Techsurvivors

Archives => 2008 => Topic started by: Gregg on February 13, 2008, 09:13:21 PM

Title: Memory use
Post by: Gregg on February 13, 2008, 09:13:21 PM

Didn't want this to be buried in the other thread mentioning Safari's memory leak. That prompted me to check to see how much it was using on my Mini. Couldn't find it. While it's true that I forget where it was in OS9, I never knew where to find it on any later OS. I could find it on the old computer, I just don't remember where it is. (the drop down menu; I know where the old computer is) Where do you get the list of running applications and how much RAM they are hogging???

Title: Memory use
Post by: Paddy on February 13, 2008, 11:33:28 PM

Applications->Utilities->Activity Monitor.

Title: Memory use
Post by: Gregg on February 14, 2008, 07:20:41 AM

Ok, I did forget. That was mentioned in one of the other "Leopard 101" threads I started. But, in OS9 that information was available from a "direct" menu choice, not buried three levels down the folder tree. Oh, must be one of the "improvements".

Title: Memory use
Post by: Jack W on February 14, 2008, 08:37:30 AM

Hey Gregg, drag Activity Monitor to your dock, then it's not "tree levels down". One of the improvements in OS X!

- Jack

Title: Memory use
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 14, 2008, 09:41:52 AM

AM has dozens of uses and combinations of views. Seeing the memory used by an app is simply one of them. I usually use it more to see how much cpu cycles an app is using, some are real hogs! To see memory leaks, I would suggest opening AM and selecting "My Processes" which you may not have even know you had! There should be a "Real Memory" labeled column, mine is squeezed down so it only reads "RM." Anyway, clicking that column label will sort the processes by memory used. The processes list may change, therefore, as their memory use changes. You may want to sort by "Process Name" to keep the list from changing.

While you're there, check the "View" menu and set things up like you want. There is not an actual "Preferences..." menu item in AM, changes/settings are mostly done in that "View" menu. Enjoy! It really is an improvement in information over OS 9, IMHO.

Title: Memory use
Post by: Gregg on February 14, 2008, 12:18:13 PM

QUOTE(Jack W @ Feb 14 2008, 08:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

"tree levels down".

Arrrrrh!

Title: Memory use
Post by: Gregg on February 15, 2008, 09:03:34 PM

QUOTE(Jack W @ Feb 14 2008, 08:37 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey Gregg, drag Activity Monitor to your dock, then it's not "tree levels down". One of the improvements in OS X!

Or, as I just discovered, I can, well, go to the Go Menu and select Utilities which opens the Utilities Folder in Applications, and pluck that Activity Monitor right off the top of the heap. Of course, while AM is running, its icon is in the Dock.

AM shows a bunch of mystery applications running:

57    launchd   0.0   3   512.00 KB   585.73 MB   Intel   
80    pboard   0.0   1   580.00 KB   586.63 MB   Intel   
77    UserEventAgent      0.0   2   2.07 MB   588.44 MB   Intel   
183    mdworker      0.0   4   2.36 MB   598.92 MB   Intel   
112    AppleSpell.service   0.0   1   3.70 MB   601.71 MB   Intel   
82    ATSServer   0.0   2   3.26 MB   618.99 MB   Intel   
90    iTunes Helper   0.0   2   2.26 MB   848.90 MB   Intel   
76    Spotlight   0.0   2   3.93 MB   859.87 MB   Intel   
22    loginwindow   0.0   3   4.76 MB   864.86 MB   Intel   
81    SystemUIServer   0.1   7   8.84 MB   906.80 MB   Intel   

And the ones that are fundamental:
78    Dock   0.0   3   15.61 MB   915.48 MB   Intel   
83    Finder   0.0   6   16.18 MB   931.87 MB   Intel   

As well as the ones I opened:
195    Activity Monitor   1.6   5   12.46 MB   950.21 MB   Intel   
91    Remember?   0.0   2   17.57 MB   990.02 MB   PowerPC   
108    Safari   8.3   12   96.17 MB   1.00 GB   Intel   

Title: Memory use
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 16, 2008, 06:20:44 PM

Depending on how you select the processes, you can be over-whelmed by the number and the general lack of descriptive names. I'd not worry much about any of them until you find one that is draining more than 10% of your cpu cycles. Might be worth finding out more about that one. Most are required for whatever the OS is doing, some are needed by all programs, some are just there to confuse residents of Milwaukee!

Title: Memory use
Post by: giantmike on February 16, 2008, 09:12:56 PM

Or even better than using the go menu, use Spotlight! Just hit command+space to bring up the spot light window. Type in part or all of "Activity monitor" and hit return to open the application. I have really started using that a lot since Leopard, since it's a handy way to launch apps without remember where they are.

Title: Memory use
Post by: krissel on February 17, 2008, 06:48:33 AM

QUOTE(Gregg @ Feb 15 2008, 10:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Of course, while AM is running, its icon is in the Dock.

You do know that you can click/hold on the icon in the Dock and set the app to remain in the Dock.

Title: Memory use
Post by: Gregg on February 17, 2008, 02:27:19 PM

QUOTE(krissel @ Feb 17 2008, 06:48 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You do know that you can click/hold on the icon in the Dock and set the app to remain in the Dock.

I do now. I hadn't noticed the pop-up "contextual" menu ability there, as I tend to "click quick"(ly) and not hold. Although, I probably read that in Dr. Bob's book. I try to do things I read in there to help me learn (ie: remember) them (later), but that's one I forgot to try.

QUOTE(giantmike @ Feb 16 2008, 09:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or even better than using the go menu, use Spotlight! Just hit command+space to bring up the spot light window. Type in part or all of "Activity monitor" and hit return to open the application. I have really started using that a lot since Leopard, since it's a handy way to launch apps without remember where they are.

Or, do what krissel mentioned, but click on "Open at Login" instead. Then you have to do exactly nothing after that to activate it.

Ok, I double-dog dare ya to come up with an easier method than 0 steps....

Title: Memory use
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 17, 2008, 04:56:58 PM

Speaking of "plist," you can now, in Leopard, view them write in the Finder using "Quick Look." Just find one you're interested in (you can maybe even use Spotlight!), select it by clicking on it and then press the space bar. There you go! Interpreting what's there is left as an exercize for the reader. Found this trick in the latest Macworld, BTW.

Title: Memory use
Post by: krissel on February 17, 2008, 08:49:51 PM

Odd coincidence...I happened to find an application on my machine last night that lets you look at and edit any plist.

Here is the updated version:

http://www.nightproductions.net/prefsetter.html

or

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/syst...prefsetter.html

Title: Memory use
Post by: Xairbusdriver on February 18, 2008, 11:10:16 AM

Nice to know there is still support for "Legacy" operating systems.