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[mirdle]

I'm using the latest build of MC12 in Windows Vista.

I've created a smartlist that shows all lossless albums in my (huge ) collection.

When I do a text search (in the type-in box) within that smartlist, the results show up immediately (within 1 second). 

I've edited the default audio view scheme to only include files from within this smartlist.  No other modifications to the original default main audio view scheme. When I do the same text search (in the type-in box) from within this audio view scheme, the results show up between 5 seconds and 13 seconds later.  (album thumbnails are displayed for the results)

Can anyone think of reason why the search within the view scheme is much slower than the same search within the smartlist?

Thanks for any help.

[Matt]

My guess is that you have a library pane doing something slow.  Try removing panes or doing other view simplifications to find the cause.

Also, how large is your library?

Thanks.

[mirdle]

My guess is that you have a library pane doing something slow.  Try removing panes or doing other view simplifications to find the cause.

Also, how large is your library?

Thanks.

The library is about 370000 files, 4190 GB (2 years).  Maybe the slowness is related to the library size or the attached network drives?

[JimH]

Please try what Matt suggested.  If you're using a view you've customized, try a default view.

Calculated fields can slow down display.

[hit_ny]

When I do a text search (in the type-in box) within that smartlist, the results show up immediately (within 1 second). 

Are the results displayed as album thumbnails here ?

I've edited the default audio view scheme to only include files from within this smartlist.  No other modifications to the original default main audio view scheme. When I do the same text search (in the type-in box) from within this audio view scheme, the results show up between 5 seconds and 13 seconds later.  (album thumbnails are displayed for the results)

Does it make any difference if you display the results as 'Details' instead of thumbnails ?

What search query are you using in the search box ?

The attached network drives won't affect results as their file details are already imported into MC's library. Think of it as one big list that resides on the same PC as MC does (by default).

Finally, try the query without your smartlist in your default audio viewscheme. Ideally, this viewscheme should be as simple as possible as you will enter it the most.

Counter-intuitive as it may first seem MC works fastest when it has access to the whole library than just a subset. But then, MC has to work to make that subset *before* it's ready to accept your query.

[mirdle]

Please try what Matt suggested.  If you're using a view you've customized, try a default view.

Calculated fields can slow down display.

There are no panes, I have "Album" checked instead of "Pane"

I'm using the default audio view.

[hit_ny]

In your default audio viewscheme and from the menu

View->View Settings

Which item(s) is checked ?

[mirdle]

--Are the results displayed as album thumbnails here ?

Yes.

--Does it make any difference if you display the results as 'Details' instead of thumbnails ?

No.

--What search query are you using in the search box ?

random strings like "danny elfman" or "john will"

--The attached network drives won't affect results as their file details are already imported into MC's library. Think of it as one big list that resides on the same PC as MC does (by default).

--Finally, try the query without your smartlist in your default audio viewscheme. Ideally, this viewscheme should be as simple as possible as you will enter it the most.

The default audio scheme seems the slowest. Although, it's weird.  Sometimes a search query from the default audio scheme returns a response in 2-3 seconds, sometimes the same query will take 15 seconds a few minutes later.  Searches from within the smartlist I discussed above I have a similar issue, except most of the time the responses are 1 second and only on occasion does it take 7-15 seconds.  I try to avoid pushing the "audio" button in the upper left corner of the program because the program will often take 30 seconds to 2 minutes to respond with my entire library.  I've installed media center on two computers, one using Vista and one using XP.  Both programs respond in a similar fashion.

Counter-intuitive as it may first seem MC works fastest when it has access to the whole library than just a subset. But then, MC has to work to make that subset *before* it's ready to accept your query.

My program does not appear to be behaving such.


Perhaps unrelated, I often note that when modifying tags sometimes the program will not respond for a few seconds after changing a tag.  Let's say for example I'm modifying the tags for 10 albums in a row listed together from within recently imported.  After every 3 albums or so, the program won't respond for a few seconds.  Whereas sometimes it lets me select the new album without a pause.

[mirdle]

In your default audio viewscheme and from the menu

--the default audio viewscheme is Album Artist/Album in Step 1, nothing in step 2, audio/automatic/honor parent scheme/show in theater view in step 3, sort by album artist/album in step 4

View->View Settings


Which item(s) is checked ?

-- Album, Thumbnails  (but I've also tried it with Pane and Details)

[hit_ny]

There might be CPU activity going on when you issue those queries.

I always have taskmgr or proc explorer minimised in the tray so i can see if the CPU is busy before issuing a query.

MC can be busy for a few reasons.
- Doing library saves, this kicks off when changes are made, not immediately but shortly after. This is usually a quick affair.

- thumbnails being built in the background. You can force all thumbnails to be rebuilt with Tree&View->Thumbnails..build missing thumbnails. Be advised that with 370k files, this will prolly take several hours if not a day to complete depending on how fast your pc is.

Do you notice album thumbs taking time to display in the schemes or do they appear immediately. If its the later, then your thumbs are already built.

- Auto-import is on
Library & Folders->Auto-import folders->Options->Run auto-import in the background (uncheck)

I try to avoid pushing the "audio" button in the upper left corner of the program because the program will often take 30 seconds to 2 minutes to respond with my entire library.

I usually use the small arrow to the right of the Audio button to expand or collapse views contained therein.

random strings like "danny elfman" or "john will"

Its much faster if you tell MC what you want, in this case will assume its the artist

So if you use a keyword  in the search box  ar="elfman]   

MC will look for only artists that end with elfman

Typing "danny elfman" or "john will" will look for all fields in all files that are searchable and only then get you results. Ok if you are not sure what those names are but much slower otherwise.

See the help file under Smartlist and search - Rules & modifiers for more info for different keywords that can be used.

A Ctrl+E gets you to the searchbox from anywhere.

A quick way to get to the default audio scheme is to click on any file in Playing now and right click Locate->Album, then do the ctrl+E and then issue  a search.

Alternatively if you use tabs, just click on a tab and do your search from there.

Yet another way is to use vertical split views so your library is always avaialable next to Playing Now.

Perhaps unrelated, I often note that when modifying tags sometimes the program will not respond for a few seconds after changing a tag.  Let's say for example I'm modifying the tags for 10 albums in a row listed together from within recently imported.  After every 3 albums or so, the program won't respond for a few seconds.  Whereas sometimes it lets me select the new album without a pause.

This is because MC has noted the tag changes made and is trying to save the changed tags back to the files, which i think in your case are on external drives. Now the first time you save the tags it can take time as the file might need to be rewritten after which there is extra filler in the tags to make future updates quicker. This all goes on in the background so you don't have to wait.