I will add that at a certain number of edges/faces (about 8.2 million edges) triple click begins to fail and soon is no longer possible. A hard limit has existed in SU for a LONG time, although it has increased with versions. I think it might be 10 years ago the limit was 200k.

Cheers,
r

Well, I always thought using duplicated components would create fewer edges/faces than the same number of groups, but alas they are identical and directly proportional to the number of each. I don't doubt that using components (as I do for about half my drawings) has speed/file size advantages, but this probably means that only reducing the number of edges/faces will help the triple-click issue. I know I could reduce detail, and undoubtedly simplify a lot of components/groups, especially those made when I first started this project, but it would take a massive amount of work. In the end splitting the file is a work around, but one I will have to use.

BTW the Mac version of SU 2015 is 64 bit only, and checking memory usage SU has elected to give itself 2 GB of Ram and there is no virtual memory in use, and lots more memory available if it wants it.

cheers
ralph

I just tried moving the geometry (and associated parts) of a couple million lines to another layer. I was really hoping this might work but unfortunately it did nothing. If I delete enough lines/faces/etc then the triple-click function returns.

If I need to I will break the file into a few and then keep a separate viewing only file with the pieces as XREF files.

BTW this problem was in V5, but back then it was triggered when you had more than 20,000 faces, but that was ancient times.

Thus the question still remains, does SU have a hard limit?

Cheers
ralph

Thanks all for your suggestions. To answer the suggestions:

1. I clean up all imported CAD parts and redraw the majority using SU tools, especially any curves/circles.
2. I almost never use more than 24 sides for a circle and corresponding portions of 24 for arcs.
3. I use components extensively. The more I use SU the more organized I have become about this, although I still have a ways to go.
4. 99% of everything in our organs is symmetrical so I use components that are mirrored.
5. I never use shadows - it is a sure way to bring the program to its knees.
6. There is only a single texture for flooring; everything else is a solid color.
7. In almost every instance the center of the model is 0/0/0
8. I just tried TIGs XREF plugin and will check this out further, although it does not reduce the file size, and yes I realize I can work on portions of the main drawing this way.
9. I am always using the most recent versions of software and OS.

Even with the size of the file, there is rarely an instance where I get wire frames when redrawing, and this is usually after a massive edit and is only temporary.

I know I can break the model into various pieces, for instance the building but this is less than 5% of the file. I love using SU and it is only recently that I ran into this problem. The rest of the model is integral to the whole and I wind up zooming in and out of the whole thing constantly. Fortunately, I am less than 10% away from completing the project, but I have a larger one coming up soon.

The real question remains is there an internal hard limit on the number of line/faces/etc.?

Cheers,
ralph

ps Greetings fellow PCAD use pbacot! At least 90% of every day is spent between PCAD and SU - if only there were an easy way to exchange drawings.

I accidentally sent my reply in a private post - oops.

Subject: Upper limits of SU?

@rich o brien said:

If the model is isolated into manageable chunks it could help.

Are all the 3.5m faces one mesh?

No, we build pipe organs in what is called "historically informed" instrument construction. The model comprises a simplified building with only the interior detailed, and the organ with thousands of internal mechanical parts. Most of my drawings are HIGHLY detailed and since I started using SU 2 years ago I have expanded detailing by at least a factor of 10, probably more. This has helped me and everyone here to visualize and document even the smallest details.

To give you an idea I put a screenshot on our website as I do now know how to include an image in a post:

Thanks for any help.

Cheers,
ralph

I have a massive and highly detailed model of our current project. When the number of lines exceeds approximately 8 million (faces approximately 3.5 million) I lose the ability to triple-click, or for that matter any number of clicks, to select all parts of new object to create a solid. I can still enclose them all or manually select everything and then create a solid/component. This makes drawings very tedious.

I know that in long past versions there was a triple-click issue very similar to this, but with vastly smaller and less detailed models. I have tried this on my desktop (iMac) and laptop (MacBook Pro) with massive memory, et al. and the result is the same. I am using the most up-to-date version of SU.

My question - is there an upper limit on the number of objects in SU similar to the past?

Cheers,
ralph