ForumsQuestionsPlease make the "Quick Search" Quicker - I can tell you how.


Please make the "Quick Search" Quicker - I can tell you how.
Author Message
Glenn Huther

Posted: Jun 26, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Hi

Running the quick search has always felt very sluggish.

Well, I've just worked something out that could change that!

I've around 1000 tasks in toodledo and running a "Quick Search" using the box in the top right (while on Main / All tasks) takes around 20 seconds to apply.

Today I noticed that running a second search after the first one only took around 2-3 seconds. Whether it was a refinement of the first search or a completely different search it still only took a couple of seconds.

On a hunch, I then reloaded all 1000 tasks so they were again visible (by clicking "Main" again) and then I **CLOSED THE DIVIDERS**. The exact same search I ran in the beginning takes only 2-3 seconds with the dividers closed!

It's also easy to see the task filtering process speeds up as the list gets shorter whenever the "Quick Search" code is running - it's definitely effected by the amount of visible tasks (which I don't think needs to be the case)

** DEVELOPERS ** PLEASE use this insight to refine the code of the Quick Search function so it doesn't take so long? Even if you programatically closed the dividers and reopened them that'd do.

FYI I've got a pretty good machine (Intel Core i7, 8GB RAM) so that shouldn't be the cause.
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Jun 26, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Thanks. We have optimized it about as much as we can without doing some major changes, but we are working in that direction anyway, so we'll get there eventually.
Glenn Huther

Posted: Jun 26, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
I apologise if this is overly simplistic... but couldn't you simply fire the call to the action_toggleDividers function just before the search is initiated, thus replicating what I did manually?

In any case, thanks for acknowledging the post.

Resolving this will make a WORLD of difference to the usability of the app - the quick search is possibly my most frequently used feature, whilst also being the most frustrating :)

(At least I have a work around now :)


This message was edited Jun 26, 2012.
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Jun 27, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
It is only an illusion that the search is faster with dividers closed. We actually cheat by not searching inside closed dividers until you open them. So, closing all dividers, doing the search and then opening all the dividers would actually be slower because you would be doing the complete search on top of doing a full divider toggle in both directions.
Glenn Huther

Posted: Sep 13, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Hi Jake

Thanks for the response!

With due respect, it is not an illusion as you suggest.

But I have new info!

You said "We actually cheat by not searching inside closed dividers until you open them." Based on this comment I did some more tests and we may both be right.

It seems that the cause of the problem has less to do with the folders being open/closed and more with the tasks being hidden/visible (which are two different things)

To replicate this issue, in an account with lots of tasks (eg 1000) Select View by "Main" and "All Tasks" so all tasks are visible.

Now, run a search for a word of a reasonable length eg "apple" (so only a handful of results appear). It should be very slow (10-20 seconds) Due to the *LARGE* number of tasks currently visible.

Next, search for another word of similar length eg "carrot" and you'll notice it's pretty quick (1-2 seconds) Due to the *SMALL* number of that were visible before the search!

That's right - a large number of visible tasks will slow down the quick search a great deal.

(And closing the dividers DOES make all the difference - try the the same slow searches above with the dividers closed and you'll see).

I run a 2Ghz Quad Core Intel i7-2630QM with 8GB ram so this machine is no slouch. I can't imagine how bad this would be on a slower machine!

PLEASE run through these tests to experience it for yourself before discounting the issue - resolving this speed issue could make a MASSIVE improvement to usability.


This message was edited Sep 13, 2012.
Purveyor

Posted: Sep 13, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Posted by Glenn Huther:
I can't imagine how bad this would be on a slower machine!
Huh??

The search is not happening on your computer. It is on Toodledo's server. You are accessing a website, right? The tasks are not stored on your computer.


This message was edited Sep 13, 2012.
Jake

Toodledo Founder
Posted: Sep 13, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Actually, he is right. The "Quick search" feature runs on your computer, not on the server. It's speed will be dictated by the speed of your computer and then number of visible tasks that need to be searched.

The advanced search page runs on the server and so the speed of that is dependent on our servers.
Purveyor

Posted: Sep 13, 2012
Score: 0 Reference
Hmmm ... okay.

I don't use the Quick Search very often but I've never noticed a big delay, whether I'm using my "ancient" 6-year old computer, or my much newer, more powerful computer.
Also, right now (on my older computer) I tried a search with 500 tasks visible (about 4 seconds) and then with 50 tasks visible, 2 seconds.
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