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tdelibs/kinit
Timothy Pearson 99cc033990
Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR
13 years ago
..
tests Additional kde to tde renaming 13 years ago
CMakeLists.txt Rename additional instances of KDE to TDE 13 years ago
LICENSE.setproctitle Copy the KDE 3.5 branch to branches/trinity for new KDE 3.5 features. 15 years ago
Mainpage.dox Additional kde to tde renaming 13 years ago
Makefile.am Rename additional instances of KDE to TDE 13 years ago
README Additional renaming of kde to tde 13 years ago
README.DCOP Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR 13 years ago
README.autostart Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR 13 years ago
README.wrapper Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR 13 years ago
autostart.cpp Convert remaining references to kde3 (e.g. in paths) to trinity 13 years ago
autostart.h Trinity Qt initial conversion 14 years ago
configure.in.in Rename additional instances of KDE to TDE 13 years ago
kdostartupconfig.cpp Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR 13 years ago
kinit.cpp Additional renaming of kde to tde 13 years ago
kioslave.cpp Revert automated changes 14 years ago
klauncher.cpp Additional kde to tde renaming 13 years ago
klauncher.h Additional kde to tde renaming 13 years ago
klauncher_cmds.h Rename additional instances of KDE to TDE 13 years ago
klauncher_main.cpp Additional renaming of kde to tde 13 years ago
kstartupconfig.cpp Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR 13 years ago
kwrapper.c Copy the KDE 3.5 branch to branches/trinity for new KDE 3.5 features. 15 years ago
lnusertemp.c Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR 13 years ago
setproctitle.cpp Additional kde to tde renaming 13 years ago
setproctitle.h Additional kde to tde renaming 13 years ago
shell.c Copy the KDE 3.5 branch to branches/trinity for new KDE 3.5 features. 15 years ago
start_tdeinit.c Rename additional instances of KDE to TDE 13 years ago
start_tdeinit_wrapper.c Rename additional instances of KDE to TDE 13 years ago
wrapper.c Rename KDEHOME and KDEDIR 13 years ago

README

README

tdeinit is a process launcher somewhat similar to the 
famous init used for booting UNIX.

It launches processes by forking and then loading a
dynamic library which should contain a 'main(...)'
function. 

Executive summary
=================

Using tdeinit to launch KDE applications makes starting
a typical KDE applications 2.5 times faster (100ms 
instead of 250ms on a P-III 500) It reduces memory 
consumption by approx. 350Kb per application.


How it works
============

tdeinit is linked against all libraries a standard KDE
application needs. With this technique starting an
application becomes much faster because now only
the application itself needs to be linked whereas 
otherwise both the application as well as all the libaries
it uses need to be linked.

Startup Speed
=============

Starting an application linked against libqt, libtdecore and libtdeui
in the conventional way takes approx. 150ms on a Pentium III - 500Mhz. 
Starting the same application via tdeinit takes less than 10ms.

(application without KApplication constructor, the KApplication 
constructor requires an extra 100ms in both cases)

Memory Usage
============

An application linked against libqt, libtdecore and libtdeui started
in the conventional way requires about 498Kb memory. 
(average of 10 instances) If the same application is started via
tdeinit it requires about 142Kb. A difference of 356Kb (application 
without KApplication constructor) 

If we take the KApplication constructor into account, an application
started in the conventional way takes about 679Kb memory while the same
application started via tdeinit requires about 380Kb. Here the difference
is somewhat less, 299Kb. This seems to be caused by the fact that the
dynamic linker does "lazy linking". We can force the linker to link
everything at startup by specifying "LD_BIND_NOW=true". When tdeinit is
started with this option on, tdeinit is back to its full efficiency, an
application with a KApplication constructor now uses 338Kb of memory.
A difference of 341Kb with the normal case.

Adapting programs to use tdeinit.
===============================

The sourcecode of a program does not require any change to take advantage
of tdeinit. Only the makefile requires an adaption, if the Makefile.am of 
a normal program looks like this:

bin_PROGRAMS = kicker   
kicker_LDADD = $(top_builddir)/libkonq/libkonq.la
kicker_LDFLAGS = $(all_libraries) $(KDE_RPATH)

The following lines need to be added to make a library version useable 
by tdeinit:

lib_LTLIBRARIES = kicker.la
libkicker_la_LIBADD = $(top_builddir)/libkonq/libkonq.la
libkicker_la_LDFLAGS = $(all_libraries) $(KDE_RPATH) -module                    

Disadvantages
=============

The process name of applications started via tdeinit is "tdeinit". This problem
can be corrected to a degree by changing the application name as shown
by 'ps'. However, applications like "killall" will only see "tdeinit" as 
process name. To workaround this, use "kdekillall", from tdesdk/scripts,
for applications started via tdeinit.