DEV-03: Progress Dynamics® Performance Improvements - Application Data Sharing and Generated Objects Peter Judge Principal Software Engineer

DEV-03: Progress Dynamics® Performance Improvements - Application Data Sharing and Generated Objects

Peter JudgePrincipal Software Engineer

2 DEV-03 : Progress Dynamics® Performance Improvements© 2005 Progress Software Corporation

Agenda Slide

Designing for runtime performance

Deploying repository data as code

Application data caching


Progress Dynamics Components Overview

Manager Data

Repository

Abstract UI Definitions

Repository Manager

Security Manager

Session / Context Manager

Connection / Configuration Manager

Customization Manager

Localization Manager

General / Utility Manager

Personalization Manager

Audit ManagerDevelopment

Tools

DeploymentTools

ConfigurationTools

ManagersTools Repository

GUI &WEBRendering

Engines


n -Tier Design Challenges

n-tier design is complex– Define system boundaries– Design for worst case

Design is an ongoing, iterative process– Continually track performance

Network is usually the biggest bottleneck There’s no single solution

– Speed vs. application complexity– # of requests vs. size of request– Speed vs. deployment ease


How Dynamics Assists with n –Tier

Managers hide n-tier complexity– Common API for client and server

Managers seamlessly cache framework data

Data object architecture– RowsToBatch, RebuildOnReposition

In-built session & context management Caching support for application data


There Is No Magic Bullet

Guiding principles– All round trips are expensive

– All data is expensive Follow Dynamics n-tier design principles

– Use manager templates

– Common client and server API

– Leverage context manager for application data

– Leverage caching





Agenda Slide


Dynamics at Runtime

Manager Data

DynamicsRepository


App Data

App DB

4GL GUIRuntime Client


Rendering Engine

Data Object

Overview


Dynamics at Runtime

Manager Data

DynamicsRepository




Rendering EngineObject R-Code

Overview

Static Code Generation


Static Code Generator

&scoped-define xp-Assign{set LogicalObjectName '##[ObjectName]##'} ##Loop:ObjectProperties-Assign##{set ##[PropertyName]## ##[PropertyValue]##}##Every:50##

&undefine xp-Assign&scoped-define xp-Assign##Every:End## ##Loop:End##.&undefine xp-Assign /* Keep forced 'Set' properties separate. */&scoped-define xp-Assign{set LogicalVersion '##[ObjectVersion]##'}##Loop:ObjectProperties-Set##{set ##[PropertyName]## ##[PropertyValue]##} ##Loop:End##.&undefine xp-Assign

Window_template.p&scoped-define xp-Assign{set LogicalObjectName ‘CustWin'}{set ObjectTranslated yes}{set ObjectSecured yes}{set HasObjectMenu ?}{set SuperProcedure ''}{set SuperProcedureMode ''} {set Page0LayoutManager '06'}{set RequiredPages '?'}{set PageLayoutInfo ''}{set InitialPageList '0'}{set StartPage 0}.&undefine xp-Assign

/* Keep forced 'Set' properties separate.*/&scoped-define xp-Assign{set LogicalVersion '19.84725'}{set PhysicalVersion '19.84725'}{set WindowName 'customer'}.&undefine xp-Assign

CustWin.pgen

Repository

Overview

GeneratorEngine


Object Templates

Active templates– Standard 4GL code mixed with generator

instruction tags

– Not intended to compile or run Defined instruction tags

– Drive generator functionality Can be fragmentary

– Templates can include other templates

“A pattern used to create documents”


Instruction Tags

Enhance templates– Add functionality & flexibility– Allow customization

Predefined, fixed set of instructions Call API in generator engine to

– Return value for token Store in context, access via API

– Perform some processing Logical, looping etc

Indicated by leading and trailing ##

Adding flexibility


DEF VAR c AS CHARASSIGN c = {fn getSomeValue}.{set WindowTitle ##[WindowTitle]##}.

...

...

Template Instruction Tags Simple Example

FIND Ryc_Attribute WHERE Object = ‘CustWin’ AND Label = ‘WindowTitle’ NO-LOCK.

Repository

DEF VAR c AS CHARASSIGN c = {fn getSomeValue}.{set WindowTitle ‘Customer Maintenance’}.

...

...


{set LogicalObjectName ##[ObjectName]##} ##Loop:AssignProps##{set ##[PropertyName]## ##[PropertyValue]##}##Loop:End##

...

...

Template Instruction Tags Looping Example

Function processLoop-AssignProps FOR EACH ryc_attribute WHERE Object = ‘CustWin’: ProcessLoopIteration(). END.End Function.

Repository

{set LogicalObjectName ‘CustWin'}{set ObjectTranslated yes}{set ObjectSecured yes}{set HasObjectMenu ?}{set SuperProcedure ''}{set SuperProcedureMode ''} {set Page0LayoutManager '06'}{set RequiredPages '?'}{set PageLayoutInfo ''}{set InitialPageList '0'}{set StartPage 0}


Generator Engine Architecture

Template Output

Plug-in procedure

TT

Object Definition

TT

Generator Engine

TT


What is The Plug-in Procedure?

Defines and controls generator behavior Knows where the data lives Transforms data Contains overrides and hooks

The brains of the generator


Using The Plug-in Procedure

Override generator behavior– Initialization, destruction of generator

E.g. Read all relevant data on init., populate temp-table before processing

– Writing of output E.g. Write to DB, not file as per default

Hook points for extension– Loop processing– Customize token getter and setters

e.g. Provide extension for output filename

Overriding the Generator Engine API


Dynamics 4GL Code Generation

Dynamics code generation has own plug-in procedure: rygen4glhp.p

Output files have pgen extension Object types have own templates

– Stored in GenerationTemplate attribute

Transforming abstract definitions


What’s in Generated Code?

