Inkscape first start very slow

[mireiner]

Hi,

I'm a Inkscape newbee.

Software specs:
Inkscape 0.92.1 r15371 64bit
Windows 10 64bit Professional Version 1703

My machine specs:
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 @ 3.00GHz
RAM: 8GB
Drive: SSD

When I start Inkscape for the first time on a day then it needs about 1 minute to start. (After first install I even thought it will never start). After closing and restart Inkscape then needs only about 10 seconds for starting. Inkscape is the only application on my machine that starts so slow on its first start on a day. For example Adobe Illustrator doesn't have that problem.

I suspect that can't be explained with Windows Prefetech and Superfetch mechanism, because the difference between first and further starts is to big. Does Inkscape on first start searches for installed fonts (or something similar) and saves them in a list to fasten up any futher starts on the same day?

Why does Inkscapes start so slow on its first start on a day?
Is there anything that can be done to let Inkscape start faster?

[brynn]

Welcome to the forum!

This is the first time I've heard this complaint.  Yes, if you have a lot of fonts, on Windows, it takes longer to load.  I don't know for a fact that it doesn't hold onto the fonts for restarts, but I would rather doubt it.

You could somewhat improve performance during use, by setting the number of threads in Inkscape Preferences.  (You would set it to 2.)  But it really only helps if you're using a lot of filters.  And it certainly would not affect starting time.

I typically wait 15 to 20 seconds for Inkscape to start on Windows 7.  For a whole minute, you must have tons of fonts?

The only way I know to make it load faster, is to use a Linux system.  Inkscape is primarily developed on Linux and for Linux.  So that's where it runs the best.

If it's important, a developer could probably answer that for you.  But they tend not to participate on forums for some reason.  You could try either the mailing list https://inkscape.org/en/community/mailing-lists/ or IRC https://inkscape.org/en/community/discussion/

[mireiner]

Hi brynn,

I deactivated all fonts that are almost never get used (approx. 2/3 of them). And now Inkscape starts a lot faster.

I wasn't aware I got so much fonts installed, because I did not install them myself. Probably they were automatically included in the install process of some graphic and text applications I use.

Thanks for your help.

[brynn]

I'm glad to hear that was a good solution for you 

[paintkiller]

Is there a way to make it start up faster that doesn't involve drastically reducing the number of installed fonts? I have 158 fonts installed, which I don't think is a very unrealistic amount of fonts. I mean, imagine professional graphics artists... they might have even more.

PS: I have a 3.4 GHz i7 machine with an SSD drive. Most things start up really fast... except Inkscape.

[brynn]

The first time you start Inkscape after installing it, on Windows, it can take up to 5 minutes, even with a normal amount of fonts.  After that first start, it only takes about 30 seconds to start.

[Moini]

158 is really not much. How long does it take? Does it take that long every time?

[rogeriorenato]

On Windows, Inkscape scans Internet Explorer Temporary Files folder during first startup.

Please, clear your Internet Explorer cache:

1. Open Control Panel
2. Go to Internet Settings
3. Delete your temporary internet files (you don't need to delete cookies or browser history)

Best regards!

[Moini]

I think that's nonsense. How do you know?

[rogeriorenato]

I know it doesn't make any sense...

I used Sysinternals Process Monitor to evaluate Inkscape slow startup problem.

I noticed that Inkscape was reading everything at Internet Explorer's Temporary Internet Folder.

So I cleared Internet Explorer's cache and... Boom! Inkscape opened relatively fast...

[Moini]

That sounds like a bug or as if it was doing things it shouldn't be doing. Where did you download the Inkscape executable file from?

[brynn]

Several somewhat random thoughts.

After you cleared the cache, do you mean that you downloaded a fresh copy and installed it?  Because of course the 2nd opening is always much faster.

I know little to nothing about how Inkscape works or why.  But it doesn't make sense that it scans the temp files, or IE's temp files, much less.  I would have to agree with both of you, why would it do that?

Plus, I thought it had already been established that the slow start is because of caching fonts.  Or has that always been speculation?

Plus, not all Windows users use IE.  I probably don't have more than a handful of IE temp files.  Yeah, I have less than 100 IE temp files (Firefox over 20,000 -- probably should clear that one of these days!).

I'll probably be installing 0.92.4 pretty soon, so maybe I could test this.

Although....it's been a while since I used IE.  I either can't find (don't remember), or there isn't any way to choose which kind of files to delete.  It looks like you have to delete everything.  I mean, I could use a different tool, which I do use from time to time, which allows me to choose what gets deleted.  But just to follow the instructions you gave, I don't see any way to opt out of deleting cookies and browsing history.  Not with IE or Windows tools.

Well, I can only suggest contacting developers about this, to confirm or not confirm.

Hhmm....(sorry for all the random thoughts)....when you're watching in the process manager, can you be sure that it's Inkscape causing the activity in the IE temp files?  When I use either Task Manager or Process Explorer, I can't tell which program is causing various activity.  I can only see activity.  I don't know, maybe there's some way to know that, that I just haven't learned yet?   But for example, I think my security program scans my system whenever I make significant changes, such as installing a new program.  Maybe some other program was looking there, at that moment?  Maybe you were online, and IE was open at the moment?

