High bandwidth usage

[Guidepost]

Hello,

Since changing to V8 in October, my bandwith usage has increased approximately four-fold, with about the same visitor numbers, page views etc as I had in V7. Is this purely down to the way V8 works? One thing I have noticed is that the usage for JavaScript files has jumped from about 12% to 60% when the usage is broken down by file type - does this make sense? I have checked with my hosting company, who put the increase down to the change in version, and if it is simply a matter of paying for more bandwith, so be it, but I thought I'd check whether there was some other cause.

URL for my site is www.guidepost.uk.com/shop

Thanks,

Rosalyn

[fergusw]

Your site is using the following code in the head area

<script type="text/javascript" src="Act_section_tree.js"></script>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
function YahooSections(ar)
{
var strIDs = '';
for (var i=1;i<=ar.length;i++)
  {
  if (ar[i].sURL != null)
    {
    strIDs += '<a href="' + ar[i].sURL + '"><span class="actxxsmall"><b>' + ar[i].sName + '</b></span></a><br />';
      {
      if (ar[i].pChild)
        {
        for (var j=1;j<=ar[i].pChild.length;j++)
          {
          if (ar[i].pChild[j].sURL != null)
            {
            strIDs += '<a href="' + ar[i].pChild[j].sURL + '"><span class="actxxsmall">' + ar[i].pChild[j].sName + '</span></a><br />';
            }
          }
        }
      }
    strIDs += '<br />'
    }
  }
return strIDs
}
//-->
</script>

which is causing Actinic to generate a file (Act_section_tree.js) which is 691900 Bytes in size (675Kb) which is large.
The main issue is that I cannot yet see why this is there as it is not being used anywhere on the page.
This code is normally used for dynamic or extensive navigation and this is not being employed on your site.

It is most likely the cause of the jump in bandwidth - every visitor having to download 3/4 of a Mb each visit!!

[Guidepost]

Hi,

Thank you very much - if this is the answer, you have just saved me the cost of upgrading my hosting package!

I don't know why the code is there - I definitely have not added it to V8 - it may have carried over from a previous version, but I have removed it, and will keep an eye on the usage, and report back.

Thanks again,

Rosalyn

[RuralWeb]

it may have carried over from a previous version

Almost certainly as its a common problem

[NormanRouxel]

That huge .js file should only be loaded once by each visitors browser. It will be in their cache for the rest of their visit.

So you need to look in your site stats at the number of visitors rather than the number of page views to see if this is the sole culprit.

[Darren B]

I maybe mistaken but i also thought the addition of the best sellers and new products also caused and increase. Every time the pages change they are uploaded, the pages change every time the list changes.

Also with browsing customers you now also have additional images in these lists also increasing it slightly. All these things add up

Remember bandwidth is not just people browsing your site

[RuralWeb]

maybe mistaken but i also thought the addition of the best sellers and new products also caused and increase. Every time the pages change they are uploaded, the pages change every time the list changes

Yes you are correct - if its set to update every upload then your bandwith will go up proportionate to the number of pages you have

[Guidepost]

Hi,

Thanks for all your replies.

Norman - visitor numbers and page views are both roughly the same as they were in V7.

I have removed the code, and will monitor the difference, but the thought has occurred to me that since it was there in V7, can this be what is making such a difference?

I am not using the new products list, and the best sellers is generated once every ten days - I don't know how much difference this makes, but I'd be surprised if this accounted for the huge increase in bandwidth used by Javascript files.

[fergusw]

Are you able to get a breakdown on the bandwidth increase?
Some hosts provide a breakdown of bandwidth across http, ftp and mail traffic inbound and outbound. With this info you can easily identify the peaks in your bandwidth.
Most stat packages also give you a further breakdown on the http traffic allowing you to see most frequently accessed files.

[Guidepost]

Hello,

I am able to get a breakdown of HTTP / mail / FTP, but only for the current billing month, and as that reset on Thursday, it doesn't tell me much at the moment.

HOWEVER - I removed the code described above on Thursday, and my bandwidth total for Friday was significantly less than half that of a comparable day earlier in the month (no. of visitors and pages). Obviously not conclusive after just one day, but it looks as though that could be the answer. I am intrigued to know why the Javascript code should have such an impact in V8, when it was present in the V7 version of the site?

[fergusw]

I am intrigued to know why the Javascript code should have such an impact in V8, when it was present in the V7 version of the site?

Have you moved to SPP (Single Product per Page)? If so then you will have greatly increased the volume of Actinic section pages and therefore greatly increased the volume of entries the javascript file.

Glad it seems to have sorted your issue though.

[Guidepost]

Hi,

The HTTP is consistently lower, so that definitely seems to be the culprit.

I have some SPP, and am planning to add more, so it would only have got worse!

Thanks very much to Fergus - I owe you a pint.

Rosalyn

[Guidepost]

Further question re high bandwidth

Hello,

My bandwidth usage has stayed at the lower level since removing the code as above.

However, I noticed as I was uploading my site that the Act_section_tree.js file was uploading, and wondered if I should have deleted it somewhere?

I have searched the layouts in the library, and the only reference to this file is the "all data from all sections" layout in the "JavaScript Section Lists" option.

Thanks,

Rosalyn

[NormanRouxel]

That Act_section_tree.js file doesn't seem to be referenced on any pages that I can see so Actinic shouldn't be uploading it.

However, there's a chance that you're still referring to it on something like the "Done" page so that's why it's still being uploaded.

You could use Windows search to see if it's within any of the pages in your SiteHTML folder.

[Guidepost]

Hello,

I have done a search, and it is in 68 files so far!!! - mostly old pages which no longer show up on the website, with a copy of each in V8, V9 and various back ups etc.

When you no longer want a page, is it best to delete if from the site html folder? I have only ever deleted from within Actinic, but it seems that this leaves all kinds of "rubbish" within the system.

Also, one of the files containing the text was the V8 release notes which says:
"Actinic now always generates a fresh copy of Act_section_tree.js (and the other array files) when it does an upload. This file contains the live site URLs. AC8-3924"
Does this mean the file will be uploaded whether or not you need it?

Thanks,

Rosalyn