Java 2D Memory

Question

Hi,
I am using Swing and Java 2D to vizualize, process and aimate images.
I am having two problems:
* Problem 1:
I am loading png images (10K) (787 x 738 pixels). I am loading the images using:
public static Image getImage(String name, Component cmp) {
Image image = cmp.getToolkit().createImage(name);
MediaTracker tracker = new MediaTracker(cmp);
tracker.addImage(image, 0);
try {
tracker.waitForID(0);
if (tracker.isErrorAny()) {
System.out.println("Error loading image " + name);
} catch (Exception ex) { ex.printStackTrace(); }
return image;
//Then a recover the image and create a BufferedImage:
this.bufferedImage.createGraphics().drawImage(image, 0, 0, null);
each image loaded is taking 2 MB RAM,
When I am animating , depending on the number o images loaded, the memory goes to 80MB.
I need to reduce de memory loaded for each image.
Problem 2:
Even when the animation finish, and I close de frame with the AnimatingSurface, the
memory doesn't decrease. The only reference I keep for the bufferedImage is on my
class ImageData. When a close the animation frame, I release this objects
(ImageData) and I call System.gc().
I know the objects are being released becaus the method finalize is called.
But the memory doesn't decrease.
Can you give me a tip?
Thanks a lot!
Paloma

Answer 1

Problem 1:
Quick math tells me that 787x738 images are 580,806 pixels.. and at 4 bytes a pixel thatsn 2,323,224 bytes.. So there are your 2 megs of memory. The only way not to use that much is to either (A) use smaller images, or (B) decompress them just before you need them, and dispose of them when your done.. Both options stink but reality is reality.
You can try calling flush() on the image after using it, that may remove the uncompressed representation.. but I'm not sure about that.
Problem 2:
Most likely there are other references to the images that you've forgotten about or do not know exist. Try calling flush() on the images as that should dispose of cached representations according to javadoc.