size, speed, performance

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken Ivins
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Ken Ivins

Here is a general design question. I'm designing a database and started
adding background graphics, textures and colors to my forms. They really
look great but I noticed that my file grew from 2 mb to 30 mb (even after
compacting). My question is how does this affect the speed and performance
of the program?

Does the whole database load and take up your resources or just the form
your are in. Assuming someone leaves the database open all day and uses
other programs as well, could it freeze up (and maybe corrupt the database)?
If it is being used on a new Win XP machine, how much RAM should be in the
computer?

Thanks for help,
Ken Ivins
 
It is generally not too noticeable. I do as a matter of choice avoid
graphics for that very reason.

Each form is loaded as needed, and thus the whole application is NOT loaded
into memory. However, those forms will eat up more ram due to the graphics.

I have a medium sized application with 25,000 lines of code, 160 forms, and
the whole application is LESS then 6 megs. In fact, I can still zip the
whole application as a mde file onto a SINGLE floppy disk for transfer
between pc's.

You have to REALLY want those extra graphics, since the cost of size and ram
is there.

I don't think screens look that bad without backgrounds. I do have a "main"
screen where each time the form loads I *display* a picture (kind of like a
web cam page). However, I used a image control, and don't actually store the
picture in the form.

Here is a screen shot of that:

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/Rides/Rides1.jpg

However, most of the screens I have don't use graphics: here some more:

http://www.attcanada.net/~kallal.msn/ridesrpt/ridesrpt.html
 
Dear Albert,

Thanks for the response. Although the size of the file is not that critical
(with CD-RW's and such), but I was concerned with speed, ram and crashing.

After seeing the size grow like it did, I was starting to lean to your way
of doing things. One nice graphic on the opening screen (switchboard or as I
am calling it the Home Page). I do plan on using a variety of colors to
coordinate sections and types of forms.

Thanks again and your examples are helpful.

Ken Ivins
 
hi ken.
just thought i'd mention...
a lot of people build UI forms with plenty of "clutter" -
background graphics, shadowed controls, bold colors. and
they can look really great.
but...if your forms are going to be used for heavy data
entry and/or search, as in "someone has to sit and look at
this form for hours at a time", all that attention-getting
formatting can make your eyes bleed after awhile - as
anyone who gets paid to sit and do data entry all day can
tell you. boring as it may be, bland backgrounds and tame
formatting, with maybe a little bit of color to draw
attention to critical areas, are a lot easier on the eyes
over a period of time, and easier on your user(s).
 
Tina,

Yes I know what you mean. I tend to lean toward pastels, myself. With the
main data entry screens as tan or light blue. The one background graphics I
started to use was a speckle of blue, pink and purple which I lightened up
in Photo Shop. It had a nice pleasing effect on the eyes, and added some
texture to the form but when I added it to my five main pages the file size
grew from 3mb to 15mb. My main question was how this size was going to
effect performance. It sounds like, as feared, it may bog things down in the
course of a day.

So I am back to flat colors, but am creating custom colors that are lighter
than the standard color chart. I am using light purples and light greens of
forms that are not used that much to alert the user that this form is not a
standard input form. It also allows me to color coordinate similar types of
forms. In the past I have also added a boxes filled with color to add accent
to switchboard type forms.

Maybe in another five years the hardware will make it so we can create a
more pleasant product.

Again thanks for your input. As a designer it is sometimes tough to put
yourself in the shoes of the full time user and it is good to get that
feedback.

Ken Ivins
 
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