Beta Version 5

[Peligroso]

Have to say that this indeed sounds like it's because of AHK Hud. I'm sitting on an ancient computer (4 year old 3.2 ghz) and I have insane lag on FTP. I can play 4 tables though, but before the latest version I couldn't play more than 2. Dave has done an awesome job and I'm totally blown away on what he has accomplished and the HUD also has some really cool features, but unfortunately I can't play on more than 4 tables on FTP. However, I could play 12 tables on PokerStars without any lag at all.

[smith]

Yes its basically the hud, and not PT3 at all. PT3 isn't all that CPU intensive. I figured PostgreSQL would be fine. I'm hoping that the integrated hud will be smoother as well. I am running a lot of HUD stats, so I'm sure thats not helping at all. I believe I can multi table better without so much information. I haven't played in the last few days so I was still using Beta 4. I get my new mobo/cpu etc... on Monday, so I can't wait to see what happens. I basically upgraded just to play poker, which is kind of weird in a way....

[Peligroso]

[quote="smith"k2h]I haven't played in the last few days so I was still using Beta 4. [/quotek2h]
Sorry, just to clarify, I meant that the latest version of the AHK Hud (version 3) works much better than v2 did.

[dad604]

My experience with cpu useage concurrs with the above comments. I have try with two computers.

1. AMD X2 4600
I can have 12 Party and 18 FTP tables open with only PT3 and one core will max out 80% (mainly poker client) and the other core at 20% (mainly pt3)
If I add AHK HUD, core useage only lock up at 100% on both cores with either 12 OR 18 tables.

2. AMD xp2100 with only PT3 running, didn't try AHK HUD.
With only 12 Party tables, cpu is maxing at 80-90 %.
With only 18 FTP tables, cpu hits 60%, ocassionally going to 80%.

If the planned HUD uses about the same cpu useage as the present PA HUD, then I feel should be fine as I can run 18 tables at FTP with PT2 and PA HUD.

[_dave_]

interesting reports, keep em coming :)

some info from me - I can 12 table on any of the three without maxing my CPU, but my system is an AMD X2 6000+, and postgresql is on a networked linux server.

Currently, AHK-HUD is very much NOT optimized for low CPU usage, although v3 is far better than the older two in this regard (it at leasts waits for a new hand before hitting postgres again).

I am surprised people are having trouble 12 tabling on Party - FTP i am not surprised at all, I'll explain. PokerStars, I'd be surprised if anoyone with a modest setup and the default stats ran in to difficulties.

FTP goes mad crazy and starts burning CPU if anything I have tried tries to draw on it's tables. And I mean ridiculous runaway CPU usage... this only affects machines with more than one core. To solve this, I move FTP and all instances of HUD to Core 1 - this solves it, but obviously wasted any other cores in a CPU, apart from postgres processes. Party has similar issues, but nowhere near so bad - it tends to just repaint itself over the HUD displays, so I have to force-redraw far more often than is required on Party, resulting in presumably HIGH CPU usage on some systems.

I can remove these issues by just letting the stats flicker, but that hurts my eyes. Hopefully I have a different drawing method working soon that will help with these issues. I may even optimize the database access code a little - but one of my goals of making the AHK-HUD was to see how PT3's database held up under heavy load - and it seems to do very well :)

Obviously Josh will make the new PT3-PokerAce version optimized so it does not needlessly hammer the database :) And he has much more experience (and a more powerful platform) to develop less CPU intensive drawing routines.

So at a rough estimate, if you can run AHK-HUD (version 3) at all on any number of tables, Expect *at least* triple the tables with new PokerAce :)

Things may improve somewhat with AHK-HUD 4 - I'm far more amused with adding features (the fact I can 12-table OK influences me obviously) - but I will try and make things a little better performance wise if I spot anything obvious I can fix (I have a few ideas already, other than new drawing method) - at a minimum I can make an option to only refresh after X (say 5) new hands, rather than a full database hit after each hand.

dave.

[dad604]

Further to my post above. I was just observing and not saving hand history. I did test again with "save hand history" turn on with PT3 and did not notice any change in cpu useage. All with latest version of software.

Also on the AMD X2 4600, running PT3, PT2, PA HUD, FPHG, AHK HUD, observing 2 Party and 2 FTP tables while playing 3 tables at Pacific, there was lagging but still useable. If I turn AHK HUD off, then everything smooth.

With PT3, FPHG, AHK HUD, observing 12 party tables, both cores lock up at 100%. As I exit table by table, cpu stays at 100% until I shut AHK HUD off. It seem AHK HUD seem to add about 42% cpu useage at start but it seems strange that when cpu flat lines at 100% that exiting tables did not drop cpu useage. The is also true if I turn FPHG off and do the same at FTP.

Not a complaint against AHK HUD, just a report. I think Dave did the poker community a big favour with HUD release. Personally, I am not concern at the moment with it not being able to run 12 tables, I am at the 3-4 table only but if updating every 5 hands will make it better, I think it is a good idea.

I find that FTP seem to use less cpu process percentage than Party. With just PT3 only, as indicated above, observing 18 FTP tables vs 12 Party tables was about 10% less cpu useage at FTP.

FYI-max allowable opened tables at FTP was 16, seem like new update today change it to 18. Max at party is 12 tables.

[smith]

My Q6600 is up and running and doesn't even notice PT3 or AHK hud is even running!!! 4 or 5 tabling its always under 5% and spikes to 35% briefly, but that might be another program also. I also upgraded to a 8600GT from a measly Geforce2mx, so I wonder how much that affected AHK with drawing stats.

I also loaded up briefly 18 tables on FTP, and that seemed to top out 1 processor and the others were used lightly. I think this was due to FTP, so I will have to try that again and watch the processes.

I can't believe the difference in peformance from my 2400+!!!

[_dave_]

[quotea0h]
I also loaded up briefly 18 tables on FTP, and that seemed to top out 1 processor and the others were used lightly. I think this was due to FTP, so I will have to try that again and watch the processes.
[/quotea0h]

I am very glad to hear this from an intel quad core user - there have been some reports of terrible lag with this chip, seems it is not always the case :)

To get smooth flicker-free drawing, AHK-HUD moves all FTP processes and all HUD displays on to CPU 1 - also it raises FTP priority to "High" - that is why you saw it spike much higher than the others, which are left to deal with only postgres, PT3 and whatever else you may be running.