Does ADInstruments software make use of multi-core processors?

Most modern computers contain processors with two to six cores which read and execute program instructions. Having multiple processor cores allows more than one task to be performed simultaneously. This makes the computer faster. There are normally many programs being run on a computer and Windows spreads these across the cores to try and optimise the performance. Sometimes though there will be one program that is doing much more work than the others, for example LabChart performing a very large calculation. In order for that program to take full advantage of multiple cores it needs to be designed to do so – otherwise it will generally not run multiple parts of the calculation simultaneously. 

The following areas of the LabChart software can run in parallel with the LabChart user interface (using different cores):
  • Sampling
  • Disk operations (buffering and data compression).
  • Data Pad calculations.

We are continually improving the performance of LabChart. Areas which might be enhanced in the future include the Channel Calculations and drawing in places like Scope, Spectrum and the XY View. 
The LabTutor Client portion of the LabTutor Teaching Software Suite also takes advantage of multiple cores, specifically with:

  • Drawing waveforms in the Data Panel.
  • Communication with LabTutor Server, including transferring/saving data recorded by the student.
  • Communication with the LabTutor Kernel.

The server component of the LabTutor Teaching Software Suite has been designed from the ground up to take advantage of multiple cores and will make good use of the available resources.
The LabAuthor portion of the LabTutor Teaching Software Suite is not a performance critical application, but in order to make the application responsive we do make some operations occur simultaneously, for example when opening or saving experiments.