PSP 2018 - Slow performance when dragging viewport

[Khuri]

Hi,

I have a major speed issue with PSP X9 since SP4, and the same issue now with the new PSP 2018 as well (both 64 Bit installations on a Windows 10 64-Bit).

If you zoom into an image and use the drag tool to change the viewport (or use the SPACE-key), the whole image gets extremly slow to re-render the image.
In PSP X9 SP3 and prior versions the process was fast enough, but since SP 4 and now in 2018 as well, when dragging the viewport, it can take up to 1-2 seconds until you see the new viewport after dragging.

To give you a better visualisation of the problem, I've recorded a short video showing the problem.
http://www.khuris.com/tmp/psp8_2018_dragcompare.mp4 (file is ~90 MB)

On the left you can see a PSP X8 (64 Bit), on the right is 2018 (64 Bit).
I open a new image with 2000x2000 px on each, then draw a simple line with the brush tool, then zoom in and drag the viewport.
In X8 it reacts immediately after stopping the dragging, in 2018 it takes a moment until you see the refreshed screen.


I have contacted Corel Support about this issue, but maybe other users have the same problem and/or know if it's a user-side problem and have advice on how to improve the speed?

[hartpaul]

I used an image 2912 x 4368 and experienced no slowness as you have experienced.
my system Windows 10 version 1607, Intel Core i5 750 @ 2.67 Ghz and 8 Gb RAM

[Khuri]

If it's a hardware issue, then it has to be something they changed something since X9 SP4 that collides with my hardware, which hasn't changed since then.

It's an i7-6700k and 16 GB of RAM, so from "raw speed" I have more than enough power.

[JoeB]

Well, I've tried that with a 2000x2000px image in both the 32bit and 64bit versions of 2018 and I don't get any delay at all when zooming in and then dragging the image around. And while I have no idea whether or not this should have any effect on this procedure, I also tried it with my preferences set to both options (i.e., checked and unchecked) of Force Full Window Redraw When Positioning Image Elements, and in all cases I see absolutely zero delay in the image when dragging it around.

[Nev]

Hi,

I have a major speed issue with PSP X9 since SP4, and the same issue now with the new PSP 2018 as well (both 64 Bit installations on a Windows 10 64-Bit).

If you zoom into an image and use the drag tool to change the viewport (or use the SPACE-key), the whole image gets extremly slow to re-render the image.
In PSP X9 SP3 and prior versions the process was fast enough, but since SP 4 and now in 2018 as well, when dragging the viewport, it can take up to 1-2 seconds until you see the new viewport after dragging.

To give you a better visualisation of the problem, I've recorded a short video showing the problem.
http://www.khuris.com/tmp/psp8_2018_dragcompare.mp4 (file is ~90 MB)

On the left you can see a PSP X8 (64 Bit), on the right is 2018 (64 Bit).
I open a new image with 2000x2000 px on each, then draw a simple line with the brush tool, then zoom in and drag the viewport.
In X8 it reacts immediately after stopping the dragging, in 2018 it takes a moment until you see the refreshed screen.


I have contacted Corel Support about this issue, but maybe other users have the same problem and/or know if it's a user-side problem and have advice on how to improve the speed?

Hi Khuri,

My name is Neville Ko and I'm a member of PSP's R&D team. I've failed to replicate your issue on several machines of varying specs. Can you confirm that you're still having the problem? Also, what did the Corel Support recommend when you contacted them?

Thanks,
Neville

[Khuri]

Hi Neville,

thanks for picking up the topic.

Corel Support had me do the usual things:
- Changing zoom/rescaling speed option to fastest
- Reset all settings/profile
- Reinstall the software
- Clean Windows Temp-Cache

Neither helped unfortunately.

I tried installing PSP 2018 on another Windows 10 64-bit machine, and it runs all fine on that machine.

I suppose by now it is a weird local issue that has to do with some combination of Windows updates, drivers and hardware, which causes this... As i said however, before PSP X9 SP 4 it did not occur (which means, PSP X9 SP 3 and lower didn't have this problem).
I still have an installation of PSP X8 on my computer right now which runs fine.

Maybe as R&D member, you have better insight on what might have changed from SP 3 to SP 4 (in X9), that MIGHT cause any problem?

[Nev]

It's nice to meet you Khuri.

I'm glad to hear that at least one of your machine is running fine. We haven't heard of any other reported case of your problem. I've checked our internal database for a common thread with no luck. But, I think you're right. It sounds like a local issue of some combination of Windows updates, drivers, hardware, software patch, etc.

