Gradual slowdown of keyboard responses

Since updating to Golden Gate (now on 27.2) I have noticed that not to soon after a restart both my keyboard and trackpad become slow to respond.

I often need to click twice on things for them to register what I did. Letters I type fail to appear until I type them again.

Looking at things monitoring input of course Keyboard Maestro is on top of the list.

Looking at the Activity I see that KBM is also at the top of the list *the engine" using between 60 to over 100 of CPU.

I quit the force monitor and all is well again. I I relaunch KBM it comes back.

I have another Mac running 27.01 and it does not exhibit this issue at all, CPU percentage of engine is less than 1%

Keyboard Maestro Engine should use < 1% CPU when idle.

If it is using more than that (other than maybe just after launch), then it is not idle - either it is executing a macro, or perhaps performing condition checks for the editor.

Check what macros are running and quit the editor (or deselect all macros so no macro is showing).

If that doesn't resolve it, then use the Activity Monitor to get a sample and send it to me.

Hi Peter,
I don’t run anyher macro apps

(Attachment Sample of Keyboard Maestro Engine.txt is missing)

Try again,

(Attachment Sample of Keyboard Maestro Engine.txt is missing)

3rd time lucky

(attachments)

Sample of Keyboard Maestro Engine.txt.zip (181 KB)

I didn't say anything about other macro apps, I said to check for running macros in Keyboard Maestro Engine. You can check in the Cancel menu in the Keyboard Maestro status menu.

As far as your Sample goes, I have no idea what is going on with that - it is spending all its time in Apple code, NSToolbarView layout, but I don’t think Keyboard Maestro Engine ever uses a toolbar anywhere. So I don’t have any idea why it is burning CPU on your Mac. I checked mine and unsurprisingly it is less than 1% while idle as expected.

No. No macros running.
I do have the Application Palette turned on all the time.
I could try a delete and reinstall.
Any thoughts?

No, did a clean delete (I Use AppCleaner to removed associated files). Downloaded and launched.

59% CPU use straight away.

Beta OS release.

Production OS release.

Has the 27.2 machine been on the beta channel all the time or was it on production and showing the same issue before you switched to the beta channel?

Yes.
But it seems to work fine with the 27 release.

Yes to which?

Then wipe the beta machine and either 1) reinstall the beta, install KM, try again; or 2) install 27.0.1, install KM, try again.

Do the first if you're in this for testing, do the second if this is a production machine -- and make a note to not run betas on production devices!

My Main machine runs public betas as I also develop software and want to ensure it works.

Although at my age my development activities are quite slow now.However I guess a part of me likes living on the edge.

As for wiping my machine, no I don't think so.

In terms of misbehaviours, this is it, most annoying

From what you've described, you're having an issue with the beta version of macOS, not an issue with Keyboard Maestro.

With that said, I have a test machine running 27.2, and it's fine (other than an AppleScript issue that seems to be only affecting maybe two or three people). I displayed the Application Palette, launched 12 apps, and my total Keyboard Maestro CPU usage is 1.1%, sometimes hitting 2.5%.

As a general recommendation, I think you should flip this: Your main machine should always run the latest shipping OS, and your development machine should run the beta. You don't want some issue in a beta bringing down your main Mac. I can't imagine having my main Mac running a beta, given all the important stuff that happens on it...to have it break because of something in a beta would be very painful. Just my $0.02, though.

-rob,.

Then try the betas out in a sacrificial VM first, with the software (like KM) that you need, to make sure everything you need to be productive is working before you put it in your main. Or use the beta-running VM to test your developed software.

There is no one good answer to this, I'm afraid -- running betas on a production machine is always a risk.

Totally understand -- but it was what was required to fix a beta/KM issue in this thread. So prepare yourself, in case the next update doesn't fix the problem.

Edit to add:
It would be worth checking the Engine log file, if you haven't already. Quit the Engine, run tail -f ~/Library/Logs/Keyboard\ Maestro/Engine.log in Terminal, launch the Engine again and see if anything weird shows up -- perhaps an old Library item not resolving, a macro that runs an async AppleScript querying the Engine, or similar.

If you are having no probs under 27.2 then perhaps it is not a beta issue but something else.

I actually have quite a few things running on my Mac so a conflict is always possible.

It is just strange how it manifests. All conflicts I have encountered before present as features or apps not functioning, not excessive CPU usage of another app/process.

BTW I have not had any other issue with the betas I run. Occasionally an app will need to wait until an official release before I can use it again, but this is rare and never on an essential use app.

Until it is :slight_smile:

-rob.

Just updated to MacOS 27.2 latest public beta and issue has been resolved

Maestro engine clocking 0.1% CPU :laughing:

Great to hear, thanks for letting us know.