Sluggish UI on Mac 10.4

[cbfiddle]

I am experiencing problems with FileMaker user interface performance on Mac OS 10.4.2. Things seem normal when FileMaker starts up, but soon the UI slows to a crawl, with FileMaker unable to keep up with even very slow typing and double clicks not recognized. Restarting FileMaker solves the problem temporarily. Other apps can be slow also, but FileMaker is much, much worse. Anyone else having this problem? Any suggestions?

[Lee Smith]

This sounds like it could be a couple of things.

What chip are you using? 10.4.x requires a lot of RAM, how much do you have.

Are the files being served?

Do you have other programs open.

How is your HD, is there enough space (FileMaker does a lot of swopping with the HD)

Do you have a lot of Graphics in the open windows.

HTH

Lee

[jrb12]

cb .... Unfortunately, I hope you are either still experiencing the problem (misery, company) or have a known resolution to the slowdown. I have the same symptoms with FMP7v3 on a G4 with the latest 10.4 updates. FM is hosting databases for network and iwp access. But with no one else online and little activity on the G4, FM occassionally slows to a crawl doing the simplest task. There is plenty of CPU and disk available and the task is one that screams by at other times.

When a request is made to FM for a next record on a simple layout, for instance, the cpu and disk activity bumps briefly then settles back near zero. Meanwhile the wheel keeps going round and round for another 20 seconds before the result is displayed. Interestingly, when a PC user connects remotely and does the same request, it is returned immediately and the effect on cpu and disk on the G4 is the same. So something seems to be occurring at the presentation end on Mac. Other Mac apps run as quick as ever at this time. Very puzzling.

Also, when this situation does occur, the only resolution is to restart FMP7. Else it eventually just stops responding altogether.

Any assistance or commisseration would be greatly appreciated.

[CyborgSam]

Check your system log files using the Console app. Look for repeating errors. USB & FireWire devices can cause issues, especially if FileMaker or the data located on a USB/FireWire drive.

It may help to open the Terminal and use the command "top -S -o cpu" to see what's eating all the CPU time when you see the slowdown. See if it's actually FileMaker eating the CPU time or some other process FileMaker might rely on.

[Steve T.]

top -us4 20

For top, that's what I tend to use... orders by CPU, updates every 4 seconds, and only shows the top 20 processes. I think the Console utility has a similar feature if you don't want to go the Unix command line.

--ST

[Steviestar]

I, too am having this issue. I've experienced it with 7 and 8. Fortunately, it's only happening on one of my Macs, so it's not universally an issue.

I recently had to do a clean install of my OS and the problem (temporarily) went away. Over time, I added back my third party apps that had gone missing following the clean install and the FileMaker issue eventually came back. I suspect that one of those third party apps is causing the conflict, but I don't know which one.

Anyone have any thoughts?

Cheers,

Stephen