Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Having problems? Have a solution? Let us know what your dilemma is with ProShow Producer. Please limit the topics to software problems, not "How To's"
Active Member
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 12:20 pm

Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Postby flhsteve » Thu Aug 18, 2016 8:55 am

I have upgraded from Producer Ver 6.0.3410 to Ver 8.0.3648 and am using Windows 10.

I can successfully open .PSH shows created in the previous version and I then re-save them with a new name. However, when I open them again the .PXC cache is never used and the show takes forever to load all the images, video and audio files.

I can see from the File Explorer that the PXC file is being re-created every time from scratch. I have tried deleting proshow.phd and proshow.cfg. I also notice that thumbnails are also being created every time a show loads.

Any ideas?

Many thanks - Steve.

.
User avatar
Posts: 3745
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:21 am
Location: Parker, CO

Re: Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Postby im42n8 » Thu Aug 18, 2016 4:19 pm

The PXC file is ALWAYS used by ProShow. If the [myfile].pxc does NOT exist for the [myfile].psh, it is created. The PXC file is a kind of transcode file (such as nonlinear video editors, such as Premier Pro, use) used by ProShow to enable quick and easy preview and play of the show.

Likewise, ProShow looks for the proshow.phd and proshow.cfg files when it is initially opened. If ProShow is unable to find either of these files when it is executed, it recreates them immediately. If either of these files are deleted, ProShow may have to recreate the thumbnail files (because you may have reset the program to its default status ... some of the info in proshow.phd is duplicated in proshow.cfg and vice versa) upon opening. However, that should not be the norm if you have an existing proshow.phd and proshow.cfg in the installation folder.

So, let's get to what is going on. WHY do you think the PXC file for your PSH file is not being used? Are you saying that if you open [myOldShow].psh and save it as [myOldShow_renamed].psh that you do not have a pxc associated with [myOldShow_renamed].psh? That should not be happening. Not even if you open a file from a previous version and immediately save it to disk with a new name. The pxc file is automatically created too. When you initially open a PSH file, it has to be read. ProShow reads the PSH and the PXC files ... Normally you'll just see the green bar in the lower left as the show is being loaded. But, if the PXC file does NOT exist (and needs recreated), you'll then also see a little window appear ... it shows what slide of how many total is being loaded.

Dale
What's New: Tools for ProShow: v11.42a Access ProShow capabilities Photodex doesn't provide (For PSG & PSP).
FPVP Blog "Making the Difficult Easier," FPVP News

Active Member
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 12:20 pm

Re: Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Postby flhsteve » Fri Aug 19, 2016 8:41 am

Many thanks for your reply.

How do I know that the PXC cache is not being used?

Because a) after opening and saving a show it still takes the same long time to re-load (even though there is an existing PXC file) as it did when I had previously deleted the PXC file and b) every sound file and image and video file is shown opening one by one as though there was no PXC file and c) watching in File Explorer as a show loads, the PXC file is re-created each time and slowly builds from zero to full size.

Linking to my corrupt image problem in my other post, I can now see that the PXC is used normally (and the show loads quickly) if everything is NOT on the D drive ie on an external drive.

So - my current theory is that this is some sort of permissions problem with the D drive whereby it can write the file but not read it. I have tried Run as Administrator for PSP but no joy.

Steve.

.
User avatar
Posts: 7501
Joined: Wed Nov 29, 2006 6:35 pm
Location: Kirkland,Wash, USA, Earth

Re: Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Postby gpsmikey » Fri Aug 19, 2016 9:55 am

I think the key detail that just was mentioned was that you are using an external drive (thought I asked about that but apparently that was someone else I asked). External drives typically will really slow things down assuming you are using the normal USB interface.

mikey
You can't have too many gadgets or too much disk space !!
mikey (PSP6, Photoshop CS6, Vegas Pro 14, Acid 7, BluffTitler, Nikon D300s, D810)
Lots of PIC and Arduino microprocessor stuff too !!

Active Member
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 12:20 pm

Re: Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Postby flhsteve » Fri Aug 19, 2016 12:22 pm

Thanks for the thought but that's not the issue. Shows on external media (HDD or USB stick) open quickly. Shows on the internal fast D: open slowly and the PXC is re-created each time.

I have now looked at the permissions and the AV folder has full read and write permission for my Admin account. So far I have not found any PXC file on the D: that works. Collecting show files onto the D: has the same effect.

It's clearly D: drive-related.....

Steve.

.
Posts: 39
Joined: Tue Dec 04, 2012 5:42 pm
Location: LA

Re: Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Postby bobradarbob » Sat Aug 20, 2016 4:26 pm

I'm not sure if my questions will lead to a solution but perhaps something related could be the cause:

Is the D: drive SSD vs spinning HDD?
Was it formatted as NTFS or FAT32 ?
Do you have a 3rd party application installed for burning DVD/CD media (some do strange things to windows I/O areas)?
Do you have any real-time backup software running that would be doing intermittent backups while you work?

I hope you find out what is causing the problem and perhaps these questions inadvertently make a difference as you continue on your quest to find out what the is happening.......

Bob

Active Member
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2010 12:20 pm

Re: Slow Loading - PXC Cache Not Used

Postby flhsteve » Fri Oct 21, 2016 7:25 am

This problem seems to have resolved itself. It appears to have been a couple of things; In moving my show files from one computer to another, some image filenames have become corrupted which resulted in the preview pane continually refreshing. Re-naming the files with their original name fixed this problem. Also Permissions for the D: drive may have been an issue.

Since tackling these two issues I have been able to edit and re-save Producer shows with the PXC cache working normally. Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

Return to PSP - Troubleshooting

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests