[matplotlib-devel] nosetests: too slow, too much memory

[Eric F. <ef...@ha...>]

Our standard test has gotten out of control.  The most serious problem 
is that running a full test suite now fails on a linux VM with 4 
GB--it's out of memory. Half-way through the set, it is already using 
more than 2 GB. That's ridiculous.  Running nosetests separately on each 
test module keeps the max reported by top to 1.6 GB, and the max by 
report_memory to 0.5 GB; still quite a bit, but tolerable.  (I don't 
know why there is this factor of 3 between top and report_memory.)  This 
scheme of running test modules one at a time also speeds it up by a 
factor of 2; I don't understand why.

The script I used for the module-at-a-time test is attached.  It is a 
modification of matplotlib.tests().

Are there any nosetest experts out there with ideas about how to 
streamline the standard test routine?

Eric