STV Import: Java Heap Monitor

[tmiranda]

Running out of Java Heap space can cause many issues when running SageTV. You can go to the System information menu to see how big your Java heap is and how much memory is available, but how often do you really look there?

This STVi gives you the option to display a small bar style graph in the upper right portion of the Main Header that displays how much Java heap space is available. It also allows you to have System Messages generated if the amount of used Java heap memory exceeds user defined thresholds.

To install: Unzip to your SageTV install directory (usually C:/Program Files/SageTV/SageTV) and import the JHM stvi. There is no need to shutdown Sage.

Once installed you can configure the options by going to Setup->Detailed Setup->Customize menu. At the end of the list you will find the Java Heap Monitor.

Explanation of options:

• Enable or Disable - Does what it says. Disable turns off all functionality.
• Current Values - Displays the current heap status in the same format as is used in the System Information menu (Used/Total/Max).
• Show Meter in Main Header - Controls if the graphical meter is displayed or not.
• Meter Update Interval - Controls how often the meter in the Main Header is updated. The value is specified in milliseconds. You can set it as low as 500ms but I recommend you leave it at 1000ms or higher.
• Use System Messages - Controls if system messages will be generated if the size of the Java heap exceeds the threshold levels.
• Warning Threshold - If the size of the Java heap exceeds this level a warning level (yellow) system message will be generated. A message will be generated once every hour if the heap size does not go below the threshold.
• Error Threshold - If the size of the Java heap exceeds this level an error level (red) system message will be generated. A message will be generated once every hour if the heap size does not go below the threshold.

Note that the meter related options can be set for each client/extender/placeshifter. The system message related options are server based.

Download here: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/down...do=file&id=349

[PGPfan]

Thanks a lot for this stvi - it's a welcome addition to my system. One request however - I've found that even when I correctly setup the UI overscan, the vertical bargraph that appears in the title bar is off the screen. Is there any way to make it stay in the same place as when system information is displayed? When the system information icon (the exclaimation point icon) is shown, the bargraph is to the immediate left of the icon. If you erase the system message, the bargraph shifts to the right - almost off the screen.

Does my description make sense? Any suggestions for a fix?

-PGPfan

[Fuzzy]

My question is.. how much heap doe the heap monitor take up? ;-)

[tmiranda]

@PGPfan - I think you are saying the meter goes off the right side of the screen but I'm not seeing that on my system. I'll investigate this more. Can you post a screenshot?

@Fuzzy - Not much

[toricred]

Any chance you'd consider porting this to MC?

[loonsailor]

I can't get this to work. I've unzipped the file, and I now have a file called
/opt/sagetv/server/STVs/SageTV3/JHM 1.stvi (I'm on linux). But, when I try to import it from Setup->Detailed Setup->Advanced->Manage STVi Plugins, it doesn't show up. Nothing shows on the Customize menu either. I've restarted sage, but there's still nothing thee to import.

This my first time trying to import an STVi. Am I doing something wrong?

[stuckless]

@loonsailer - when you are in manage plugins... select "Add new stvi plugin", then browse for the plugin and load it.

[loonsailor]

Thanks. I had done that but didn't see it, because it was browsing on the local computer on which the client was running, not on the server where I'd put the stvi file. I did the same thing on my HD-200, and it works great.

[Fuzzy]

If you are using a client PC, the imports need to be installed on the client. In this case, I believe it would only be moniutoring the Java heap of the client itself, as it, unlike extenders and placeshifters, run it's own completely seperate process (with it's own heap).

[joe123]

Great plug-in, but How can I see my Java status without installing this plugin?

When I go to my SageTV system information screen, I don't see anything about Java Heap size.

[tmiranda]

It's in the System Information, you just have to scroll down a little. Use the down key on the remote or the down arrow on a keyboard.

[joe123]

Cool thanks. I had taken out System Information with Niels menus so I forgot about it.

[tmiranda]

New version available for Sage7. This version fixes a bug that caused the STVi to be incompatible with the CPU Monitor STVi.

[tmiranda]

Version 1.20 available:

• Use new STV hook provided to avoid collisions with other STVi's that need to put icons in the header.
• Changed default setting so the meter is enabled by default.

[nyplayer]

Tom,

If I install this on the server not running the GUI (STANDALONE) will I be able to still see the messages in any Client ... when Java Heap is low on the Server?

[tmiranda]

How would you install it on the server if it's not running any UI? (I'm assuming you mean the server is running in service mode.) You need to install it on at least one UI (that runs on the server JVM) and the UI must be active for it to generate a system message. Once the system message is generated you can see the message on any UI.

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

How would you install it on the server if it's not running any UI? (I'm assuming you mean the server is running in service mode.) You need to install it on at least one UI (that runs on the server JVM) and the UI must be active for it to generate a system message. Once the system message is generated you can see the message on any UI.

Thanks I noticed that I have to have the UI running on the server in order for the Plugin to be enabled. I thought it ran under just the service. That means that I would have to run the UI minimized and the service... My Java Heap is set to 1024 does not mean I need 2048 free? 1024 for service and 1024 for UI?

[tmiranda]

I'm pretty sure the UI on the server will share the same JVM as the service. I don't run it that way so I'm not certain.

I always have an extender running and that takes care of things.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

I'm pretty sure the UI on the server will share the same JVM as the service. I don't run it that way so I'm not certain.

I always have an extender running and that takes care of things.

They are separate instances of the JVM. That way you can run service mode to record and GUI to connect to multiple servers. At least that is how system info reports the usage anyway. That's how I have mine setup in living room. I currently have 112MB/218MB/1038MB in SystemInfo. Task Manager shows 229,712K for SageTV.exe and 189,496K for SageTV service which doesn't add up to the 218MB that system info shows but that would be correct for just SageTV.exe.

If you use placeshifter and connect up to the server and install the plugin it will report the heap of service mode. Same idea if using an extender. Then you have a GUI being used in service mode and another reason I switched from using extenders. In theory by NOT using extenders or placeshifters the GUI does not share memory with service mode so recordings would be unaffected if the GUI crashed. But the GUI code that runs on the server for placeshifter or an extender would be more likely to crash the server code that is recording. Since running a client GUI on the same OS as the server code could still crash the OS you could still cause recording problems but it isn't as likely. Of course SageTV doesn't crash on me anyway so it is a minor point. I switched because at first I wanted to limit myself to just one (out of three) extenders used to have spares for when they die. I completely retired my extenders because I liked the faster menus and the ability to get BluRay menus with TMT. I have switched back to an extender in the Living room temporarily when TCM became TCMHD and I found that I cannot playback the HD-PVR or Colossus recordings without stuttering. The extender has no problem nor does the Zotac i3 booksize client. Just my Q6600 Asus P5Q-EM server. I hope to upgrade to an Ivy Bridge i5 within a few months and retire the extender again.

[nyplayer]

Thanks Bob,

I did some testing and the Service and the UI do use seperate JVM.. I guess the plugin does not run in service mode. So I would need double the JVM. I will bypass using this plugin for now thx.