Why do Calibre uses RAM too much?

butterbescotch · 04-10-2011, 07:29 PM

Just wondering.

theducks · 04-10-2011, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by butterbescotch

Just wondering.

Too much ...

... is when it needs more than you have available

Calibre is powerful and does a lot of work keeping and converting books.
There is just a lot to Calibre.

user_none · 04-10-2011, 09:54 PM

Doing what? Converting, fetching news, the GUI with an empty library?

Conversion for instance will use as much RAM as necessary to complete the task in a timely manner. If you see huge spikes we can look into it to see if it's a bug or if there is a way to optimize in that instance.

butterbescotch · 04-12-2011, 05:41 AM

No. I am doing nothing. I just let it open and it consumes too much.
Have a look:

DoctorOhh · 04-12-2011, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by butterbescotch

No. I am doing nothing. I just let it open and it consumes too much.

No, it is not too much, actually that is quite a bit less memory usage then calibre is currently using on my machine (see attached).

The memory you see being used is normal. On to another topic.

butterbescotch · 04-12-2011, 06:30 AM

Thanks for the reply. I guess I may have to rephrase the question.

Why do Calibre uses a large amount of RAM (even if it is not doing any job)?

user_none · 04-12-2011, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by butterbescotch

Why do Calibre uses a large amount of RAM (even if it is not doing any job)?

Overhead. 80 MB for the main GUI isn't bad. 20 MB per worker process calibre keeps ready for any work that needs to be done.

If you want calibre to have less worker processes: Preferences, Miscellaneous and change the number of worker process number.

Manichean · 04-12-2011, 06:48 AM

Try comparing Calibre's memory footprint with some commonly used programs. It's not that huge, if you get down to it.

atjnjk · 04-12-2011, 10:00 AM

Don't look at any program's used amount of RAM unless your system slow down/hang and you need to discover the problem. Sometimes Firefox uses over 500 MB but my PC still performs smoothly (with calibre and Photoshop running).

theducks · 04-12-2011, 10:15 AM

What are you doing that keeps yours so low?

Captured right after startup
It (main) climbs all day with use

Piper_ · 04-12-2011, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

What are you doing that keeps yours so low?

Captured right after startup
It (main) climbs all day with use

Here's mine 5 minutes after startup. I watched and calibre.exe does seem to add 4kbs every 3-5 secs.

It's at 87,548 now.

I don't usually worry, since windows will use whatever it can, and adjust as needed. It is interesting that it climbs though, without even opening the window.
It's now at 87,632. Is that a leak?

theducks · 04-12-2011, 08:22 PM

Mine does not change unless I do something with Calibre.

Why would I have Calibre running if I was not going to use it?

Piper_ · 04-12-2011, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theducks

Mine does not change unless I do something with Calibre.

Why would I have Calibre running if I was not going to use it?

You mean there are ever times you're not using it?

Seriously, I usually don't open it unless I need to do something, but then I leave it running until I go to bed, since I use it on and off through the day.

Today, I kept it minimized and watched the numbers just to see what happened.

FTR, after testing it, I thought it might mean I had a problem with Library 1, because it climbed 4 kbs every 3-5 secs, but stopped climbing when I switched to library2.

But it stayed stable even when I switched back to library 1, and after trying a few restarts, it looks like it doesn't matter which library I start on, it climbs 4kbs every few secs, until I switch to another library.

Anyway, that's my data for whomever wants to know.

I usually don't look at resources like this, because it'll make ya crazy. I can say for sure that, when things do seem draggy on me, it's usually because of Firefox rather than calibre, even after I've been working it hard.

DoctorOhh · 04-12-2011, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piper_

FTR, after testing it, I thought it might mean I had a problem with Library 1, because it climbed 4 kbs every 3-5 secs, but stopped climbing when I switched to library2.

I too noticed the 4k climb. I haven't switched libraries but have done a few things and the 4k dance isn't happening any more. My curiosity only gets the better of me if I am having apparent problems. If calibre is uses more memory than Firefox then I start to wonder what is going on.

As long as everything works I could care less how much memory it's using.

Piper_ · 04-12-2011, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dwanthny

I too noticed the 4k climb. I haven't switched libraries but have done a few things and the 4k dance isn't happening any more. My curiosity only gets the better of me if I am having apparent problems. If calibre is uses more memory than Firefox then I start to wonder what is going on.

As long as everything works I could care less how much memory it's using.

Exactly. Windows is better at managing memory than it was before. I just expect it to use all it can, to have everything speedy - no sense having 6gigs ram if you're not gonna use it.

Firefox is the beast, at least if you're using some of the heavy addons or load certain sites. It's worth it, though.

04-10-2011, 07:29 PM	#1
butterbescotch Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: none	Why do Calibre uses RAM too much? Just wondering.

04-12-2011, 10:15 AM	#10
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,790 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	What are you doing that keeps yours so low? Captured right after startup It (main) climbs all day with use Last edited by theducks; 08-16-2012 at 08:31 PM.

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04-10-2011, 09:54 PM	#3
user_none Sigil & calibre developer Posts: 2,488 Karma: 1063785 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida, USA Device: Nook STR	Doing what? Converting, fetching news, the GUI with an empty library? Conversion for instance will use as much RAM as necessary to complete the task in a timely manner. If you see huge spikes we can look into it to see if it's a bug or if there is a way to optimize in that instance.

04-12-2011, 05:41 AM	#4
butterbescotch Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: none	No. I am doing nothing. I just let it open and it consumes too much. Have a look:

04-12-2011, 06:30 AM	#6
butterbescotch Enthusiast Posts: 36 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2011 Device: none	Thanks for the reply. I guess I may have to rephrase the question. Why do Calibre uses a large amount of RAM (even if it is not doing any job)?

04-12-2011, 06:48 AM	#8
Manichean Wizard Posts: 3,130 Karma: 91256 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Germany Device: Cybook Gen3	Try comparing Calibre's memory footprint with some commonly used programs. It's not that huge, if you get down to it.

04-12-2011, 10:00 AM	#9
atjnjk Zealot Posts: 107 Karma: 554 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: none	Don't look at any program's used amount of RAM unless your system slow down/hang and you need to discover the problem. Sometimes Firefox uses over 500 MB but my PC still performs smoothly (with calibre and Photoshop running).

04-12-2011, 08:22 PM	#12
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 29,790 Karma: 54830978 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Mine does not change unless I do something with Calibre. Why would I have Calibre running if I was not going to use it?