We'll continue to monitor this problem and I'll inform you if we find the root cause.

Best,
nev

[Nev]

Hey Khuri,

Our test team has two simple procedures for you to test. Unfortunately, only you can help us since you're experiencing this problem consistently.

Hope you can help us out and thanks,
nev

-----

Procedure 1:
1) Launch PSP.
2) Create a new blank document @ 2000 x 2000 using similar document properties as where you've been triggering the problem. Make sure it's the only document open.
3) Zoom and pan using the appropriate tools WITHOUT using the Brush or Eraser tools.
4) Observe the responsiveness of the app. Any lag?

Procedure 2:
1) Relaunch PSP after testing procedure 1.
2) Create a new blank document @ 2000 x 2000 using similar document properties as procedure 1. Make sure it's the only document open.
3) Zoom and pan using the appropriate tools, then draw and/or erase using the Brush or Eraser tools. Zoom and pan again.
4) Observe the responsiveness of the app. Any lag?

[Khuri]

I tried out both procedures.
The difference between both is almost non-existant. Both react equally slow.
I've tried to record both procedures after first trying it out in a second round for you to see, however the video does not fully make you see the sluggishness that you actually get. By that I mean, you release the mouse key and it takes a moment for the panning to stop and refresh the image.

http://www.khuris.com/tmp/psp8_2018_test.mp4


In both prcedures I've used the Pan tool to pan the screen.
There is a huge difference however if instead of the Pan tool, you have another tool selected (Brush tool for example) and then press and hold the SPACE-key and pan the screen. In that case, the longer you pan around, the longer it takes to refresh the screen after you release the SPACE-key.

[Nev]

Hi Khuri,

We've done a few additional tests since our last exchange and we still cannot replicate the problem. Our suspicion was towards the Brush and/or Eraser tools. However, your tests have shown otherwise. My colleague traced a file that documented your contact with Corel's CS team regarding this problem. One thing Corel's CS didn't mention, which we would like to suggest, is to update your graphics driver to the latest version. Fingers crossed.

Thanks,
nev

[Khuri]

Hi Nev,

thanks again for looking into this.

Unfortunately, the graphic drivers are not the culprit either, at least using the latest version does not help. I even erased them fully to make sure non of the non-default options might've been active on the Corel application.

[Khuri]

A quick update on the issue from my side.
I just installed the patch to version 20.2.0.1 x64 and tested around a bit. The speed issue did not change much, HOWEVER:

I found out 2 options that when disabled speed up the program completely. If I turn them back on, scrolling goes back down to a crawl.
The two options are as follows:

1. Show brush outlines
2. Show ruler

Turning both on, the scrolling in an image is really slow (as demonstrated in previous videos).
If I TURN ON only ONE of them, it gets considerably slower. When I turn BOTH ON, it's super slow.
Turning BOTH OFF and scrolling is super fast.


So my guess is, the overlay that is being created when you display the ruler and/or brush outline is causing the trouble.

There's also a correlation that confirms this theory for me.
If I got both options TURNED OFF but then use the CLONE TOOL (which again shows an outline of the source area), scrolling is terribly slow again. Switching back to another tool and scrolling is fine again.
This also counts for any other tool that basically draws some overlay on the screen (like the object selection tool (K), drawing pen (V), form tool (P; after drawing and you get the borders to resize/move it), etc.).

[Nev]

Thank you very much, Khuri.

This is getting more interesting by each post. We've also pinpointed and fixed performance issues relating to the Brush and Eraser tools as well. These can be found in Update 1. We did not suspect the ruler as a culprit, though. We'll continue to look into this.

Best,
nev

[Khuri]

Thanks for the update, Nev!

I'll keep trying around and if I see anything else I'll let you know (since I'm not in the mood currently to reinstall my OS - which might fix the issue I have altogether, but that of course is not garantueed).

Please keep us updated, and if you require more information from me, or want me to try something out, let me know. Thanks!

[Nev]

Thanks for your help and offer, Khuri.

Imagine reinstalling the OS ends up fixing the issue? ...lol

Yes, please let me know if you find anything else. The team is broadening our investigation as we speak but we haven't been able to find the culprit, yet. There's another post relating to a noticeable lag invoking the New Image dialog. We're having trouble duplicating that bug as well. I personally don't think these two issues are related but thought I'd let you know. It's really quite strange.

Anyways, have a great weekend!
nev