VERY slow start of XnViewMP with VPN on

[mpuser123]

My setup is: OS is Win_11 Pro, XnViewMP 1.4.4.
thumbs.db amounts to some 13GB, hosting more than 100k images,
XnView.db is larger than 1GB.

I am, or rather was, used to more or less immediate response, opening an image within 1 second, in browsing mode maybe up to 2 seconds.
This XnViewMP program really is something!

But .... since some time (don't know exactly when it started - a few updates ago I guess) I face a VERY slow start of XnViewMP. It takes up to 60 seconds and beyond! When closing and restarting a second time (and afterwards) it still takes some 18 seconds.

None of the suggestions in the forum helped (eg. to put settings into registry instead of .INI).

And by chance...
I usually run a VPN, CyberGhost in my case. When I switch off the VPN, XnViewMP works as usual, very responsive. With VPN on, XnViewMP becomes a snail at startup. After this crazy startup time it works plus minus as usual.

So I wonder...
What is XnViewMP attempting to do, so that the VPN process nearly brings it to a halt?
You might say the VPN is the bad boy. But... there is not a single process on my machine slowed down or hindered by this VPN.

I'd appreciate some feedback/hints/ideas, and/or someone looking into this.

Thanks a lot.

[xnview]

It's perhaps the shared network drive enumeration which is slow??

[mpuser123]

thanks for feedback, but...

-- there are no network-drive-images organised with XnViewMP, only media on system-internal-disks are included in its browser/database.
Databases are on SSD.
(Normally) performing fine, no matter if images are on SSD or HD.

-- If NAS is connected (and thus network drives available) there is no difference in performance compared to no-NAS running.

-- switching network off completely - no diffeence in performance to network-on

-- in each scenario only VPN-on leads to this crazy start-time

still wondering...

[xnview]

could you change in xnview.ini

Code: Select all

debug=2

, and start XnView, you'll have a little window. Check in logs where you have a delay?

[mpuser123]

unfortunately, the system does not accept my logfile (txt) upload; so here is something...

• double-clicking an image in the file explorer to call (the default viewer) XnViewMP results in some 230 log lines, ending with:

CHECK <14>
### START 15
######ThumbLoaderThread :: start : 14 -1 -1
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever : 295a3900
** start condition wait
SORT the list...
STD::SORT... 0
STL::SORT... 0
SORT the list... 1
SORT the list... 2
### ThumbLoaderThread :: updateFileList
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
### ThumbLoaderThread :: updateFileList ok

• clicking the tree-view-icon in XnViewMP to call the image-browser-view creates about 20 more lines, and here the waiting starts;
  the lines of this block:

######### CategoryModel :: checkAndSave()
MyView::set LOAD FULL D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg
BitmapLoadThread :: stop()
LOAD INFO <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg>
######### CategoryModel :: checkAndSave()
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (favoriteD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
#### onFavoriteDockVisible (0)
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (categoryD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
#### onCategoryFilterDockVisible (0)
#### onCategoryDockVisible (0)
LOAD INFO <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> ok
BitmapLoadThread: load preview 160 120 (0)
## BitmapLoadThread :: load 160 120
## Bitmap :: load 2048
###### GFF:load <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg>
####LOAD <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> 0
## BitmapLoadThread :: loaded 480 270
BitmapLoadThread: load full
## BitmapLoadThread :: load -1 -1
## Bitmap :: load 0
###### GFF:load <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg>
####LOAD <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> 0
## BitmapLoadThread :: loaded 3840 2160

• after a wait of some 24 seconds, the browser view comes up, creating the last about 20 lines

###### CHECK CHILDRENS 14
###### CHECK CHILDRENS ok (1)

sizeHints : 207
BrowserWindow :: changeVisibility()
BrowserWindow :: changeVisibility()
## MyView::onLoaded <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> (0)
## MyView::onLoaded ok
### resetViewport (00000264292FE7C0) ==> 356 384 (356 200) 0 0
@@ 43672134


############################################ InfoPropertiesView

Create Tree : Datei
Create Tree : Bild
## MyView::onLoaded <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> <> <D:/_Scrap/zzz.snap0449.jpg> (1)
sizeHints : 207
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFirstItemToLoad
** start condition wake one 3
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFirstItemToLoad ok
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever 2 : 29184620
CHECK <0>
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever : 29184620
** start condition wait

[xnview]

• after a wait of some 24 seconds, the browser view comes up, creating the last about 20 lines

The big delay is here?

