Date:         Thu, 1 Oct 92 02:20:48 EDT
From:         Robert Braham <RMB@CUNYVMS1>
Subject:      NB4 Memory usage: Orbis, Ibid, Speller, Lingua
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.notabene


The following are some reports on memory usage on my
definitely not-stable "pre-release" (a late-August, one,
however).  I am unable to use both Orbis and Ibid at the
same time, w/o one or the other locking up (Orbis) or
branching to inappropriate directory menus (Ibid).  I will
give the benefit of the doubt, and assume that some of these
points fall under RTFM (read the frigging manual), if there
were a f m to r.  I also am not sure which, if any, permutations
of *all* the procedures is causing the conniptions of the program; in
any event, maybe some legitamate trends can be discerned.  Either
my system is really screwed up, or I should start worrying about
how much Orbis eats, even w/o Ibid.
Again, due to vagaries beyond me, the same sequence of functions will
not reveal the same memory usage.  W/ a
single 1K file open (containing one word), I have sadly achieved a
personal best of 90K remaining memory.

I am running the whole show on a 386 w/ 4 Mb RAM (1500 reserved
EMS/XMS, managed by 386Max, if that is significant), 618K conventional
memory at DOS level after bootup. No ram drive for
this test.  I have added the "undocumented" MX=10 to nbcustom.set,
for the spell checker to use ems; in nb4, via set--other--check--options,
the same can be configured, for a minimum of 11K memory usage for
the checker, if ems is available; otherwise, 108 gets eaten up.  I
have also let the menu set invoke that, for good measure.

When I first load up--w/ *nothing* loaded beyond the normal (complete)
file and programs--including *no lingua printer driver*, F7 (or func me)
tells me 276K; a shell to DOS and return gives me 286K (give or take
1K).  Note that func me reveals 18K and 1K of printer program and file
memory, respectively.  286K is my baseline max (Itamar and Tony have
suggested, and written XPL's, to pare down program usage and increase
that baseline).  QEMM "stealth" and 386MAX cga (undocumented) settings,
or Blum's driver, all of which steal VGA space,
cannot be used w/ NB4, I am told, and have found.

The following are some sequence of successive memory loss
per function; again, because, of lock-ups, I cannot be as consistent as I
would like.  Every sequence has *only* those functions implemented to the
baseline, w/ an open file, minimum size of 1K.  No personal spellers
loaded. A reduced (Heb/eng only) Lingua symbol/keyboard set (the prelim. docs
say something obscure to me about how that affects memory, if at]
all, or perhaps only speed).

The Orbis file/data for this test is miniscule (54K in 4 files,
2000 keywords, no .omt [omit] list), and obviously smaller than
those in normal practice.  I have no idea how real sizes would
affect memory.  I do know that *successive* Orbis cites (not
recorded in the sequences below), have w/ me decreased available
memory after each one. The Ibid data is about 50 records. Speller==thesaurus
re. memory usage.

286K--Ibid setup (but no cite): 245--Ibid cite: 226--Spell/thesa: 212.
286K--Orbis cite: 183--Spell: 162.
286K--Lingua (HPIIP) Printer driver: 217.


I am interested in other people's results.  One day the phone
might clear at NBI; one day I may receive the program, so I
could more legitamately call and inquire.

--
Robert Braham   |   Graduate School of the City University of New York
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