Complete object definition

Security calls– Security data NOT

generated into code

Menu / toolbar data Tree node data

Optional– Translations– Result Code

Customizations

As shipped, includes:


Generated Code Considerations

Output can be stored anywhere– Runtime needs compiled version

Only dynamic objects generated Cannot visually edit generated code Mix-and-match allowed within generated

container Deployment

– Client footprint Dynamics Web not supported

Things to note


Running Generated CodelaunchContainer

( “CustWin”, …)

getMappedFilename

( “CustWin”, …)


RUN c:/Work/Clc/Gen/CustWin.rRUN rydyncontw.w

FoundCustWin.r

?

No

Yes


Why Generate?

Faster object startup– Reduced network traffic– Optimized 4GL

Deployment ease & flexibility – Easier to deploy code than data– Impact analysis – Simplifies patch fixes (hotfixes)

The Benefits


Benchmark Window 1


Why Generate?

1.536

1.954

2.116

1.3281.216

0.664

0.50.70.91.11.31.51.71.92.12.3

2.1A03 Dynamic 2.1B Dynamic 2.1B Generated

Ren

der

Tim

e (s

ecs)

Benchmark 1 Benchmark 2

Sample Lab Results over WAN 2.1B performance

improvement

2.1A03 Dynamic to 2.1B Generated:

up to 50% Faster


Agenda Slide





Dynamics at Runtime

Manager Data

DynamicsRepository


App Data

App DB



Rendering Engine

Data Object

Overview


Dynamics at Runtime



Application data and caching

Cache Manager

Data Object App Data

App DB


Cache Types

Session– Valid for length of client session

Persistent– Stored on client between sessions

– Valid until explicitly removed Defined duration (timed)

– Valid for specified time

– Data flushed from cache when stale

What kind of caches are available?


Refreshing The Cache

Cache refreshed in various ways– Restart of session

– Explicit user action

– Expiry of defined duration How quickly data becomes stale

determines frequency of cache refresh Refreshing a server cache usually

requires agent bounce


What Data Do I Cache?

ReadFrequency

NeverContinually

Update Frequency

Very low Very high

Data Volume

InfinityZero

Items

Orders

SalesRep


Determining Cache Type

Update frequency determines type Shorter update frequency = longer lasting

cache– Persistent and session caches used by

abstract UI and manager data

– Defined duration caches useful for application data

Truly static data “cached” in code– E.g. Months in year, days in week

What kind of cache do I use?


Application Data Caching

Implemented in SmartDataObject– Cached data based on rowObject,

NOT database tables

– Data retrieval transparent to client

– Controlled via properties Cache manager manages cache

– Cache populated on demand– getManagerHandle(“CacheManager”)

Existing SmartDataField caching still available– DynCombos can be converted

Defined duration caching in Dynamics


Enabling Caching

Set SDO CacheDuration property to non-zero value

Gentlemen, start your caches …

Value Cache Status

0 Cache disabled

0 < n < ∞ Cache enabled, expires in specified number of seconds

? Cache enabled, no auto-expiration


Enabling Sharing

Set SDO ShareData property to TRUE– Sharing disabled by default

Multiple instances of SDO use same temp-table– Multiple buffers used

Use for dynamic SmartDataObjects– Re-use running instance’s data

Share and share alike


Client SDO 3Client SDO 3

CacheDuration = ?ShareData = Yes


CacheDuration = ?ShareData = No


CacheDuration = ?

Data Caching In ActionHow the Cache Works

Cache ManagerCache Manager

DBTemp-Table

Temp-Table

Temp-TableTemp-Table Server SDOServer SDO

Temp-Table

Temp-Table

TT Buffer


Sharing And Caching

If SDO is shared and not cached– Last instance destroyed deletes data

– Data only around as long as needed

– Get performance benefit by re-using already-running SDO data

– Data only as stale as running SDO

– Don’t have data persistence on client

Playing nicely together


Sharing And Caching

If SDO is cached and not shared– Only really valid for static SDO

– Each instance has own copy of data Deep copy of data from cache to SDO

– Data persists on client for defined duration Respects CacheDuration property

If SDO is shared and cached– Get benefit of no deep copy

– Get benefit of data persistence on client

Playing nicely together


Usage Notes

You decide what to cache and/or share Works in distributed environment only

– No support for database-aware session Batching not supported

– Doesn’t usually qualify for caching Only parent SDO cached

– Cache key depends on SDO query Caching of updates

– Cached data refreshed via server


In Summary

Continually design for n-tier performance Leverage the static code generator

– Maximize runtime performance

– Simplify hot-fix deployment Fetch data as infrequently as possible

– Faster local access for frequently referenced data

– Relieves network traffic Manage your cache carefully!


Questions?


Thank you for your time!


Dynamics Performance Improvements: Application Data Sharing and Generated Objects

The following Progress courses cover related subject matter:

Progress Dynamics Application Development 1 Progress Dynamics Application Development 2

For more information, please visit:

http://www.progress.com/services/education/

na_education/curriculum_maps/index.ssp


Documents

DEV-03: Progress Dynamics® Performance Improvements - Application Data Sharing and Generated Objects Peter Judge Principal Software Engineer