open two instances

Tom Foster

Is it really not possible to open two instances of Brics on same computer? If not why not? It's invaluable with all 'normal' Windows programs.

Anthony Apostolaros

You're supposed to be able to do that by setting SINGLETONMODE = ON.
See https://help.bricsys.com/document/_systemvariablereference--SV_singletonmode/V22/EN_US?id=16507927011196

There's also a SINGLETON command, but in this case the positive value appears to be contrary to what you want.
So maybe you need to answer NO to that, in addition to the ON value for the variable.
https://help.bricsys.com/document/_commandreference--CMD_singleton/V22/EN_US?id=165079104543

martin@enco.us

I set SingletonMode = off and SDI = 1 .

This is not quite like the single document interface mode in Autocad. As noted in the Bricscad notes for SDI it is possible to open more than one drawing in an instance of Bricdcad in SDI mode. I have written a replacement OPEN function (in lisp) that closes any file that is open before opening a new file. That helps but it does not completely eliminate opening multiple files in a Bricscad instance.

Bricscad SDI is not quite the same as Autocad SDI. My guess is that what limits Bricscad SDI is Bricscad's saving much more in the registry than Autocad.

Tom Foster

Can't get my head around SDI, but thanks for the SINGLETON pointer. I see it was already set to No, but I've not previously been able to open a second instance - but now I can!

However of course it's Read-only, which I guess is OK as primarily I want to refer to one bit of a large modelspace while working on another bit far away, as alternative to modelspace viewports.

martin@enco.us

For Autocad SDI turned on means each drawing has its own instance of Autocad. 3 drawings means Autocad has three instances open and there is no interaction or communication between them. It doesn't matter how you open a file (double click on the file, File>Open from the menu, etc.). If you use the OPEN command inside an Autocad instance when SDI is turned on the existing file will be closed before the new file opens.

In Bricscad with SDI turned on double clicking on a file name or icon will open the file in a new instance of Bricscad, but using the OPEN command inside a running instance of Bricscad will add the selected file in the existing instance so you have both the old file and the new file in that instance.

SDI is only read-only if there is an application loaded that does not support multiple document mode. If you are seeing a value of 2 or 3 for SDI it means you have an add-on that does not support multiple document mode.

Tom Foster

Thanks, that's clear.