#796 "Edit Task" opens with delay

[mike]

Taskcoach opens the "edit task" dialog a lot slower since ver1.2.0,
The old version opened tasks without any noticable delay, wit 1.2.0 tasks are opened with up to 10 sec. (!) delay.

-> is this only on my system or do others have the same problem? (I have
maybe 2-300 tasks in my list)

My System:
Windows XP
Intel Core2Duo
4 GB Ram

[Frank Niessink]

Hi Mike,

It's probably the new prerequisite tab. It contains all of your tasks so that may make it slow to open. I didn't notice this on my computer though which has the same specs as yours (roughly). Does it make a difference if you hide completed tasks and inactive tasks in the prerequisite tab?

Thanks, Frank

[mike]

No, I just tried that. Still very slow, It's hardly usable like this.
Tomorrow I'll try it on one of the other computers here to make sure it's not my system.

[Frank Niessink]

Hi Mike,

Is there any change you could send me your task file (at frank@niessink.com) so I can investigate better? I'll treat your data as confidential, of course.

Thanks, Frank

[Frank Niessink]

Oh, and please also remove your TaskCoach.ini file to see whether that helps. It sometimes gets quite big.

Thanks, Frank

[mike]

Hi Frank,

1. I deleted TaskCoach.ini-File -> no effect, still very slow
2. I copied the Program to another Computer (wich is even faster) -> no effect
3. I noticed, that the delay differs, most tasks open after 1-2 secs, others after 5, others after 10 secs.
4. I'll send you the file, and of course you'll treat it confidentual, otherwise I'll bite your nuts off. :)))
5. I'm using the portable-Version, so I still have the old 1.0.7 version as well, and the diffrence in speed is significant.

ok, if I can do anything else let me know.

thanks
mike

[Frank Niessink]

Mike,

Can you test revision 3686 or newer from http://www.fraca7.net/TaskCoach-packages/latest_bugfixes.py and tell me whether that helps?

Thanks, Frank

[Frank Niessink]

Hi Mike,

I also tested your tsk file on my computer and the task dialog opens quite quickly, like within 0,5 seconds. That's on Windows Vista, AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 2,3GHz, 2GB Ram... Are you running Windows XP in classic mode by any chance?

Thanks, Frank

[mike]

Hi Frank,

exactely, I do use the classic mode of winXP.
I hate the clicky-bunti-shit. :)
Why does that make a diffrence?

I tried to download 3686 but it seems there are only different versions of 3685. Am I missing something?

[mike]

nevermind, now theres the 3685 version. I'll trie it than report back.

[mike]

I installed, TaskCoach-r3686-win32.exe.
still no effect.

[Frank Niessink]

Hi Mike,

Please switch off classic mode and see whether that makes a difference?

The support for classic mode in the GUI toolkit (wxWidgets/wxPython) we use is not complete. For example, if you use categories with exclusive subcategories the radio buttons won't be drawn correctly (or not at all, can't remember at the moment). Apparently, drawing a tree is quite slow in classic mode.

Thanks, Frank

[mike]

I tried XP-Design, still no diffrence.
Sorry.
Any other Idea?

[Frank Niessink]

I tried on Windows classic theme on Windows Vista and that doesn't make it slower. So I guess that's not it. On my Windows Vista PC I can open each of your tasks within one second... I'm running out of ideas here. Is there anything else that is different/unusual about your PC?

Thanks, Frank

[mike]

not really.

It's an Acer Laptop.
I do use an encryption program (Truecrypt) but that doesn't slow down the older version and the first thing I did was to move TaskCoach to an unencrypted folder.

The second computer I used to try it is a fileserver, so there is almost nothing installed on that one, but it was just as slow. The server is using XP in classic mode as well, and a few portable programs from portableapps, which shouldn't make any diffrence.
Since there are no programs as far as I see that are installed on both computers it seems it might have something to do with the windowssettings or something.

I do have a couple of other PCs here, I could copy the program on an USB-Drive and see about the other computers. :) But since I always use the same settings I guess it's gonna be the same.

I've tried to get a bit more specific on the timing:
- like I said before, most tasks take about 2 seconds (which is already quite anoying if you try to review a lot of tasks)
- some take a lot longer, e.g. you might find a task called "235_BFS umsetzen" which has a subtask "Bewertungssystem einrichten". That one takes exactely 10 sec. to open - but only the first 5 times, after that it takes also about 2 secs, even after I closed the program and restarted it (with saving). That's weired. Maybe these are two seperate problems. I have no idea about the architecture of the program, but since you mentioned, that the drawing of the tree might be slow on classic mode, maybe that explains the 10 secs, but the average delay of 2 secs is something else?

