Slow page updates in WebView

The page load time is split into two parts:

1. The first part is due to the loading of information from the DataHub. This is the part where you see the little Silverlight spinner, and also the part where WebView says "initializing". This is largely network dependent, though it also depends on the speed of the browser to some degree. This part can be sped up by using a faster CPU and a faster network. Normally the pages and application are cached by the browser, so network bandwidth becomes less of an issue than latency. Version 7.3.1 improves respect for the cache on browsers that violate the HTTP spec by transmitting localized strings in timestamp headers.
2. The second part of the load time comes from the construction of the screen. This is entirely CPU dependent. In WebView this is where you get the progress bar and you'll see information about loading the page. The only recourse is a faster CPU. The more controls you have on the screen, the longer it takes to construct. The relationship is more-or-less linear.

If you are using Internet Explorer, Firefox, or any other browser that allows for tabs, one solution that might work for you is to load each page just once, each in a separate tab. Then you only need to click from tab to tab to immediately view the data. No need to close and reopen the page.

If you have a number of pages whose data sets are identical, instead of having multiple pages, you can create a page template.  This lets you load the page once, and then simply change data bindings on the controls, using a script. For instructions on how to accomplish this, check here.

Although DataHub WebView essentially supports unlimited data connections and unlimited clients, the more points per page and the more clients that are logged on to the system, the more load on the CPU.


Here are some tips how to optimize a screen with lots of controls, to cut down on page load times:

1. If the page has lots of controls that are used to draw a picture of the plant, then you can speed things up by building the page the way you want, then taking a screen shot, which you can use a background.  The more controls you can replace with an image the quicker the load time.
2. If you have constructed a part of your screen using a group of many controls, such as a piece of equipment that is made of many polygon, line and rectangle controls, then you should consider making your own custom symbol.  That way, you can replace the group of many controls with one custom symbol.