Author Topic: Major impact on Graphics Speed. (Read 15810 times)

Dormouse · « **on:** April 23, 2009, 07:28 PM »

I was testing the ViewingDale (RPG mapping/VTT) application and found that I could not run it despite having a system that should have had no problems (Radeon/Dual Core/plenty of RAM). ViewingDale uses OpenGL and the graphics card.

On using the ViewingDale Test application, I found that I was running at 4 frames a second rather than the hundreds it should have been at.
Updated drivers etc, and then started looking at individual processes using the ViewingDale Test App to see what differences were made when I suspended or unloaded various processes.
Exiting CircleDock moved me up to approx 300 frames a second.

I do have a lot of icons on the dock (c100 give or take), but certainly wasn't expecting it to be having this effect. Haven't noticed any effect on other progs, but there must be some. May be to do with .net (I have the most recent version), or the Radeon or drivers, or something else in the background. I'm reluctant to go without CD most of the time, but I'll certainly be looking out for any possible impact on graphics.

f0dder · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2009, 07:44 PM »

Hm, that sounds pretty weird.

Can you try running some other OpenGL stuff and see if that's also affected by having CircleDock launched?

Dormouse · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2009, 07:55 PM »

Can you try running some other OpenGL stuff and see if that's also affected by having CircleDock launched?
-f0dder (April 23, 2009, 07:44 PM)

What sort of stuff usually runs OpenGL?

Hmmm, I had a look at the Wikipedia list and I don't run much that is on it. Photoshop occasionally. Don't play the games. Haven't noticed anything.

sgtevmckay · « **Reply #3 on:** April 23, 2009, 08:09 PM »

I hate to admit it, but you have hit an issue, I do not have an immediate answer for, most embarrassing.

Any ways, the only time that I have noticed slowing in CircleDock and my system slowing is having a lot of custom Icons, that are large. In order to speed up boot time, and Launcher speed, was to either go back to the original Icons, or reduce the size of the custom icons.

I have never noticed a large decrease in overall systems performance/resources while using CD, most times it sit very quiet in the background an does nothing, after load. While using CD, it may us 0.3% to 0.7% of my system resources, and that is while it is spinning, the Stacks uses a little more when open.

But I am unsure that this is related to your issue!

Dormouse · « **Reply #4 on:** April 24, 2009, 02:05 AM »

I'd never noticed any effect of CD on any of my progs before.
Might be because they don't use OpenGPL, I suppose. But this one is very reproducable. Fast without CD, extraordinarily slow with it. Actually, I'll do the test in software emulation to see whether it affects that too. That will be about 10 hours away though; need to be out now.

sgtevmckay · « **Reply #5 on:** April 24, 2009, 01:24 PM »

Okey doke.

I am very curious concerning the results.
I would appreciate a post of your findings, and would place a note in the section of the Tutorial.Manual I am creating.
I will have a section for known issues.

If you would not mind I would post them to my tutorial.

Dormouse · « **Reply #6 on:** April 24, 2009, 07:21 PM »

OK

I ran the ViewingDaleTestApp a total of 18 times (3 times in each condition), with results as follows (in frames per second):-

With CD off
Hardware acceleration - 314, 304, 303
Software rendered - 15, 15, 15

With CD on and hidden in System Tray
Hardware acceleration - 5, 4, 5
Software rendered - 4, 8, 5

With CD on and showing on screen
Hardware acceleration - 76, 77, 76
Software rendered - 13, 13, 12

Very strange, but very consistent.
I don't know enough to even try to explain it.

sgtevmckay · « **Reply #7 on:** April 24, 2009, 07:24 PM »

I am right there with you. I hope that VIP will return soon to address the issues that I am unaware of how to.

In the mean time I thank you for the trouble, and I will be putting a post in the tutorial regarding this

Thanks again

Dormouse · « **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2009, 07:25 PM »

If you would not mind I would post them to my tutorial.
-sgtevmckay (April 24, 2009, 01:24 PM)

Do anything you want with them. I've no idea what it means.
CD seems to have a much bigger impact on the hardware acceleration than on rendering in Windows.
And it isn't so bad if it is showing on the screen - not showing is worst of all.

If I think of some other progs to run at same time to test, I'll do that too - but nothing comes to mind atm that seems relevant.

