Firestorm Experience 8/21 – Update:

I’m playing a lot with Firestorm Viewer these last couple of days. After a bit more use I am finding a few more things.

~ Quite Happily Stranded ~

~ Quite Happily Stranded ~

Yesterday I wrote:

After 30 minutes or so I start to get mini freezes and black screens. I get that with the Linden viewer too… this may be me and not the viewers.

I am seeing a few more people experiencing the same problem in FS Support. One was Windows 10 user who’s anti-virus was apparently the problem causing 100% disk use while the viewer ran. In Windows 10 the Task Manager has a resource monitor built in. You can see how busy the CPU, disks, network, and etc are. So, it is easy to check to see if you have resource over-use as a problem or performance issue. 

I use System Explorer (a free third party program) as it shows more detail without having to drill down. I found it’s System Utilities->Process Memory Usage Cleanup handles the Firestorm memory leak. It is a bit tedious as I have to run the process every 20 minutes or so. I catch FS when memory use is at 1.5 to 1.8gb and run the process, which takes usage down to 100mb to 200mb. But, at least I avoid the unpredictable mini freeze that can last far longer than it takes me to make 3 or 4 clicks to run clean up.

This work-around also works for the Linden Viewer (3.8.3 (304115)).

When I teleport I also get a memory use drop. Typically a TP will drop the viewer’s memory use to about 800mb. This is true in both FS and L-SL.

I found that Firestorm forgets where I put the settings save file. That is to be expected when one uninstalls. Saving information after an uninstall is possible. But, deciding to do so is complex decision with lots of trade-offs, which  I suspect would have no majority approving any set of decisions.

I tend to put all my backups on a drive other than ‘C’. So, I had to chase down where I had been saving them. Then when I tried to change the save location in FS, it crashed, poof. If you crash changes to settings usually don’t get saved. In FS if you click APPLY while changing settings, they do get saved.

~ Sunburned Bridges ~

~ Sunburned Bridges ~

If you put your chat logs in a unique location, they don’t get deleted in an uninstall. The saved settings remember where that location is. So, once you reload your settings, you have your chat logs back for the viewer to use. Nice.

In a search for stockings I found *PerveTTe*’s Main Store has the cutest little animals scattered around…

Did you know there are 546 marketplace pages worth of stockings when you search on Slink stockings? OMG! I had no idea how much I would be spending when I bought those Slink feet…

Back on topic… I am going through updating outfits. One reason is Render Weight. I took one outfit I like from 330k down to 49k. Yay, me! Basically changing hair and shoes. In doing the outfit updates I need change outfit names. Changing the name on outfits is a pain. The name change seldom updates in the Outfits panel in either FS or L-SL viewers. It changes the next time I log on. And if I try to change it again, the rename dialog shows the new name I gave it. It just doesn’t show up in the inventory list until the next session. :/ But, minor problem…

I do like the Snapshot Panel. The collection of filters in the FS panel… well… I have Photoshop. I have way better filters in PS with the ability to adjust all sorts of variables that affect the filters. So, I think the FS filters are kinda gimmicky. But, they are a fun toy.

Also, when DETACHING things the location of the DETACH selection changes. In one case it is near the bottom of list. In another the DROP command is at the bottom of the list. That can get one in trouble, if they aren’t paying attention. I consider such things minor annoyances and User Interface design oversights.

 

2 thoughts on “Firestorm Experience 8/21 – Update:

  1. I have problems with memory usage too with Kokua and Firestorm. But only in areas with a lot of complex mesh. RAM then goes up to 95% (4 GB) and that is when the complete system freezes and I have to make a reset. Also I notice very heavy HDD activity at that point.

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