Optimizing the Performance of the IDE

Working with a large number of files could affect the performance of Visual Studio. There are some tasks and features that you can switch off, if they are not required, to minimize the impact on performance. These are the areas that can benefit from this:

Compiling

To reduce the compilation time, ensure that the following project properties are disabled, if you do not need them:

  • On the COBOL page in the project's properties:
    • Generate directives file
    • Generate listing file
    • Enable code coverage
    • Enable profiler
  • On the Micro Focus Code Analysis page in the project's properties:
    • Run active rule sets after build

Adding files to a project

By default, Visual Studio is configured to perform a Compiler directives scan of any files you add to your projects. You can manually trigger the scan with the Determine Directives context menu command in Solution Explorer.

The automated scanning could slow down the IDE when you have a very large source code base. If you do not want the IDE to perform a directives scan, disable the feature as follows:

  1. Click Tools > Options > Micro Focus Tools > Directives > COBOL or PL/I.
  2. Disable Determine directives of files.

Editing

Working with a large code base could affect the performance of the editor. You can disable a number of settings in the IDE, if they are not in use, to help improve the performance:

  1. Click Text Editor > Micro Focus COBOL > Advanced.
  2. Disable the following settings:
    • Enable outlining
    • Enable outlining for groups
    • Also, limit Find All References scope to the current project or program.
Note: You only need to disable these settings if the performance of Visual Studio is affected.
Parent topic: Working with a Large Code Base