X6/X7 Text Tool and Vector Property changes running slow

[Romag]

**EDIT: As of this date 21st June 2015, the issue was not fixed, see my last post further down the page. I will try to keep this updated, but read any comments after my last post for possible help.**

I have a problem with the Text Tool in Paint Shop Pro X6 & X7 where whenever I use the Text Tool or try to change the outline or fill properties in the Vector Property setting box it is very slow.

Any changes made to vector fills and outlines causes the Windows 7 circular Busy/Working icon to appear briefly (or longer) under the Mouse Pointer while the changes are made. This might occur for a second on small changes or sometimes longer or worse MUCH longer on bigger changes. Obviously this is a nuisance when making incremental changes to the look of Text and Vectors.

I've tried to screen cap the problem but as the Mouse pointer flickers between the Arrow and the Circle several times a second I've had to simulate what I see in this picture.

Slow changes in Vector Property dialog in Paint Shop Pro X6.

I am running with about 5000 fonts, which I thought might be causing the problem. HOWEVER, changing the properties of Vector created lines of images that have no Fonts or Text in them whatsoever exhibits the same problem.

This problem has become hellish ever since I switched to X6 and continues in X7. I'm hoping the solution is a simple setting I've overlooked either in the software itself or the setup of my machine.

[josephlin]

Hi, we have interest with the issue you reported. Could you do me a favour to confirm something?

1. Using the same machine to run PSPX5, can you reproduce the issue?
2. Can the issue reproduce using any kind of image format? Only only specific one like RAW?
3. How big font size you typed? Does it affect the speed?
4. What PSPX7 or PSPX6 you are working now? Corel just released PSPX7 SP1 (17.1.0.72) update, please install it and let us know if any change.
5. Can you reproduce the same issue using another machine which not contains 5000 fonts?

We are looking forward with you update to get further investigation. Thx.

[Romag]

Thank you for the reply. It may take a couple of days for me to try all the things suggested but I am determined to get to the bottom of it.

[Romag]

Apologies for the long delay in my reply. Some things I couldn't test at all and some I couldn't test until I was able to access someone else's similarly specced machine without lots of Fonts on it.

1. Using the same machine to run PSPX5, can you reproduce the issue?

I cannot find a version of PSP5 to install. I never owned that version and I cannot find a legitimate and safe place to download the trial version. Your live chat representative was unable to help me locating that version either.

2. Can the issue reproduce using any kind of image format? Only only specific one like RAW?

The problem is not specific to file type, even when I have tested them. Also, typically I am starting with a New Image. File > New Image. These are with either a Raster Background or a Vector Background.

3. How big font size you typed? Does it affect the speed?

The problem will occur at any size. The Font size and the amount of text does affect the delay with greater delay on larger text sizes and/or more text.

4. What PSPX7 or PSPX6 you are working now? Corel just released PSPX7 SP1 (17.1.0.72) update, please install it and let us know if any change.

I am using both PSPX6 16.2.0.20 x64 and PSPX7 17.1.0.72 x64.

5. Can you reproduce the same issue using another machine which not contains 5000 fonts?

This issue is not apparent on another more recent Intel i7 powered Desktop machine containing 135 fonts. That machine has was running the program from a Hard Disk Drive, although it uses a Solid State Drive to run the OS (Win 7 Home x64).

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

I have tried to be as systematic as I can in resolving the issue myself. The most obvious problem is that I have too many Fonts installed! I am looking to get a Font manager program. I did try one Font Manager that removed all but the system fonts from the Fonts folder (Backed up of course), but this resulted in X6 and X7 crashing when attempting to use the Text Tool. Restoring all the backed up fonts returned X6 and X7 to working order, but of course the slow Text and Vector problem I reported still remains.

I am wondering also if the fact I use a Solid State Drive for the install location of the program is a problem. Is memory paging handled by the PSP program itself or the Operating System? Pure speculation on my part, I don't fully understand what's going on, though I worry that constantly hammering the SSD may have degraded its performance.

Occam's Razor though. The most obvious thing is I have too many Fonts. I need to invest in a decent Font Manager and reinstall the programs to see if that solves the issue. Once I have done this I will let you know the results.

[DPainter]

Sounds like a maintains problem.
Has this PC just started to do this? or is it a new issue?
How long have you had X6 and was it running correctly before installing X7?

If it was fine and running ok but now it's not run your maintenance schedule. Clean Disk, DeFrag Disk, Delete- remove TEMP files. C/Properties/ Check Registery for errors using the right program.
I use AVG Tuneup. I never have a slow PC. This is not free though.
Delete TEMP internet files. Control Panel/Internet Options/General/ Browsing History_Delete, Read the options provided. I delete all bar Passwords and Tracking Protection.

If these things aren't done a regular bases your PC keeps filling up with unused data that eventually clogs the system (so to speak). This will/does cause problem like you are describing here. Slow processing abilities.
You can set Browsing Properties to automatically delete browsing history. It should only delete what is ticked in the delete dialog so for the first time click on delete and this dialog will open.

