Archive:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts - Revision history

Karellen: Karellen moved page HOW-TO:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to Archive:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts without leaving a redirect: Outdated

2020-08-28T02:09:23Z

Karellen moved page HOW-TO:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to Archive:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts without leaving a redirect: Outdated

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Karellen at 02:09, 28 August 2020

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	= Overview =		= Overview =
	This tutorial will teach you how to use a third-party script, Persistence, developed by Alexpoet as a utility tool. The tutorial is divided into two major sections, Theory and Implementation. The ~~[[HOW-TO: Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts#~~Theory~~\|Theory]]~~ section explains how Persistence works, in case you want to customize it for your personal uses or develop your own custom tool.		This tutorial will teach you how to use a third-party script, Persistence, developed by Alexpoet as a utility tool. The tutorial is divided into two major sections, Theory and Implementation. The Theory section explains how Persistence works, in case you want to customize it for your personal uses or develop your own custom tool.

	If you just want to use Persistence to optimize your own script, you can skip ahead to the ~~[[HOW-TO: Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts#~~Implementation~~\|Implementation]]~~ section which explains how to install the server and how to configure your plugin or script as a Persistence client.		If you just want to use Persistence to optimize your own script, you can skip ahead to the Implementation section which explains how to install the server and how to configure your plugin or script as a Persistence client.

Ned Scott at 07:17, 27 November 2011

2011-11-27T07:17:39Z

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	= Known Issues =		= Known Issues =

	~~[[Category:Development]]~~
	~~[[Category:Python]]~~

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	= Known Issues =		= Known Issues =

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>NedBot: moved How-to-TEMP:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to HOW-TO:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts: Bot: Moved page

2011-10-03T15:06:16Z

moved How-to-TEMP:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to HOW-TO:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts: Bot: Moved page

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>NedBot: moved How-to:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to How-to-TEMP:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts: Bot: Moved page

2011-10-03T14:58:33Z

moved How-to:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to How-to-TEMP:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts: Bot: Moved page

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Ned Scott: moved HOW-TO optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to How-to:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts

2011-09-25T20:07:44Z

moved HOW-TO optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts to How-to:Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts

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Ned Scott at 15:43, 10 September 2011

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	Plugins are powerful and easy to write, but that convenience can come with a severe performance cost, particularly in the form of long load times between menus. These load times occur because plugins lack persistence. Every time a user launches a plugin or chooses a menu entry within the plugin, XBMC runs the plugin from scratch, draws the new menu, and then closes the script. Global or class variables used throughout the plugin (often on multiple screens) have to be re-initialized over and over again.		Plugins are powerful and easy to write, but that convenience can come with a severe performance cost, particularly in the form of long load times between menus. These load times occur because plugins lack persistence. Every time a user launches a plugin or chooses a menu entry within the plugin, XBMC runs the plugin from scratch, draws the new menu, and then closes the script. Global or class variables used throughout the plugin (often on multiple screens) have to be re-initialized over and over again.

>NedBot: Robot: Cosmetic changes

2011-09-07T16:12:40Z

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	=Overview=		= Overview =
	This tutorial will teach you how to use a third-party script, Persistence, developed by Alexpoet as a utility tool. The tutorial is divided into two major sections, Theory and Implementation. The [[HOW-TO:~~_Optimize_Load_Time_of_Plugins_with_Persistence_Scripts~~#Theory\|Theory]] section explains how Persistence works, in case you want to customize it for your personal uses or develop your own custom tool.		This tutorial will teach you how to use a third-party script, Persistence, developed by Alexpoet as a utility tool. The tutorial is divided into two major sections, Theory and Implementation. The [[HOW-TO: Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts#Theory\|Theory]] section explains how Persistence works, in case you want to customize it for your personal uses or develop your own custom tool.

	If you just want to use Persistence to optimize your own script, you can skip ahead to the [[HOW-TO:~~_Optimize_Load_Time_of_Plugins_with_Persistence_Scripts~~#Implementation\|Implementation]] section which explains how to install the server and how to configure your plugin or script as a Persistence client.		If you just want to use Persistence to optimize your own script, you can skip ahead to the [[HOW-TO: Optimize Load Time of Plugins with Persistence Scripts#Implementation\|Implementation]] section which explains how to install the server and how to configure your plugin or script as a Persistence client.


