#18626 - improved scrolling performance in VirtualizingStackPanel.cs by reducing Measure/Arrange calls since they cause heavy GC pressure on constrained devices (Android, iOS) especially with complex item views (#18646)

Co-authored-by: alexander.marek <alexander.marek@opti-q.com> Co-authored-by: Steven Kirk <grokys@users.noreply.github.com> Co-authored-by: Julien Lebosquain <julien@lebosquain.net>
6 months ago · df1816bde5
3 changed files with 1340 additions and 279 deletions
--- a/samples/ControlCatalog/Pages/ListBoxPage.xaml
+++ b/samples/ControlCatalog/Pages/ListBoxPage.xaml
@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
        <Setter Property="Background" Value="Blue" />
        <Setter Property="FontWeight" Value="Bold" />
      </Style>
+	  <Style Selector="VirtualizingStackPanel">
+	    <Setter Property="CacheLength" Value="0.5" />
+	  </Style>
    </DockPanel.Styles>
    <StackPanel DockPanel.Dock="Top" Margin="4">
      <TextBlock Classes="h2">Hosts a collection of ListBoxItem.</TextBlock>
--- a/src/Avalonia.Controls/VirtualizingStackPanel.cs
+++ b/src/Avalonia.Controls/VirtualizingStackPanel.cs
@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ using Avalonia.Controls.Utils;
 using Avalonia.Input;
 using Avalonia.Interactivity;
 using Avalonia.Layout;
+using Avalonia.Reactive;
 using Avalonia.Utilities;
 using Avalonia.VisualTree;

@ -51,6 +52,12 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
            RoutedEvent.Register<VirtualizingStackPanel, RoutedEventArgs>(
                nameof(VerticalSnapPointsChanged),
                RoutingStrategies.Bubble);
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Defines the <see cref="CacheLength"/> property.
+        /// </summary>
+        public static readonly StyledProperty<double> CacheLengthProperty =
+            AvaloniaProperty.Register<VirtualizingStackPanel, double>(nameof(CacheLength), 0.0, 
+                validate: v => v is >= 0 and <= 2);

        private static readonly AttachedProperty<object?> RecycleKeyProperty =
            AvaloniaProperty.RegisterAttached<VirtualizingStackPanel, Control, object?>("RecycleKey");
@ -73,12 +80,24 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
        private int _focusedIndex = -1;
        private Control? _realizingElement;
        private int _realizingIndex = -1;
+        private double _bufferFactor; 
+        
+        private bool _hasReachedStart = false;
+        private bool _hasReachedEnd = false;
+        private Rect _extendedViewport;
+
+        static VirtualizingStackPanel()
+        {
+            CacheLengthProperty.Changed.AddClassHandler<VirtualizingStackPanel>((x, e) => x.OnCacheLengthChanged(e));
+        }

        public VirtualizingStackPanel()
        {
            _recycleElement = RecycleElement;
            _recycleElementOnItemRemoved = RecycleElementOnItemRemoved;
            _updateElementIndex = UpdateElementIndex;
+
+            _bufferFactor = Math.Max(0, CacheLength);
            EffectiveViewportChanged += OnEffectiveViewportChanged;
        }

@ -131,6 +150,20 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
            set => SetValue(AreVerticalSnapPointsRegularProperty, value);
        }

+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets the CacheLength.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>The factor determines how much additional space to maintain above and below the viewport.
+        /// A value of 0.5 means half the viewport size will be buffered on each side (up-down or left-right)
+        /// This uses more memory as more UI elements are realized, but greatly reduces the number of Measure-Arrange
+        /// cycles which can cause heavy GC pressure depending on the complexity of the item layouts.
+        /// </remarks>
+        public double CacheLength
+        {
+            get => GetValue(CacheLengthProperty);
+            set => SetValue(CacheLengthProperty, value);
+        }
+
        /// <summary>
        /// Gets the index of the first realized element, or -1 if no elements are realized.
        /// </summary>
@ -141,6 +174,16 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
        /// </summary>
        public int LastRealizedIndex => _realizedElements?.LastIndex ?? -1;

+        /// <summary>
+        /// Returns the viewport that contains any visible elements
+        /// </summary>
+        internal Rect ViewPort => _viewport;
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Returns the extended viewport that contains any visible elements and the additional elements for fast scrolling (viewport * CacheLength * 2)
+        /// </summary>
+        internal Rect ExtendedViewPort => _extendedViewport;
+
        protected override Size MeasureOverride(Size availableSize)
        {
            var items = Items;
@ -217,8 +260,12 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
                        var rect = orientation == Orientation.Horizontal ?
                            new Rect(u, 0, sizeU, finalSize.Height) :
                            new Rect(0, u, finalSize.Width, sizeU);
+
                        e.Arrange(rect);
-                        _scrollAnchorProvider?.RegisterAnchorCandidate(e);
+                    
+                        if (_viewport.Intersects(rect))
+                            _scrollAnchorProvider?.RegisterAnchorCandidate(e);
+                        
                        u += orientation == Orientation.Horizontal ? rect.Width : rect.Height;
                    }
                }
@ -230,6 +277,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
                    var rect = orientation == Orientation.Horizontal ?
                        new Rect(u, 0, _focusedElement.DesiredSize.Width, finalSize.Height) :
                        new Rect(0, u, finalSize.Width, _focusedElement.DesiredSize.Height);
+
                    _focusedElement.Arrange(rect);
                }

