Slow decoding

Slow decoding

[Markus Dickebohm]

Once in a while I receive quite huge attachments. Most of the time I
save them.

This went quite smooth with TM, but now with pgnus (though I really
like all the new features and the look-and-feel) it takes extremely
long to decode a say 2MB attachment. Here on my little DEC Alpha
Workstation Emacs freezes for approximately 5 minutes, then asks for a
filename and freezes again for 5-10 minutes.

Is there any hope that this procedure will speed up during the
development cycle? 

Markus
-- 
Uni Koeln * Physikalische Chemie II * Luxemburger Str. 116 * D-50939 Koeln
Tel: +49(0)221/470-3087  * Fax: -5144  *   mailto:M.Dickebohm@Uni-Koeln.DE

Re: Slow decoding

[Kai.Grossjohann]

You can speed up decoding by setting base64-decoder-program and
base64-decoder-switches.  There are similar *-encoder-* variables, as
well as a variable uudecode-decoder-program.
kai
-- 
This gubblick contains many nonsklarkish English flutzpahs,
but the overall pluggandisp can be glorked from context. -- David Moser

Re: Slow decoding

[Lee Willis]

Markus Dickebohm <m.dickebohm@uni-koeln.de> writes:

> This went quite smooth with TM, but now with pgnus (though I really
> like all the new features and the look-and-feel) it takes extremely
> long to decode a say 2MB attachment. Here on my little DEC Alpha
> Workstation Emacs freezes for approximately 5 minutes, then asks for a
> filename and freezes again for 5-10 minutes.

Hmm, well at the moment all base-64 en/decoding is done in Emacs Lisp
which isn't exactly the nippiest language in the world. Apparently in
future versions of (x?)emacs there will be base-64 encoding/decoding
which will be in C so should be less lethargic ...

Lee.
-- 
I was doing object-oriented assembly at 1 year old ...  
For some reason my mom insists on calling it "Playing with blocks"

Re: Slow decoding

[Markus Dickebohm]

Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE writes:

> You can speed up decoding by setting base64-decoder-program and
> base64-decoder-switches.  There are similar *-encoder-* variables,
> as well as a variable uudecode-decoder-program.  

Yes... many thanks.
That works as nicely as I knew it with TM.

Markus
-- 
Uni Koeln * Physikalische Chemie II * Luxemburger Str. 116 * D-50939 Koeln
Tel: +49(0)221/470-3087  * Fax: -5144  *   mailto:M.Dickebohm@Uni-Koeln.DE

Re: Slow decoding

[Kai.Grossjohann]

Kurt Swanson <kurt@dna.lth.se> writes:

  > Is there some standard (common) Unix program which would work well for
  > base64-decoder-program?  What do you use?

I use mimencode which is part of the Metamail distribution (also as
mmencode, I think).  It can decode, too, and it also groks
quoted-unreadable. 

kai
-- 
This gubblick contains many nonsklarkish English flutzpahs,
but the overall pluggandisp can be glorked from context. -- David Moser

Re: Slow decoding

[Jake Colman]

What should base64-decoder-program be set to for a Solaris system?  What
application should I download and install (if I don't already have it) , and
how do I set it up?

What other "viewers" might I want to be using?

Thanx!

>>>>> "Markus" == Markus Dickebohm <m.dickebohm@uni-koeln.de> writes:

   Markus> Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE writes:

   >> You can speed up decoding by setting base64-decoder-program and
   >> base64-decoder-switches.  There are similar *-encoder-* variables,
   >> as well as a variable uudecode-decoder-program.

   Markus> Yes... many thanks.
   Markus> That works as nicely as I knew it with TM.

