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<li class="toctree-l2"><a class="reference internal" href="#why">Why...</a><ul>
<li class="toctree-l3"><a class="reference internal" href="#write-in-python-it-s-slow-bloated-bad">...write in Python? It&#8217;s slow/bloated/bad?</a><ul>
<li class="toctree-l4"><a class="reference internal" href="#performance">Performance</a></li>
<li class="toctree-l4"><a class="reference internal" href="#memory-use-the-dumb-way">Memory use - The dumb way</a></li>
<li class="toctree-l4"><a class="reference internal" href="#memory-use-the-sensible-way">Memory use - The sensible way</a></li>
<li class="toctree-l4"><a class="reference internal" href="#python-sucks">&#8220;Python sucks!&#8221;</a></li>
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  <img alt="Because curious cats ask clever code monkeys." class="align-right" src="_images/icon_faq.png" />
<div class="section" id="frequently-asked-questions">
<h1>Frequently Asked Questions<a class="headerlink" href="#frequently-asked-questions" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h1>
<p>Here I&#8217;ll try to list some common questions that get asked for.</p>
<div class="section" id="why">
<h2>Why...<a class="headerlink" href="#why" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
<div class="section" id="write-in-python-it-s-slow-bloated-bad">
<h3>...write in Python? It&#8217;s slow/bloated/bad?<a class="headerlink" href="#write-in-python-it-s-slow-bloated-bad" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
<div class="section" id="performance">
<h4>Performance<a class="headerlink" href="#performance" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
<dl class="docutils">
<dt>Profiles were configured with command <code class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">bash</span> <span class="pre">-c</span> <span class="pre">exit</span></code>, and the</dt>
<dd>commands run a couple of times to get the caches loaded up.</dd>
</dl>
<p>GNOME-Terminal:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>time for i in {1..30} ; do gnome-terminal --profile=Quickexit; done

real    0m10.606s
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>Terminator:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>time for i in {1..30} ; do terminator -g deletemeconfig -p Quickexit; done

GTK2: real    0m11.928s A smidgen slower.
GTK3: real    0m10.885s Yeah, basically identical!
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>Cold start, using <code class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">sync</span> <span class="pre">&amp;&amp;</span> <span class="pre">echo</span> <span class="pre">3</span> <span class="pre">&gt;</span> <span class="pre">/proc/sys/vm/drop_caches</span></code> before
each run, then launching a single timed instance.</p>
<p>Gnome-Terminal:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>time gnome-terminal --profile=Quickexit

real    0m7.628s (approx median, there was a strange variance for GT, between 5 and 9 secs)
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>Terminator:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>time terminator -g deletemeconfig -p Quickexit

GTK2: real    0m11.390s (median of 3x)
GTK3: real    0m11.264s (median of 3x)
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>OK, so this is the once place you would notice an appreciable
difference. How often do you start these things with completely empty
caches/buffers?</p>
<p>In GTK2 there is a known issue which slows the cat&#8217;ing of large files
quite a bit. The VTE in GTK3 Terminator is the <em>exact</em> same widget
GNOME-Terminal uses, so this will get better, as and when we move
fully to the in-progress GTK3 port. I should point out that this
performance deficit is not due to the Python interpreter, or the
Terminator Python code, but is solely down to the compiled C code VTE
widget.</p>
</div>
<div class="section" id="memory-use-the-dumb-way">
<h4>Memory use - The dumb way<a class="headerlink" href="#memory-use-the-dumb-way" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
<p>GNOME-Terminal:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre> for i in {1..100} ; do gnome-terminal --disable-factory &amp; done

root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free           # Before startup
              total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
 Mem:       3102404    1388776    1713628       4052        164      45340
 -/+ buffers/cache:    1343272    1759132
 Swap:      3121996     788704    2333292
 root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free          # After startup
              total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
 Mem:       3102404    2439524     662880      57196       1240      99212
 -/+ buffers/cache:    2339072     763332
 Swap:      3121996     751440    2370556
 root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free          # After kill
              total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
 Mem:       3102404    1466536    1635868       4796        160      45912
 -/+ buffers/cache:    1420464    1681940
 Swap:      3121996     751020    2370976

