GIMP using too much RAM

[nkinesis]

I'm using Gimp 2.8 on Linux Mint 18.1 Serena 64-bit. After I start it, even if I just stay in the main screen and don't load any files, the software uses 2.8GB of RAM. I have tried to change the values in Preferences > Environment to amounts way below the default, but the memory usage keeps the same. 

As I have 4GB RAM on my laptop and the OS uses around 1GB, this leaves me with almost no RAM for other applications. I have used GIMP on Windows before and I don't remind such behavior. Anyone could pelase give me tips on how to make GIMP use less RAM?

[rich2005]

I can not help with the Gimp settings, the only strange one is Maximum filesize for thumbnailing 4 MB, I know you have no thumbnails set but reduce the Max filesize to the usual 1 MB.

Do you shut the laptop down or do you just suspend/hibernate it? Is it possible that memory is lost that way? Gimp used to be 'leaky' and lock up memory, not sure what it is like these days.

A couple of comparisons for you.

This is my 8GB laptop running Kubuntu (KDE) and even with a lot going on in the background Gimp takes up about 80 MB.

   

A Mint 18 (cinnamon) VM with memory set to 4GB. Really basic setup,  gives this

   

So that is what you should expect. I think you need to look at what your system is running apart from Gimp.

Edit: You can try cleaning up memory any time you think necessary. In a terminal

Code:

 sudo sysctl -w vm.drop_caches=3

[Ofnuts]

How many add-on resources (fonts, patterns, brushes, gradients, ...) have you added?

If you rename your Gimp profile (~/.gimp-2.8) to something else to make Gimp start with a default profile, how much memory will Gimp use?

[nkinesis]

Making Gimp start with the default profile solved the problem, now GIMP uses around 80MB. Curiously, I only had a few custom brushes, I don't understand how this could influence the performance so much. Anyways, thanks!

[Ofnuts]

(06-05-2017, 01:31 AM)nkinesis Wrote: Making Gimp start with the default profile solved the problem, now GIMP uses around 80MB. Curiously, I only had a few custom brushes, I don't understand how this could influence the performance so much. Anyways, thanks!

Copy your brushes to the new profile and see if it increases the memory use. If necessary copy brushes one by one, there may be a baddie.