Smart Collections and Performance

[stepbar]

I have a major problem with using Smart Collections: Performance.

I have a lot of Smart Collections that I use for cross-checking my submissions to Stock Agencies - probably more than 100 (and 40k images).  They're grouped into small Collection Sets that I normally keep minimised.

When I open any one Collection Set to see the Smart Collections, my performance goes right through the floor.  I'm running a really powerful PC, have a top-of-the-range GPU, a load of memory and everything is up-to-date.  I've even reinstalled LR a few times.

With almost every operation, I get a blue spinning logo for about 10 seconds, then LR flashes off and on a couple of times (revealing the desktop), before I can do what I want for a few seconds, then the blue spinning logo and flashing again.

Dragging and dropping an image from one (normal) collection to another takes about 30 seconds, and usually takes three or four attempts to get it selected.

It is UNUSABLE in this state!  Closing LR and reopening it solves the problem, until I then need to reference another Smart Collection.

Does anyone know a workaround, or if Adobe will look at this issue?

[Just Shoot Me]

First thing to do is turn off the GPU option and test.

[stepbar]

Done that.  GPU is only for image manipulation, and this is a database issue.

[Ian Lyons]

stepbar  wrote

Done that.  GPU is only for image manipulation, and this is a database issue.

100% database.

The enumeration process, which appears to be the underlying issue (in collections and folders panel), gets worse as the number of images that match the rule. A workaround I came up with was to create smart collections that track exceptions. For example, all of my images have keywords applied immediately after import. So, only a small number (relative the 130k of images in catalog) will initially match my keyword rule which looks for images with no keywords. Doing so helped, but I still have a few that identify 100k of images. Moral here is for me to get smarter with my smart collection rules.

[John R Ellis]

See my replace to your post in the other forum -- it contains another possible workaround: smart collection performance | Photoshop Family Customer Community

[stepbar]

That matches my findings.  If I rely solely on my SCs which identify exceptions (and thus should always be 0) performance is fine.  If I have a few SCs that return 20k+ results, performance becomes ridiculous!  Implies there is some sort of trigger on the matches.

[Ian Lyons]

stepbar  wrote

I have a major problem with using Smart Collections: Performance.

With almost every operation, I get a blue spinning logo for about 10 seconds, then LR flashes off and on a couple of times (revealing the desktop), before I can do what I want for a few seconds, then the blue spinning logo and flashing again.

Large numbers of smart collections, especially if they include multiple rules and are in collection sets, can severely impact on Lr performance. However, I've not come across a situation that results in above behaviour.

I have 40 single rule smart collections in 9 collection sets in my 130k master catalog, and see a significant difference in catalog related operations when compared to the same catalog without the smart collections.

If you haven't already done so, then run 'Optimize Catalog...', which can be found in the File menu. You could also use Task Manager to monitor to monitor CPU usage and whether there is a particular rule type that triggers the issue you describe.

[stepbar]

Thanks Ian.  I optimise my catalogue on every exit and backup.  I'm an IT consultant by day, so know about how it all works behind the scenes.  I've discovered that if you have smart collections that contain a high number of images (even if they're not visible) it really slows things down.

I use the Lightroom-Alamy bridge plug-in.  One of the things it does is to create a set of smart collections, and a few of them have 20k+ images.  Even when they're collapsed I still get a performance hit, but when I remove SCs with high number of images, my performance is restored to what it should be.

My own Smart Collections are designed to show errors, so they should always have 0 images in them.  Things work a treat when all my smart collections show only a few images, or none.

I do think there is an issue within LR and how it handles Smart Collections, but at least I have an understanding of how it behaves, and I can work around it.