When I start Cadrail it appears as an icon in the bottom task bar but I don't see the application window on the screen.

Cadrail may be saved with the screen minimized. Click the Right Mouse Button on the Cadrail icon in the task bar (or the pop up screen image in Windows 7). Select maximize from the pop up menu that appears. This will open the window full screen. Now save the current position using the menu item Options - Save Current Settings.

Windows Task Bar with Cadrail icon.

 

How to open Cadrail from icon in Windows 7 Task Bar.

 

 

The 3D window (or other window) is not visible on the screen but there is an icon in Windows bottom task bar.

Be sure the window has not been saved minimized as described above.

The 3d and other Cadrail windows and dialogs may get saved outside of the current monitor window and therefore not be visible. This may happen with multiple monitors or by changing screen resolutions.

Use the menu item Options - Cadrail Preferences to open the Preferences dialog. Select the Program Setup tab and then select the check box for Startup with Default Settings. Now restart Cadrail. All the windows and dialogs should return to their default locations.

 

 

 

My tool bars or any other program item is not visible or working properly (see above items for ideas). I have tried everything including un-installing and re-installing Cadrail but still have the problem.

 

Cadrail settings are saved by Windows and are kept in the users settings folder for Cadrail. This folder is not deleted by un-installing or re-installing Cadrail. You can manually delete the settings folder (not the same as the program folder) and when Cadrail is started it will be just as a new installation with all user settings at default values.

In Windows 7 the user settings folder is:

C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData\Local\Sandia_Software

where USERNAME is the name you log in with.

In Windows XP the path is:

C:\Documents and Settings\Tom\Local Settings\Application Data\Sandia_Software
 

To reset the default values, delete the entire folder. Then start Cadrail.

 

User Settings Folder Windows 7.

 

I get an error when I open the 3d window.

Make sure you have updated your video drivers to the latest versions.

Open the CONTROL PANEL - DISPLAY - ADVANCED BUTTON - TROUBLE SHOOT TAB and set hardware acceleration to full or turn on depending what options you have. See if you can spot anything in your video driver setup.

Try the DirectX tool using the START - RUN type in DXDIAG and press enter and look at the directX features if you do not get a dialog then it is not installed. Look on the DISPLAY tab and make sure the accelerations are enabled.  Run the tests there.