[ python-Bugs-1610485 ] GUI for Python 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 is very sluggish

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Bugs item #1610485, was opened at 2006-12-06 18:44
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by g4rlik
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Category: IDLE
Group: Python 2.5
Status: Open
Resolution: Works For Me
Priority: 5
Private: No
Submitted By: g4rlik (g4rlik)
Assigned to: Kurt B. Kaiser (kbk)
Summary: GUI for Python 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 is very sluggish

Initial Comment:
The GUI for Python versions 2.3, 2.4, and 2.5 are very sluggish.  When I type in them, or simply move them around my desktop, they are very slow. 

Someone helping me from help at python.org was able to guess that the reason the GUI is slow for me is because of the subprocesses running, and he was right.

To cope with this problem, I created an idle.txt file, and added this to the first line of it:

c:\python25\python c:\python25\Lib\idlelib\idle.py -n

After that I saved the extension to .bat and now when I run that file, the Python GUI opens without any subprocesses running and I have no problem.  However, I'd still really like to know how I could fix this problem even more.  The GUIs for Python version 2.2 and below run fine for me.  

I am using Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2.




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>Comment By: g4rlik (g4rlik)
Date: 2006-12-08 16:51

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I'd just like to say thanks for looking into the problem.  As for now, I
can either deal with it or use Python 2.2, it's no problem.  

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Comment By: Kurt B. Kaiser (kbk)
Date: 2006-12-08 00:13

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Your system is powerful enough, by an order of magnitude :-)

My W2K system is about 400 Mhz.  It shows no slowdown with 2.3 - 2.5.

If your system is slow only with the subprocess, there must be something
about using the socket interface that is problematic.  I don't know much
about XP Home, but I vaguely recollect hearing about some difficulties
with it.  You might try upgrading to Win XP Pro, or install Linux.

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Comment By: g4rlik (g4rlik)
Date: 2006-12-07 19:14

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I ran some programs to get rid of adaware and spyware and then tried to
run the GUI for 2.5.  I still have the problem.  After that I unplugged my
router (which has the internal firewall) and attempted to test the GUI's
speed again.  It was still sluggish.

When running the GUI and looking in Task Manager, it uses <1% of my CPU's
power.  

By the way, the specs for my computer are:

AMD Athlon XP 2800+ (2.08ghz)
1 gig RAM

I don't have an amazing rig, but that should do more than fine for running
Python.  I don't believe my CPU and RAM are my problems.

Oh well, I don't think there is much more looking into this that I can do.
 I'll either have to live with the sluggishness or run Python 2.2.  

Thanks.

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Comment By: Kurt B. Kaiser (kbk)
Date: 2006-12-07 00:53

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I have not seen anything like this myself on W2K or WinXP, nor have I
heard of something like this before.  We switched to the subprocess
version of IDLE at 2.3.  When printing a mass of text to the Shell window,
IDLE is about 30% slower when using the subprocess, but that doesn't sound
like what you are reporting.

When I move IDLE's windows around there is no perceptible delay, nor can I
detect any slowness when typing. (The 30% isn't involved when doing that). 
I can run 

i = 1
while True: 
    i +=1 
    print i

and the GUI responds quickly even though the cpu is near 100%.

If the solution works for you, fine, but it seems likely to me that there
is something misconfigured with your Windows installation or that it is
compromised by spyware or otherwise overloaded or having a hardware
problem.

I'm setting this bug as pending, works for me unless you can come up with
something more definitive.  What does your Task Manager show for CPU
utilization when you are having this problem?  It seems that something is
hogging your cpu or you have a very slow computer. What's the clock rate
and memory size?

If you are running an internal firewall, try disconnecting from the net
and turn off the firewall temporarily to see if the problem is there.

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