Reviewing Files takes AGES!

[bizweb]

We're part way through putting a site together and uploading to test regularly. Only trouble is that the 'Reviewing Files' part of the upload process has really started to take some time.

Strange thing is that I've tried it on one machine and it takes 1.2 to 2 minutes ( previously it was less than a second )

I have tried it on a second PC and there it takes over 8 minutes... This is with the same version 8.04 and the same snapshot. Compacted database etc.

What is 'Reviewing Files'? and why would it take this long? - When this store is complete, there will be at least 50 times the number of files we have just now - 50 times 8 minutes every upload... I hope not

Can anyone shed any light on this issue?

Alec

[RuralWeb]

I have tried it on a second PC and there it takes over 8 minutes... This is with the same version 8.04 and the same snapshot

Whenever you transfer a snapshot to a new PC the review files always takes longer as will the first upload as Actinic will always upload the full site rather than just the changed pages.

[bizweb]

Still takes over 8 minutes EVERY TIME

Thanks, but I have tried this several times before coming here for help.

It consistantly takes over 8 minutes on Reviewing files - even after one small change.

Alec

[BrianHill]

It will only get worse

You really won't want to hear this but it won't get any quicker. We have 6,500 products and an upload currently takes at least 45 mins even for 2-3 small changes. It can take up to 2 hours when we add a load of new products. In my view V8 has been rushed out and we are testing it on Actinic's behalf. The 5th upgrade in almost as many months is about to be published, seems it wasn't right to start with. You only have to read the threads on this forum to realise even the die hard Actinic supporters have concerns over V8.

We also spent 9k on the Actinic Epos system, OK alot of the spend was on the hardware, however the Epos software also has some fundamental problems.

If its not too late have alook at the software, we are currently having a site built using it and the difference is staggering - namely it works.

[Mike Hughes]

Brian,

If you're only making 2-3 changes then an 'update' will only upload the changed stuff, whereas a 'refresh' will upload everything.

I also assume you've mentioned a competing software solution as the forum appears to have removed part of your post.

Mike

[cdicken]

Just going back to the original question - the 'Reviewing Files' stage is when Actinic checks through every page in the store to see which pages have changed and whether there are any additional files that need to be added into the upload list.

What I'm confused about is why it takes 1-2 mins on one PC and 8 mins on the other. You say you are using the same snapshot - are there any hardware differences between thw two PCs? ALos - how many products do you have in your store?

As Brian says, there were perfomance issues in the early releases of v8, that we've been addressing with each subsequent maintenance release - and 8.5 includes further changes to help with this.

[BrianHill]

Mike

Don't get me started on a refresh!!! The last one we did that worked took 3.5hours, (upload speed was at 200kbs). The one previous was aborted due to all the time outs etc, as reported on the forums.

I did mention a competing software which is open source and well known, but Big Brotehr is watching!!

[Mr Bump]

You really won't want to hear this but it won't get any quicker. We have 6,500 products and an upload currently takes at least 45 mins even for 2-3 small changes.

I was just going to post about this, I've just upgraded to V8 and can't believe what has happened to the upload I just made 5-6 price changes and it decides that it wants to upload all the pages like a refresh without the images - why is this? - this would have taken a couple of seconds in V7.
Not too pleased

[bizweb]

Thanks Chris

Hi Chris,

The two laptops are different but only in the processor really, and the system monitor only shows around 5 - 10% usage during the reviewing files process is running.

One has a 2GHz processor ( 8 minutes ) and the other is a newer one with a Duo Core 2 x 1GHz processor ( 1 - 2 minutes )

Both have 2Gb RAM, running McAfee anti-virus

The store currently has
9 top level sections
37 sub sections
and only 150 products so far ( we expect to have around 4 - 5K products when complete )

How soon is 8.0.5?

Alec

[los_design]

You really won't want to hear this but it won't get any quicker. We have 6,500 products and an upload currently takes at least 45 mins even for 2-3 small changes. It can take up to 2 hours when we add a load of new products. In my view V8 has been rushed out and we are testing it on Actinic's behalf.

Irrespective of your pc set up, bulkier stores will take to to 'review' as stated, the file review will look at every page to check for changes as it suggests.

Regarding the pc differences, your hardware will make a slight difference to the checking process, namely more faster process & RAM = more speed.

45 minutes....luck you. We currently manage a store with over 40k products and we restrict updates to monthly as when we upload...walk away from the machine and do something else.

With a good following wind and no FTP timeouts the whole process can take a whole working day!

Our experience shows a significant slow down on process running once you go over 4-5k items.

Ahhhhhhhhhh, actinic treacle syndrome as we call it. But once it is up, it out performs any other cart we have used by a mile.....

[jiri.hofman]

I am having the same problem now. Reviewing files (just that part of the whole upload process) used to take 30 seconds. I have done some small changes and since then it takes 2-3 minutes. I tried to import backup snapshot without the last changes, but the time for reviewing files is still 2-3 minutes. Along with that exporting snapshot started to take incredibly long too.

Did anyone manage to sort this issue out? Maybe Actinic reinstall...?

[Tama^chan]

Unfortunately there's nothing that can be done about it from the sounds of it, apart from upgrading your computer.

At 2-3 minutes consider yourself lucky! Taking a snapshot of my website (about 8000-9000 products) takes my chuggy laptop nearly an hour now, and the upload process including checks on the desktop takes about two hours all up. My decision to upgrade my laptop has pretty much been driven by the need to speed up the process a bit.

A useful suggestion form another thread was if you are bit impatient like me, just copy the Site1 folder rather than taking a snapshot.

[rmorrow]

Have there been any further comments on this problem with the length of time for "Reviewing files...." when updating a site? This is likely to mean we can't upgrade to V8 (currently evaluating 8.5.2.0.0.0.HMVA) as we use Mole-end's One Stop Automation to download orders every 10 minutes and then set the stock quantities and perform an upload if orders have been received. But with Update Website times of 8 minutes (5 minutes for Reviewing Files) this just won't make any sense as there would be no time for order processing between uploads!!. There have been discussions about hardware performance, etc. but there is obviously something fundamentally different about how V8 does this verus V7 (2-3 minutes to update the same site). Or is it only upgraded sites - do new sites created in V8 have this problem?
I'd really like to hear anyone's experiences with this, particularly if using One Stop, before we spend any money on V8 (we'll just have to wait for V9, whenever that is, and hope it's fixed.......!)

Richard.

[TraceyHand]

well, I have the same problem, tbh.
I haven't upgraded to 8.5.2 yet, which is supposed to tackle some of the speed issues (although no one has really confirmed this "in the field" yet), but using 8.5.1 I'm finding my own uploads taking around 6-7 mins (with Mole End set to check every 10 mins too...however this is 10 mins from the time the upload finishes)
The problem is the length of time it puts the catalog "out of action" for maintenance purposes really.

The majority of my upload time goes on "checking html" files to start with...usually around 4-5 mins... then another delay at the "reviewing files" stage..the actual uploading of files (when it eventually starts!) doesn't take so long (obviously dependant more on upload/connection speed rather than software/hardware performance)

when I eventually get round to upgrading to 8.5.2, I will report back!
Maybe this week (I keep saying that...then someone reports a problem with it and I keep changing my mind!)

[george]

The newest version has not speeded anything up for us.

Gives us a (so far undetected) fatal error now and again though, which is nice.