Show start up times too slow

[Peter S]

I have continued with some menu testing using buttons as well as text and have been surprised at how long it takes for a show to be activated particularly from a menu slide.

My trial show activated directly from Explorer is taking around 11 seconds to start and prior to its actual start I can see the windows hour glass that tells me something is happening.

The same show started from a menu slide takes 17 to 20 seconds to start. The user sees the button "blink" once but then there is absolutely nothing to indicate that anything else is happening.

This seems far too long to leave someone sitting looking at an inactive screen and I wondered if anyone else had tested this yet?

As a further test I looked at Photoshop CS2 loading times. Within 2 seconds of asking explorer to open CS2 the outline screen appeared and it fully loaded in 11 seconds. I then tried loading CS2 from my menu slide. The outline screen appeared again in 2 to 3 seconds but the programme took nearer to 18 seconds to complete its loading. But at least it was obvious that something was taking place.

Peter

[Lin Evans]

Hi Peter,

When you say "from a menu slide" do you mean that you have an executable menu file calling other executable files or do you refer to a button call from within your slideshow calling an outside executable file?

Are you including a path or does the executable file you are calling reside within the same folder as the slideshow?

It's difficult to troubleshoot without some specifics. For example what is the load time for the actual executable file being called when not called from your button but rather from the run command or from a shortcut on the desktop?

Perhaps we could get to the bottom of this by preparing a simple executable menu which calls some commonly used and widely available program which everyone will have on their computers. Then we could all use the identical code and see if there is a difference among various systems and operating systems in how long it takes. If you create a little "menu.exe" file and use 1.) a button call to open Wordpad and also 2.) a text object call to open same, then if you post your zipped executable we could compare how long it takes on different systems versus your system and each report how long it takes to load from the Windows shortcut, etc.??

Best regards,

Lin

I have continued with some menu testing using buttons as well as text and have been surprised at how long it takes for a show to be activated particularly from a menu slide.

My trial show activated directly from Explorer is taking around 11 seconds to start and prior to its actual start I can see the windows hour glass that tells me something is happening.

The same show started from a menu slide takes 17 to 20 seconds to start. The user sees the button "blink" once but then there is absolutely nothing to indicate that anything else is happening.

This seems far too long to leave someone sitting looking at an inactive screen and I wondered if anyone else had tested this yet?

As a further test I looked at Photoshop CS2 loading times. Within 2 seconds of asking explorer to open CS2 the outline screen appeared and it fully loaded in 11 seconds. I then tried loading CS2 from my menu slide. The outline screen appeared again in 2 to 3 seconds but the programme took nearer to 18 seconds to complete its loading. But at least it was obvious that something was taking place.

Peter

[Lin Evans]

Hi Peter,

I've just tried this on my system. I created a menu called "menutest2.exe" and on it I put a button linked by path to open Powerpoint. Then I placed a text block called "Powerpoint" and linked it by path to the powerpoint executable.

The program opened both instantly - I couldn't even actuate my stopwatch. So something is different and we need to get particulars to sort this out.

Best regards,

Lin+

[Peter S]

Hi Lin,

Thanks for your reply. I will try to answer your questions.

When you say "from a menu slide" do you mean that you have an executable menu file calling other executable files or do you refer to a button call from within your slideshow calling an outside executable file? I basically used the same menu slide that you kindly tested yesterday. I created an exe file from this single slide. It had 2 buttons one for the slide show (also the same one you downloaded yesterday) which is in the same directory as the menu on my hard drive and a second button with a path to CS2. CS2 is in fact on a different hard drive on my system. I like to keep my programs on a different drive from all my photos and slide shows.

Are you including a path or does the executable file you are calling reside within the same folder as the slideshow?

Although the slide show exe is in the same directory and folder as the menu exe the button on the menu calls the exe via its path on my hard drive.

It's difficult to troubleshoot without some specifics. For example what is the load time for the actual executable file being called when not called from your button but rather from the run command or from a shortcut on the desktop? The 11 seconds I mentioned in the post is the time it takes from using the Open command from Explorer or from the Run command.

