Refresh Time for Display of Forms

The preview of a PDF form is no way to evaluate anything more than the just the view and calculation results. To get a better feel save the LC D form as a pdf and open the form in Acrobat. One can improve performance through the use of document level functions, since the code located here is preprocessed upon opening the form and not every time the field is recalculated, and performing all the calculations in one field or as a callable document level function. Acrobat JavaScript or LC D's FormCalc is no better than the free MS Basic provided with the original IBM PC.

Well ... I do use a Document level function to compute the time difference. All other boxes use either a retrieve Date/Time, Show a Gold Star when Punched, insert Text Comments.

When I only have 1 task's Start/Stop, Comments, A Set of 12 "Show Gold Star" Buttons, and Difference forms present, for all 7 days ... the retrieval of the Start/Stop Times, Calculation of Difference, Showing of a Gold Star, etc. is almost instantaneous.

Its just when I have 20 tasks, that the response time goes up to 8 seconds.

My JavaScript and a more detailed description is given under the link above ... apologies for the split thread discussion ... I tried to just ask about Display time here ... again still seems closely related to code construction.

Oh ... I am using the form via Acrobat 6 Pro ... is that why I'm experiencing Display delays?

Is there a way to Save it, "compiled" or something ... is that what your reference to "LC D" form means?

I only have Acrobat 6 Pro ... so I cannot save any data entered into an Acrobat Reader viewing/use of the form as I believe is allowed now under 8.

Another guessing at a question ...

Is the naming of variables a possible thing to look at?

For each task in the form, and for each of 7 days, I have sets of 12 Check Boxes, all the same parent names with different child names since they fall in the same categories. I let the Create Multiple Copies for Form > Fields capability add 1.0.0 names as appropriate.Names result in: MajorScales.Mon.1.0.0 ... one for each Major Scale, Mon - Sun.

When I punch one Check Box using Mouse Up, do all get looked at (linked together by Parent Names)? or just the one being punched? If all get "looked at" that would be 12 x 7 = 84 code lines.

Maybe some other similar Naming Convention dependency is causing the Display Performance?

Most recently, I divided my 3 page Spreadsheet form, into 3 files ... it speeds up the refresh rate 2x ... e.g., I can retrieve a new Date/Time in 4-5 seconds, versus 7-8.

Might there be some way to add a Parent Name, indicating Page membership, to the form's elements, so as to force any Basic Code made, to create a division in coding ... which would be equivalent to making a multipage document, into multi-files?

Experimenting with Preferences > Forms > Automatically Calculate Field Values, apparently, all fields are re-calculated every time I punch in for a Time Start and/or Time Stop ... all Minutes Elapsed are re-calculated.So, for every task I have in the form, each one's minutes elapsed is re-calculated, for each of 7 days in the week ... e.g. 20 tasks gives 140 calculations every time I ask for the current time (Start or Stop).

So, when I come up with a variable naming scheme, or other programming solution, that will stop this behavior, I'll post it here:

XXX

Until then ...

One concept I was looking for is "global" calculations versus "local" calculations.

Global meaning Document-wide ... calculate whenever values change, and Local meaning pertaining to the single form cell ... calculate only when the cell is activated.

I repositioned my use of JavaScript so that when fetching Start and Stop Times, both calculate minutes elapsed, but only once for each task, each day. I.E., Under Text Field Properties > Calculate, I selected "Value is not calculated" and moved the calculations to Mouse Up > Run JavaScript that fetches current times and calculates minutes elapsed.This solved my delay time problem I experiment with here, and in other threads: the form responds within 3 seconds, versus the 8-9 seconds, when fetching a time and calculating minutes elapsed.

Thanks for listening.