Jeff Hooker wrote: > > Do you have any generalized recommendations for optimizing XMLmind > performance? I've still got some users complaining about the amount of time > that it takes to open large documents. They're a sticky bunch, because when I > try to break the document in the chunks they complain that it's too confusing > and Xrefs are difficult to create,
This problem will be solved by the "Link tool". --- Creating links between ``document modules'' is currently slow and error prone. The "Link tool" must drastically change this situation. What is a ``document module''? Examples: * A DocBook chapter which is intended to be included in a DocBook book. * A DITA topic. * A DocBook document which has links to other DocBook documents (olink). A document module must be recognized as such (without having to create ``project'' for that, like what's done in IDEs). In order to do that, the "Link tool" will allow to specify one or more ``master documents''. (This is done once for all.) The contents of these master documents will be automatically and dynamically scanned to detect the fact opened document A is a module of master document B (opened in XXE or not). What is a master document? * Any XML document making use of XIncludes. * OR A DITA map or bookmap. * OR A synthetic map, mapping unique identifiers to DocBook documents. This should allow to quickly insert olinks. (Of course you'll have to use the same identifiers in the target database.) --- By the way, our top TODO list currently consists in: [a] Implement ``traditional'' change tracking. [b] Implement the Link tool. We currently don't know which feature will be implemented first. ([b] is easier to implement than [a].) > and when I allow them to keep it as a monolithic document they complain about > how slowly it opens. Overall, they're never going to completely happy until > everything happens instantly and without them needing to think. > > However, it's a lot easier to tell them to just live with it when I'm sure > that I've done everything I can, so: > > 1. Is there an optimal amount of memory to devote to XMLmind, and at what > point is adding more a waste of resources? XMLmind XML Editor is configured by default to use at most 512Mb. I don't think (not 100% sure) that increasing this default value would have an effect on the performance of the application. > 2. Are there any optional features in XMLmind that can be deactivated to > increase the overall speed of the app? > 3. I've seen a number of references to CSS and IDs causing some performances > issues if handled incorrectly; is the correct method summarized anywhere? My > documents are extremely ID-heavy due to extensive Xrefs. > 4. Is there a way of shorting the initial startup time of the application? > This is something that even some of our DITA users occasionally complain > about, but overall it's small issue. > > Any other recommendations would be welcome. Predictably, the root of the > problem is large (+600 pages) Docbook files. > * Uninstall all the add-ons which are not really needed. This will improve the start-up time. * If the DocBook file contains a lot of images, then please select "Display images as bounding boxes" (Options|Preferences, View section; more info: http://www.xmlmind.com/xmleditor/_distrib/doc/help/com.xmlmind.guiutil.PreferencesEditorDialog.html#viewOptions). This should improve the "File|Open" time. * Turn off on-the-fly spell-checking. This *may* improve the "File|Open" time. * Excerpts of docbook/css/docbook2.imp: --- xref { content: icon(left-link) xpath("if(id(@linkend)/@xreflabel, id(@linkend)/@xreflabel, @linkend)"); vertical-align: text-top; /* for the icon */ color: navy; } xref[endterm] { content: icon(left-link) xpath("if(id(@endterm), id(@endterm), @endterm)"); } --- Simpler CSS rules, not using xpath() or label(), should improve the "File|Open" time. Note that we routinely test XMLmind XML Editor against a 600+ page DocBook file (containing few images) on pretty old PCs and that we find our application to be very usable in such case. Therefore, if you have performance problems, may be this caused by (no offense intended): * Stressed users. * Antique PCs. * Windows Vista (not kidding). * Heavy use of customizations/extensions/add-ons. -- XMLmind XML Editor Support List [email protected] http://www.xmlmind.com/mailman/listinfo/xmleditor-support