Perhaps we could get to the bottom of this by preparing a simple executable menu which calls some commonly used and widely available program which everyone will have on their computers. Then we could all use the identical code and see if there is a difference among various systems and operating systems in how long it takes. If you create a little "menu.exe" file and use 1.) a button call to open Wordpad and also 2.) a text object call to open same, then if you post your zipped executable we could compare how long it takes on different systems versus your system and each report how long it takes to load from the Windows shortcut, etc.??

I added another button and tried Wordpad. I again used a button and Run application or open file with mouse click with a path to Wordpad. This was very quick to load, not more than 2 seconds.

Menu_test_2.zip Here is a zip file containing my menu exe file. I am not clear how others can use this as surely they will have different paths to their programs anyway - even Wordpad?

I like your idea you posted in the tutorial thread but I would like to get this time to load issue sorted before I get into that too deeply!

Past my bed time now but I am more than happy to do some more tests tomorrow.

Peter

[Hawk]

Hi Peter

I checked your zip file you posted above and it opened " Wordpad " instantly to a blank file.

Would you kindly check your PM messages.

[Igor]

Peter,

We'll optimize several moments in next beta 12 and I think is slide show started from menu slide will start and play better.

- Peter S (ôîðóì, 4-05-2007) I have just created an autorun CD with a one slide menu and a single short sequence. I had expected that pressing the Esc key would take me back to the menu but it simply freezes the sequence. A second press of the Esc key returns me to my desk top. Is this a bug or have I misunderstood the role of the Esc key in this situation on a CD? The Esc key worked perfectly when running the same menu and show from my hard drive. The files are all in the root directory of the CD.

Please try in next beta 12 again.

I also noticed that when I put my cursor on the text which has the link to the main sequence it stays as an arrow and does not change into a hand. The hour glass appears after some time but some users could start clicking several times before it is obvious anything is happening. I did this myself and opened two versions of the show which caused some strange effects!

Does this problem with wrong mouse cursor always happen on your PC or rarely? Will it occur if create a show with only one slide and one text or button?

Will this problem if set windowed mode for this slide show?

Let me know, please, what version of Windows you have installed?

[Peter S]

Hi Everyone,

I have tracked down my start time problem and it is caused by my anti virus programme. As other people did not seem to have the same problem I started looking at possible causes in my system. I have been using Computer Associates (CA) Internet Security Suite and it is proving to be very toroublesome. I reported to Igor a while back that it actually altered the extension of a file he sent me - I only discovered the cause by searching for the offending extension using google. I checked my Task Manager to see if anything was hogging resources and found nothing so I tried turning off programs running in the background one by one. Once the Anti Virus is disabled the start up times match those that others reported.

If anyone can recommend a reliable anti virus, spyware and firewall set up, that does not interfere with PTE, I would be most grateful. Having taken Lin's advice to use Xsoft and found that detected a file missed by CA's spyware I think I have had enough of this particular package!

Hawk,

Thanks very much for your PM. One of the first changes I made to my menu was to use your method rather than using a path but it made no difference to the start time. That set me looking for other causes. Your method is however neater and I will use it in future. Great pictures - I really enjoyed them. Was there a reason for using the Apps Mill button as a child of d while having the other buttons as stand alone parents?

I don't know if any advice has been put anywhere on the forum regarding potential problems with security software if not it might be an idea to add something in the Tutorial Thread.

Thanks for your input.

Kind Regards

Peter

[Peter S]

Igor,

In my previous post you will see I have tracked down the speed problem to CA antivirus and as you know this has caused other problems. I will switch this off and try some further tests to check the mouse cursor issue and answer the two questions below.

Does this problem with wrong mouse cursor always happen on your PC or rarely? Will it occur if create a show with only one slide and one text or button?

Will this problem if set windowed mode for this slide show?

Let me know, please, what version of Windows you have installed?

I am running XP SP2.

Kind Regards

Peter

[Hawk]

Peter

Was there a reason for using the Apps Mill button as a child of d while having the other buttons as stand alone parents?

An error on my part Peter - fixed - thanks for passing along.

Glad to see you have narrowed the problem down.