X_FiLeS · « **Reply #9 on:** April 26, 2009, 03:11 PM »

Hi sgtevmckay, I would like to give you some Info about CD on my computer, I use Windows 7 Build 7100, my wife use’s Vista Ulimate SP1, we both use CD and may I say it is AWSOME, now on my Win 7 I have CD running on my Desktop permanently and I have a leadtek graphics card, I run Need for speed, I run Pro Evolution Soccer 2009, and I don’t have any problems with my computer slowing down at all also my wife’s computer has Radion graphics card and she plays lots of games with CD still running on the Desktop and the computer doesn’t slow down at all, I think the reason that Dormouse is experiencing the slowdown on the computer might have to do with the software for the graphics card, this might explain the slowing down of the computer, maybe a good idea might be that Dormouse removes CD from the computer, updates video card Software, reboot computer after update and then put a new copy of CD on the computer.

sgtevmckay · « **Reply #10 on:** April 26, 2009, 03:25 PM »

Interesting suggestion. I will leave thje suggested solution for Dormouse, if he is inclined to try.

I will also be making a note of your findings in the tutorial I am working on as well.

I thank you for posting your notes and suggestions

I also welcome you to Donationcoder.com

I hope you will enjoy and learn with your time here

X_FiLeS · « **Reply #11 on:** April 26, 2009, 03:39 PM »

Another suggestion I have is I could make a quick Video Tutorial for people that need to know a few basic things on CD, like install, how to create shortcut in Start-up, and how to basically run and use the program, this is however for the beginners.
What do you think?

sgtevmckay · « **Reply #12 on:** April 26, 2009, 03:53 PM »

It would be greatly appreciated, and any video documentation can be linked and windowed to here.

I have been working a tutorial for some time, that will cover everything I can find, so it would be basics, to lower advanced levels.

Had not considered a video thing though

But hey, all help is welcome here

Although once created, I would place it in it's own thread

X_FiLeS · « **Reply #13 on:** April 26, 2009, 03:58 PM »

OK, give me a week from today and I will have a Video done, what format would you like me to save it as?, ie, avi, mpeg ect;

sgtevmckay · « **Reply #14 on:** April 26, 2009, 04:52 PM »

Probably your best bet would be to load it to Vimeo

They allow 500MB a week for free.
Free acount, and free uploads.
The program is interesting, but very user friendly.
The will allow almost any video type readily available.
We use them over at Mozilla for tutorial and interviewing purpose.

The upload process is easy and attaching the window to any forum is easy.
They also do very clear high def. These folks put almost all others to shame.

Definitely do not have to worry about that poor video quality from the other guys.

X_FiLeS · « **Reply #15 on:** April 26, 2009, 05:00 PM »

Ok no problem, I will PM you when Video is ready to be viewed by you first, and then if you say it's good, I will then upload it to Vimeo.

sgtevmckay · « **Reply #16 on:** April 26, 2009, 05:03 PM »

Cool

Your hard work will be appreciated

If you hit any issues, I am easy enough to find.

Thanks in advance

X_FiLeS · « **Reply #17 on:** April 26, 2009, 10:38 PM »

No problem.

Dormouse · « **Reply #18 on:** April 27, 2009, 02:14 PM »

maybe a good idea might be that Dormouse removes CD from the computer, updates video card Software, reboot computer after update and then put a new copy of CD on the computer.
-X_FiLeS (April 26, 2009, 03:11 PM)

No gain from removing and replacing CD on the computer. Portable app; doing nothing unless activated. All card software on latest version.

Dormouse · « **Reply #19 on:** April 27, 2009, 02:19 PM »

I don’t have any problems with my computer slowing down at all also my wife’s computer has Radion graphics card and she plays lots of games with CD still running on the Desktop and the computer doesn’t slow down at all,
-X_FiLeS (April 26, 2009, 03:11 PM)

The thing is that there's been no problem with my computer slowing with the progs I usually use. Only showed with ViewingDale - and the problem isolated to CD by using the TestApp.
You could always use the ViewingDaleTestApp and see if the activation of CD makes a difference to the frame speed the TestApp shows. It's a portable app, so no need to install or anything like that.
I am also running approx 100+ icons on my CD; no idea how many most people have.

YetAnotherUser · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2009, 07:22 AM »

You might want to try the following workaround that really HIDES the dock and not just makes it transparent: https://www.donation...ex.php?topic=16007.0