Skip to main content

User Troubleshooting Guide

This guide helps you resolve common issues when using InForm, from basic connectivity problems to advanced visualization challenges.

Getting Help​

Support Channels​

  • Documentation: Start with this comprehensive guide
  • Video tutorials: Visual walkthroughs of common tasks
  • Community forums: Connect with other InForm users
  • Technical support: Direct contact for complex issues
  • Training sessions: Live help and guided learning

Before Contacting Support​

  1. Check this troubleshooting guide for your specific issue
  2. Try the basic solutions listed below
  3. Gather system information (browser, OS, version numbers)
  4. Document the problem with screenshots if possible
  5. Note any error messages exactly as they appear

Browser and Connection Issues​

Cannot Access InForm​

Authentication Problems​

Symptoms: Login page doesn't load, authentication fails, or access denied messages

Solutions:

  1. Clear browser cache and cookies

    • Chrome: Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data
    • Firefox: Settings > Privacy > Clear Data
    • Edge: Settings > Privacy > Clear browsing data

  2. Check your Arup credentials

    • Ensure you're using your correct Arup email address
    • Try logging into other Arup services to verify credentials
    • Contact IT support if password reset is needed

  3. Verify network access

    • Ensure you're connected to the internet
    • Try accessing other websites to confirm connectivity
    • Check if you're behind a corporate firewall

  4. Browser compatibility

    • Use Chrome (recommended), Firefox, or Edge
    • Ensure your browser is up to date
    • Disable browser extensions that might interfere

Network and Loading Issues​

Symptoms: Slow loading, timeouts, or connection errors

Solutions:

  1. Check internet connection

    • Test connection speed (minimum 5 Mbps recommended)
    • Try connecting from a different network
    • Contact your network administrator if on corporate network

  2. Browser optimization

    • Close unnecessary browser tabs
    • Restart your browser
    • Try incognito/private browsing mode

  3. System resources

    • Close other applications using memory or CPU
    • Restart your computer if performance is poor
    • Check available disk space (need at least 1GB free)

Performance Issues​

Slow 3D Rendering​

Symptoms: Choppy animation, slow response to parameter changes, or freezing

Solutions:

  1. Graphics optimization

    • Update graphics drivers
    • Close other graphics-intensive applications
    • Reduce browser zoom level to 100%
    • Try hardware acceleration toggle in browser settings

  2. Model complexity management

    • Use simplified view modes when available
    • Reduce the number of visible elements
    • Lower the level of detail for distant objects

  3. Browser optimization

    • Enable hardware acceleration in browser settings
    • Close unnecessary browser tabs
    • Try a different browser (Chrome recommended)

Memory Issues​

Symptoms: Browser warnings about memory usage, or crashes during use

Solutions:

  1. Free up memory

    • Close other applications and browser tabs
    • Restart the browser periodically during long sessions
    • Consider using a computer with more RAM (8GB minimum recommended)

  2. Browser management

    • Clear browser cache regularly
    • Disable unnecessary browser extensions
    • Use browser task manager to identify memory-hungry tabs

Interface and Navigation Issues​

Cannot See 3D Model​

Unity WebGL Issues​

Symptoms: Black screen, loading errors, or "Unity failed to load" messages

Solutions:

  1. Browser compatibility

    • Use Chrome, Firefox, or Edge (Safari has limited support)
    • Enable WebGL in browser settings
    • Update browser to latest version

  2. Graphics support

    • Ensure your graphics card supports WebGL 2.0
    • Update graphics drivers
    • Test WebGL support at webglreport.com

  3. Security settings

    • Allow WebGL and hardware acceleration
    • Disable ad blockers for InForm site
    • Check if corporate security policies block WebGL

Display Problems​

Symptoms: Model appears but looks wrong, missing elements, or incorrect colors

Solutions:

  1. View settings

    • Reset the camera view to default
    • Check layer visibility settings
    • Verify color mapping configuration

  2. Model data

    • Refresh the page to reload model data
    • Check if model finished loading completely
    • Verify parameter values are within valid ranges

Mouse and Keyboard Controls​

Symptoms: Cannot rotate, zoom, or pan the 3D view

Solutions:

  1. Control verification

    • Ensure mouse is working properly in other applications
    • Try keyboard shortcuts (listed in help menu)
    • Check if mouse capture is enabled in browser

  2. Reset controls

    • Refresh the page to reset view state
    • Use "Reset View" button if available
    • Try different mouse button combinations

  3. Alternative controls

    • Use touch gestures on touch-enabled devices
    • Try keyboard navigation for accessibility
    • Use toolbar buttons for view control

Interface Elements Not Responding​

Symptoms: Buttons don't work, panels won't open, or controls are unresponsive

Solutions:

  1. Page refresh

    • Reload the page to reset interface state
    • Clear browser cache if problems persist
    • Try browser developer tools to check for errors

  2. JavaScript issues

    • Ensure JavaScript is enabled in browser
    • Disable browser extensions that might interfere
    • Check browser console for error messages

Parameter and Data Issues​

Parameters Not Updating​

Real-time Update Problems​

Symptoms: Model doesn't change when adjusting parameters, or changes are delayed

Solutions:

  1. Connection check

    • Verify stable internet connection
    • Look for "calculating" or "updating" indicators
    • Wait for current calculations to complete before making new changes

  2. Parameter validation

    • Check if parameter values are within valid ranges
    • Look for constraint violations or warnings
    • Ensure all required parameters have values

