Lagging / performance issues with drawing and selection tools in the dongleless version 11.5.3 + 11.7.0 + 11.7.1

[Sewie]

Hello,

I feel this is a rather big issue as it affects performance and workflow in TVPaint.
I am working with the dongleless version (TVPaint Animation 11.5.3.10173wo Pro (64 wibu).

Since I have switched to the dongleless version I have problems with the drawing tools and the selection tools (i.e. Freehand Select Tool and Freehand Cutbrush Tool in the main panel.) They seem to be either lagging or downright unresponsive. The drawing tools (for example a simple airbrush tool, so I am NOT USING a heavy custom brush in this example) are often lagging slightly behind. That means they are not catching up to my strokes properly.

The selection tools, either Freehand Cutbrush or Freehand Selection, it happens with both, have the same issue but worse. When I do a freehand selection they are slow to respond and don't select the freehand path of my stroke but a rather jagged form trying to catch up to my hand. Cutting corners from where my hand had drawn a path.

These issues are very persistent but not easily predictable and reproduceable. The closest I can come to reproducing them is working for a while on a timeline. Switching from one frame to the next or previous frames and working on those, then with a keyboard shortcut for the FREEHAND SELECT tool, selecting a portion of the frame and right after that selecting, or adding, another portion. The select tool just wont' respond then or it will respond very slowly. The Freehand Select tool should be on "ADD" in the pulldown menu in the "Tool: Select" window.

Now the most important thing is this: These problems only seem to occur with the Line Smooting switched on! If I turn it off, my brush lines are horribly jagged. Absolutely more so than my hand would naturally be. So switching the Line Smoothing off is no option in my work.

It feels like a perfomance issue to me where TVPaint seems to have a hard time catching up with my workflow. When I slow down my workflow significantly, like waiting a few seconds before I switch tools or put down another brush stroke these issues seem to be less noticeable. But working like that is just not practical in any way.

Drawing in TVPaint also feels noticeably different, less smooth and less responsive. And I didn't have these issues with my previous version 11.5.3 WITH dongle. Unfortunately I can't go back because I had to send my dongle back to receive the dongleless version.

I hope someone can figure this out because it is a very frustrating problem and slows down my work very much.

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Edit:

I wanted to add two other things I tried:
Switching off the the CM container didn't help and neither did turning on the Barbecue option in the Preferences window (under the General tab).

[Dean]

Hello Sewie, a short video of the issue might help us. Thank you!

[Sewie]

Hi Dean, I'll try to make one.

[Sewie]

Do you perhaps have any advice for windows 11 screen recording software that I could use for this?

[Thierry]

OBS can record your screen easily.

[Sewie]

Yes, I have OBS, but setting it up to record a portion of the screen (where I am drawing) is quite a hassle. But I'll try tonight after work.

[Peter Wassink]

Now the most important thing is this: These problems only seem to occur with the Line Smooting switched on! If I turn it off, my brush lines are horribly jagged. Absolutely more so than my hand would naturally be. So switching the Line Smoothing off is no option in my work.

Hey Michael, one thing you can check that can help with the jagged line part...
In the preferences, when in Wintab mode, do you have subpixel option switched on?

this should give a rather dramatic improvement in linequality

[Sewie]

Hi Peter,

Yes, that does give a dramatic improvement in line quality when drawing! But then when I use my pen button (I have it set to 'right click') to navigate my project window, it doesn't react well. I can't zoom in and out for example.
(For zooming and out I'm using the 'alt' button on the keyboard and the pen button on the side of the wacom pen (set to 'right click')).

This won't help much when working since navigating freely over the project window to be able to work on my drawings is extremely important.

[Dean]

Does the Subpixel option prevents you from using your stylus shortcut buttons?
Could we have a look at your Wacom driver pen settings windows, please?

[Sewie]

Yes, when Subpixel is selected, I can't zoom in and out. Like I mentioned above.
My Wacom settings are below.I should add that I have WIndows Ink turned off in the Calibrate tab.

[Sewie]

I've managed to make a screen recording. The cropping is somewhat off because I had to do this quickly but for the purposes of this issue I think the video is clear. You should probably look at the video full screen.
In the video below, subpixel is off in Preferences.

The first ten seconds I am drawing with Line Smoothing off.
From second 12 to 20 I am drawing with line smoothing on. As you can seen the line quality is okay, but not good as I am used to with TVPaint.
From second 21 to 50 I am trying to use the freehand selection tool (same happens with the cutbrush tool). You can hear me using the keyboard shortcut for the freehand selection at around second 20-21.

[Dean]

Please try switching your drawing mode to Ink in TVPaint and reeanabling it in the Wacom driver, to see if this makes a difference.

[Sewie]

When I do as you suggest I have problems navigating using keyboard shortcut and pen button same as I mentioned earlier. Also it's impossible to use the selection and or cutbrush tool.

[Dean]

You mean with your keyboard? or does the selection/cutbrush have shortcuts assigne to the stylus buttons?
Or maybe the performance loss makes them unusable in this mode?

[Sewie]

I used the keyboard shortcut for freehand selection and cutbrush tool. I don't have stylus button set for using those tools as you can see on my Wacom settings above. There is just no selection being made with the stylus when selection tool is selected. I don't think it's a performance issue.