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Here's the bug report I filed, together with the workaround and my hypothesis for what the problem is. If you are having this problem, you might want to add a comment or vote for this bug.

Vincent

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Bug 113652: Hang up on attempt to edit field of existing entry (normal)
Opened: 2005-09-30 23:56
Product: kaddressbook
Component: general
Version: 3.4
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Platform: unspecified
Reporter: Vincent DiCarlo
Assigned to: Tobias Kýnig
Votes: 0 (vote)

Version: 3.4 (using KDE 3.4.0 Level "b" , SUSE 9.3)
Compiler: gcc version 3.3.5 20050117 (prerelease) (SUSE Linux)
OS: Linux (i686) release 2.6.11.4-21.9-default

Edit of existing entry swamps cpu long delay (2-4 min) for keyboard entries in edit fields beginning when cursor is put in entry field. Same problem when start Kaddressbook from Kontact.

Ksysguard shows plenty of hardware memory and no swap file activity, but about 85% processor usage by Kaddressbook or Kontact, depending on which one is used to start addressbook.

Processor is Intel Pentium III (Katmai) 500mH, 512KB level I cache.
There are 512mB memory, a 1 gig swap file, and 3 or 4 gig left on the partition.

There are about 5,000 entries in the address book, most of which were added by importing vcard 3.0 or csv files exported from other applications.

I'm old to computers, but new to Linux and KDE. Thanks for offering us such an impressive free and better alternative to Microsoft. I am willing to help to the extent that my limited expertise permits.


------- Additional Comment #1 From Vincent DiCarlo 2005-10-01 01:12 -------
I've found some additional information.

1. This only happens when you try to edit the address book (aka contact list in kontact) with the contact editor extension bar open. It does not happen if you open an edit window by clicking an entry with no extension bar selected.

2. Even with the editor extension bar open, it does not happen if you use the simple editor rather than the full editor.

3. The length of time the cpu is swamped is directly proportional to BOTH

a. the number of entries in the address book, and

b. the number of characters you type into the entry filed of the editing box. for example, if i type a "t" into an empty field for "organization" with an address book of about 1,500 entries, it takes about 13 seconds to see the "t" in the field. If I type a "tt" in the box, it takes 26 seconds. I was wrong when I said above that the problem started as soon as you put the cursor in the edit field. It happens when you type the first character.

4. When I type into an edit field under the vulnerable conditions, and with a large address book of about 3,500 entries, I can see the list of contacts above the editor extension bar flicker.

Hypothesis: when you enter text under the vulnerable conditions, Kaddressbook attempts some kind of search through the records using EACH character that is typed.

I just had a thought, which I can't test until Monday because I don't have access to a Linux box where I am.

When I was customizing Kontact, I set modified the view to display several fields that are not displayed by default. This bug may result from Kaddressbook updating the display each time a character is entered into a field that is in the display. That would also explain the flicker.