RAM/Memory Allocation for Pro

[Anonymous User]

I'd like to see a setting in ArcGIS Pro to set a limit to the amount of RAM Pro can use in a session. I have 12GB of RAM and right now Pro basically wants to use whatever it can get its hands on, sometimes using up to 4GB-6GB of RAM, 50%+ of my CPU, and 98% of my integrated GPU. Normal use hovers around 3GB of RAM and up to 25% CPU just sitting idle with a few maps/layouts open in a project. This causes issues when I have other programs open - Outlook, Chrome, ArcGIS Desktop, etc. I want to be able to tell Pro "Only use X GB of RAM per session" or something similar so that my computer isn't being taxed solely by Pro. Having to close out every program on my machine because Pro is trying to use all my RAM is not reasonable, nor efficient.

I did speak with a developer at the UC and explained the situation a bit more. Although it's ironic that for years we all wanted ArcMap to use MORE ram and cpu on 64-bit machines, Pro goes the other way too far, using too much. My thought is having a Laptop or Workstation Mode in Pro's settings. Laptop mode would utilize less resources and realize that the machine has no dedicated GPU, whereas Workstation mode would utilize what it could and realize a dedicated GPU is present.

If Pro is the future of the Desktop environment, Esri has to realize that not everyone is going to be running Pro on a $5,000 professional workstation or gaming laptop. We all use mid-range laptops with 8/12GB ram and i5/i7 processors. Pro will have to be scaleable for the machine it's on.

Looking at the system requirements for Pro, it has the "Recommended" specs at 4 cores, 8GB RAM. I have 4 cores 12GB RAM and Pro is a resource hog. The "Optimal" specs are 10 cores and 16 GB of RAM - good luck finding a laptop with 10 cores.

[MichaelVolz]

Do you see this issue when accessing certain datasources (e.g. SDE database vs a file gdb or shapefile)?

[JohnMDye]

This is a pretty decent idea. In addition to the "modes" mentioned by OP, I'd go so far as also offering an advanced setting that allows the user to specify the amount of allocated RAM in Bytes, KiB, MiB and/or GiB. Maybe even allow it to be configurable at install by system administrators as well.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

I just got the Surface book 2..., lots of everything and dual video... not cheap though. But if you HAVE to use a lap-whatever, then highly recommended, otherwise stick to a desktop

[JohnMDye]

I think this kind of capability is actually key when you've got a beefy workstation. When you've got an underpowered workstation, you're typically accustomed to running one thing at a time because well, your system probably struggles to run Chrome and Excel concurrently. However, when you've got a beefy desktop or mobile workstation with lots of resources, you used to being able to run resource hungry apps concurrently. Pro has no problem with consuming pretty much everything available, which is great until it's not. If you're running some data crunching scripts in the background, a SAS or SPSS model or even Tableau, Pro can start eating into resources and kind of starving those other apps of resources.

An advanced setting to define an upper limit of how much RAM and possibly even cores Pro can use would be beneficial.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

John... true... I am more accustomed to running several machines at a time but I can see the point.

[DanPatterson_Retired]

Nathan, I understand there is a different pool of users but I suspect it is more the data being used and its source.  I have a 16 Gb Surface book 2 and I never experience any issues... but my data resides on the computer (or portable for storage).  I just dont' use basemaps and I steer clear of 3d rendering etc until I am on the desktop.  Currently there is no laptop that is a desktop replacement but having a slider might be a useful addition as long as you don't have the minimum requirements to run Pro, then flags should go up to shut everything else down, like the 12 browser panes and the social media links that I see students trying to run at the same time

[Anonymous User]

I initially replied I'd have to test. After a few months of keeping an eye on data sources, it doesn't seem to make much of a difference if I have a fGDB on my laptop SSD or accessing a fGDB or our SQL database on the network. When Pro wants to suck RAM, it does. Data sources don't appear to be much of a factor. Accessing AGO/Living Atlas stuff over the internet is pretty slow, but doesn't factor much into Pro's resource use.

I also notice that when a map or layout is "Paused" it still tries to draw data in the background - you can see the blue circle spinning in the lower right corner. This also uses system resources. What's the point of pause if it still has to draw the map or layout?

I had a project with one layout of a map roughly 36"x54" with some pictures/images and the map frame, few other graphics. Pro was using almost 10GB of RAM to try and draw it.

[ColeAndrews]

I appreciate that pro will use my hardware to the max. Just when geocoding, my CPU will ramp to 99% usage and I'm unable to use outlook, chrome, etc. Better than ArcMap. But, I definitely agree that an easy interface to set the Pro processing environment would be well received.

Does changing the parallel processing factor help you?

Parallel Processing Factor (Environment setting)—Geoprocessing | ArcGIS Desktop 

[Anonymous User]

Anyone at Esri provide any updates to this and if it's being considered? It's been two years and I still battle with these things every day. Add on top of everything that most of us are working remotely over VPN's, it's been tough trying to get anything done in Pro. Drawing times and map refresh times, as well as RAM usage, is tough to deal with on a daily basis.

Drone2Map has a CPU core slider where you can tell the program how much of the CPU to use. Can't Pro have something similar for CPU and RAM? To not have anything built into Pro after 2 years? I think many of us would appreciate if some of these basic things were implemented instead of "new fancy" 3D things.

[sbrof]

I am also having this issue. I am not even trying to geocode anything or perform any processing. Just navigating between the Map and Layout tabs turning on and off layers setting up some prints - very basic stuff. It gets so bad that it will even crash my remote session with my work machine and occasionally freeze the machine completely causing me to have to commute into the office to hard reset.