(I deleted some critical tasks so I hope that one is still in your file)

I also use TaskCoach a while now, and I always used the same .tsk-File. I don't know if that might make a diffrence.

[Frank Niessink]

Some wild guesses:
- When I asked you to remove your TaskCoach.ini did you remove it from the portable folder or from C:\Program Files\TaskCoach?
- Does it make a difference when you set the language to English (US)?

Thanks, Frank

[Toumini]

Hi,

I also have these slowdowns, when edit(open/close) task or subtask.

in the previous version (Task Coach Portable (winPenPack Format) (ZIP version) 1.1.3 official), we didn't have it,

I have try, in english (US) version, it's seem no change.
i haven't remove TaskCoach.ini anywhere.

Chris

Env :
Windows 7 Premium Editon (64bits)
Core2Duo P8700 - Ram 4Go
Task Coach Portable (winPenPack Format) (ZIP version) 1.2.0 official
Task Coach is in French (automatic system,by default)
Using about 681 tasks or subtasks (closed or not)

[Frank Niessink]

Could the both of you try this:
- Open a task edit dialog
- Wait till it appears
- Go to the prerequisite tab
- In the search control on the toolbar of the prerequisite tab, fill in "ABCXYZ123"
- The prerequisite viewer will be empty.
- Hit Cancel
- Double click another task to open the task edit dialog.
- Repeat the last step for different tasks

How long does it take to open a task edit dialog now?

Thanks, Frank

PS: If this work, it's also a good work-around until we solve this more permanently.

[Toumini]

Hi Frank,

I have try your process, after this
The time to open a task seems more longer
- When you use the cancel button, it's almost immediate
but when you use the ok button to validate nothing change, is very longer.

My 2 cents

Chris

[Frank Niessink]

Chris, this bug report is about opening a task edit dialog that is slow. Now you are talking about clicking OK that's slow. You may have a different issue. Can you please download the recent build from http://www.fraca7.net/TaskCoach-packages/latest_bugfixes.py and see whether that helps?

Thanks, Frank

[Frank Niessink]

Hi guys,

Release 1.2.1 should be a bit quicker. Can you please test it?

Thanks, Frank

[mike]

Hi Frank,

1. When you asked me to remove the tc.ini I removed it in the folder Data/settings. Since I don't use the installer-version but the portable one there is no C:\Program Files\TaskCoach.

2. changing the language didn't make a diffrence

3. your ABCXYZ123 suggenstion did the trick for me. It takes now about 1 sec. to open the edit-view. Not for every task though, I'm not sure yet, but it seems if there are many subtasks it still takes longer. But it definately is the right track. :) So it does have something to do with drawing the tree, right?

4. Version 1.2.1 didn't make any difference though. But the ABCXYZ123 still works.

[Frank Niessink]

Mike,

Re 4: are all tasks expanded in the prerequisite tab when you edit a task? If so, you need to collapse all tasks in the prerequisite tab by hand. The next time you open a task edit dialog the tasks in the prerequisite tab should be collapsed and it should open a bit faster. This depends on how deep your task hierarchy is. I.e. if 20% of your tasks are toplevel tasks this will make a significant difference. If 80% of your tasks are toplevel the different will be small.

Explanation: Task Coach remembers whether tasks are expanded or not. In release 1.2.0 Task Coach would always expand all tasks in the prerequisite tab. It no longer does that, but the expanded state of tasks in the prerequisite tab will still be remembered until you change that by collapsing them all.

Cheers, Frank

[Toumini]

Hi all,

Like mike4223, My feedback is

"4. Version 1.2.1 didn't make any difference though. But the ABCXYZ123
still works."

Good luck

[mike]

Hi Frank,

Tasks are expanded in the prerequisite tab, but when I collapse them and reopen the task they are still expanded, and it doesn't matter wether I use OK or cancel to close the edit-window. But not every time (??). Sometimes they are collapsed after I reopen the task. I can't figure out the diffrence between the times it works and the times it doesn't.

I have about 60-60% sublevel-tasks.

cheers
marco

[mike]

I don't know if this is of any relevance, but I noticed, that the starting date is different for tasks I added since the new version. The older tasks are only showing the date, newer tasks show the time as well.