Delay starting PFOA on a networked pc

[hdradio]

I don't know what has changed, but now my networked PFOA instance takes too long to start.
In splash screen it shows "Please wait, creating mixer" for more than 15 minutes until start.
I noticed in task manager, that 2 minutes after showing this message, the network usage of PF increases from 0 to about 80Mbps.
The next message is "Please wait, starting user interface.". At this point the network usage goes back to 0 again.
That is very strange.
Bernd, any idea what is going on ?

[radio42]

Here are the steps involved when the "Please wait, creating mixer" message appears (until the next message is shown)..
However, this hasn't been changed for a very long time...

1. PF checks, if the Mixer-Setup file is available (else the FirstTimeSetup dialog might appear):
-> That is a simple file exists check.

2. PF loads the Mixer-Setup file content:
-> That are various file read operations

3. PF creates the Output Mixer Channels:
-> That shouldn't involve any network traffic (pure soundcard/driver access).

4. PF creates the Input Mixer Channels:
-> That shouldn't involve any network traffic (pure soundcard/driver access).

5. Validates your Routing settings (if the mixer channels still do exist/could be created):
-> That shouldn't involve any network traffic (pure soundcard/driver access).

6. PF loads all your Mixer Settings (all individual mixer channel settings, DSP settings and presets):
-> That are various file read operations.

7. PF starts all the Mixer Channels:
-> That shouldn't involve any network traffic (pure soundcard/driver access).

8. PF restores its layout:
-> That are various file read operations.

9. PF loads its Playback History:
-> That are various file read operations.

The next message displayed then should be "Please wait, creating players..."

So there are 'only' various file open/read operations involved.
I can only guess, but it must be related to this...that your networked PC has trouble in reading these files (all these files do reside in the PF config folder).

[hdradio]

It would be good - for a next version - to show more status messages in this splash screen so I can find at which step I get stuck

[hdradio]

I am not using any networked sound devices (only a virtual audio cable is installed on my pc).
I can not find what is wrong here.
I 'll uninstall and re-install PFOA.
Do I have to delete any folders to have a clean installation ?

[radio42]

If you want to totally clean installation you also need to delete the local ProppFrexx AppUserData folders or files - yes!
But...
...to what/where is the 'virtual audio cable' connected...normally THAT is a networked device!

[hdradio]

It's not connected anywhere. I had installed the application for some tests. I don't use it anymore.

[radio42]

OKay, if you are really sure, that this is not the reason....but, did the delay start after you installed that Virtual Audio Cable device?
If yes, I'd take a closer look...

[radio42]

I might add some more; but I can not for every single line of code give you a status output, as if all is running good on your machine it should never be such slow...so there must be an issue on your side somewhere...
The main question is more: What have you changed on your side, since it became slow?
Basically PF just accesses the 'config folder's' file system...if that is slow, the startup is slow (and even the operation might be slow).
Else it accesses the sound devices/drivers...if these take time to initialize, it takes that time.
E.g. are you using 'Breakaway' or any other 'networked' sound devices, which are may be slow...?

[radio42]

Any news from this one...as I can absolutely not reproduce that here...

[hdradio]

Bernd, after investigating the issue I 've found that the cause is the prescan option.
When PFOA starts, it loads the playback history. History does not contain duration entries, so PFOA tries to scan history files to find the duration. If you have very long files (like my 16 hours test file) it takes too long for scan to finish. (That is why I was seeing too much network traffic at startup).
Enabling the "No prescan" option, PFOA starts quickly again.