New version (May 31, 2004) is very slow when listing folders

[champ]

This pertains to the 0.9.0.77 [Ansi] version posted on May 31.

When I access a folder (regardless of the "view" mode) containing 1028 subfolders it takes xplorer over 3 seconds to list the folders. The old 2xExplorer took less than half a second to load 1028 subfolders.

When I access another folder with 1798 subfolders it takes over 9 seconds to list the folders. The old 2xExplorer took less than one second to load 1798 subfolders. The previous xplorer versions were slower than 2xExplorer, but nowhere near as slow as the current version.

When I heard xplorer was going shareware, it didn't bother me. I'd happily pay for this software if it advanced well beyond 2xExplorer. Interface-wise, it has advanced, but if its speed doesn't equal or surpass 2xExplorer, paying for a license is a no go. I'm confident this will be alleviated once you're out of beta, but it's better I report my experience sooner rather than later.

FYI, I'm on windows 2000 SP4, with about 400 MB of RAM.

[champ]

The folder access speeds seems to be good and bad. On some instances of xplorer, folder read speeds are blazing fast, on other instances, they're slow all over again. I don't know what to attribute this to.

This abnormality doesn't just occur in separate xplorer sessions, they occur in the same session. The slow-down even seems to occur mostly in the right pane.

Folder access speeds in the left pane are fast (most of the time), while access speeds in the right pane are typically slow. This isn't contant either. Occassionally folder access speeds are slow and fast for both panes. This occurance is happening randomly. It almost feels as though xplorer is trying to read too much or some method of data caching (if that makes any sense) is flawed.

[nikos]

reading speed depends on what columns you have selected, and what information you sort the items on. If you sort on a slow column like comments or checksum then delays are to be expected. It just can't be that 2x is faster than x2! Also compare with windows explorer, that should also be equivalent

in general the first time you read some folder structure it takes longer, since it is read from "the metal" and is cached for future use. So if you use x2 to read a complex folder and after that you compare the speed of 2x, it is an unfair scenario! Try it the other way round and see!

a final possibility is fluctuations in network availability, if we are talking about remote content

[champ]

reading speed depends on what columns you have selected, and what information you sort the items on.

I'm using the default columns:

Name [S]
Size [S]
Modified [S]

Read times are the same even if the only selected column is "Name [S]"

If you sort on a slow column like comments or checksum then delays are to be expected.

I'm sorting by the "Name" column, which is default.

It just can't be that 2x is faster than x2! Also compare with windows explorer, that should also be equivalent

2xExplorer, Windows Explorer, and previous versions of xplorer load my 2000 subfolders in less than a second. The current version of xplorer takes 7-9 seconds.

in general the first time you read some folder structure it takes longer, since it is read from "the metal" and is cached for future use. So if you use x2 to read a complex folder and after that you compare the speed of 2x, it is an unfair scenario! Try it the other way round and see!

There doesn't seem to be any caching effect taking place. It takes 7-9 seconds every time I load the folder.

a final possibility is fluctuations in network availability, if we are talking about remote content

I'm browsing locally. I'm on a network, but the network service (Computer Browser) is disabled. I never access other computers on my home network (only one other computer) anyway.

The thing is, xplorer is slow most of the time, but speeds up dramatically at other times. Sometimes the left pane reads folders quickly, while the right doesn't. Even if there were a caching mechanism in place, why does it take a split second for the left pane to list 2000 subfolders and 9 seconds for the right pane to list the same list of subfolders immediately after the left pane has listed them?

[nikos]

i have just created a folder with 2000 subfolders on my w2000 and reading speed was instant. I can't reproduce what you see!
could you please export & send me your registry key by email?(HKCU\zabarakatranemia plc\xplorer2)

are all large folders slow or just a few of them?
when you say it takes 8-9 seconds, is the hourglass cursor on all that time and the message "Reading folder..." on the statusbar? Or the delay happens after these things go away, when the list is filled?

anybody else seeing speed issues?

[champ]

i have just created a folder with 2000 subfolders on my w2000 and reading speed was instant. I can't reproduce what you see!
could you please export & send me your registry key by email?(HKCU\zabarakatranemia plc\xplorer2)

I sent my reg file to your paypal email address.

are all large folders slow or just a few of them?