  3. System performance

    • Reduce update frequency for complex models
    • Make smaller parameter changes
    • Wait between parameter adjustments

Invalid Parameter Values​

Symptoms: Error messages about parameter ranges, or inability to set certain values

Solutions:

  1. Range verification

    • Check parameter minimum and maximum values
    • Understand parameter units and expected ranges
    • Look for dependency relationships between parameters

  2. Constraint satisfaction

    • Review constraint definitions and requirements
    • Understand which constraints are hard vs. soft
    • Try adjusting related parameters to resolve conflicts

Data Loading and Saving Issues​

Cannot Save Variants​

Symptoms: Save button doesn't work, or variants don't appear in saved list

Solutions:

  1. Authentication and permissions

    • Verify you're logged in and session hasn't expired
    • Check if you have permission to save in this project
    • Try refreshing the page and attempting save again

  2. Storage issues

    • Check if browser allows local storage
    • Clear browser storage and try again
    • Verify project hasn't reached storage limits

Missing or Incorrect Data​

Symptoms: Charts show no data, performance metrics missing, or wrong values displayed

Solutions:

  1. Data refresh

    • Reload the page to refresh all data
    • Check if analysis is still running
    • Verify parameter values produce valid results

  2. Calculation issues

    • Ensure all required inputs are provided
    • Check for constraint violations that prevent calculation
    • Look for error messages in calculation status

Analysis and Visualization Problems​

Charts and Graphs Issues​

Charts Not Displaying​

Symptoms: Empty chart areas, loading indicators that don't complete, or error messages

Solutions:

  1. Data availability

    • Ensure sufficient data points for charting
    • Check if analysis has completed successfully
    • Verify appropriate parameters are selected for axes

  2. Visualization settings

    • Check chart type compatibility with data
    • Verify axis ranges and scaling settings
    • Reset chart configuration to defaults

Incorrect Chart Display​

Symptoms: Data appears wrong, axes are mislabeled, or scaling is inappropriate

Solutions:

  1. Configuration check

    • Verify correct parameters selected for X and Y axes
    • Check data filtering and range settings
    • Ensure appropriate chart type for data being displayed

  2. Data validation

    • Check source data for anomalies or errors
    • Verify units and scaling are correct
    • Look for outliers that might affect scaling

Comparison and Analysis Issues​

Comparison View Problems​

Symptoms: Cannot compare variants, or comparison shows incorrect data

Solutions:

  1. Selection verification

    • Ensure variants are properly selected for comparison
    • Check that selected variants have complete data
    • Verify all variants use same analysis methods

  2. Synchronization issues

    • Refresh comparison view to reload data
    • Check if variants finished calculating
    • Ensure consistent parameter definitions across variants

Advanced Troubleshooting​

System Requirements Check​

Hardware Requirements​

Minimum specifications:

  • CPU: Dual-core processor, 2.5 GHz or higher
  • RAM: 8 GB (16 GB recommended for complex models)
  • Graphics: WebGL 2.0 compatible graphics card
  • Storage: 2 GB free disk space
  • Network: Stable broadband connection (5 Mbps minimum)

Software Requirements​

Browser compatibility:

  • Chrome: Version 90 or later (recommended)
  • Firefox: Version 88 or later
  • Edge: Version 90 or later
  • Safari: Version 14 or later (limited Unity support)

Developer Tools Diagnostics​

Using Browser Console​

  1. Open developer tools (F12 in most browsers)
  2. Check Console tab for error messages
  3. Look for network errors in Network tab
  4. Monitor memory usage in Performance tab

Common Error Patterns​

  • WebGL errors: Graphics capability issues
  • Network timeouts: Connection or server problems
  • JavaScript errors: Browser compatibility or extension conflicts
  • Memory errors: Insufficient system resources

Clearing Application Data​

Complete Reset Procedure​

  1. Close all InForm browser tabs
  2. Clear browser cache and cookies for InForm domain
  3. Clear local storage (in browser developer tools)
  4. Restart browser completely
  5. Re-login and test functionality

Selective Data Clearing​

  • Session data: Refresh page or re-login
  • View preferences: Reset to defaults in settings
  • Saved variants: Export before clearing if needed
  • Project data: Contact administrator for project-level resets

Getting Additional Help​

Escalation Process​

Level 1: Self-Service​

  1. Check this troubleshooting guide
  2. Try basic solutions (refresh, clear cache, restart)
  3. Search community forums for similar issues

Level 2: Community Support​

  1. Post question in user forums with specific details
  2. Include system information and error messages
  3. Attach screenshots if helpful

Level 3: Technical Support​

  1. Gather detailed system information
  2. Document exact steps to reproduce problem
  3. Include any error messages or unusual behavior
  4. Contact support with comprehensive problem description

Information to Provide​

When requesting help, include:

  • Operating system and version
  • Browser type and version
  • InForm project or URL (if shareable)
  • Exact error messages
  • Steps to reproduce the problem
  • Screenshots or screen recordings if applicable
  • System specifications (especially for performance issues)

Prevention and Maintenance​

Regular Maintenance​

  • Update browser monthly or when notified
  • Clear cache weekly for heavy users
  • Update graphics drivers quarterly
  • Monitor system performance and address issues promptly

Best Practices​

  • Save work frequently using variant save feature
  • Use stable internet connections for important work
  • Close unnecessary applications during intensive sessions
  • Keep system requirements up to date