Repository Objects Caching

To speed up access to objects and their work, use repository objects caching. When reports built using the Dashboards, Analytical Queries (OLAP), Reports and Time Series Analysis tools are used, preview maps and images are automatically cached, if repository objects in the object navigator are displayed as extra large icons. To speed up map rendering on opening a report, maps cache is checked if it contains the requested map. If the map is found in cache, the cached map is shown in the report. If there is no map in cache, the repository map opens, and cache is updated. If there are several connections to the same repository, common cache with maps will be used for all connections. On closing all connections, cache of maps is cleared.

After executing the operations, caching of the selected repository object is used.

On Foresight. Analytics Platform working, extraction and storage of data required for web application running is made in the BI server memory. The system can also be expanded by introducing additional (more powerful) BI servers with function of data extracting and caching from repository. BI server with web application will request those BI servers and get the thread with required data without additional request to DBMS. To introduce additional BI servers, fill in the Service section in system registry settings or in the Settings.xml file.

When dictionary elements and time series database dictionaries are cached, the system creates temporary copies of the object containing element attribute values and links to the used objects on the user computer.

NOTE. Dictionary and time series database element cache is stored and used within the same repository connection.

Caching of dictionaries and time series database is intelligent and available for a number of users if they have similar access permissions and use the same parameter values. It means that several copies of one object can be cached at a time (for example, for various parameter values).

IMPORTANT. If In-Memory data caching is used for dictionaries, object caching settings are not taken into account when repository objects caching is used. The In-Memory data caching has a higher priority than repository objects caching.

When regular report caching is used, the system created instances of the object opened with certain parameter values. On opening an object with some parameters the cache is checked for availability of a record corresponding to these parameters. If such a record is found, cached object version is extracted and opened. If no record is found for the specified parameters, the last object version is opened from the repository. All the objects, on which this object depends, are also opened. Regular report instance cache is stored in the repository database.

Cache provides speeding up start of custom forms and execute application code on application projects work.

On compiling units/forms/assemblies (Fore or Fore.NET), a file cache, which stores a compiled object version, is created on the local drive. By default, cache is located in the user profile, in the subdirectory "\AppData\Local\Foresight\Foresight Analytics Platform\AsmCache<n>\Mod\<Repository ID>\<assembly number>\". If required, file cache storage path can be changed. To do it in the [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Foresight\Foresight Analytics Platform\9.0\9.2] registry branch create the CachefilePath string parameter and set up required path in it.

To speed up the first starting of application projects on an industrial scale, compiled objects of development environment can also be stored in the repository base. The Caching Assemblies on the Local Disk checkbox is used to control storing mode of compiled objects in the repository base. This checkbox is located in the Repository Parameters dialog box. On the first start compiled versions of objects are copied into the file cache. After that, the rest of the work is performed with file cache.

Recommendations:

When developing application code, select the Cache Assemblies on Local Drive Only checkbox. This will enable the user to work with code in different platform versions.
It is not recommended to select the Cache Assemblies on Local Drive Only checkbox if the system is installed on the users' workstations belonged to a customer.
Remove compiled assemblies from the repository before commissioning the system to a customer. Then deselect the Caching Assemblies on the Local Disk checkbox and start users' forms to compile and save assemblies in the repository. The users' forms must be started with the platform version, which will be also installed at customer's place in the future. This will prevent compiling objects on deployment and startup of the system because the previously compiled objects are loaded into the file cache.
In order not to prevent users from working in the system, when the system is developed for a customer, it is necessary to select the Cache Assemblies on Local Drive Only checkbox on the workstations used for development.
Remember that a modified unit or form is saved when compiled from the development environment. After this it cannot be guaranteed that a previous platform version can open the saved unit or form.
Developed units and forms are recommended to be arranged and stored inside the assemblies. This reduces the number of created cache files that reduces the number of file system calls and speeds up startup of cached objects.
Selection or deselection of the Cache Assemblies on Local Drive Only checkbox does not slow down general development process because in any case file cache is used at the start. This checkbox can have influence only at the first start and decompressing of a new version of application on the customer's computers.

Possible Consequences

By default, the Cache Assemblies on Local Drive Only checkbox is deselected, the compiled version of object is saved both on the local drive and in the repository.

If different platform versions are used to work within the same repository, and the compiled assemblies are saved to the repository, one project can store forms and units compiled by different platform versions. This may cause errors like Access Violation or Internal Runtime Error, that occur, for example, when a form is started from another form compiled by other release of the Platform. These errors are caused by incompatibility of formats in different platform versions.

This may also slow down development process. On compiling objects on the same computer, their compiled versions are saved into the repository base. If these objects are used at the same time to work on another computer, local compiled versions and repository versions are compared. This will cause constant detecting of differences, which in turn will overload server because versions are constantly loaded the local disk and unloaded back to the repository base.

To avoid such consequences:

Select the Cache Assemblies on Local Drive Only checkbox at the stage of project development.
Delete complied assemblies from repository.

Cache Clearing

To clear repository cache, select the Tools > Clear Cache item in the main menu of the object navigator.

To clear cache of dictionaries and time series databases, click the Clear Cache button on the Cache in the object properties.

To clear regular report cache, click the Clear button in the Object Cache dialog box.

To clear development environment object cache, select the Repository > Clear Assembly Cache item in the main menu of the security manager.