I only have two folders which contain a lot of subfolders. I visit these two folders frequently.

when you say it takes 8-9 seconds, is the hourglass cursor on all that time and the message "Reading folder..." on the statusbar?

Correct; the list of subfolders doesn't appear until after the hourglass cursor and "Reading folder..." status bar message disappears.

Or the delay happens after these things go away, when the list is filled?

As stated above, the delay only occurs before these things go away, which is the appropriate method the program operates.

[nikos]

running out of clues...
ok last thing to try: from View menu select Hold autorefresh to suspend the watcher. Does this improve reading speed? Please make sure it doesn't turn itself back on -- it shouldn't but just double check

thanks!

[champ]

running out of clues...
ok last thing to try: from View menu select Hold autorefresh to suspend the watcher. Does this improve reading speed? Please make sure it doesn't turn itself back on -- it shouldn't but just double check

thanks!

It made no difference. BTW, "Hold autorefresh" does turn itself off (for both panes) when I close and restart the app.

[nikos]

this is by design since autorefresh is such an important feature

however we haven't eliminated autorefresh from the suspect list yet
please do the following:
it is possible to permanently disable autorefresh for some panel
in registry.txt you'll read about a hidden option called CLVOPT_DISABLEAUTOREFRESH, which has value == 1
quit x2, and then locate binMiscOptions under the registry key
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ZabaraKatranemia Plc\xplorer2\Left pane settings

whatever decimal value you see there add 1 and save it
this will activate the above CLVOPT_ constant and disable autorefresh permanently

now restart x2 and browse these folders on the left pane -- not the tree, the left folder pane. Is the delay gone?

don't forget to restore the original value, simply by deleting binMiscOptions

it is a bit roundabout but i'd appreciate your help!


ps are there any weird items in those folders like folder junctions or other "strange" content?

[champ]

Editing binMiscOptions made no difference. I don't have any funky items in my folders. Everything's normal. These folders open in a split second using 2xExplorer, Windows Explorer, any applications "Open" dialog box, etc, etc. Thanks for trying to figure this out.

[nikos]

sorry if i'm getting a bit too figurative here but are you sure you edited the right binMiscOptions? there are quite a few under the main key and you'd need the one under "Left pane settings"

also make sure that there aren't any x2 windows open while you are editing the registry -- some may be dormant, check your task list for any leftover xplorer2.exe processes without gui

finally make sure there aren't any alternative registry keys you may be editing/reading from e.g. like xplorer2_UC or xplorer2.myedits etc

when all that is secured then change binMiscOptions to 1 and try again
it can't be anything else than the autorefresh, that's the main difference between 2xExplorer and x2

you'll know when you get this right since the left pane will go deaf, regardless of the "hold autorefresh" setting

thank you for your continuing help on this issue
i still haven't seen your email, i'll get it later on when i get to college

[eXpiation]

Hey. I'm getting this too. It has apparently nothing to do with number of files for me. Sometimes it's just fast and other times just slow. Seems pretty random. And not only folder listing, but also updates in general. Like deleting a file can take up to 5 seconds before it registers on screen or it can be instantaneous from instance to instance.

[nikos]

o-me-gawd!
and you say you haven't seen any pattern at all!
so basically the same folder may one day be fine and another day not?
is this also for local folders or network?

[fgagnon]

What's the OS, available memory & usage ?

[champ]

sorry if i'm getting a bit too figurative here but are you sure you edited the right binMiscOptions?

I'm certain.

also make sure that there aren't any x2 windows open while you are editing the registry -- some may be dormant

They were all closed properly.

finally make sure there aren't any alternative registry keys you may be editing/reading from e.g. like xplorer2_UC or xplorer2.myedits etc

I edited within this key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ZabaraKatranemia Plc\xplorer2\Left pane settings

you'll know when you get this right since the left pane will go deaf, regardless of the "hold autorefresh" setting

I'm not certain what you mean by go "deaf" but I did replace binMiscOptions "decimal" value, which was set at 24, to a value of 1.