query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

[MikeData]

The form in question is not based on a set, just a table
I am able to get a fair response at the start of the morning.
As the day goes on, the response of the return increases. A not found record is common, even when the record is there.
Exiting and re-entry to the program shows the record not previously founded.

Is there buffers, cashe or flush methods in a runtime operation?
Any way to clear the system, other than stopping, compating or rebooting the server?
Something gets overloaded and slows down
Please advise

[martinwcole]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

as I recall, your files have 100,000 records, or more
personally, I would not use find by form

I would give them a search on maybe a single field, and then give them a browse, and teach users how to use the tools in the browse to further filter

[MikeData]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Righ now 95% of searches are done on a double character field with numbers in them or last name or first name.

Even if I combine the 2 character fields into one and give them a form based on the same table, What do you use for search?
find by text, find by record #?
That is what I use now.
I have trim the systems that I can get the records fast, the problem develops as the day progress.
I start getting longer time in finding, record not found and record in use by another.
After 4 hours is problematic and frustrating.
I can not blame the system/network as the same amount of data same amount of users, same circumstances and all the same in another program, it did work fast with no delays all day.
Why the usage time makes Alpha slowdown?
Buffers, corrupt indexes, cashe, stacks? What is behind the front, I do not see?
I need help, is a desperate situation.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Mike,

I guess I've been lucky. Indexed find by key searches have met my customers' needs.

Are your customers trying to find and work with a range of records, or are they looking for a single record within a range of records? There's a big difference. An example of the former would be a query to find a range of records to be included in a report. An example of the latter would be a search to permit a single record to be edited. Which is most common in your app?

I would think that closing Alpha Five on a workstation would clear any buffers. Have you tried telling your customer to shut down Alpha Five, and then re-start it?

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Mike, one more question.

What's a "double character field" ?

[MikeData]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Primarily they are looking for a single record to view it or to change a date or add text to a field.
The entry process is in a different process.

shut down Alpha Five, and then re-start it

Yes, that helps, but the complaints are wrecking my ears. as they do not know when it is going to fail.
If the have a customer on the line and have to restart, is not acceptable.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

I would investigate offloading the search list. Take a few seconds to store the entire list in a global variable, and then display it using a listview. Include the search terms and the record number for each item in the list. When they need to search popup the list, let them scroll or fetch to the desired record, grab the record number, then navigate to the desired record in your form. i.e. don't force alpha to scan the entire table to create a search list for them every time they look for a record. Build the list once and use it over and over. If necessary, rebuild the list several times a day to catch new records.

[Finian Lennon]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Like Tom, I have no idea what a "double character" field is but .... I think you need to build an interface (xdialog is perfect for this) to pre-process the query input so that you can distinguish between the three types of query you mention. You also need an index for each of the three values you are going to allow searches on. Here's an example of what I am talking about:

smartfind.png

In this dialog the user can type a plain number string (for an ID), a formatted SSN (numbers with dashes) or characters (for a last/first name). The input is processed and the query is then run using the appropriate index, As a result, regardless of table size, the query result is just about instantaneous. In this case the limitation is that the user must input at least two characters before the query is performed.

In your case, the presence of a number would indicate the "double character" query. If all characters are entered, you could use a pop up to distinguish between a first and last name search.

[MikeData]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Thanks for the responses.
Sorry I misguided everyone with the double number character. I meant 2 character fields containing numbers only.
My head is spinning tri-dimensionally.
Very, very intriguing idea of a dialog, browse and search all together .
I will try to see if I can develop and implement it.
This Idea of combining the number and the last/first name is very appealing
Maybe I should ask, is the code behind this dialog too complex?

[jacobe]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

If you re-start Alpha are you saying the speed returns to normal? That it is only after some time that the speed drops?

Have you checked the resource usage on the affected systems? Maybe you have a memory leak.

[MikeData]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Restarting Alpha improves for a short time. In order to return to the early part of the day, I had to reboot stations and server.
I have checked the servers for memory & transmission and they are fine. Let me recall, the same setup in another DB, had no problem as the time went on.

memory leak

As I recall from early days w95 and w98, if you use function keys in windows, hundre of times gave the result of "memory leak". (corrupted memory for short)

That was becase the code was based on C+ and it had to be controlled.

Could we be having the same problem here?
Is alpha based on C+ or C++?

I am hoping to hear from Finian about the sample he posted.

[jacobe]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

I mean, can you check with the Windows resource monitor? (perfmon.exe on Vista, resmon.exe on Windows 7)

The slowing down you describe sounds a lot like you are running out of memory and filling up your page file. The system would continue to get slower and slower, but restarting Alpha would alleviate the issue.

[Finian Lennon]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

<<I am hoping to hear from Finian about the sample he posted.>>

You'd need to have done a few xdialogs before you could emulate this dialog box.

After I posted that message it occurred to me that, if not xdialog-conversant, you could do a form to accomplish the same thing.

Decide on your search criteria, come up with 2 or three search fields based on variables and place those on the form, make sure you have defined indexes that will allow LQO on the queries, even if only partially, and then put a button on the form to process the query on the variable field that is not blank.

[MikeData]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Will do to both request above.
Thanks

[Ted Giles]

Re: query by form slowsdown badly after a few hours plus other problems

Mike, can you flush the old query?
Sounds like the buffers are filling up if it all goes well at start up and degrades.