TubeCAD Tech Document #5

Advanced Tubular Technologies

TubeCAD Tech Document #5:

TubeCAD Memory Requirements

Document For: Beginner through Advanced Users

Software Version: 5.8 Revision L and newer

Go back to the TubeCAD Tech Documents index.

If your TubeCAD is showing memory error messages (even though you have have megabytes of RAM on your computer system), you probably don't have enough lower memory free.

The amount of lower memory free determines the number of points/bends that TubeCAD can use in the current layout.

Here are some guidelines for memory usage:


 -- Over 600K.........Up to 102 intersection points
 -- At least 550K.....Up to 50 intersection points
 -- At least 500K.....Up to 25 intersection points
 -- Under 500K........Too low.

With memory under 500K, TubeCAD may operate, but it is likely that you will see memory problems.

Many TubeCAD users switch to newer computers on a regular basis for faster CAD operation. When doing so, they find that TubeCAD sometimes runs out of memory on the newer computer, even though it never did on the older one.

If this happens to you, then the first thing to do is to go to the DOS prompt and type MEM and press Enter. An example MEM screen looks something like this:


Microsoft(R) Windows 95
   (C)Copyright Microsoft Corp 1981-1995.

C:\WINDOWS>mem

Memory Type        Total       Used       Free
----------------  --------   --------   --------
Conventional          640K        28K       612K
Upper                 155K       155K         0K
Reserved              384K       384K         0K
Extended (XMS)     15,205K    11,361K     3,844K
----------------  --------   --------   --------
Total memory       16,384K    11,928K     4,456K

Total under 1 MB      795K       182K       612K

Largest executable program size       612K (626,992 bytes)
Largest free upper memory block         0K       (0 bytes)
MS-DOS is resident in the high memory area.

C:\WINDOWS>

Look for the "Largest executable program size" line and read the value to the right. The example above shows 612K free, which is plenty for TubeCAD operation.

USING MEMMAKER

The MEMMAKER program that comes with DOS 6 and Windows 95 configures your system so that drivers in config.sys and autoexec.bat are loaded to upper memory automatically every time you start your computer, thus freeing the necessary lower memory for TubeCAD.

Run MEMMAKER from any DOS prompt by typing MEMMAKER and pressing Enter.

Note: Some prefer third-party software like QEMM to manage memory. Even so, We have had "emergency" calls from customers who installed QEMM and forgot to optimize lower memory.

Written by Michael Cone
Advanced Tubular Technologies

Go back to the TubeCAD Tech Documents index.