Memory manager?

Anything that doesn't fit into other topics goes here!
This thing was introduced in the rc-5 version of LMMS I have if I know. I'm not sure if this is the true reason of the unpredictable freezes though when I knew it was added in rc-5, I was thinking it is the culprit.

When I'm editing an automation or note patterns (loop) while the song is playing, the CPU usage becomes high which can be also triggered by moving the cursor quickly. And, adding a LADSPA effect is pain in the ass and causes LMMS to stop for a while if you insert one for the first time after restart as it has to load them in memory (and, in my hypothesis, they aren't loaded in the memory in the start up.) Playing the metronome for the first time after restart also freezes LMMS for few seconds (then returns to normal) when a project is playing the song. Loading big projects (like the extended mix of my trance song Night Shift that has 800-1K objects in the Song Editor) loads 3-5 minutes. One thing is, this doesn't happen in the 1.1.3 I have installed. And loads Night Shift for less than 10 seconds (but sometimes the automation tracks disappear, this is an old problem.)

I may have a really old PC lol, but... why 1.1.3 looks more stable at this point? Yes, it's 'unstable release' but I've read in a forum post here that comparing the two 1.1.3 is less stable now than rc-5. Looks like it doesn't happen for me. The memory manager is likely to remove things that weren't probably be used by the user at restart to reduce unused objects that can save memory, but there would be a problem when it loads into RAM, especially when a song is playing/note pattern is playing notes, or caught in a bad luck that LMMS crashed and froze just because of loading the codes and objects. Example, the LADSPA plugins list. It won't load into memory unless opened by the user in "Add effects". Then, dragging samples. Idk why it lags, though not all of the samples (or even none of them) were loaded into memory. Also the metronome, mentioned on the previous paragraph (in that case, a song was playing.)

I hope, in the next release, if the memory manager is really causing these problems, I suggest that there would be settings on it [that require restart], like un/redo steps, what should be and shouldn't be loaded into memory at restart or while LMMS is running or if should it be enabled or disabled, and some advanced settings because even importing samples from the left dock freezes LMMS a little :lol:
Thats a mouthful ..
Ok the thing is that i have even lower specs, and runs rc5 perfectly.
The events you describe is less liable to be mem-man influence, but more qt5. Especially since you mentioned the move-mouse-spikes.
Qt5 gets in at RC2.
Did you run any of the RCs before RC2?
Did you run RC3 or 4?
Is these issues general, or is it one specific project that you are working on now?
F.i. can you recreate these freezes and spikes with
//projects\cool_songs/Skiessi-Onion.mmpz ?
Try that and report back
I just got done with a fairly large project in Rc5, one thing I've noticed is that external VSTs cause a higher memory load. What VSTs are you using with your projects? The ones I've seen that cause big memory loads (at least on my end) have been Massive, Serum, Kontakt (which is now stable in RC5), Sylenth1 (which has a lot of issues), Solid Bus Comp and Replika.
Jacoby Davis wrote:
Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:13 pm
I just got done with a fairly large project in Rc5, one thing I've noticed is that external VSTs cause a higher memory load. What VSTs are you using with your projects?
The VST I use is not big to memory, Synth1. But, there were 7 of them in the Song Editor (in my recent project, the other 2 are ambient synths) and these bugs happen. The other uplifting Trance one was four (2 lead synths, 1 bassline, 1 trance gate), but it causes higher CPU usage due to amounts of stacked arpeggios. :(
sorry if there is no tl;dr

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Did you run any of the RCs before RC2?
No, I had 0.4.x at May-July 2016, 1.1.3 at August 2016-December 2017 and now I upgraded RC-5 since January and never used those old again. I haven't used any beta versions aside form rc-5

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Did you run RC3 or 4?
No.

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F.i. can you recreate these freezes and spikes with
//projects\cool_songs/Skiessi-Onion.mmpz ?
In this project, the cursor spikes does not occur but there were some others happening:
LADSPA plugins list. It won't load into memory unless opened by the user in "Add effects".
If you opened it for the first time or while the song is playing, it will produce a looping sound in the song like a loop roll but fast. Onomatopoeia: if the melody goes "Duuuuuuunn duuun duuuun", when you opened the ladspa list for the first time while the song is playing it goes "DUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUN..."
Also the metronome
Creates the looping sound also.
Then, dragging samples
Same

Since it's an oldskool LMMS project that uses all native instruments, it might have been handled well I guess.

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Is these issues general, or is it one specific project that you are working on now?
They happen in
* my recent deep house song (uses ext. VST). The song is minimal, only 3-4 instruments playing, a lead pluck bass, a pad (Voyager from ZASFX), a weird house pluck, and a house pluck with tone, if you exclude samplers (Audiofile processor) The lag is isn't that much but still occurs.
* The future house song (uses ext. VST) youve replied before (the spikes even cause the instrument not to play the notes)
* my uplifting trance song (uses ext. VST), the CPU will max out in the cursor spike esp. when you are in Automation Editor

All of the external VST's are Synth1
In the future house song I've tried to change it into Mastercode's T-Force alpha something, and they also happen.

