Original Issue

We're seeing a serious slowdown during data collection. How can we improve the software's speed?

Solution

A few major factors can cause a slowdown in the software. This article will cover the main factors that can cause this - but first, an overview of what this is related to:

Any time the plots need to be redrawn, you'll see this type of slowdown; that means that each time data is collected or the application is moved, you may see this slowdown. For example, if you collect data while showing all of your dimensions (i.e. No Dimension Filters applied) and 50 or 100 points are being shown, QC-CALC will need to redraw each plot with each point. Eventually -record-wise - the database may also become quite large which also causes slowness. Bearing this in mind, please review some recommendations for improving the speed of the software below:

1. Use Dimension Filters (View > Dimension Filters) whenever possible. This will allow you to access relevant features faster. It will help especially if you must continue with 50 points (and up) displayed on the plots. It's worth noting that you can change the Filter Association in the Tools > Options > Filters area of the settings. Here is an exerpt from our manual on Filter Association:
   
   You can associate each filter with an individual part/database (.QCC file) or associate it with all QC-CALC files accessed from the local machine. Click the Associate Record Filter with a File or Group to reduce the filter’s range of use to the currently active .QCC file. Uncheck this box to make the filter available for all QCC files. This concept can be applied to dimension filters which are located under the record filter.

2. Lower the "Number of Parts to Plot" in the Tools > Options > Configure Plots area of the settings. This is the maximum number of actual data point values displayed within each plot.

3. If you're seeing upwards of 100,000 records, you may start to see a slow-down. there are a couple of things you can do to resolve this:
• Record Filters: Similarly to the earlier point about Dimension Filters, using Record filters to siphon out unnecessary data can improve speeds. You can access them from the View > Record Filters menu. Keep in mind that this may not be a great permanent solution, but it should make things quicker in the short-term.
• Circular Databases: If the file is circular, QC-CALC automatically wraps around from your maximum record count back to the first record and begins writing over the old data. If you do not want the old data to be erased, archive the data file to another disk or select non-circular. You can modify these settings in the File > Modify Database Structure menu.

Slowdown occurs mainly as a result of a combination certain things, but it's worth noting that it is almost always related to the .QCC file database. You can adjust one or more of these areas see a pretty dramatic improvement. If none of these options work for you, you may need to reach out to our Support team on the Support page of our website.