Beach ball when doing data entry

[divinenanny]

Hi there,

I have a TapForms install with many databases, of which two have many (5500 and 3500 entries) (the others between 100-500). When editing my main DB, I constantly get the beachball. (No idea right now if it happens in other DB’s as I am working on this one exclusively at the moment).

This is a database with 3500 records, with one image and many (I’d say about 30) fields. Some fields have lists attached, there are no links with other forms. When I start to use TF (it has been open for a long while as I nearly never close the program) it seems to start all kinds of processes. I hear my Mac rattling along and nearly every action (when I actually get to use TF) causes another beach ball. After one or two hours of this, TF seems to get into ‘normal’ mode, and I can edit/add records just fine without delay. This happens every time I start data entry after an idle period (including restart of the app). Beachball periods last a good 5 minutes after which I get to edit a couple more fields before getting the beachball again.

Fields that seem particularly bad (beachball happens when moving away from the field, I use tab for this): Date (I enter date manually), currency, link, specific number. It also happens when switching between DB’s or saved searches.

I’d like most of all for this not to happen, and just to be able to edit and add records without a beachball. I’d also like to know what TF is doing in this time, and if there is anyway for me to stop or defer this process (for example if it is an iCloud sync process or something similar).

Sara

[Brendan]

Hi Sara,

Do you have any calculation fields in your form? It could be that when you make a change, Tap Forms is recalculating stuff.

Also, which OS X version are you using, which view are you using (single or multi-column list view) and how much memory do you have? Do you have an SSD drive? I find they make a world of difference for the speed of my MacBook Pro.

I get a beach ball when I switch to a form I have with just over 9000 records in it, but it lasts for about 5 or 6 seconds, then it’s fine after that. Are you using version 2.1.1 of Tap Forms Mac?

Thanks,

Brendan

[divinenanny]

I had one calculation field in the form (“give me the total of one field over all records”). I have removed that now and it seems snappier (adding a record and editing fields gives no beach ball), although I find it strange that even though there hasn’t been a change in that field, it still beach balls.

I am using OS X 10.9.2 with 8gb of memory. No SSD, just a normal HDD (iMac 27″ late 2009 i7 2,8GHz). I am using Tap Forms 2.1.1. but also had it in old versions.

Switching between forms or saved searches still gives me a beach ball.

ETA: I was editing in single column list view.

[Brendan]

Hi Sara,

Here’s something to try… Make a custom layout and try editing your data there. Let me know if that causes any beach balling. It could be the default layout which is having troubles with that many fields.

Thanks,

Brendan

[Brendan]

Hi Sara,

Also, can you please try running the Analyze Database function and possibly the Vacuum Database command? This can sometimes speed up the database after.

These commands are available on the Database Maintenance screen in the Preferences window.

Thanks,

Brendan

[divinenanny]

Hi Brendan,

Analyze and vacuum were run (vacuum cleaned up from 1.3Gb to 750mb, nice!). I made some new layout for my specific types of data entry (sometimes I need nearly all fields, sometimes I need only a few). I still need to tweak them (to get a nice tab-flow going). But I really think removing the calculation did it, data entry in the default layout seems really snappy now. I will use it for more than a few minutes in the weekend, and will keep you updated. Too bad about the calculation, but it is easy to add in if needed and the calculation is not worth the grief it causes over data entry.

Thanks!
Sara

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