Slow AdvancedDataGrid rendering

Question

Hello -
I have a project that uses an AdvancedDataGrid with over 60
dynamically generated columns, grouped dynamically (there are three
sub groupings above each actual colum), and fed with Hierarchical
data. So each row of my ADG will expand one level to reveal another
set of rows: Usually 5 at a time.
This means, currently I'm drawing about 300 cells with
colored backgrounds.
Initially I used a Box for my custom item renderer to draw
the colored backgrounds but found that the grid timed out when
rendered. By switching to extend the AdvancedDataGridItemRenderer I
picked up a SIGNIFICANT performance improvement. I set my
background color in the set data( ) method of the item renderer.
For the grouping column that expands, I use something derived from
AdvancedDataGridGroupItemRenderer, coupled with setting the
groupLabelFunction function.
I overrode the AdvancedDataGridColumn to provide a custom
dataTip function. Beyond that, I let default behavior happen.
So what I'm noticing is that when I expand or contract the
tree it takes a second or two of waiting before it draws. The set
data( ) gets called on just about everything in the grid each time.
Is this timing expected for my number of grouped columns and cells?
I get the impression that others have larger tables with no lag. So
maybe I'm missing something.
I've been reading all sorts of thing to improve the
performance. Eventually this table will be much much larger. By the
time the application is fully mature, I will be responsible for
displaying up to 20,000 colored cells. So I worry about having this
not be usable as more data hits it.
Initially I was setting the color in the validateNow
function of the renderer. Moving it to setData and not overriding
validateNow helped. What else do people suggest?
So - to summarize:
1) Should I be seeing a lag at all with 300 data points and
60 grouped columns?
2) What are other things to look for to make this faster
rendering?
Thank you all,
Joel

Answer 1

"dalejoel" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello -
>
> I have a project that uses an AdvancedDataGrid with over
60 dynamically
> generated columns, grouped dynamically (there are three
sub groupings
> above
> each actual colum), and fed with Hierarchical data. So
each row of my ADG
> will
> expand one level to reveal another set of rows: Usually
5 at a time.
>
> This means, currently I'm drawing about 300 cells with
colored
> backgrounds.
>
> Initially I used a Box for my custom item renderer to
draw the colored
> backgrounds but found that the grid timed out when
rendered. By switching
> to
> extend the AdvancedDataGridItemRenderer I picked up a
SIGNIFICANT
> performance
> improvement. I set my background color in the set data(
) method of the
> item
> renderer. For the grouping column that expands, I use
something derived
> from
> AdvancedDataGridGroupItemRenderer, coupled with setting
the
> groupLabelFunction
> function.
>
> I overrode the AdvancedDataGridColumn to provide a
custom dataTip
> function.
> Beyond that, I let default behavior happen.
>
> So what I'm noticing is that when I expand or contract
the tree it takes a
> second or two of waiting before it draws. The set data(
) gets called on
> just
> about everything in the grid each time. Is this timing
expected for my
> number
> of grouped columns and cells? I get the impression that
others have larger
> tables with no lag. So maybe I'm missing something.
>
> I've been reading all sorts of thing to improve the
performance.
> Eventually
> this table will be much much larger. By the time the
application is fully
> mature, I will be responsible for displaying up to
20,000 colored cells.
> So I
> worry about having this not be usable as more data hits
it.
>
> Initially I was setting the color in the validateNow
function of the
> renderer. Moving it to setData and not overriding
validateNow helped. What
> else
> do people suggest?
>
> So - to summarize:
> 1) Should I be seeing a lag at all with 300 data points
and 60 grouped
> columns?
> 2) What are other things to look for to make this faster
rendering?
I'd either go with a style function or move it to
commitProperties and set a
flag in set data and call invalidateProperties(). There's a
lightweight
itemRenderer in my extended datagrid with style function you
might want to
look at. It doesn't include icon functionality, but you can
look at it for
the types of things you might want to do.
http://flexdiary.blogspot.com/2008/09/extended-datagrid-with-stylefunction.html
HTH;
Amy