 Used (used mem -buffers/cache + swap)
     Before start: 2131976
     After start : 3090512 = 958536 kbytes, 936 Mbytes / 9.36 MBytes/instance
     After kill  : 2171484 =  39508 kbytes,  38 Mbytes not recovered
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>Terminator GTK2:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>for i in {1..100} ; do terminator -g deletemeconfig -u &amp; done

root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1313456    1788948       4284        152      43844
-/+ buffers/cache:    1269460    1832944
Swap:      3121996     736844    2385152
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    2866552     235852      19484       1084      65408
-/+ buffers/cache:    2800060     302344
Swap:      3121996     736340    2385656
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1317724    1784680       4284        152      43464
-/+ buffers/cache:    1274108    1828296
Swap:      3121996     736304    2385692

Used (used mem -buffers/cache + swap)
    before start: 2006304
    after start : 3536400 = 1530096 kbytes, 1494 Mbytes / 14.94 MBytes/instance
    after kill  : 2010412 =    4108 kbytes,    4 Mbytes not recovered
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>Terminator GTK3:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>for i in {1..100} ; do terminator -g deletemeconfig -u &amp; done

root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
         total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1467204    1635200       4816        120      46132
-/+ buffers/cache:    1420952    1681452
Swap:      3121996     751000    2370996
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    2848372     254032       7216        960      52652
-/+ buffers/cache:    2794760     307644
Swap:      3121996     750016    2371980
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1483388    1619016       4820        148      46084
-/+ buffers/cache:    1437156    1665248
Swap:      3121996     749828    2372168

Used (used mem -buffers/cache + swap)
    before start: 2171952
    after start : 3544776 = 1372824 kbytes, 1340 Mbytes / 13.41 MBytes/instance
    after kill  : 2186984 =   15032 kbytes,   15 Mbytes not recovered
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>OK, so yes, there is more overhead. We did just start 100 Python
interpreters! As titled, this is dumb, and even if you use this dumb
method, are you really going to have a hundred of them?...</p>
</div>
<div class="section" id="memory-use-the-sensible-way">
<h4>Memory use - The sensible way<a class="headerlink" href="#memory-use-the-sensible-way" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
<p>GNOME-Terminal:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>gnome-terminal &amp;
for i in {1..100} ; do gnome-terminal &amp; done

root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free          # Before 100
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1490996    1611408       5344        172      47580
-/+ buffers/cache:    1443244    1659160
Swap:      3121996     749776    2372220
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free          # After 100
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1878228    1224176       5344        172      47388
-/+ buffers/cache:    1830668    1271736
Swap:      3121996     733396    2388600
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free          # After kill
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1491888    1610516       4840        272      46088
-/+ buffers/cache:    1445528    1656876
Swap:      3121996     733240    2388756

Used (used mem -buffers/cache + swap)
    Before start: 2193020
    After start : 2564064 = 371044 kbytes, 362 Mbytes / 3.59 MBytes/instance
    After kill  : 2178768 = −14252 kbytes, -13.92 Mbytes recovered (first process)
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>Terminator GTK2:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>terminator -g deletemeconfig &amp;
for i in {1..100} ; do terminator -g deletemeconfig -u &amp; done

root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1324492    1777912       4388        152      49688
-/+ buffers/cache:    1274652    1827752
Swap:      3121996     744528    2377468
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1652112    1450292       4756        860      49968
-/+ buffers/cache:    1601284    1501120
Swap:      3121996     744224    2377772
root@pinpoint:~# sync &amp;&amp; echo 3 &gt; /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches &amp;&amp; free
             total       used       free     shared    buffers     cached
Mem:       3102404    1305376    1797028       4236        124      42836
-/+ buffers/cache:    1262416    1839988
Swap:      3121996     744116    2377880

