resolved ORBX libraries effect on load times

[flyingsub]

I've noticed that using ORBXlibs dramatically increases load times in P3DV4 (I've compared load times of with all UK scenery activated with and without Orbx libraries and the difference is huge (typically a couple of minutes vs more than 1 hour). Obviously using ORBX sceneries lacking ORBX libraries is not great, but I am wondering why the libraries make such a difference to load times. This did not happen in P3DV3 or earlier.

[jcagle]

I would definitely second this issue. My loading times aren't over an hour, but more like the difference between 2-3 minutes (no OrbX) to 10 minutes (add Global + Vector + Regional) to 15 Minutes (add airports).

 

It seems to have become progressively worse since P3Dv3, so not entirely sure what the issue is. However, I have more than less stopped flying with any OrbX scenery active because the wait times just aren't worthwhile.

[Doug Sawatzky]

Hi

 

I highly doubt that it is the Orbx Libraries that are the cause, but more so they are exposing something else wrong with your system. I have the full catalog of Orbx products installed and fully activated with settings fairly high and TEXTURE_SIZE_EXP=10 entry in my .cfg and the load times are within a few minutes at worst.

 

[jcagle]

Is there a proposed debugging method?

 

I performed a clean (complete) install of Prepar3Dv4.4, reinstalled FTX Global, retained existing FTX files sets, and wiped the regenerating P3D files.

[Doug Sawatzky]

I don't know of any "proposed debugging method" every system is different.

 

Did you Verify the Orbx Library files from within FTXC3?

Is your hard drive an SSD? Or is it a heavily fragmented HDD?

Is you antivirus scanning every file as it loads?

 

 

[jcagle]

Did you Verify the Orbx Library files from within FTXC3?

- Yes. Though my issue is slightly different from the OP. I don't see a major hit when activating the OrbX Library, but rather a progressive hit as I go from no OrbX activated (2-3 min), to activating only large FTX sceneries, to activating individual airports (15-18 min).

 

Is your hard drive an SSD? Or is it a heavily fragmented HDD?

- Prepar3D is installed on an Intel 750 PCIe SSD (2,100 MB/s) and OrbX is installed on a SATA SSD (~500MB/s) using a Symbolic Link.

 

Is you antivirus scanning every file as it loads?

- Prepar3D and OrbX directories are added exclusions to my Antivirus

 

 

[Doug Sawatzky]

Then I would have to say that it is the symbolic link that is slowing things down for you....as per Nick's update of the below topic.

 

 

[jcagle]

The problem seems to be the symbolic link, file access via the link seems to be slower than HDD speed.

Other add on scenery files that are not on the same SSD or HDD but are added through the scenery library

seem to be accessed at the same speed as if they were on the same drive.

 

Rather than do something over the top like reinstall P3D in a different directory, I did a 'crtl+H' and changed all 240 OrbX references in the Scenery.cfg to point to the actual installation location (i.e. Local=F:\OrbX\...) rather than the Symbolic Link (i.e. Local=OrbX\...).

 

After disabling the Symbolic Link, side by side load times went from 10 -> 8 minutes (large OrbX sceneries) and from 18 -> 12 minutes (individual airports). Certainly an improvement, but still not where it was.

 

The topic of loading times has also come up several times on the Prepar3D forum, and the response from Beau Hollis for v4.4 (compared to v4.3) seems relevant since OrbX adjusts the size of the default.xml Autogen file from 7 MB to 23 MB and autogen generation is one of the major lag points in the loading time.

 

 

 

[flyingsub]

my problem was caused by the use of symbolic links. Ensuring that ORBX files were in my P3DV4 directory (on a SSD) sped up load times to a few minutes.

 

Thanks for all of your help guys.