slow helpfiles

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I am currently using version 9.0.720 and am having troubles with the help files.
When I call up the mozila viewer the viewer opens, I get connecting to localhost in the status bar, then I wait and wait for the page to display.
If I click a link it starts all over again.
Is there something I can do to correct this problem?
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Hmm … it doesn't seem too bad to me although I just tried it with 9.0.717. If you close it and then re-open it's fast again right? I imagine it would only be slow on the first open.
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I can confirm the problem which draws the help system unusable.

Houdini 64 9.1.124
Vista 64 Ultimate
“No Proxy for”: “localhost, 127.0.0.1, localhost:48626”
Antivirus and Firewall ON/OFF no difference

It takes some time to display a page form a help file. When it finally arrives, then some more time passes for loading all the small icons and pictures in the page.

Interestingly, web browsers can't load http://localhost:48626/basics/ [localhost] at all.

Another annoying think, some pages cause the MessageBox:

A script from "http://localhost:48626 [localhost]" is requesting enhanced abilities that are UNSAFE

I tick and click Remember this decision: Allow. But it's not remembered

I also noticed that when I leave Houdini overnight and in the morning try to click a help link it reads:
Could not load http://localhost:48626/basics/, [localhost] status: 2152398850

I restart Houdini then, and back to watching the statusbar messages “Connecting to localhost…”, “waiting for localhost…”, “transferring from localhost…” loop.
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I've been whining about this for quite some time. In fact, it's far faster for me to get the online docs at sidex then to access my own internal docs. I've given up on the internal ones entirely.

I typically sit at somewhere between 10-15 seconds for EACH transaction from the localhost server.

I seem to recall someone mentioning (JC?) that it might be related to Gecko.

G

ps: i'm on Vista64.
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Great idea, and it works so much faster indeed. I guess I'll be using the help in Firefox, as the hbrowser doesn't respect it's own external help URL setting. I think this is because I don't have a way to tell hbrowser about my proxy settings.
Thanks.
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On Vista 64 with 9.1.176(64 bit) on a quad intel, it takes about 7 seconds after the initial load(around 15 seconds there) for each and every call. I haven't been really using it on this platform so this is news to me! I agree, it renders it painful enough to be unusable. Surely this must be related to security issues(very possibly in gecko). Some stupid mechanism that requires double checking and waits. I disabled my AV and it made no difference.

Cheers,

J.C.

P.S. Using Firefox to localhost, it's instant-fast, works great(Rych you might want to fire up the original help first just once, then close it). This indicates it's likely not a vista problem per se, although that doesn't mean it isn't related. I strongly suspect gecko now.

After a little poking about, I think it's related to that bane(oops sorry, saviour) of all networking - IPV6. I'll bet last week's donuts there's an issue with localhost, gecko and IPV6. FF shows it had a lot of problems until they specifically addressed that. Probably gecko needs the same luvvin/upgrading.
John Coldrick
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Hi, I had the same problem and after some googling I found out that it’s a known mozilla bug with localhost ipv6 connections.

Here’s how to fix it:

1. Browse to the following subfolder of your Houdini installation: mozilla/defaults/pref
2. Change permissions of the file “all.js” to get write access.
3. Open it in a text editor and look for the following lines:

// This preference can be used to turn off IPv6 name lookups. See bug 68796.
pref(“network.dns.disableIPv6”, false);
4. Change “false” to “true” and save the file.
5. Done! The help browser should be really snappy now.

Meils
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Awesome, it works!

As an obvious RFE, SESI, can we have this param set in the distribution, since this means every upgrade will require an edit? I don't know of anyone that actually runs IPV6, apart from some eggheads.

Cheers,

J.C.
John Coldrick
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I'd second that suggestion.

Being a Houdini beginner I really think it's crucial that the help system is working properly (read: snappy).

BTW, what does RFE mean? Google says “Request for evidence”. I'm just guessing… Request for eeeeimplamantation?
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Request For Enhancement.

Cheers,

J.C.
John Coldrick
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Ah, thanks! :wink:

Meils
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Thank you much guys! It's working fast now.
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Once you're logged in, go to downloads and find one of the links for daily builds that lets you query changes since build number such-and-such.

Change the query to show 9.1 build fixes between 217 and 219, click Apply, and you'll see a 2008/04/17 fix that looks like it's the one that sped help things up for me.

Everyone else's mileage may vary, but with build 244 I don't have to tweak anything and help response on Vista is blazing fast.

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I have been having a similar problem at work on suse 10.3 x64 in addition the search bar doesn't work.


loadTocBranch: [Exception… "Component returned failure code: 0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE) “ nsresult: ”0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE)“ location: ”JS frame :: chrome/houdini/content/browserUI.js :: loadTocItem :: line 1516" data: no]

startToc: TypeError: kids has no properties


Should I suggest that IPv6 thing to the sys-admin or is my problem related to something else?

houdini 9.1.124
soho vfx
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Wren
I have been having a similar problem at work on suse 10.3 x64 in addition the search bar doesn't work.


loadTocBranch: [Exception… "Component returned failure code: 0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE) “ nsresult: ”0x80004005 (NS_ERROR_FAILURE)“ location: ”JS frame :: chrome/houdini/content/browserUI.js :: loadTocItem :: line 1516" data: no]

startToc: TypeError: kids has no properties


Should I suggest that IPv6 thing to the sys-admin or is my problem related to something else?

houdini 9.1.124

No, that's something else – probably the help server not starting. Please open a support ticket so we can get all your platform/version info etc.
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help files open blazingly fast in the latest production build!
well done!
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