[rogeriorenato]

That sounds like a bug or as if it was doing things it shouldn't be doing. Where did you download the Inkscape executable file from?

I downloaded from Official Inkscape Website...

[rogeriorenato]

Several somewhat random thoughts.

After you cleared the cache, do you mean that you downloaded a fresh copy and installed it?  Because of course the 2nd opening is always much faster.

I know little to nothing about how Inkscape works or why.  But it doesn't make sense that it scans the temp files, or IE's temp files, much less.  I would have to agree with both of you, why would it do that?

Plus, I thought it had already been established that the slow start is because of caching fonts.  Or has that always been speculation?

Plus, not all Windows users use IE.  I probably don't have more than a handful of IE temp files.  Yeah, I have less than 100 IE temp files (Firefox over 20,000 -- probably should clear that one of these days!).

I'll probably be installing 0.92.4 pretty soon, so maybe I could test this.

Although....it's been a while since I used IE.  I either can't find (don't remember), or there isn't any way to choose which kind of files to delete.  It looks like you have to delete everything.  I mean, I could use a different tool, which I do use from time to time, which allows me to choose what gets deleted.  But just to follow the instructions you gave, I don't see any way to opt out of deleting cookies and browsing history.  Not with IE or Windows tools.

Well, I can only suggest contacting developers about this, to confirm or not confirm.

Hhmm....(sorry for all the random thoughts)....when you're watching in the process manager, can you be sure that it's Inkscape causing the activity in the IE temp files?  When I use either Task Manager or Process Explorer, I can't tell which program is causing various activity.  I can only see activity.  I don't know, maybe there's some way to know that, that I just haven't learned yet?   But for example, I think my security program scans my system whenever I make significant changes, such as installing a new program.  Maybe some other program was looking there, at that moment?  Maybe you were online, and IE was open at the moment?

Hi Brynn! Hi folks!

I know it seems annoying... But take a look at the attached picture.

I do not use Process Manager to take a look at Inkscape activities. I use Sysinternals Process Monitor.

It seems Inkscape scans a series of icon cache folders placed at many file system locations (including its own). At some point in time it also looks at IE Temporary Internet Files Folder.

If you wish so, I can send you my Inkscape's PML (Process Monitor Log) file. It contains all Inkscape's activities.

It shouldn't be happening and is causing slow Inkscape startup.

Best regards to you all!!!

[rogeriorenato]

Dear pals, take a look at what I've found...

There are several folders defined at Inkscape's icon cache System Preferences. Inkscape cache is also defined as Internet Explorer folder.

How can I change these folders' paths?

Best regards!!!

[rogeriorenato]

Dear friends, I have bad news about it...

It is hard coded at Inkscape...

I changed my Internet Explorer's temporary folder and... Inkscape also changed itself!!!

So, I believe Inkscape's developers' did not realized that their option to put so many folders inside icon cache, as well as the option to use user's computer temporary folders hard coded, could bring such annoying behavior to Inkscape, causing slow startups...

We depend on them to change this behavior... Sorry for that!

Have a nice night and best regards!!!

[brynn]

I can hardly understand most of what you're saying.  Are you still talking about the first startup which is known to be quite slow (maybe as slow as 5 minutes).  But after that, it should open (on Windows) within say 15 to 30 seconds (I don't think there has been any kind of study about it, that's just my experience). 

Well, whatever it is, you should report this to Inkscape developers, if you want something changed, or just want to have a discussion with them.  Unforutnately, they rarely visit forums (don't ask me why  ).

This message can tell you how to contact them, in various ways:  https://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/index.php?topic=628.0

[rogeriorenato]

I can hardly understand most of what you're saying.  Are you still talking about the first startup which is known to be quite slow (maybe as slow as 5 minutes).  But after that, it should open (on Windows) within say 15 to 30 seconds (I don't think there has been any kind of study about it, that's just my experience). 

Well, whatever it is, you should report this to Inkscape developers, if you want something changed, or just want to have a discussion with them.  Unforutnately, they rarely visit forums (don't ask me why  ).

This message can tell you how to contact them, in various ways:  https://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/index.php?topic=628.0

Brynn, I was reading the following article:

https://forum.inkscapecommunity.com/index.php?topic=780.0

A user called Mioni described a tip that could try solving this issue: We can use XDG_CACHE_HOME environment variable (user or system).

I changed my computer's cache folder so that it will not conflict with IE's temporary folder.

I'm studying other solutions to try to speed up Inkscape's startup process.

Best regards!

[brynn]

Hah, yes, I had totally forgetten about that discussion!  Most of it is over my head.  But it looks like I did determine that it's hidden file, for most users.

[Moini]

I asked an Inkscape developer in the chat. I don't fully understand the reply, but here you go: https://chat.inkscape.org/channel/team_devel?msg=CpK8hGHZNK67xkuFE

[brynn]

Yeah, I don't understand it either.  But it's good news that it's not going to do that in future versions!