Running dataflows faster!

When you have a small model you can just run dataflows, sections and steps without thinking too much about performance, but with large models the performance can have a big influence on the usability. When you run a whole dataflow, a section or step from the Simplebim user interface the following always happens:

1. The dataflow makes the requested modifications and additions to the model
2. The user interface is updated to reflect the new state of the model

The first part is pretty much set, but you can influence the second part. The simple rule is that things happen faster when there is less to update in the user interface. The most effective way is to simply close palettes, for example if you close the Properties palette no time will be spent on updating it. If you want to keep palettes open you can show data that is not affected by the dataflow. In the worst-case scenario you would have for example a Table palette open with a lot of data on different tabs. On the other hand the 3D window usually updates very fast. By experimenting a bit you can find the solution that works best for you.

My own approach is:

• While developing dataflows I keep all palettes visible and showing relevant data. This way I get the benefits from the ‘design echo’. When I for example run one step at a time I can see clearly what each step does.
• While using dataflows with large models I minimize the user interface to get better performance.