Old 05-30-2010, 12:00 PM   #1
RobertAshley
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Default Laggy item dragging

I'm working on a project that consists of many tiny edited items, and today I'm experiencing an annoying amount of lag when I try to drag any of them around. It seems like it takes a while for the item to catch onto to the mouse.

The mouse pointer will actually move beyond the item before it starts to drag.

I also notice that the item will now have green lines appear on both sides when I click it, and I feel like that's new. But maybe not.

Maybe I accidentally changed a setting with a shortcut?

My comp's performance doesn't seem to be the issue. I'm using .4% of resources.
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Old 05-30-2010, 12:23 PM   #2
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Tried changing the preference for UI updates to "fast always." Didn't help.

Found the option for the green guidelines and turned them off. That's not doing it.

It's basically a delay between when I click and when the media item is selected. To do the kind of work I'm doing I need it to be really responsive.
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Old 05-30-2010, 01:04 PM   #3
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So the selection lag isn't a problem in files with fewer media items. I tried turning off all effects in the problem file (though the performance meter wasn't showing any issues with effects), and it made no difference.

Is it possible that this is a video card issue?
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Old 05-30-2010, 01:15 PM   #4
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Just tried slashing the resoltion on my monitors to see if it was the videocard. Still didn't fix it.

I can't be pushing the number of items thing too far. I used to do this stuff on a super old system with Nuendo, and while I'm definitely using more automation and effects now, the computer I'm doing this all on is like a billion times more powerfull than my old system.
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Old 05-30-2010, 01:32 PM   #5
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Could it be that the CPU is overloaded, and that causes the clicks to be registered slower? What happens if you increase your latency or use the MME drivers instead of ASIO, just as an experiment?
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Old 05-30-2010, 01:43 PM   #6
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If these items are over multiple tracks it could be the option to select track on selecting item or to change the fx chain on track selection that is causing this. The other thing is are any of the items grouped as i think that causes delays based on it having to check and select every item that is grouped. Maybe...
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Old 05-30-2010, 02:38 PM   #7
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Changing the latency has no noticeable effect. 128 buffers feels exactly the same as 2048.

I don't know how to try the MME driver. I don't have that option on my system.

As far as the options that make the mixer change the FX displayed when you click a track, I tried with the various options switched on and off, and it made no difference .

None of the items are grouped.

It seems to somehow be related mostly to the sheer number of items on screen.

This is a radio piece, and when I go back to a version with fewer edits, I experience no lag.

Of course, besides more edits, I've also got several track sof music and effects.

Is there a way to disable certain tracks entirely?

Thanks for the help.
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Old 05-30-2010, 02:40 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertAshley View Post
I'm working on a project that consists of many tiny edited items, and today I'm experiencing an annoying amount of lag when I try to drag any of them around. It seems like it takes a while for the item to catch onto to the mouse.

The mouse pointer will actually move beyond the item before it starts to drag.
A small amount of this is normal, to prevent clicking from accidentally moving the item. How many pixels would you say you have to move before the item starts to move?

Also, if you have snapping enabled, it may be that the item is snapping to the grid/other items/markers/etc.
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Old 05-30-2010, 02:48 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Justin View Post
A small amount of this is normal, to prevent clicking from accidentally moving the item. How many pixels would you say you have to move before the item starts to move?

Also, if you have snapping enabled, it may be that the item is snapping to the grid/other items/markers/etc.

If I'm grabbing an item to move it quickly to another position, I can get the mouse cursor three inches or so off to the side of the item before the item catches on and starts to move with it.

!!!

Edit: Actually, if I try to really zoom an item across the screen, I can get the mouse pointer to the other side of the screen before it picks up.

No snapping enabled.

Last edited by RobertAshley; 05-30-2010 at 02:57 PM.
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Old 05-30-2010, 02:52 PM   #10
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Another observation: Though it seemed to be related to the number of items in the file, zooming in to manipulate just a few doesn't help.

It's a really consistent delay. It seems not to be affected by any changes. Killing the effects, changing the latency, downgrading the resolution. Nothing.

I even rebooted.
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Old 05-30-2010, 03:04 PM   #11
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When I delete about half of the items in the file, the lag disappears.

Not sure what to do. I have to be able to work with these items.
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Old 05-30-2010, 03:24 PM   #12
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What Reaper version are you running?