Old projects but tested, these do not happen in
* Rework of Pachelbel Canon in D that has a 600+ MB .SF2 loaded into memory. There are a lot of notes playing and there were no even spikes in Song Editor and Automation Editor
* Project Headache Smash.mmpz, the whole song was made with only SFXR. Even LMMS had difficulty in handling SFXR as a drum playing in B+B editor and as a normal instrument that could play continuous notes, it is still fine with the CPU usage.
* Ambient song Dance with the Fireflies, some of it has some of the most complex ZASFX presets that use all of the three subsynths. No spikes.
* My remix of Popsip Electric Dancer (has ZASFX)
^Two things that also happen in these is the metronome and adding ladspa fx one
Jacoby Davis wrote:
Mon Mar 12, 2018 11:13 pm
I just got done with a fairly large project in Rc5, one thing I've noticed is that external VSTs cause a higher memory load.
Autch... Do you mean that this project used less mem in RC4, or do we need to go back to .... ?
vortexsupernova wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 8:24 am
The VST I use is not big to memory, Synth1. But, there were 7 of them in the Song Editor
Synth1 is propl. the least hungry synth of all. I have run tests with 25 Synth1, and there has been tests with 50 synth1 on a 8gb ram system!
-If the presets are zipped -eg 'externals', it can take rater longish to load projects with many synth1

You do not answer me in respect to 'Onion' ?
musikbear wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 9:56 am
Autch... Do you mean that this project used less mem in RC4, or do we need to go back to .... ?
No, I'm speaking in general in regards to the VST–memory load relationship. I never used RC4, Tresf had me install RC5 to test some of my VSTs. They have less memory load than 1.1.3, but still are pretty heavy. Especially Kontakt, Sylenth1 and Serum.
vortexsupernova wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 8:24 am
* my recent deep house song (uses ext. VST). The song is minimal, only 3-4 instruments playing, a lead pluck bass, a pad (Voyager from ZASFX), a weird house pluck, and a house pluck with tone, if you exclude samplers (Audiofile processor) The lag is isn't that much but still occurs
Voyager, in regards to Zyn, I've noticed both in 1.1.3 and RC5 that if you use more than 20 voices (between individual voice tabs and the chorus effects for each voice) in ZynAddSubFX, it'll cause those spikes. Another issue I've seen with Serum that might carry over to Zyn is that if the release time is long, sometimes it'll cause issues. If that's the case, try shortening each note by either 1/32 or 1/64. That's what has worked for me.
musikbear wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 9:56 am
You do not answer me in respect to 'Onion' ?
Sorry if the formatting made you not see it, I couldn't remove the space before the quotes:

In this project, the cursor spikes does not occur but there were some others happening:
LADSPA plugins list. It won't load into memory unless opened by the user in "Add effects".
If you opened it for the first time or while the song is playing, it will freeze for a while and produce a looping sound in the song like a loop roll but fast. Onomatopoeia: if the melody goes "Duuuuuuunn duuun duuuun", when you opened the ladspa list for the first time while the song is playing it goes "DUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUNDUN..."
Also the metronome
Creates the looping sound and freezes a little also.
Then, dragging samples
Same

If I did not answered it properly, please ask what was the specific...? -vortex
vortexsupernova wrote:
Tue Mar 13, 2018 2:40 pm
LADSPA plugins list. It won't load into memory unless opened by the user in "Add effects".
It is not supposed to.
When you click the FX-tab, you will see what effects currently IS in that instrument.
If you want to see the list over available effects, you do have to press "Add effects"

If you opened it for the first time or while the song is playing, it will freeze for a while and produce a looping sound
:
Also the metronome Creates the looping sound and freezes a little also.
dragging samples
Same


Yes, thats normal. It has to do with hardware. It takes a few seconds, and then its gone.
When you experience these 'hickups' it is really your pc warning you, saying
"Hay i am next to out of resources, and if you put more strain on me, i may crash!"

My recommendations is also what i do:
Stop play when
* you add or delete items
* move blocks or tracks
* Open VST UI
* initiate the metronome

It is to do with our hw. Its not a big deal imo, but there are being worked on these 'studder-events'
My recommendations is also what i do:
Stop play when
* you add or delete items
* move blocks or tracks
* Open VST UI
* initiate the metronome
Ive been doing it, but sometimes im really losing my patience at all :lol:
Beacuse in the previous version of LMMS (or just the stable release 1.1.3 I was using for 2 years) It is possible to do them all without any of the bugs happening. But I would just use the beta because of more extensive support in VST
but there are being worked on these 'studder-events'
Do you mean being fixed? Im glad that the devs are working on it :)