MiKTeX and proTeXt ⇒ Miktex 2.9 (pdflatex) very slow with figures

[julieneynard]

Hello,

Since I have updated from Miktex 2.8 to Miktex 2.9 (on Windows Vista), I encounter some problems using pdflatex. I just add that first I have uninstalled Miktex 2.8 and my text editors (Texniccenter and Texmaker) before installing Miktex 2.9 (complete version) and reinstalling my both text editors.

Now, the compilation is very very slow, in particular to include figure (like png files) using pdflatex (v3.14). There is a pause of about 2 seconds when including a png file. This was not the case with my old version of Miktex.

Thus, a document with about 30 pages and about 30 figures needs about 1 minute to be compiled with Miktex 2.9, while it only needed less than 3 seconds with my old release of Miktex 2.8 (before I uninstalled it).

So I don't understand what happens, and it is very annoying because now I'm wasting my time compiling instead of writing my papers ! If someone can suggest me something to fix this problem it would be great.

Thanks in advance for your help.

J.E.

[j707]

I just want to say that I have the same problem with Windows 7.
I have Miktek 2.7 at home with Windows Vista on an old computer; it's fast. The same document takes ages to compile with Miktek 2.9 on Windows 7 at work (new computer).

It seems to be because of the images I include in the text with the command \includegraphics (with the package graphicx). The images I include are from pdf files.

If it can help, the compilation slows down when this message appears in the output windows of TeXnicCenter (ie the log file):

[Loading MPS to PDF converter (version 2006.09.02).]

(I'm compiling with pdflatex.exe)

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
JL

[bjarnheidur]

I had the same problem with Windows 7 and Miktex 2.8 at work (at home I use Archlinux) and what fixed it was to go to

Miktex > Maintainance > Settings

and in the General tab change "Install missing packages on the fly" from "Yes" to "No" (instead install them manually...)

Hope it works for you too.

[j707]

Hi,
Thanks for your message and suggestion. Unfortunately it does not work for me. In Miktex 2.9, Maintenance, Settings, I changed the "Install missing packages on the fly" option from "ask me first" to "No", as you suggested. But it does not improve on the speed when I compile. I tried "Refresh FNDB" and "Update formats", but no change either.

The compilation of a latex documents, even very short ones, with pdflatex still takes a lot of time when there are pdf images that are included. (I'm on Windows 7).

Any other suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks a lot,

J707

I had the same problem with Windows 7 and Miktex 2.8 at work (at home I use Archlinux) and what fixed it was to go to

Miktex > Maintainance > Settings

and in the General tab change "Install missing packages on the fly" from "Yes" to "No" (instead install them manually...)

Hope it works for you too.

[lanmmt]

I had for some time similar problem, in my case it was caused by too many places where I had my package files (to many places to search for MikTeX - or sth like that) or place where the packages are were on the end of the list of folders where MikTeX is looking for them. Sinc then I had one folder where I had most of my packages, but when I've removed it and used only the default places it works faster.

[j707]

Hi,

It seems that the problem is fixed now. I don't know exactly why. What I did was to update all packages (as admin). It took several minutes. Then in Settings (admin), I refreshed FNDB, and clicked on "update formats". (I have to say I don't know exactly what all these things are for...)

But in any case, now the compilation of my latex documents using pdflatex doesn't slow down when I include pdf images.

I hope this can help others that have the same problem.

Best regards,
J.L.