"Web GL" message shut down my meeting, unable to IP discussion.

GTSeidler

Dear Onshape Support and Users,

An hour ago I brought my laptop (exact same system, same browser,etc, as I've been using for months with Onshape) to an important meeting about IP where I needed to show and discuss the CAD.  However, for the first time, anytime I tried to open any document I received an error message about needing to install Web GL, and the document would not load.  If I closed the error then I was automatically returned to the main document list.

This just cost me time, reputation, and maybe money.  It certainly cost me blood pressure points.

One hour later, back in my office, with the same computer, etc, the documents open fine without the WebGL warning/error.

What happened, and how do we make very, very certain that it doesn't happen again? 

Jerry

john_rousseau

Hi Jerry. Sorry for the bad experience. My guess is that the place you went to was blocking some / all outbound traffic. I haven't seen the Web GL message before in response to a connectivity problem, but as you pointed out, nothing changed on your machine so it had to be environmental.

Please open up a support ticket from within Onshape and we can look at the server logs to see if there is any information about what the problem was.

kevin_quigley

As John said, this is definitely a wifi or connection policy at the location you had the meeting. Therein lies the issue of relying on any internet connection you don't control. For this reason whenever we need offsite connections we pair to our phones. This works OK for a decent 4G signal, and 3G is fine for many tasks (can't comment on Onshape as I don't use it for this type of thing, but others work fine).

If your destination has no signal though, you need to look at alternatives. 

awk

When you went to the meeting did you plug into a large (pixel size - not physical size) external display or projector? Have you tried using large external displays in the past? If this is really a WebGL error (as opposed to a connectivity problem) then it could be that the increased VRAM requirements for the larger number of pixels now being driven (two displays vs. mirroring can be a factor here too) could have caused problems if your graphics card was 'close to the edge'.

Do you have some machine configuration details you can share? Do you recall the nature of the meeting room's display etc.?

GTSeidler

Thanks for the three responses, all helpful and appreciated.  To reply back:

john_rousseau:  I'll open a ticket.  The situation would have been much improved by an actually informative error message if the connection is causing the problem.  A message "This connection does not support Onshape because XXX" would allow the error to happen without your customer being in as negative a position, and would also give a head's up to look for alternative connectivity options.   Moving proactively: Onshape should make a little test application that user can send to the IT people at a new site ahead of time to diagnose connectivity formatting issues.  Or have a document describing needs, etc.  Unfortunately not reasonable to ask IT people to get an Onshape account and run a dry test.

kevin_quigley:  Thanks for the advice.  That is a good fallback.

andrew_kimpton:  Alas, I was just using the same laptop with no external projector, etc.

kevin_quigley

Just create a test file ourself and send them an invitation to test it using an Onshape log in. Alternatively, set up a Grabcad Workbench file and share it. If the they can see that then WebGL runs ok. Grabcad Workbench and Onshape use the same viewing webgl tech as far as I know.

but the benefit of a Grabcad share is the viewer can just click straight on the link and go straight to the 3D file. No log in needed.

Onshape take note (and I make no apologies for raising this issue again...this is another case for no log in access for viewing)

john_rousseau

Hi Jerry. You may see that connection and WebGL test application in the very near future.  

We have multiple open tickets for putting connection status in the web client. It just hasn't made it to the top of the priority list yet. Please do open the ticket about the issue you had. I don't recall ever seeing connection problems that are reported as Web GL issues, so I do want to take a look into this.

@kevin_quigley - we hear you loud and clear about the no login access for viewing.