	=Theory=		= Theory =
	Persistence is a server script that runs in the XBMC background. Any script or plugin that is configured as a Persistence client can create and register a class instance with the server. The server will hold that class instance in memory, and provide your clients with instant access to it.		Persistence is a server script that runs in the XBMC background. Any script or plugin that is configured as a Persistence client can create and register a class instance with the server. The server will hold that class instance in memory, and provide your clients with instant access to it.

	==The comm Module==		== The comm Module ==
	To do this, the Persistence server establishes a socket connection and sits in a continuous loop, listening for client requests on a specified port (the default value is 51999).		To do this, the Persistence server establishes a socket connection and sits in a continuous loop, listening for client requests on a specified port (the default value is 51999).

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	NOTE: The comm module simplifies client/server interactions and enhances the readability of code. Since it's a separate module, though, comm.py must be included in both client and server folders. If you want to simplify your file management, you can add these two functions into Persistence.py and ClassHandler.py, a module you'll include in your plugin folder.		NOTE: The comm module simplifies client/server interactions and enhances the readability of code. Since it's a separate module, though, comm.py must be included in both client and server folders. If you want to simplify your file management, you can add these two functions into Persistence.py and ClassHandler.py, a module you'll include in your plugin folder.

	===Sample Code: Unpersist.py===		=== Sample Code: Unpersist.py ===
	You can see exactly how to implement the comm module by looking at Unpersist.py, a script included in the Persistence folder. Its contents look like this:		You can see exactly how to implement the comm module by looking at Unpersist.py, a script included in the Persistence folder. Its contents look like this:

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	Of course, the code for a functioning client will be more complicated.		Of course, the code for a functioning client will be more complicated.

	==The Client/Server Architecture==		== The Client/Server Architecture ==
	The Persistence server acts as a background container for Python classes. A Persistence client uses the ClassHandler module to fetch and maintain a local copy of the class instance from the server.		The Persistence server acts as a background container for Python classes. A Persistence client uses the ClassHandler module to fetch and maintain a local copy of the class instance from the server.

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	That last line registers the class instance with ClassHandler, which then sends a copy of it to the Persistence server. You can then browse up and down the plugin's folder structure without ever waiting for the database to load again.		That last line registers the class instance with ClassHandler, which then sends a copy of it to the Persistence server. You can then browse up and down the plugin's folder structure without ever waiting for the database to load again.

	===ClassHandler Methods===		=== ClassHandler Methods ===
	ClassHandler provides four useful functions for handling your persistent classes:		ClassHandler provides four useful functions for handling your persistent classes:

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	=Implementation=		= Implementation =
	Obviously, there's a lot more to implementing Persistence than just running the server script. You will need to significantly rewrite your plugin to act as a client, and to do that, you'll have to understand exactly how the Persistence ClassHandler works.		Obviously, there's a lot more to implementing Persistence than just running the server script. You will need to significantly rewrite your plugin to act as a client, and to do that, you'll have to understand exactly how the Persistence ClassHandler works.

	To help familiarize you with the architecture, Persistence comes with a simple test client and sample plugin. Once you understand how the test client works, you should be able to carry that code over into your own plugin.		To help familiarize you with the architecture, Persistence comes with a simple test client and sample plugin. Once you understand how the test client works, you should be able to carry that code over into your own plugin.

	==Installation==		== Installation ==
	First, you must install the Persistence server. Download the Persistence distribution from the [http://www.maskedfox.com/xbmc/Persistence/details.html developer's website] (or get it in SVN once it's available). Then create a Persistence folder in your XBMC's "scripts" subfolder, and move the files "Persistence.py," "Unpersist.py," and "comm.py" into the Persistence folder. (A single instance of the Persistence server can support multiple simultaneous clients, so you will only have to do this step once.)		First, you must install the Persistence server. Download the Persistence distribution from the [http://www.maskedfox.com/xbmc/Persistence/details.html developer's website] (or get it in SVN once it's available). Then create a Persistence folder in your XBMC's "scripts" subfolder, and move the files "Persistence.py," "Unpersist.py," and "comm.py" into the Persistence folder. (A single instance of the Persistence server can support multiple simultaneous clients, so you will only have to do this step once.)

