Successful Speed Improvement to CS (working in and opening)

CS
Posted By
chris_schmauch
Feb 26, 2004
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383
Replies
10
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Closed
So after reading the numerous threads about problems with CS being slow/memory hog (I’ve posted some pretty "angry" ones myself), I tried the most recent ‘tweak’ with great success.

By changing the memory cache levels to 1 (I never tried this before), photoshop allocated much less HD space/memory to work in the document. The thing I don’t get is I thought this would make the redraw/refresh slower, when in fact it becomes much MORE responsive! Maybe I’m misunderstanding the purpose of the cache setting in photoshop…?

On top of that, my filters *appear* to apply much faster (like gaussian blur). I haven’t used a stopwatch or anything but my instincts tell me everything runs quicker… Although P7 has always run very quickly with multi-layered hi-res psd docs, I changed the cache settings in that too, and I noticed a moderately significant speed increase in both redraw when zooming/panning as well as filters…

It looks like I actually might be able to use CS on my many-layered psd files, which is great because I love the new features (especially the Shadow / Highlight adjustment).

Chris Cox (or other Adobe peoples), can you explain why I see such a performance gain in everything from screen redraw to filter processing by changing the cache levels to 1? I’m curious…

chris

p.s. I’m running a dual athlon 2.6Ghz / 4GB RAM / WinXPsp2 / dual 120GB mirrored raid drives w/ 50GB free
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How to Improve Photoshop Performance

Learn how to optimize Photoshop for maximum speed, troubleshoot common issues, and keep your projects organized so that you can work faster than ever before!

W
wes
Feb 26, 2004
Chris, I just gave it a try and I think that there is improvement on my machine also. Again, like you, I haven’t used a timer or anything like that but the program just seems to be a little perkier. I can’t begin to understand why that would make that kind of difference either. After reading all of these threads, I still don’t understand just exactly what is going on. Probably never will, but if the program continue to function as it is now I will be happy.

wrote in message
So after reading the numerous threads about problems with CS being
slow/memory hog (I’ve posted some pretty "angry" ones myself), I tried the most recent ‘tweak’ with great success.
By changing the memory cache levels to 1 (I never tried this before),
photoshop allocated much less HD space/memory to work in the document. The thing I don’t get is I thought this would make the redraw/refresh slower, when in fact it becomes much MORE responsive! Maybe I’m misunderstanding the purpose of the cache setting in photoshop…?
On top of that, my filters *appear* to apply much faster (like gaussian
blur). I haven’t used a stopwatch or anything but my instincts tell me everything runs quicker… Although P7 has always run very quickly with multi-layered hi-res psd docs, I changed the cache settings in that too, and I noticed a moderately significant speed increase in both redraw when zooming/panning as well as filters…
It looks like I actually might be able to use CS on my many-layered psd
files, which is great because I love the new features (especially the Shadow / Highlight adjustment).
Chris Cox (or other Adobe peoples), can you explain why I see such a
performance gain in everything from screen redraw to filter processing by changing the cache levels to 1? I’m curious…
chris

p.s. I’m running a dual athlon 2.6Ghz / 4GB RAM / WinXPsp2 / dual 120GB
mirrored raid drives w/ 50GB free
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 27, 2004
very interesting. thanks for posting chris.
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 27, 2004
hmm… 44 meg file. the only kind of slowness i’ve ever seen on my system w/cs is a couple second delay when either opening the app.. menus are non-responsive for a couple secs, or switching tools. this seems to have cured both those. interesting indeed.
G
graffiti
Feb 27, 2004
Chris Cox (or other Adobe peoples), can you explain why I see such a performance gain in everything from screen redraw to filter processing by changing the cache levels to 1?

And, would it have the same effect of ver. 7.0.1?
ND
Nick_Decker
Feb 27, 2004
Thanks for posting, chris, but no help with my problems.

graffiti, we’ve been told to not compare PS 7 and PS 8. They’re different programs.
DM
dave_milbut
Feb 27, 2004
wisenheimer.
L
LenHewitt
Feb 27, 2004
Chris,

Maybe I’m misunderstanding the purpose of the cache setting in
photoshop…?<<

I’m not sure if this will help you or not……

If the Use Cache for Histograms option is selected in the Memory and Image Cache preferences, the histogram displays faster and is based on a representative sampling of pixels in the image (based on the magnification), rather than on all of the pixels. The original image is cache level 1. Each level above that averages four adjacent pixels below to get a single pixel, so each level is half the dimensions (1/4 the number of pixels) of the one below. When Photoshop needs to do a quick approximation, it can just use one of the upper levels. If you want to check for posterization in the image, choose Edit > Preferences > Memory & Image Cache, and then deselect the Use Cache for Histograms option.
PG
Phil_Gurr
Feb 27, 2004
My CS showed all the same symptoms, slow loading, VERY slow to open even a 2mb JPG (1min). I did a chkdsk on it and a disk defrag and all worked as fast as v7 after.
H
Ho
Feb 28, 2004
I tried reducing cache levels to 1 with bad results. I just began creating a banner, 36×96 inches, 150dpi. I entered one line of 750 point text and found that moving the text around with the move tool to be a very tedious task (much too jerky and slow). Restoring the cache levels to 4 resolved the problem.
W
wes
Feb 28, 2004
I put mine down to 2 and thought that things speeded up but I think it was just wishful thinking HO. It looks like people are trying everything they can think of to try to improve the Photoshop CS experience. There are probably many too many factors involved with each different computer to come up with a simple answer. Most of the time I am not having problems but there are times when my CPU usage goes up to 100% that PS will stop functioning and I can’t do anything but wait until the usage is down. I have no idea what is going on when that happens.

"Ho" <hpowen@*nospam*operamail.com> wrote in message
I tried reducing cache levels to 1 with bad results. I just began creating
a banner, 36×96 inches, 150dpi. I entered one line of 750 point text and found that moving the text around with the move tool to be a very tedious task (much too jerky and slow). Restoring the cache levels to 4 resolved the problem.

How to Improve Photoshop Performance

Learn how to optimize Photoshop for maximum speed, troubleshoot common issues, and keep your projects organized so that you can work faster than ever before!

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