Analyzer and List Dependencies

[JasonSTI]

So, we are getting ready to add new topics to the Help system, and I found out one of the topics needed to be retired. I remember that Flare has a Find Dependency function, so I can easily tell what topics link to the one we want to get rid of. Great, back in Flare 3 (the last time I needed it) this was a quick process. Wow, that has changed. Now I get the List Dependencies window that just waits for Analyzer to finish scanning, and with over 3000 topics in this project, that can easily take a half hour.

I did a search using Windows Explorer for the file name using the Search Inside Files option; took less than 3 minutes to find them all and remove the links using Notepad.

Why is such a simple process now reduced to worthlessness inside of Flare?

[NorthEast]

Seems a bit long.
I think that should just happen if you find dependencies during the initial scan (not the much longer advanced scan) - is the initial scan taking half an hour?

I've got projects with 2500 topics, and the initial scan only takes seconds normally (with an existing database), or a minute or so from scratch.

[LTinker68]

You can also find the dependencies without using Analyzer. Right-click on the topic in the Content Explorer and select Show Dependencies. It'll list all the topics and project files (e.g., the TOC) that link to that topic.

[NorthEast]

I think you're skim-reading again, that's what we're talking about!

[LTinker68]

Actually, the screenshot threw me off. The subject line and screenshot mention Analyzer, so I thought there was a new function in Analyzer I hadn't seen yet. Turns out the Show Dependencies screen only says that it's waiting for Analyzer if Analyzer is actually running the scan. If Analyzer isn't running a scan, then the Show Dependencies window doesn't mention Analyzer at all, which is what happened to me.

[JasonSTI]

The half hour timeframe is when opening an existing project that has already been scanned by Analyzer. The initial scan in Analyzer (when we first installed it) took over 2 hours. All files are stored on the server, so they are opening remotely, but it has been the same since we created the project. I rarely have had cause to use the Find Dependencies feature, but having it wait for Analyzer is crazy.

This is one of our largest Help projects; one has ~3500 topics and another ~4000. All of the other projects are nearer ~1000, and those take only a few minutes to scan. The larger two also have several hundred image files, with only a dozen or so for the smaller ones.

[NorthEast]

I'd guess it's because you're using it over a network; just as a comparison, what sort of speed difference do you get if you try opening a local copy of the project?

I know if you open a Flare project over a network, it generates the Analyzer database locally (in XP: Documents and Settings\user\Local Settings\Application Data\MadCap Software\Analyzer). So for each user/PC, there will be an initial hit when you first open the project.

[JasonSTI]

Just as a test, I copied all of the files to my computer, opened the project and let it scan completely. Then shut it down, and opened each copy one at a time. I noted what time the scan began, and what time it finished/started on the advanced scan.

The local copy took 18 minutes to do the initial scan.
The network copy took 22 minutes.

So yes there is SOME network lag, but even 18 minutes is too long to wait to do a simple Dependency check.

[SteveS]

Is your antivirus software set to scan every file on opening?

That can slow the show down...

[NorthEast]

Just as a test, I copied all of the files to my computer, opened the project and let it scan completely. Then shut it down, and opened each copy one at a time. I noted what time the scan began, and what time it finished/started on the advanced scan.

The local copy took 18 minutes to do the initial scan.
The network copy took 22 minutes.

So yes there is SOME network lag, but even 18 minutes is too long to wait to do a simple Dependency check.

For a large project the very first scan will take a long time; it does in my projects too.

However, the next time you open your project the scan should be quite quick, as it's just looking for files that have changed and updating the database. So if you open your local project again, then it shouldn't take anything like 18 minutes. If it does, then that would suggest there's a problem.

[JasonSTI]

Like I said, I copied it locally and opened it to do the long scan (about 50 minutes); then closed and reopened them, first the local (18 min) and then network (22 min). So it was not the initial scan.

I tried shutting off my antivirus as well. No change. I even tried removing the copy from source control (although why that would affect scan times I have no idea), but again, no change.

I noticed that the local analyzer folder (C:\Users\Jason\AppData\Local\MadCap Software\Analyzer) has two folders for each project. So I have a stmain3161759356 and stmain3734511650 for one project, created a few days apart. Both contain an SQL file (Content.sdf) with today's date, and similar times. Should Flare/Analyzer be creating two folders?

[Blackie]

In case you seem to be not able to change file names the following procedure works for me all the time.

1 Start the system analyzer in the Madcap Flare menu "Analiser"
2 Rename your file
3 Wait. Depending on the amount of files to be analized it can take some time.

Guess this will be helpfull to many dealing with this ussue