

  • Windows sets the default display scaling to 125% or higher when connecting a high resolution (width or height greater than 1920x1080) monitor. AutoCAD performs best with display scaling set to 100%.
  • Windows sets the display resolution to the monitor default for each display independently. In a multi-monitor setup, each monitor may have a resolution setting different than the other(s). AutoCAD performs best when all monitors are set to the same resolution.
  • USB docks and hubs use virtual display drivers or have external graphics cards. Typically these display systems underperform when compared to the computer's display system. AutoCAD performs best when using the computer's native GPU (s).
  • AutoCAD remembers the X, Y coordinate origin of a palette, and the size in pixels of a palette when the application is closed. In Windows, the coordinates of the screens span all screens, not each individual screen. Coordinate 0,0 begins at the upper left corner of the leftmost display and all other display coordinates are relative to that position. When switching from one computing environment to another with different display setups, a situation may arise where a palette was located at a coordinate on one display that does not exist on a secondary display.

Best practices

  • It is strongly recommended to have all monitors set to 100% display scaling. There are known bugs in AutoCAD for which there is no other workaround.
  • It is recommended to have all monitors set to the same display resolution (when possible).
  • Preference should be given to the computer's display system over an external device. When possible, plug monitors directly into the computer's display port(s) instead of a USB dock or hub.
  • Having Hardware Acceleration on when using an underperforming display system will cause issues. Turn off Hardware Acceleration if using an external device.
  • Have the main Civil 3D application window open on the screen with the best performing display system.
  • When switching computing environments open Civil 3D and move all palettes and the application window to the main screen before closing Civil 3D. This is especially important when moving from environments with different number of displays.

Recovering "lost" toolbars and palettes

Most of the time, unhooking any secondary displays and opening Civil 3D on the main display will bring the palettes back.

  1. Unhook all secondary monitors or disconnect them in the Windows display settings.
  2. Open Civil 3D. The application window and any open palettes should all return to the main display.
  3. Close all open palettes and close Civil 3D on the main display. (This should reset the position of the palettes relative to the upper left of the main display.)
  4. Hook any secondary displays back up and open Civil 3D.

  5. Verify the palettes are now visible when opened.

If the above does not work and there are still “lost” palettes, you can “retrieve” them from the last monitor where they appeared. This may be necessary if a palette is on a secondary display and the positions and resolutions of the displays were different when Civil 3D was closed than when re-opened. (For example, closed on two stacked displays with different resolutions and opened on two side-by-side displays with different resolutions.) To retrieve a lost palette that does not return to the main display:

  1. Return to the last display environment (if possible) and connect the monitors in the same configuration as before. (Or hook up any set of displays in the exact same configuration, positions, and resolutions.)
  2. Open Civil 3D. The palettes should be visible on the monitor where they were last virtually located.
  3. Move the Civil 3D application window and the palette(s) onto the main display.
  4. Close the palette(s), and close Civil 3D.
  5. Unhook all secondary displays or disconnect them in the Windows display settings.
  6. Open Civil 3D and verify the palettes are now visible when opened.
  7. If the above does not work, reset the AutoCAD profile. (Use as a last resort. Resetting the profile may result in custom settings being reset.)