Performance tuning examines your graphics card and 3D display driver and determines whether to use software or hardware implementation for features that support both.

Features that cannot work properly on your system are turned off. Some features may work but not be recommended for use with your graphics card or 3D graphics display driver. Enable these features at your own risk.

The performance tuner creates a log that reports the graphics card and 3D display driver found on your system and whether effects are enabled. The Current Effects Status section displays the settings of the current display driver. An example of the Current Effects Status section might look like the following:

Enhanced 3D Performance: Available and on

Smooth display: Available and off

Gooch shader: Available and using hardware

Per-pixel lighting: Available and off

Full-shadow display: Available and off

Texture compression: Available and off

Advanced material effects: Available and off

You can manually turn on and off features that your system supports, recommended or not.

The log that is created by the performance tuner not only displays information about the current application driver, but also displays information about all the available application drivers and which effects are supported. This information is in the Available Application Drivers and Effect Support section. By using the information that is displayed, you can make the best decision about which application driver to use for your graphics card or the Software driver. The Available Application Drivers and Effect Support section might look like the following:

Software driver

Effect support:

Enhanced 3D Performance: Not applicable

Smooth display: Not applicable

Gooch shader: Software emulation only

Per-pixel lighting: Not applicable

Full-shadow display: Not applicable

Texture compression: Not applicable

Advanced material effects: Not applicable

Autodesk driver:    Certified

Effect support:

Enhanced 3D Performance: Available

Smooth display: Available

Gooch shader: Available

Per-pixel lighting: Available

Full-shadow display: Available

Texture compression: Available

Advanced material effects: Available

Procedure

To view the performance tuner log

1. On the status bar, click Performance Tuner.
2. In the Adaptive Degradation and Performance Tuning dialog box, click View Tune Log.
3. Click OK to exit each dialog box.

To tune performance manually

1. On the status bar, click Performance Tuner..
2. In the Adaptive Degradation and Performance Tuning dialog box, click Manual Tune.
3. In the Manual Performance Tuning dialog box, you can enable hardware acceleration if the icon next to the check box is a green check mark or a yellow warning sign.
4. In General Settings, you can clear or turn down settings to improve performance.
5. (Optional) Use the Reset to Recommended Values option.
6. Click OK to exit each dialog box.

To check for graphics card and driver certification updates

1. On the status bar, click Performance Tuner..
2. In the Adaptive Degradation and Performance Tuning dialog box, click Check for Updates.

   A web page is displayed that describes the certification program.

3. Look for your graphics card and driver in the list. If you find them, follow the download instructions.
4. Click OK to exit each dialog box.

Quick Reference

Commands

3DCONFIG

Sets options that affect 3D display performance.

GRAPHICSCONFIG

Sets options for 3D display performance.

System Variables

VSSHADOWS

Controls whether a visual style displays shadows.