[SOLVED] - VQMod file checked.cache - can someone explain what it is or if needed?

My site was terribly slow on page loads.
Checking the forum I found an old thread where someone recommended deleting the file "checked.cache" from the VQMOD folder.
I gave it a shot and my site is blazing fast again...
Can someone explain the file or let me know if this is a common issue?
Now the part everyone hates... Yes I am using Journal 3 as my theme.....boo, hiss...
My Opencart version is 3.0.20
My site is on a VPS.

Thanks for any help...

Jaesin wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:08 am

Can someone explain the file or let me know if this is a common issue?

Basically VQMod is not needed anymore with OpenCart 3.
Every and each VQMod could be converted to a OCMod to work without the overhead of VQMod.

This file is basically to see if a file is modified and if it already exists.
But as it seems, it has a bug which let this file grow and grow and ..
And therefore the site is getting slower and slower and ..

Read this here: https://github.com/vqmod/vqmod/pull/152

Jaesin wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:08 am

Can someone explain the file or let me know if this is a common issue?

This cache file is used to track the list of files not to apply modifications. As a result, when the number of files grows as you install new extensions, it becomes a giant and makes the site slow. This is a very common issue of vqmod.

So it is better not to use vqmod and of course, OCMod is more performant than vqmod

Or you could use the Integrated VQmod which works like OCmod, except that it also supports the VQmod XML syntax, too.

To avoid scaring others that read this topic, I want to point out that vQmod is typically just fine to install. The checked.cache file becoming huge is not a common issue, though it does happen sometimes (usually if you have a ton of mods installed).

I've seen hundreds --- if not thousands --- of installations that use vQmod with no speed impact. Typically it only becomes an issue if someone is installing dozens of vQmod extensions, and even then, it depends on your server. Clearing the checked.cache file manually is something to keep in mind if you're having issues, but it doesn't need to be done for most stores.

Great input guys, thank you so much for the clarification on this.
I had a single xml mod in that file that had been converted to OCMod a while ago. I have removed it to see if any further concrn happens. Will watch to see if the cache file grows any....
When I had deleted the cache file it had been 70 megabytes....lol

Johnathan wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:18 pm

To avoid scaring others that read this topic, I want to point out that vQmod is typically just fine to install. The checked.cache file becoming huge is not a common issue, though it does happen sometimes (usually if you have a ton of mods installed).

And to clarify further, I have 1 client with only 2 VQMods installed (by himself some times ago) - 6 modifications only (touched 4 files).
To mention also, the storage folder was moved outside the public folders (as suggested since the start of OpenCart 3.0.x by the system).
And the file had a size of over 300 MB after a few weeks with that constellation!
Of course the shop was slowly like a snail (needed more than 10 seconds to load).
Deleted the checked.cache file (and all other related also) and the shop loaded again in 0.8 seconds.

As Jonathan said, this may happen on some servers, not all.
And it will happen if the storage folder is moved outside the public folders.
That's why I have posted the link to the github vqmod repo which solves that bug.

Johnathan wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 08, 2020 11:18 pm

I've seen hundreds --- if not thousands --- of installations that use vQmod with no speed impact. Typically it only becomes an issue if someone is installing dozens of vQmod extensions, and even then, it depends on your server. Clearing the checked.cache file manually is something to keep in mind if you're having issues, but it doesn't need to be done for most stores.

The interesting thing is that it could happen even if I don't have any vqmod extensions installed regardless of the server. In fact, it happens every time if it met the following conditions:
1. storage folder is located outside of document root
2. The store has some ocmod modified files.

More info about the checked.cache issue here.

I would agree with Johnathan and others that vQmod is still fine to use.

I guess my current question is what value is there to keeping vqmod in play? I no longer have any mods that utilize it as far as I know, does it have another functional purpose?

Jaesin wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:56 pm

I guess my current question is what value is there to keeping vqmod in play? I no longer have any mods that utilize it as far as I know, does it have another functional purpose?

No. If no mods use it then you can remove.

The interesting thing is that it could happen even if I don't have any vqmod extensions installed regardless of the server. In fact, it happens every time if it met the following conditions:
1. storage folder is located outside of document root
2. The store has some ocmod modified files.

what still remains unanswered...why?