High CPU usage in build 983

[DigbyDave]

I to have problems with build 983, cpu usage sits on 25% (which I assume in the process limit for Cumulus) from launch of the app.
No idication in the logs of any process error.
Reverted back to 982.

[steve]

You don't get this with build 982? Nothing has changed that could affect the CPU usage. You use an 'easyweather.dat' file for input, yes? The 25% figure will be because you presumably have a quad processor, and it's using 100% of one CPU.

Build 983 uses about 1% on my quad processor, except when it's reading data and updating the wind speed gauge. I will say, however, that I was a little bit suspicious of the setup file that was produced for 983; it was quite a bit smaller than that for build 982 and I have no idea why.

[DigbyDave]

Hi Steve,

Yes, I am reading easyweather.dat file. In 982 it peaks at about 2% cpu during read of the dat (even at 5 sec update interval using a RAM drive for temp store of the dat file). And peaks at 23% for 2 secs every minute during what I assume is the Cumulus update/file generation/upload process.

983 just maxes out one core from launch. Maybe another clue, maybe not. Tried to edit "This Month's Records" and while it was reasonably happy to "Fetch Dayfile Data" It would not "Fetch Log Data". Though if I waited long enough it may have, but I thought 5 mins was long enough. Just for the hell of it I tried reading both these in 982 and it's almost instant for the dayfile and about 2 secs for the log file read.

I reinstall 983 in a parallel folder and dissabled web updates just to see if that was causing a problem, but it still idles at about 20-22%. If you think of any other tests you would like to try, just let me know.

[steve]

Do you use Remote Desktop? I seem to be able to cause all kinds of problems with build 983 using that, but it's fine otherwise.

[DigbyDave]

It's connection enabled, but not used. My logging PC is currently my main PC as well.

[DigbyDave]

Steve,

Minor update: Have tried again to edit Records, and this may be a clue.
After leaving the program sitting for awhile I tried again to Edit Records.

Edit this month - loaded both Fetches.
Edit this Year - loaded dayfile but when attempting load of log file the program sits with "Processing log files..." for 10 mins
then "Processing Jan 2011" for, well I stopped at 25 mins and terminated the program.

I thought it might be a corrupted month log file so one by one I renamed them to mar11 and tried "Edit The Month records" they all fetched ok.

So my report earlier that it wouldn't fetch the month log was a bum steer. But it definately is trying to do something in the background from launch.

Just tried something else and a possible source of the problem emerged. If I change station type to something other than easyweather.dat and restart, then change to easyweather.dat it all works. CPU back to idling, and Fetches work. So any changes made in that area?

Regards

Dave

[steve]

Other than the changes to put the times in 'lowest max' and 'highest min', the differences between 982 and 983 are tiny. I did upgrade one of the 3rd party component sets that I use (the one that provides the wind speed gauge, gradient panels etc). I've tried reverting to the previous version of that, but that didn't go at all well, so I'm back with the latest version.

[Snupple]

Im finding high high cpu as well,

I had to restore a backup data folder and after Cumulus went through and downloaded all the data from the station, it sits on 60% cpu and doesnt read the station, but as soon as I end my remote desktop session it comes to live, then I start remote desktop and its back to 60% cpu again, but still continues to read the station.

If I minimise Cumulus whilst on RDP, it uses hardly anything

Only happened recently on 983

[steve]

Dave, what interval have you set for reading the easyweather.dat file? How much CPU does it use when you minimise it?

If you untick all three realtime boxes (assuming you had them ticked to begin with) and then restart Cumulus do you still get high CPU?

[DigbyDave]

Steve,

My usual setup is every 5 secs, but I have also tried setting to 10min update and no web updates, realtime or normal at all and restarted. It still launches at 25% and settles down at around 15-17%.

If I minimise it reduces to about 0-1%, and seems to update properly when minimised. Once maximised again, returns to 15-17%.

Following that lead that it is something to do with the display, I toggled Wind Guage animation on and off. That seems to be the cause. If I turn Wind gauge animation off, cpu reduces to 0-1%, toogle it back on and it's back up at 17%.

Tried restart in both states and confirmed that when animation is on it causes the problem. When off operation looks normal and I can edit "All time records".
Regards

[steve]

Tried restart in both states and confirmed that when animation is on it causes the problem.

Thanks - I can now reproduce this and I agree with you. And it does at least make sense as the wind gauge component is a new version in this build. I'll see if TMS can throw any light on it.

[steve]

Even the TMS supplied demo exhibits the same problem, so hopefully they won't take much persuading that they have a bug, and we might get a fix.

This bug is also the cause of the ftp problem that some of us have seen. Many thanks for your help.

[Snupple]

Im finding high high cpu as well,

I had to restore a backup data folder and after Cumulus went through and downloaded all the data from the station, it sits on 60% cpu and doesnt read the station, but as soon as I end my remote desktop session it comes to live, then I start remote desktop and its back to 60% cpu again, but still continues to read the station.

If I minimise Cumulus whilst on RDP, it uses hardly anything

Only happened recently on 983

Interesting, from work when I RDP the CPU usage is lower, will compare the settings on my two PC's and see what the difference is.

[Sol]

Good Day All,
I'm just using Cumulus (983) on my PC, no web, no remote desktop, no easyweather.dat file. CPU Usage maximised is about 50% and 2% minimised on a two core Athlon 4800. Does seem like a big overhead for what your getting graphics wise. Hope this helps.

Sol

[steve]

CPU Usage maximised is about 50% and 2% minimised on a two core Athlon 4800. Does seem like a big overhead for what your getting graphics wise.

It's a bug in the TMS component that provides the gauge functionality. They have promised a fix in their next release, time-scale unknown.