[thinker]

Romag, did you get your issue resolved?

I'm having the same problem (running PSP X6); I don't have an extensive list of fonts; no other programs bog down; asked my system administrator to take a look and his findings are that it's not a system maintenance issue.

has anyone else encountered this problem? any other suggestions for resolving it?

[Jean-Luc]

Yes, we encountered this sort of problem with French users on the French user group.
I'll try to find thoses discussions.
Best regards,
Jean-Luc

[Jean-Luc]

I've found the message.
Here a file for testing (zipfile with a pspimage and a font needed, Dust West).
Try to add the following hours numbers (IV, V, VI, etc.) and you will see how slow it is...
Best regards,
Jean-Luc

[thinker]

Yes, we encountered this sort of problem with French users on the French user group.
I'll try to find thoses discussions.
Best regards,
Jean-Luc

but did you find a solution? I'm looking for a solution to fix this problem

I've just reset my program (holding shift while opening) and a quick test seems to have resolved the issue. Have to wait to see if it's really fixed or not

[Romag]

No. Nothing solves the issue. I note there has been a patch to X7 recently (patch 3) which did nothing to solve the problem.

Apologies for the extremely long delay in my reply. I have been having to use other software and hardware to get my work done.

I have since built a new PC which is running Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 and yet still it's a problem. The specs are as follows, Intel i7 4790K 4GHz processor, 32GB RAM (yes, really!), nvidia GTX960 2GB DDR5, 500GB SSD for Operating systems and Programs, 3TB HDD for storage.

So on my newly installed machine, I tested the french HORLOGE example posted above and by the time I had entered the text to 12 on the clock face the program was slowing to a crawl. I then tried to change the properties of the text and that too was awful.

It's not the number of fonts installed, since it's a newly installed machine. It's not the capability of the machine, since it's the one of the most powerful desktop processors available.

The Vector engine within the PaintShop Pro Program does not function at a sensible speed when dealing with multiple vector points. I strongly urge the PaintShop Pro team to look at improving vector performance, because right now I am having to use your competitors products. I don't get paid if I can't do my work and I can't get my work done in PaintShop Pro. So I won't be buying X8, or whatever superceeds X7, unless that's fixed. It'll be a sad day if I have to ditch PaintShop Pro, I can almost produce things on it at the speed I can think. Switching to CorelDRAW is not an option, at that point I will just revert to using Illustrator.

[Jean-Luc]

No. Nothing solves the issue. I note there has been a patch to X7 recently (patch 3) which did nothing to solve the problem.

.

Try with Warp text unchecked and see it it goes faster (see screen capture).

[Romag]

Try with Warp text unchecked and see it it goes faster (see screen capture).

No, I'm afraid that wasn't a great improvement, not in any meaningful way. And this is on a machine so much more powerful than the average laptop many folks inflict upon themselves these days.

Unless proven otherwise, which at this point I seriously doubt, I think the problem is that the Vector engine within PaintShop Pro is long overdue an overhaul. What might have been ok 10 years ago just doesn't cut it these days. I have persevered, I've been using the program for years and bought many versions. Maybe it's time to move on.

[Forriner]

I just installed X7 on my PC yesterday.
In both 32 and 64 bit versions of X7, I made a new document, 1000 × 1000 pixels, raster background.
On one new vector layer I typed "test1" and on a second "test2" (yup, I've got a vivid imagination).
I changed the properties of each, line colour/fill/style/stroke width.
I copied the two layers several times, for a total of 20 vector layers.
There was no perceptible change in the speed. Everything was fast in both versions.

This makes me think it isn't X7. Sometimes things take a bit longer on my machine when it updates anti-virus or so in the 'background' but otherwise my 4½ year old i3 is pretty fast.

Just curious, have you enabled the scratch disk under menu File/preferences/general program preferences/Display and Caching? Or disabled it if it's enabled, just to see what happens? I have it enabled.

[Romag]

Just curious, have you enabled the scratch disk under menu File/preferences/general program preferences/Display and Caching? Or disabled it if it's enabled, just to see what happens? I have it enabled.

No that didn't make any difference either way. It's enabled by default and I hadn't changed any settings when I installed X7 on my new machine (only to test your suggestion). With 32Gb of RAM, for me, caching is unnecessary. But being realistic here, the majority of PSP users will be running with 4 to 8Gb of RAM.

You should download and try the HORLOGE remembering to install the included font first before opening the example in PSP. I've added the additional numerals up to 12 in the HORLOGE2 example. Editing it using the type tool will soon show you what the problem is.

[Forriner]

You should download and try the HORLOGE remembering to install the included font first before opening the example in PSP. I've added the additional numerals up to 12 in the HORLOGE2 example. Editing it using the type tool will soon show you what the problem is.

Done, thanks for the file, and I take it back, it must be PSP.