Opening time after startup of Windows

[Leo Van den Brande]

Hi Ruslan,

Thanks for your extensive reaction!

>> You told me you would prepare a version in which this is implemented.
>> I was waiting for that.
>
> Yes, but sorry I must spend time now to prepare 4.0.
> Deadline.
>
> After 4.0 I will return back to Defragment()
>

I understand.

>> Previously, the database resided on the harddisk. With a truly large
>> DB this is not possible. So, I have changed my program such that it
>> reads from a DVD and adjusted the installer accordingly.
>> For testing, I prepared a DB that comes close in size (1.7 Gb) to  
>> what
>> it will grow to (2-3-GB).
>
> I have not catch. Your app copy some info from db  on DVD to db on  
> HDD?
>

No, now there is no DB on the HD. The DB remains on DVD and the  
program reads data from there.

> What problems to have on HDD big DB?
> HDD is bigger of DVD.
>
> Please explain this point.
>

I did that for fear that some students may not have up to 3 Gb free  
space on their computer.

> *******
>> Some recent results: note that on second opening without going out of
>> Windows the time is always short (2-3 seconds).
>
>> DB 1.6 Gb on DVD:
>> From within the whole program (59 Mb for exe): 98-99 sec.
>
>> From a test program (same code for opening DB but a minimum of other
>> functions (34 Mb for exe): 47-55 sec
>
>> In VStudio (v4): 20-23 sec.
>
>> So, VStudio is quite efficient. With my program, opening time seems  
>> DB-
>> size-dependent.
>
> ** This just have no sense for me if you really really really talk  
> about
>    db.open() only.

In my own programs I do the timing just before and just after  
db.open(). In VStudio I must do the timing with a watch. I wait until  
opening begins and then measure. That seems accurate enough, at most 1  
or 2 seconds off.

> Valentina ENGINE is the same for all 3 apps you name.
> Right?

In the two RealBasic projects mentioned I use version Valentina 3.5.2  
(V4RB.rbx, 9 febr 2008).
As you know, initially I used VStudio v3 and later, v4.

> Valentina Engine inside of db.open() do 100% the same job.
>
> So why Vstudio get 20 seconds, but your app 98 seconds.
> For me this only sounds as in your app you measure not only  
> db.open() but a
> lots of other calls to db engine. Can this be?
>
>
> *** You point that Vstudio is v4.
>    Your apps also on v4, yes?

No, for my apps I have used version Valentina 3.5.2. I had not changed  
for consistency of results, but I will upgrade now and run some tests  
again.

> *** Only possible difference between these 3 apps can be CACHE SIZE.
>    is it the same for all three apps?

Valentina cache is 250 Mb in both my apps. I tested other cache sizes  
with the test program. The differences are only marginal (20, 50 and  
100 are 2 -3 sec. longer; 500 is same as 250).
Sorry, but I was not aware I could set the cache in VStudio. I will  
look into that.

> *** You can compress your 1.6Gb db, to I think 300-500MB. And put it  
> on FTP.
>    I can download it and fire on DVD.
>
>    You can compress your 59MB and I can download it.
>    then I can play with this again even on old P4 computer.

That's a nice offer!
Since the tests were done with the v3 plugin, whereas Vstudio is v4, I  
will first upgrade to the v4 plugin, run some tests again and report  
that before having you go through this trouble.
I will also to do some exact testing on the Mac, where opening times  
after turning on the Mac never seem to be very long.

>> Since the opening process is done from within Valentina, is it
>> possible to catch and store the information that Windows stores in  
>> its
>> cache? When this is done once at installation of the program, could
>> that information then be reused when opening the program? Or Is this
>> too wild an idea?
>
> No.
>
> I have point that as far as I see even rename of disk file - force  
> windows
> forget it from cache

I was afraid this was not a realistic possibility. Note however that  
in the student version the contents of the DB and its name are not  
changing.

Thanks so much for your great support!

Kind regards,

Leo


Leo Van den Brande
J. Buziaulaan 61, Utrecht
(+31) (0)30 2511767
leo_van_den_brande at wxs.nl