Can I do MagickNET initialization on startup instead of at first call to the library?

[Nereuzz]

Hi Dirk,

I currently working on an application that uses the Montage functionality of MagickNET (great work btw). I was wondering if there is a way to do the MagickNET initialization before I make the first call to Montage on a MagickImageCollection? Or is the only workaround to do some "dummy-call" to Montage at app startup?

Best regards,
Peter

[dlemstra]

You can find information about the initialization here: https://github.com/dlemstra/Magick.NET/tree/main/docs.

[Nereuzz]

After a bit of digging in the logs I have found the position of the delay:

{"Message":"2021-10-04T14:28:26+00:00 0:12.228 1.200u 7.1.0 Configure testMagick[]: type.c/LoadTypeCache/1085/Configure\n  Loading type configure file \".config/ImageMagick/type-ghostscript.xml\
Fontconfig error: Cannot load default config file
{"Message":"2021-10-04T14:29:06+00:00 0:52.364 41.400u 7.1.0 Annotate testMagick[]: annotate.c/GetTypeMetrics/887/Annotate\n  Metrics: text: ; width: 0; height: 13; ascent: 10; descent: -3; max advance: 12; bounds: 0,-3  7,7; origin: 0,0; pixels per em: 12,12; underline position: -1.5; underline thickness: 0.597656"}

Looking at the timestamps, there are 30 seconds between the two events around the Fontconfig error. Could this be the cause?
I am manually setting a Font in the MontageSettings struct, which I know is available to MagickNET.

And the above logs happen when the call to collection.Montage(images) is made, not during MagickNET.Initialize().

[dlemstra]

It does look like the call to LoadFontConfigFonts inside ImageMagick is causing the delay. Not sure what that would need to take around 40 seconds. I think that you can force the initial loading by doing the following: MagickNET.FontNames.ToList().

[Nereuzz]

Still not sure why the call to LoadFontConfigFonts takes 30-40 seconds, but I managed to move the delay to the app startup phase by using your suggested MagickNET.FontNames.ToList() call. Thanks a lot!

I will try to dig up more information on why the call to LoadFontConfigFonts is slow.

[dlemstra]

Can you reproduce this issue inside a container? That will make it easier for me to debug the issue.

[Nereuzz]

Sorry for the late answer, haven't really had time to code much the past days.

I will try to reproduce the issue in a container during the weekend.