How many items are there in your project? (R-click on the info box and tick "Track/item count")



What's your machine specs?
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Old 05-30-2010, 03:42 PM   #13
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26 tracks with 236 items and 46 effects.

My system is:

Intel 2.66GHz Quad
4 gigs ram
Nvidia 9500 GT 1GB

I'm running Windows XP.

Reaper ver. 3.52
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Old 05-30-2010, 03:52 PM   #14
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Go to Options and click on "Show REAPER resource path in explorer/finder". This will show a folder in App Data where Reaper stores its most important files. Look for a file named "REAPER.ini" and move it somewhere else. Close Reaper and open it again (it will load with factory default configurations). Set up your audio device and load your project. Is it the same?
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Old 05-30-2010, 03:54 PM   #15
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I might be really tweaking out here, but it seems like there is a section of items that are particularly problematic.

Yesterday, I copy pasted some items over from another file. Is it possible that they didn't copy over into this file's directory, and that is causing some kind of delay?

Edit: OK, trying to reset thing.
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Old 05-30-2010, 04:03 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mercado_Negro View Post
Go to Options and click on "Show REAPER resource path in explorer/finder". This will show a folder in App Data where Reaper stores its most important files. Look for a file named "REAPER.ini" and move it somewhere else. Close Reaper and open it again (it will load with factory default configurations). Set up your audio device and load your project. Is it the same?
OK, I reset to factory default. The file loaded (sans a few plug-ins that went missing), but the lag didn't go away.
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Old 05-30-2010, 04:14 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertAshley View Post
Yesterday, I copy pasted some items over from another file. Is it possible that they didn't copy over into this file's directory, and that is causing some kind of delay?
Ok, you mentioned something important here. Are you sure all your files are in your project directory? and if they are not, could your please check if that hard disk(s) drive(s) they're in are full or something? Also, your hard disk(s) drive(s) may be fragmented, did you try to defrag them? Basically, Reaper shouldn't behave that way if files are in different hard disks drives but maybe there is something going on in them. Could you please take a look at Reaper's Performance Meter while your dragging/moving files? (Specially Disk Read speed).
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Old 05-30-2010, 04:33 PM   #18
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I resaved the file with the move media into directory option to ensure that every file was in the project directory. No effect.

I checked to see if my drive (all audio is on one audio drive) needed de-fragging. It didn't.

My drive is a 500 gig drive with more than half of its space free.

I looked at the performance meter while dragging items around, but for some reason none of the disc parameters (read, write etc.) display anything. No speed. Just blank.

Really appreciate your help.
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Old 05-30-2010, 06:09 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertAshley View Post
I looked at the performance meter while dragging items around, but for some reason none of the disc parameters (read, write etc.) display anything. No speed. Just blank.
It is ok if it's blank while you're moving/dragging items and the project isn't playing back (sorry, I forgot to mention that).

I'm running out of ideas here. Are you using the latest drivers for your video card?

As you could see in my picture above, I'm running a project with 2000+ items and some effects: there's nothing wrong with it. I'm using Win 7 x64.
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Old 05-30-2010, 06:31 PM   #20
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Ah, I see. When I move clips around as it's playing, the speed fluxuates between around 500 kbs/s to 1.6 mb/s.

This makes me think of another weird issue, though: Ever since I started working with Reaper, I've been surprised and annoyed by a lag in the sound when moving clips around while playing.

Even in a file where I don't have this laggy mouse issue, if I move a clip while it's playing, it'll take a good long delay before it starts playing audio again. No matter what latency setting I have.

And sometimes, if I'm moving something really far, it'll create a really nasty loud distortion that will peak hard.


I updated my vid card driver. No dice.
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Old 05-31-2010, 11:30 AM   #21
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Could this be because I'm on XP?
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Old 05-31-2010, 11:36 AM   #22
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The kind of problem you describe is what happens on Ableton Live with a lot of clips, but I haven't seen this on Reaper, either in XP or Win7. If anything, XP would run better because it doesn't have Aero-related issues.

Do you have Aero turned off?
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Old 05-31-2010, 10:08 PM   #23
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I have XP stripped down to zero frills.

The weird thing is that this is the only issue. I'm working with a ton of material and plug-ins and midi items, and everything is very solid, no sound glitching or anything. This is definitely the nicest recording set up I've ever had. Just that annoying lag on item movement.

I'm getting used to it, so it's becoming less of a problem.

Greatly enjoying Reaper.
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