Slow when setting timer from epg

[2stein]

i've had this problem already for a long time but thought i report it here now:
when i set a timer from multi-epg it takes quite a while (3 seconds or so) and the spinner spins before the timer panel shows up.
in the meantime i found out that the wait is due to the disk spinning up. subsequent timer settings work immediately.
now, so far i haven't found a reason why a disk access is required for a timer. epg.dat is in flash.
could it be that the search order for epg.dat is to search first on disk??? also, so far i thought that epg.dat is only loaded into memory on startup.
thanks for any help.

[2stein]

well... :confused:

[ccs]

Logs/debug logs enabled and on hd?

[2stein]

no, crash logs show up in /home/root... but haven't had any in a long time...

[ccs]

Have you had a look at files on the disc via telnet. It may show what is being accessed.

[2stein]

thanks.
i think my conclusion that the disk needs to spin up was wrong.
i made another experiment: i played back a movie to make sure the disk is spinning and then created a timer from multi-epg... it still took a while the first time. 2nd time was quick.
so, it's not the disk.
but why does it take much longer the first time? even if it loaded the timer.xml from flash that should be fast, no?

[ccs]

.... if you wait a (longish) while, is the 3rd time quick?

Or in other words, is it only the 1st time that is slow?

[2stein]

here's a log from a long timer add:


< 1399.068> [ActionMap] InfobarEPGActions InfoPressed
< 1399.174> [Skin] processing screen GraphicalEPGPIG:
< 1399.233> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element number in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.234> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element jump in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.240> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element primetime in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.241> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element timeline2 in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.241> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element timeline3 in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.242> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element timeline0 in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.243> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element timeline1 in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.244> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element timeline4 in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.245> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element timeline5 in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.249> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element change_bouquet in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.266> [GUISkin] warning, skin is missing element page in <class 'Screens.EpgSelection.EPGSelection'>
< 1399.386> [Skin] processing screen GraphicalEPGPIG_summary:
< 1400.111> [eEPGCache] nownext finished(1459438569)
< 1415.954> [eInputDeviceInit] 1 18f 1
< 1415.955> [InfoBarGenerics] KEY: 399 GREEN
< 1416.079> [eInputDeviceInit] 0 18f 1
< 1416.080> [InfoBarGenerics] KEY: 399 GREEN
< 1416.081> [ActionMap] EPGSelectActions timerAdd
< 1416.082> [ActionMap] unknown action EPGSelectActions/timerAdd! typo in keymap?
< 1416.082> [ActionMap] ColorActions green
< 1419.769> [gRC] main thread is non-idle! display spinner!
< 1421.116> [Skin] processing screen TimerEntry:
< 1421.149> [Skin] processing screen NumericalTextInputHelpDialog:
< 1421.176> [Skin] processing screen SetupSummary:
< 1421.406> [eDVBPESReader] ERROR reading PES (fd=57): Value too large for defined data type
< 1421.406> [eMainloop::processOneEvent] unhandled POLLERR/HUP/NVAL for fd 57(8)

[Rob van der Does]

Log shows nothing wrong.

For the record; you say you have EPG in flash. Although that has nothing to do with this issue, that is highly discouraged.
First of all that file is only accessed on E2-start up and stop; and secondly the file can grow very big (get corrupt) and make the box unusable (the box can't run when flash is full). Any other device (USB or HDD) is fine.

On second thought: when flash is almost full, it can also be the cause of spinners.

[2stein]

actually i have tested both: epg.dat in flash and on hdd... doesn't make a difference.

[Rob van der Does]

And you actually deleted the file from flash after the relocation?

[2stein]

yes, lots of space available:

root@vuduo2:/etc/enigma2# df
Filesystem 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
ubi0:rootfs 882968 111568 771400 13% /

[2stein]

< 1416.082> [ActionMap] ColorActions green
< 1419.769> [gRC] main thread is non-idle! display spinner!
< 1421.116> [Skin] processing screen TimerEntry:
well, this shows the delay... and the spinner... right?

[Rob van der Does]

It shows the spinners, but not the (cause of) the thread not being idle. When you look at debuglogs, you'll see many of these, but no indication why and how long.

[2stein]

isn't the number in front of the log time in seconds?
yes, i know that it doesn't show the cause. hard to find it out.

[Rob van der Does]

Time, yes, but how long do they display? Even the shortest spinners show up in the same way in the log.

About the cause: so far nobody could reproduce this AFAIK, so that makes it hard to find.

[judge]

Mabe upload your timer & autotimer xmls.

[birdman]

< 1416.082> [ActionMap] ColorActions green
< 1419.769> [gRC] main thread is non-idle! display spinner!
< 1421.116> [Skin] processing screen TimerEntry:
well, this shows the delay... and the spinner... right?Yes - although there should be a "[RecordTimer] Record RecordTimerEntry(name=" showing when the timer is actually set.
One thing I can think of is that the Skin you are using may have to do something the first time that the timer-setting screens come into use.

[2stein]

Mabe upload your timer & autotimer xmls.
good point. autotimer.xml is empty. and i emptied timer.xml... same behavior.
not sure anymore that it has nothing to do with disk spinning up... when i display the movie list it behaves exactly the same.

[2stein]

Yes - although there should be a "[RecordTimer] Record RecordTimerEntry(name=" showing when the timer is actually set.
One thing I can think of is that the Skin you are using may have to do something the first time that the timer-setting screens come into use.
the recordtimer entry is missing because i only bring up the screen and don't actually set the timer.
skin: i'm using the standard vix night hd skin.

[Rob van der Does]

.....when i display the movie list it behaves exactly the same.
That's because a (possibly long) list has to be read from the HDD. Even when the HDD is already running the first time takes quite some time.

[2stein]

now, this is not a late april 1st joke: the problem is gone.
both timer window and movie list appear nearly immediately without spinner.
however, i don't know why.
the only change (that i'm aware of) was that i removed the inadyn plugin.

[judge]

the only change (that i'm aware of) was that i removed the inadyn plugin.
Doubt very much it's that. I use that plugin all the time.

[2stein]

yes, i doubt it as well. anyway, even if it returns i give up. have already wasted too much time on this problem.
thanks to all trying to help.