Tekla Structures Multi-User Model Slow: Saving, Locking, and Database Synchronization Fixes

Tekla Structures Multi-User Model Slow: Saving, Locking, and Database Synchronization Fixes

Trimble's performance documentation includes specific guidance for multi-user modeling: "Speeding up the multi user modeling and saving." Multi-user mode in Tekla Structures allows multiple users to work on the same model simultaneously, but it introduces database synchronization overhead that can cause significant slowdowns. Users report that saving takes minutes instead of seconds, and the model freezes periodically when another user saves.

Understanding Multi-User Architecture

How Multi-User Mode Works

In multi-user mode, Tekla uses a client-server architecture:

1. The model server (Tekla Multi-User Server) hosts the master model database
2. Each client (user) has a local copy of the model
3. When a user saves, their changes are sent to the server
4. The server updates the master database and notifies other users
5. Other users must synchronize to get the latest changes

The bottleneck is step 3-4: when one user saves, the server must process the changes and update the database. If the database is large or the network is slow, this can take minutes. During this time, other users may experience freezes.

Common Multi-User Problems

• Saving takes 2-10 minutes instead of seconds
• Model freezes periodically when another user saves
• "Database is locked" errors when multiple users save simultaneously
• Changes not visible to other users until they synchronize
• Model corruption after simultaneous saves

Fix 1: Optimize the Multi-User Server

Use a Dedicated Server Machine

1. Don't run the multi-user server on a user's workstation
2. Use a dedicated server machine with:
   • Fast CPU (multi-core for handling multiple clients)
   • SSD storage (for fast database access)
   • Gigabit network connection
3. The server should be on the same LAN as all users

Update the Multi-User Server

1. Download the latest Tekla Multi-User Server from Tekla Downloads
2. The latest version includes performance improvements and bug fixes
3. Stop the server service before updating
4. Install the new version
5. Restart the server service

Configure Server Settings

1. On the server, open the Multi-User Server configuration
2. Set Maximum connections to the number of users + 2 (for overhead)
3. Set Database cache size to at least 512MB
4. Enable Compression for network transfers
5. These settings reduce save time and network overhead

Fix 2: Configure Autosave Intervals

Trimble recommends using autosave: "Use the Autosave option in Tekla Structures to automatically back up your work at set intervals."

1. Go to File → Settings → Options → General Settings → Autosave
2. Set Autosave interval to 15-30 minutes
3. Don't set it too short (e.g., 5 minutes) — each autosave triggers a database operation
4. Set Autosave file location to a local drive (not network)
5. Autosave creates a backup file without locking the multi-user database

Why Autosave Matters

• If the model freezes or crashes, autosave preserves your work
• Autosave doesn't trigger multi-user synchronization — it's a local backup
• You can recover from autosave: File → Open → Autosave File

Fix 3: Save Efficiently in Multi-User Mode

Save at Natural Break Points

1. Don't save frequently during active modeling — each save locks the database
2. Save at natural break points:
   • After completing a group of parts
   • Before switching to a different area of the model
   • Before running numbering
   • Before creating drawings
3. This reduces the number of database locks

Close Views Before Saving

Trimble recommends: "Close all views when saving large models."

1. Before saving, close all views: View → Close All Views
2. Open views consume memory and must be processed during save
3. Saving with no open views is significantly faster
4. Reopen views after saving

Save in Batches

1. If you've made many changes, save in batches:
   • Save changes to one area of the model
   • Wait for the save to complete
   • Make changes to the next area
   • Save again
2. This prevents one massive save operation that locks the database for a long time

Fix 4: Synchronize Efficiently

Manual Synchronization

1. Instead of automatic synchronization, use manual sync
2. Go to File → Synchronize
3. Choose what to synchronize:
   • Changes from others: Get other users' changes
   • My changes to server: Send your changes to the server
4. Synchronize at natural break points, not during active modeling

Synchronize Before Numbering

1. Always synchronize before running numbering
2. This ensures you're numbering against the latest model state
3. It prevents numbering conflicts when multiple users are numbering simultaneously

Fix 5: Use the XS_PROGRESS_CACHE Setting

1. Go to File → Settings → Advanced Options
2. Search for XS_PROGRESS_CACHE
3. Set to TRUE
4. This caches progress data locally, reducing database queries
5. Restart Tekla Structures

Impact

• Reduces the number of database queries during modeling
• Speeds up selection and modification operations
• Especially helpful for models with many users (5+)

Fix 6: Reduce Model Size for Multi-User

Split the Model

1. If the model is too large for multi-user, split it by area:
   • Area A model (user 1)
   • Area B model (user 2)
   • Area C model (user 3)
2. Use reference models to coordinate between areas
3. Each model is smaller and faster to save

Use Phases

1. Assign parts to phases
2. Each user works on a different phase
3. Users can filter their views to show only their phase
4. This reduces the number of parts each user processes during save

Fix 7: Fix Database Locking Issues

"Database is Locked" Error

1. This occurs when multiple users try to save simultaneously
2. Wait for the other user's save to complete, then try again
3. If the error persists:
   • Close all views
   • Wait 30 seconds
   • Try saving again
4. If the lock doesn't release:
   • On the server, check the Multi-User Server admin tool
   • Look for locked database entries
   • Release the lock manually
   • Have the affected user restart Tekla

Prevent Locking

1. Stagger save times among users
2. Communicate with team members before saving large changes
3. Use a simple signaling system (e.g., chat message) before saving

Fix 8: Network Optimization

Check Network Speed

1. Run a network speed test between clients and server
2. Minimum: 100 Mbps for 2-3 users
3. Recommended: 1 Gbps for 5+ users
4. Use wired connections — Wi-Fi adds latency and packet loss

Reduce Network Latency

1. Ensure the server is on the same LAN (not across a WAN or VPN)
2. If users are in different locations, use Citrix or Remote Desktop instead of multi-user mode
3. VPN connections add latency that makes multi-user mode unusable

Fix 9: Regular Database Repair

1. When all users have saved and synchronized, have one user repair the database
2. All other users must close Tekla during repair
3. Go to File → Tools → Repair Model Database
4. This optimizes the multi-user database for faster operations
5. Run weekly for active multi-user projects

Summary

| Fix | Impact | Difficulty | |-----|--------|------------| | Use dedicated server | Very high | Medium | | Update multi-user server | High | Easy | | Configure autosave | Medium | Easy | | Close views before saving | High | Easy | | Save at break points | High | Easy | | Manual synchronization | High | Easy | | Enable XS_PROGRESS_CACHE | Medium | Easy | | Split model by area | High | Medium | | Fix database locking | High | Medium | | Network optimization | High | Medium | | Regular database repair | High | Easy |

The most impactful fix is using a dedicated server machine with SSD storage and a gigabit network connection. Combined with closing views before saving and staggering save times among users, this can reduce save time from minutes to seconds. For very large projects with 5+ users, splitting the model by area and using reference models for coordination is the most effective long-term strategy.