1364495 - Optimize the collection of data to be saved in the prefs file

Status: NEW

(Core :: Preferences: Backend, enhancement, P5)

Description

[Milan Sreckovic [:milan] (needinfo for best results)]

As a follow up to bug 789945, we want to optimize the part of the pref save that remains on the main thread - right now we collect the data, convert to strings, etc. before it gets sent to another thread for a save (assuming a successful resolution to bug 789945).  Let's make it faster.

We should both consider something that really makes things faster, and something that moves work off main thread, even if the whole operation is not overall faster.

Comment 1

[Nicholas Nethercote [inactive]]

(In reply to Milan Sreckovic [:milan] from comment #0)
> right now we collect the data

This requires iterating over the prefs hash table, which must occur on the main thread.

> , convert to strings, etc. before it gets sent to another thread for a save

The conversion to strings could be done on the save thread.

> We should both consider something that really makes things faster, and
> something that moves work off main thread

The latter is doable. I don't see much scope for the former.