Graphics Cards

CAD Functionality Definition:

Some drivers support many OpenGL Windows with only a minor drop in performance.  Others (generally game cards) switch entirely to software emulation as soon as the available hardware memory is full with data for the existing windows, even if they are covered up! Depending upon video memory, the screen resolution, color depth, and driver efficiency, this may be after 6 or more windows. OpenGL windows for other applications may count against this total. The drivers that support as many windows as desired are noted with the phrase “Driver supports full CAD functionality.” Autodesk Inventor will run with either type of card.  Autodesk Inventor does take advantage of any useful hardware acceleration offered by a graphics card.  Thus, you will see a larger performance increase with a top of the line graphics card designed for CAD.  The vendors of these products generally react quickly when problems with their drivers are discovered, since we are part of their target market.  We are not part of the target market for game cards.

Notebooks:

At this time, notebooks do not come with graphics cards that have full CAD functionality.  Due to their size, they either use a chipset on the motherboard, or a very small, low power, plug in card.  Some of the very newest notebooks, with an updated driver from the vendor, do actually support hardware acceleration with OpenGL.  If Autodesk Inventor does not use any hardware acceleration, it is likely that insufficient OpenGL functionality is available for Autodesk Inventor.

Some of the very newest top end notebooks do actually benefit from hardware acceleration.  However, they still have a performance limit of about four windows.   (More windows work, they are just slow.) They may require a driver update from the notebook vendor before Autodesk Inventor is able to see enough Accelerated OpenGL support to take advantage of it.

New Workstations:

Most often, new workstations are delivered with drivers up to a year old. Always check the graphics vendor’s Web site for a new driver. Check this document for the driver on which a specific release of Autodesk Inventor was tested.

Links to Web Sites of Latest Graphics Drivers

Getting Information about Your Graphics Card

How to tell what version of the graphics driver you are currently running

1.      Open the Display Properties dialog by either of the following ways:

-        Right-click on any blank spot of your Desktop and select Properties.

-        Click on the Start button > Settings > Control Panel > Display icon.

2.      Click on the Settings tab, and the click on the Display Type button.

3.      Driver Information is in the middle of the Display Type dialog box.

Note that the version number on the Display Type dialog box is a little bit different than the actual version number from the driver vendor's Readme file. For example:

How to bring up the Autodesk Inventor (tm) dialog showing your graphics driver information

1.      Use either of the following methods:

Go to the Hardware tab within the application options dialog and click on the Diagnostics button.	Hold down the SHFT key when you select New Part, Assembly, or Drawing from New button.	Hold down the SHFT key when you select New Window from Windows menu.

2.      A dialog box similar to the following example will appear.

Note: If you see something like "Microsoft Corporation\GDI Generic\1.1.0" on the first line of the dialog box, you're not getting any hardware acceleration from your graphics card, unless Autodesk Inventor has been forced to use the Microsoft OpenGL, but graphics hardware acceleration is still running.

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Legal Note –

The information provided herein ("Card Information") is being provided as a service to Autodesk's customers, and any other use, or use by anyone other than Autodesk customers or Autodesk Authorized Resellers, of the Card Information is strictly prohibited.  Autodesk has only tested the configuration combinations expressly identified herein; no representations as to the relative performance of other possible configurations may be inferred.  Autodesk disclaims all expressed or implied warranties or other contractual commitments, which may be implied as a result of the publication and dissemination of the Card Information.  Further inquiries concerning the graphics cards should be addressed to the appropriate graphics card manufacturer/distributor.  Further inquiries concerning Autodesk Inventor(tm) should be addressed to Autodesk Customer Support.