Used (used mem -buffers/cache + swap)
    before start: 2019180
    after start : 2345508 = 326328 kbytes, 319 Mbytes / 3.16 MBytes/instance
    after kill  : 2006532 = −12648 kbytes,  -12.35 Mbytes recovered (first process)
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>Terminator GTK3:</p>
<div class="highlight-python"><div class="highlight"><pre>Not possible at the moment because the DBus interface still needs fixing.
</pre></div>
</div>
<p>So that one surprised me a bit. The fact that when using the single
process we are <strong>more</strong> memory efficient. Python + 100 terminals is
using &lt;90% of the GNOME-Terminal + 100 terminals.</p>
<p>Some may think that this is something to do with the different version
of the VTE widget, but hang on a second. In the dumb method GTK2
Terminator used <strong>more</strong> memory than GTK3. Once the DBus is fixed for
GTK3 there could potentially be more savings.</p>
</div>
<div class="section" id="python-sucks">
<h4>&#8220;Python sucks!&#8221;<a class="headerlink" href="#python-sucks" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
<p>Yeah, whatever. The fact is that I&#8217;m a helluva lot more productive in
Python than I ever was, am, or will be, in C. In my totally biased
and uninformed opinion, I also think certain things are <em>much</em> easier
to get working in Python because you can iterate faster. With the
<a class="reference internal" href="advancedusage.html#debugging"><span>Debugging</span></a> option to run an interactive terminal you even
have the ability to try out ideas and explore the running instance
directly. Results don&#8217;t get more immediate than that!</p>
</div>
<div class="section" id="in-summary">
<h4>In summary<a class="headerlink" href="#in-summary" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h4>
<p>It&#8217;s a bit slower on startup, it takes a bit more memory, but that&#8217;s
when you use the dumb method. In normal use, where you&#8217;re likely to
be using the existing process to open a new window, it is for all
practical purposes as fast as the compiled GNOME-Terminal. It may
even (according to the last memory section) be a little lighter
memory wise, and more obliging about giving it back!</p>
<p>I didn&#8217;t compare to things like xterm, because frankly we&#8217;re not
aimed at the same people. Personally I&#8217;d rather have the more
extensive features saving me <em>lots</em> of time over the course of the
day when using it, than save a handful of seconds every few days
when I restart it, or worrying about an extra 5 or 10 MBytes.</p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="section" id="how-do-i">
<h2>How do I...<a class="headerlink" href="#how-do-i" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h2>
<div class="section" id="make-terminator-work-like-quake-style-terminals">
<h3>...make Terminator work like Quake style terminals?<a class="headerlink" href="#make-terminator-work-like-quake-style-terminals" title="Permalink to this headline">¶</a></h3>
<blockquote>
<div><p>You can get close, but it isn&#8217;t a perfect recreation, as Terminator
was not designed with this in mind, but improvements are always welcome!</p>
<ul class="simple">
<li>Window state: Hidden</li>
<li>Always on top: On</li>
<li>Show on all workspaces: On</li>
<li>Hide on lose focus: On</li>
<li>Hide from taskbar</li>
<li>Window borders: Off (use <code class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">Alt</span></code>+<code class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">click-drag</span></code> and
<code class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">Alt</span></code>+<code class="docutils literal"><span class="pre">middle-click-drag</span></code> to position and size window.)</li>
<li>Set the Toggle window visibility shortcut to your preference</li>
</ul>
<div class="admonition note">
<p class="first admonition-title">Note</p>
<p class="last">It must be the first Terminator instance started, because
at present only the first instance can bind to the Window
toggle.</p>
</div>
<p>This will give you a terminal hidden at startup that appears with a
keypress and disappears, either with another keypress, or losing focus.
It will stay on top, and appear on whichever workspace you are on.</p>
<p>Something that we don&#8217;t have is the slide in action of a true Quake
style terminal. The terminal will simply flick into view, and flick
out of view.</p>
<div class="admonition warning">
<p class="first admonition-title">Warning</p>
<p class="last">The Hide on lose focus option is problematic at this
time. You will probably find it very frustrating.</p>
</div>
</div></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
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