[mpuser123]

sorry, I was obviously not clear....

YES, here, with my comment-line
"after a wait of some 24 seconds, the browser view comes up, creating the last about 20 lines"
the waiting starts;
waiting, until the view in XnViewMP gets created, and those last 20 lines in the log are created accordingly

[xnview]

is it possible to send you a beta version?

[mpuser123]

beta... yes please

sent some PM; firsttimer - did it only now; don't know if I could make it work ;|

[mpuser123]

Thank you for the beta Pierre,
it works flawless like the latest official version, as long as...
I found something disturbing out, testing XnViewMP with various settings.

On my system I do use the "CyberGhost VPN" software.
And I found out, that as soon as this VPN is switched off, the performance of XnViewMP is perfect/normal.
With VPN on, the performance of XnViewMP is degrading the way I described earlier.

No matter if the network is on or off, no matter if NAS is on or off, no matter which combination of settings.
All images as well as databases are on local SSD and HD.
The only change (resulting in lagging performance) is with VPN on.

Even the task-manager does not show changes in CPU or memory usage with the various settings, so no "guilty" process (either XnView or CyberGhost) could be identified this way.

I contacted the CyberGhost team, and they claim that no effect should come from their software. Well...

So here I am, clueless.

What I will do - switch on my VPN only when I definitely don't want to be without. Or, sooner or later try another VPN software.

If I may ask you, to consider checking effects on XnViewMP with any VPN software ON and OFF, as this is an effect you might not want to happen in your software. And sure - provided that you even could do something about that.

Nevertheless, below I attach the log created through your beta-software; with VPN off or VPN on the logs appear to be comparable.
So I depicted the place in the logfile (of the VPN ON case) where the waiting takes place, related remarks to be found around the "======" signs.

Once again, thank you for the time you already invested!
And wondering, if you might have further ideas in that matter.
Best regards,
Franz

------------------ ------------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

==> 1.500000 1.500000 93.113148 96.000000 (1)
XNVIEW restoreGeometry before : 640 480
XNVIEW restoreGeometry after : 1409 1235
w.init
XNVIEW SIZE 1409 1235


