Author Topic: How to run multiple instances of similarity premium?  (Read 26494 times)

lazy_mosquito

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How to run multiple instances of similarity premium?
« on: January 16, 2013, 14:00:01 »
Hi,
New on this forum.
I just bought Similarity and like it, but have a problem with it. I have a rather big database of music and it takes a rather long time to scan all the music. I read here in the forum it is possible to start multiple instances of similarity with the portable switch (my computer is fast enough and has enough ram). I did this by creating a shortcut and altering the properties of this shortcut (add "/portable" in the end off the link-properties). I am able to start multiple instances, but the problem is that it starts only the first version as the premium version and the rest as a NOT-premium version. Anybody any idea how to start multiple instances of the premium version of similarity?

Admin

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Re: How to run multiple instances of similarity premium?
« Reply #1 on: January 17, 2013, 17:56:37 »
1) We don't recommend such behavior because Similarity when scanning uses very intensively CPU (all cores) or HDD (when loading audio). Second instance just interfere first. In next 2 months we plan to release new Mac version and x64 version for huge scanning without memory limitations.
2) Similarity can't work simultaneously because it's need periodically write cache file and state file, what be very complicated in multi-process case.
3) Do you tried to activate portable version, we didn't limit activation count ?

hsei

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Re: How to run multiple instances of similarity premium?
« Reply #2 on: January 17, 2013, 22:55:15 »
I have a huge database, too and had to start multiple instances since similarity gets unstable with cache sizes between 50k and 100k entries. Each of the instances work on part of the data with its own smaller cache file. To achieve that you have to copy (or hard link) the similarity files to different directories (e.g. A_K and L_Z).  With the /portable switch each of the directories gets its own configuration, cache and license files. After starting the instances you have to enter the license data for each of them and you will get several premium versions.
I would recommend to start the next instance not before the cache file has been read by the previous one, since concurrent HD access really slows down both instances because of excessive head movement (but not for SSD). When the cache file has been read, CPU usage dominates disk usage. You will only get a small increase in throughput since sometimes one instance can use more CPU time while the other waits for disk I/O to complete.