   Markus> Markus
   Markus> -- 
   Markus> Uni Koeln * Physikalische Chemie II * Luxemburger Str. 116 * D-50939 Koeln
   Markus> Tel: +49(0)221/470-3087  * Fax: -5144  *   mailto:M.Dickebohm@Uni-Koeln.DE

-- 
Jake Colman                     

Principia Partners LLC                  Phone: (201) 946-0300
Harborside Financial Center               Fax: (201) 946-0320
902 Plaza II                           Beeper: (800) 505-2795
Jersey City, NJ 07311                  E-mail: colman@ppllc.com
                                       E-mail: jcolman@jnc.com
                                          web: http://www.ppllc.com

Re: Slow decoding

[Hrvoje Niksic]

Lee Willis <lee@gbdirect.co.uk> writes:

> Markus Dickebohm <m.dickebohm@uni-koeln.de> writes:
> 
> > This went quite smooth with TM, but now with pgnus (though I really
> > like all the new features and the look-and-feel) it takes extremely
> > long to decode a say 2MB attachment. Here on my little DEC Alpha
> > Workstation Emacs freezes for approximately 5 minutes, then asks for a
> > filename and freezes again for 5-10 minutes.
> 
> Hmm, well at the moment all base-64 en/decoding is done in Emacs Lisp
> which isn't exactly the nippiest language in the world. Apparently in
> future versions of (x?)emacs there will be base-64 encoding/decoding
                      ^^
> which will be in C so should be less lethargic ...

Yes.  The latest XEmacs 21.2 also supports native base64 en/decoding.

-- 
Hrvoje Niksic <hniksic@srce.hr> | Student at FER Zagreb, Croatia
--------------------------------+--------------------------------
* Q: What is an experienced Emacs user?
* A: A person who wishes that the terminal had pedals.

Re: Slow decoding

[Kai.Grossjohann]

Jake Colman <colman@ppllc.com> writes:

  > What should base64-decoder-program be set to for a Solaris system?
  > What application should I download and install (if I don't already
  > have it) , and how do I set it up?

I have MetaMail (mm-2.7.tar.gz or something on the FTP server) and use
the mimencode program that comes with that (it can also decode,
despite its name).

kai
-- 
This gubblick contains many nonsklarkish English flutzpahs,
but the overall pluggandisp can be glorked from context. -- David Moser

Re: Slow decoding

[François Pinard]

Kai.Grossjohann@CS.Uni-Dortmund.DE writes:

> Jake Colman <colman@ppllc.com> writes:

>   > What should base64-decoder-program be set to for a Solaris system?
>   > What application should I download and install (if I don't already
>   > have it) , and how do I set it up?

> I have MetaMail (mm-2.7.tar.gz or something on the FTP server) and use
> the mimencode program that comes with that (it can also decode, despite
> its name).

For one, I set:


(setq base64-decoder-program "recode"
      base64-decoder-switches '("-f" "/64")
      base64-encoder-program "recode"
      base64-encoder-switches '("-f" "../64"))


so using a recent pretest of my own `recode' program, and it is speedy
enough for me.  For a long while, I used Nathaniel's `mmencode' for similar
purposes and was satisfied.  Also, `mmencode' is a smaller and simpler
program, it surely loads and initialises more quickly.  If I use `recode',
this is at least to test it! :-) The speed difference is not significant
enough for me to notice it, however.  If one has comments, let me know.

-- 
François Pinard                            mailto:pinard@iro.umontreal.ca
Join the free Translation Project!    http://www.iro.umontreal.ca/~pinard

Re: Slow decoding

[Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen]

Kurt Swanson <ksw@dna.lth.se> writes:

> I've noticed this double delay - could it be that the attachment is
> decoded twice - before and after requesting a filename?

It doesn't happen for me.  Try
`M-x debug-on-entry RET base64-decode-region RET' and see what happens 
when you save a base64-encoded part.

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  larsi@gnus.org * Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen

Re: Slow decoding

[Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen]

Kurt Swanson <ksw@dna.lth.se> writes:

> Just to be sure I did the debug-on-entry and sure enough there is one
> call before asking for a filename, and one after...

Could you mail me the two backtraces?

-- 
(domestic pets only, the antidote for overdose, milk.)
  larsi@gnus.org * Lars Magne Ingebrigtsen