########### BrowserWindow :: BrowserWindow

libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
MENU install : 0000025E38490E80
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
## CREATE icon <Desktop>
libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (favoriteD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (categoryD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (prevD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
QCssParser::parseColorValue: Specified color without alpha value but alpha given: 'rgb 255, 255, 255, 178'
QCssParser::parseColorValue: Specified color without alpha value but alpha given: 'rgb 0, 0, 0, 255'
########### BrowserWindow :: ok create (640 480)
BrowserWindow :: changeVisibility()
BrowserWindow :: changeVisibility()
BrowserWindow :: changeVisibility()
########### BrowserWindow :: restoreState (1409 1235)
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
BrowserWindow :: restoreState => 1409 1235
=> 1028 1156
BrowserWindow :: restoreState ok => 1028 1156
XNVIEW SIZE ok 1409 1235
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (favoriteD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (categoryD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (prevD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
w.start
### BrowserWindow :: onStart go
#### onCategoryDockVisible (1)
########### BrowserWindow :: restoreState (1409 1211)
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
BrowserWindow :: restoreState => 1409 1211
=> 848 1132
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (favoriteD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
QWidget::setMinimumSize: (categoryD/QDockWidget) Negative sizes (0,-1) are not possible
BrowserWindow :: restoreState ok => 848 1132
### BrowserWindow :: onStart
libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
QObject::connect: Cannot queue arguments of type 'QList<int>'
(Make sure 'QList<int>' is registered using qRegisterMetaType().)
libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
libpng warning: iCCP: known incorrect sRGB profile
BrowserWindow :: onStart 2
setPathname <D:/_Scrap/>
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFileList(0)
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFileList() wait
######ThumbLoaderThread :: run : 38656880
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever : 38656880
** start condition wait
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFileList() after wait
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
** start condition wake one 2
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFileList ok
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever 2 : 38656880
CHECK <0>
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever : 38656880
** start condition wait
## OPEN FOLDER
## Check folder
## Check companion 0
## Check companion ok 1
## OPEN DB FOLDER ok 3
## UPDATE DB FOLDER ok 5
## OPEN FOLDER ok 5
## updateLabel 5
## updateLabels ok 6
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
SORT the list...
STD::SORT... 0
STL::SORT... 0
SORT the list... 2
SORT the list... 2
BitmapLoadThread :: stop()
Add watcher <C:/Users/Franz/OneDrive/Desktop/>
## CREATE children <Desktop>
Dieser PC 30000000
Bilder 70000000
Papierkorb 20000000
Systemsteuerung 20000000
Franz 70000000
Bibliotheken 30000000
Netzwerk 30000000
franz ? Pers÷nlich 70000000
HiDrive 70000000
Dropbox 70000000
Musik 70000000
Downloads 70000000
Videos 70000000
Dokumente 70000000
Desktop 70000000
Start 20000000
F_Data (F:) 70000000
BD-RE-Laufwerk (I:) 70000000
2-System 70000000
3-Appz 70000000
4-Sound 70000000
5-Grafik 70000000
6-Video 70000000
7-Net 70000000
8-GIS GPS 70000000
60000000
## CREATE children <Dieser PC>
Lokaler Datentrõger (C:) 70000000
SSD (D:) 70000000
F_Data (F:) 70000000
BD-RE-Laufwerk (I:) 70000000
ds410_1 (\\ds410) (Q:) 70000000
ds410_2 (\\ds410) (R:) 70000000
ds410_3 (\\ds410) (S:) 70000000
ds410_4 (\\ds410) (T:) 70000000
Add watcher <D:/>
## CREATE children <SSD (D:)>
Acronis 7080014d
AppData 7080014d
Outlook_Anhang 7080014d
Video 7080014d
VMWare 7080014d
_RECOVER 7080014d
_Scrap 7080014d
Add watcher <D:/_Scrap/>
## CREATE children <_Scrap>
Bistro Bilder 7080014d
CaptureOne 7080014d
Convert 7080014d
Download 7080014d
Matroska 7080014d
MediathekView 7080014d
Merge 7080014d
MP3 7080014d
MP4 7080014d
Photos 7080014d
VMWare 7080014d
Wohnung 7080014d
XnViewMP Test Beta 5.5.2023 7080014d
x_PDF-for-OCR 7080014d
x_PDF-OCR-ed 7080014d
Youtube 7080014d
_howto 7080014d
_temp 7080014d
_todo 7080014d


###### CHECK CHILDRENS 19
###### CHECK CHILDRENS ok (1)

## OPEN FOLDER done 91
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFileList(19)
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
** start condition wake one 2
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFileList ok
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever 2 : 38656880
CHECK <19>
### BrowserWindow :: finish
### START 19
######ThumbLoaderThread :: start : 19 -1 -1
sizeHints : 237
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever : 38656880
** start condition wait


====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
====== here the waiting starts ==
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
====== and each of the following lines
====== "SHGetFileInfo() ...." take some seconds to appear
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======

SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\_howto
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Bistro Bilder
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Download
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Merge
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\_temp
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\CaptureOne
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Matroska
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\MP3

====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
====== the last lines appear faster again ======
====== and the normal display of XnViewMP is available as usual
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======

