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to increase efficiency, separate the two main panels
Posted: 2010-07-15, 10:42 UTC
by xls09
As we know, TC has two main panels: the left and the right one.
Let's say on the left one you want to access some slow, unreliable media (i.e. network share). When doing that, the whole application blocks, becoming useless.
Another example: if you calculate the size of each folder on one panel, the whole application is blocked, until that gets finished.
My suggestion is to separate the panels, in a multi-threaded/processes way, so that if a panel is frozen, the other one is still usable.
Or even better, even if the left panel is frozen, the user can open a new tab on the left panel

. That would be great.
We see this trend in Chrome, where each tab has its process.
Posted: 2010-07-15, 12:36 UTC
by sqa_wizard
Another example: if you calculate the size of each folder on one panel, the whole application is blocked, until that gets finished.
At least this is already processed in a separate thread since TC 7.55 ...
Posted: 2010-07-15, 15:45 UTC
by xls09
Well, but the other panel is still unasable while calculating sizes - this is a nightmare if you have 5g of 1k size files.
Still, I think it would be challenging to implement this - it would be a major re-write.
Posted: 2010-07-15, 16:02 UTC
by sqa_wizard
2xls09: Which TC version are you using ?
I tried it with the current one (TC 7.55a) and do not have any problem.
I can work on the left panel with high performance, while the right panel is still calculating ...
Posted: 2010-07-16, 08:38 UTC
by xls09
I was using TC 7.50, so I upgraded to TC 7.55a.
Indeed, for file calculations 7.55a seems to be multithreaded. It no longer blocks the whole app while calculating. This is encouraging.
However, it seems to be implemented only for calculating folder sizes. Try these:
1. try to go to network/microsoft windows network. This usually takes a few seconds, and TC is frozen. Even if you focus on a different app and then go back to TC, again it's frozen, due to refreshing. Of course, accessing microsoft windows network is a slow operation, but that's exactly the point: to be able to work from the remaining panel.
2. try to access your empty DVD unit. You will get the Connect little form, then 'Error! Drive not found!' Ok, but again, everything is frozen until it realizes that.
So, it's encouraging to see the multithreaded implementation in 7.55a. Hopefully, it will be extended to cover the above bug/features.
Posted: 2010-07-27, 10:42 UTC
by yunhai
xls09 wrote:
However, it seems to be implemented only for calculating folder sizes. Try these:
1. try to go to network/microsoft windows network. This usually takes a few seconds, and TC is frozen. Even if you focus on a different app and then go back to TC, again it's frozen, due to refreshing. Of course, accessing microsoft windows network is a slow operation, but that's exactly the point: to be able to work from the remaining panel.
2. try to access your empty DVD unit. You will get the Connect little form, then 'Error! Drive not found!' Ok, but again, everything is frozen until it realizes that.
Same here.
1. TC works fast everywhere except microsoft windows network. While I think the windows system settings also takes responsibility, although I have not been able to settle it.
2. 7.55 is much better but still frozen a few seconds. To avoid the frozen from mis-clicking, I always disable my DVD device in device manager.