	==Setting Up the Persistence Server==		== Setting Up the Persistence Server ==
	When you launch Persistence.py, the Persistence server will sit and listen for connections on a given comm port. The only setup necessary for the server side is setting this comm port. The default value will probably work in most instances, but if you happen to have some other service communicating over port 51999, you might want to change that value.		When you launch Persistence.py, the Persistence server will sit and listen for connections on a given comm port. The only setup necessary for the server side is setting this comm port. The default value will probably work in most instances, but if you happen to have some other service communicating over port 51999, you might want to change that value.

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	Once you have Persistence installed in the scripts folder, you can browse to it using the Scripts launcher, and run Persistence. The Persistence server has no GUI, so you'll only see the word "(Running)" appear next to the name. You can then go on using XBMC, knowing that the Persistence server is now running in the background.		Once you have Persistence installed in the scripts folder, you can browse to it using the Scripts launcher, and run Persistence. The Persistence server has no GUI, so you'll only see the word "(Running)" appear next to the name. You can then go on using XBMC, knowing that the Persistence server is now running in the background.

	==Testing It Out with TestClient==		== Testing It Out with TestClient ==
	You can see how Persistence works by creating a plugin folder called "TestClient" and copying the files ClassHandler.py, default.py, and TestClient.py into it.		You can see how Persistence works by creating a plugin folder called "TestClient" and copying the files ClassHandler.py, default.py, and TestClient.py into it.

	Make sure the Persistence server is running, then browse to the TestClient plugin folder, and launch it (as a plugin, not as a script.)		Make sure the Persistence server is running, then browse to the TestClient plugin folder, and launch it (as a plugin, not as a script.)

	===First-run Initialization and Slow Load Times===		=== First-run Initialization and Slow Load Times ===
	The first time you run TestClient, you should see a standard "Loading" dialogue appear for 10 seconds. This is the initialization of TestClient's persistent object, TestClass. TestClass has an artificial 10-second delay included in its init function, intended to simulate the response time of a SQL database load or other long initialization.		The first time you run TestClient, you should see a standard "Loading" dialogue appear for 10 seconds. This is the initialization of TestClient's persistent object, TestClass. TestClass has an artificial 10-second delay included in its init function, intended to simulate the response time of a SQL database load or other long initialization.

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	This is because, before creating a new instance of TestClass, TestClient first checks with the Persistence server to see if it already has one. Now that you've run the plugin once, it does, so Persistence hands the existing instance of TestClass back to the plugin, and it begins immediately.		This is because, before creating a new instance of TestClass, TestClient first checks with the Persistence server to see if it already has one. Now that you've run the plugin once, it does, so Persistence hands the existing instance of TestClass back to the plugin, and it begins immediately.

	===Demonstrating Object Persistence with Test Client===		=== Demonstrating Object Persistence with Test Client ===
	The TestClient plugin provides two simple options: "Show Class" and "Change Test Value." The TestClass has a variable on it (testVariable) which holds an int. "Show Class" shows you the current value of testVariable. "Change Test Value" assigns a new random integer to testVariable, and then saves that change to the Persistence server.		The TestClient plugin provides two simple options: "Show Class" and "Change Test Value." The TestClass has a variable on it (testVariable) which holds an int. "Show Class" shows you the current value of testVariable. "Change Test Value" assigns a new random integer to testVariable, and then saves that change to the Persistence server.

	This means you can launch the plugin, choose "Show Class" and find out that the variable is 0 (the default initialization value), and then choose "Change Test Value" to change it to something else. Afterward, you can exit the plugin completely, then launch it again (with no delay), and choose "Show Class." The class still has the new value you just assigned it. That's persistence.		This means you can launch the plugin, choose "Show Class" and find out that the variable is 0 (the default initialization value), and then choose "Change Test Value" to change it to something else. Afterward, you can exit the plugin completely, then launch it again (with no delay), and choose "Show Class." The class still has the new value you just assigned it. That's persistence.

	==Designing Your Persistent Class==		== Designing Your Persistent Class ==


	===Providing Module Paths to ClassHandler===		=== Providing Module Paths to ClassHandler ===


	===Updating and Saving Changes with ClassHandler===		=== Updating and Saving Changes with ClassHandler ===

	~~=Known Issues=~~


			= Known Issues =

	[[Category:Inner Workings]]		[[Category:Inner Workings]]