## CREATE icon <Start>
## CREATE icon <Bilder>
## CREATE icon <Desktop>
## CREATE icon <Dokumente>
## CREATE icon <franz ? Pers÷nlich>
## CREATE icon <Dropbox>
## CREATE icon <HiDrive>
## CREATE icon <Franz>
## CREATE icon <Downloads>
## CREATE icon <Musik>
## CREATE icon <Videos>
## CREATE icon <Dieser PC>
## CREATE icon <Lokaler Datentrõger (C:)>
## CREATE icon <SSD (D:)>
## CREATE icon <_RECOVER>
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFirstItemToLoad
** start condition wake one 3
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFirstItemToLoad ok
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever 2 : 38656880
CHECK <0>
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever : 38656880
** start condition wait
SORT the list...
STD::SORT... 0
STL::SORT... 0
SORT the list... 6
SORT the list... 8
### ThumbLoaderThread :: updateFileList
ThumbLoaderThread :: stop()
### ThumbLoaderThread :: updateFileList ok
## CREATE icon <BD-RE-Laufwerk (I:)>
## CREATE icon <ds410_1 (\\ds410) (Q:)>
## CREATE icon <Bibliotheken>
## CREATE icon <Netzwerk>
## CREATE icon <Systemsteuerung>
## CREATE icon <Papierkorb>
## CREATE icon <2-System>
## CREATE icon <3-Appz>
## CREATE icon <4-Sound>
## CREATE icon <5-Grafik>
## CREATE icon <6-Video>
## CREATE icon <7-Net>
## CREATE icon <8-GIS GPS>
sizeHints : 237
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFirstItemToLoad
** start condition wake one 3
### ThumbLoaderThread :: setFirstItemToLoad ok
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever 2 : 38656880
CHECK <0>
######ThumbLoaderThread :: forever : 38656880
** start condition wait

[xnview]

====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
====== here the waiting starts ==
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======
====== and each of the following lines
====== "SHGetFileInfo() ...." take some seconds to appear
====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ====== ======

SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\_howto
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Bistro Bilder
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Download
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Merge
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\_temp
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\CaptureOne
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\Matroska
SHGetFileInfo() timed out for D:\_Scrap\MP3

Windows has problem to get info for these folders? No delay when you go in this folder with Windows Explorer?

[mpuser123]

I will check; will be by the end of Monday

[mpuser123]

quite some puzzle this VPN
So I did a few checks… starting with reboot of Windows
1. checking performance/reaction time of XnViewMP and Windows File-Explorer without VPN software running
2. checking performance/reaction time of XnViewMP and Windows File-Explorer with VPN software running, but VPN not active
3. checking performance/reaction time of XnViewMP and Windows File-Explorer with VPN software running, VPN active

Results
-> 1. immediate response/reaction to calling the programs
immediate response/reaction to right mouse-click to call file-properties in both programs.

-> 2. same as 1.

-> 3. first time call of Explorer: program starts immediately, but the left pane (folder structure) is unresponsive for about 20 sec; the quick access favorites are not displayed at all during that time; right click to call file properties takes time until the pane with the folder structure is responsive.
The second, and all further calls of Explorer (after closing the Explorer window) show “normal” behavior.

Double-clicking an image with XnViewMP (as the default viewer) brings up the image more or less immediately; but calling the properties with right-click takes about 5 sec.
The left panel is empty (where the folder structure and favorites should be displayed) and it takes some 30 seconds at the first start to get displayed, during which time the program is unresponsive. It takes some 20 sec with each subsequent start of the program to display folder view.

During the time the programs are unresponsive, they can only be closed via task-manager.

------------

So the folder-view in XnViewMP and Explorer as well is negatively influenced by this VPN.
I will tell the CyberGhost guys once more these findings, that I suspect that the performance issues seem to stem from their software.
Or is it a “feature” of VPN?? I don’t know but would not think so.

[xnview]

So the folder-view in XnViewMP and Explorer as well is negatively influenced by this VPN.
I will tell the CyberGhost guys once more these findings, that I suspect that the performance issues seem to stem from their software.
Or is it a “feature” of VPN?? I don’t know but would not think so.

There is an issue if you have same problem in Windows Explorer...

[mpuser123]

I am sorry I bothered you with that matter in the first place.
Thank you very much for your consideration!
Regards,
Franz