@ -416,6 +464,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
                // Create and measure the element to be brought into view. Store it in a field so that
                // it can be re-used in the layout pass.
                var scrollToElement = GetOrCreateElement(items, index);
+
                scrollToElement.Measure(Size.Infinity);

                // Get the expected position of the element and put it in place.
@ -483,7 +532,8 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
        {
            Debug.Assert(_realizedElements is not null);

-            var viewport = _viewport;
+            // Use the extended viewport for calculations
+            var viewport = _extendedViewport;

            // Get the viewport in the orientation direction.
            var viewportStart = orientation == Orientation.Horizontal ? viewport.X : viewport.Y;
@ -653,7 +703,6 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
            return index * estimatedSize;
        }

-
        private void RealizeElements(
            IReadOnlyList<object?> items,
            Size availableSize,
@ -666,6 +715,10 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
            var index = viewport.anchorIndex;
            var horizontal = Orientation == Orientation.Horizontal;
            var u = viewport.anchorU;
+                    
+            // Reset boundary flags
+            _hasReachedStart = false;
+            _hasReachedEnd = false;

            // If the anchor element is at the beginning of, or before, the start of the viewport
            // then we can recycle all elements before it.
@ -678,8 +731,9 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
                _realizingIndex = index;
                var e = GetOrCreateElement(items, index);
                _realizingElement = e;
+                
                e.Measure(availableSize);
-
+                
                var sizeU = horizontal ? e.DesiredSize.Width : e.DesiredSize.Height;
                var sizeV = horizontal ? e.DesiredSize.Height : e.DesiredSize.Width;

@ -691,7 +745,10 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
                _realizingIndex = -1;
                _realizingElement = null;
            } while (u < viewport.viewportUEnd && index < items.Count);
-
+            
+            // Check if we reached the end of the collection
+            _hasReachedEnd = index >= items.Count;
+            
            // Store the last index and end U position for the desired size calculation.
            viewport.lastIndex = index - 1;
            viewport.realizedEndU = u;
@ -706,8 +763,8 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
            while (u > viewport.viewportUStart && index >= 0)
            {
                var e = GetOrCreateElement(items, index);
+                
                e.Measure(availableSize);
-
                var sizeU = horizontal ? e.DesiredSize.Width : e.DesiredSize.Height;
                var sizeV = horizontal ? e.DesiredSize.Height : e.DesiredSize.Width;
                u -= sizeU;
@ -716,6 +773,9 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
                viewport.measuredV = Math.Max(viewport.measuredV, sizeV);
                --index;
            }
+            
+            // Check if we reached the start of the collection
+            _hasReachedStart = index < 0;

            // We can now recycle elements before the first element.
            _realizedElements.RecycleElementsBefore(index + 1, _recycleElement);
@ -748,7 +808,7 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
        {
            return _realizedElements?.GetElement(index);
        }
-
+        
        private static Control? GetRealizedElement(
            int index,
            ref int specialIndex,
@ -891,22 +951,146 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls

            ItemContainerGenerator.ItemContainerIndexChanged(element, oldIndex, newIndex);
        }
-
+        
        private void OnEffectiveViewportChanged(object? sender, EffectiveViewportChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            var vertical = Orientation == Orientation.Vertical;
            var oldViewportStart = vertical ? _viewport.Top : _viewport.Left;
            var oldViewportEnd = vertical ? _viewport.Bottom : _viewport.Right;
+            var oldExtendedViewportStart = vertical ? _extendedViewport.Top : _extendedViewport.Left;
+            var oldExtendedViewportEnd = vertical ? _extendedViewport.Bottom : _extendedViewport.Right;

+            // Update current viewport
            _viewport = e.EffectiveViewport.Intersect(new(Bounds.Size));
            _isWaitingForViewportUpdate = false;

+            // Calculate buffer sizes based on viewport dimensions
+            var viewportSize = vertical ? _viewport.Height : _viewport.Width;
+            var bufferSize = viewportSize * _bufferFactor;
+            
+            // Calculate extended viewport with relative buffers
+            var extendedViewportStart = vertical ? 
+                Math.Max(0, _viewport.Top - bufferSize) : 
+                Math.Max(0, _viewport.Left - bufferSize);
+                
+            var extendedViewportEnd = vertical ? 
+                Math.Min(Bounds.Height, _viewport.Bottom + bufferSize) : 
+                Math.Min(Bounds.Width, _viewport.Right + bufferSize);
+
+            // special case:
+            // If we are at the start of the list, append 2 * CacheLength additional items
+            // If we are at the end of the list, prepend 2 * CacheLength additional items
+            // - this way we always maintain "2 * CacheLength * element" items. 
+            if (vertical)
+            {
+                var spaceAbove = _viewport.Top - bufferSize;
+                var spaceBelow = Bounds.Height - (_viewport.Bottom + bufferSize);
+                
+                if (spaceAbove < 0 && spaceBelow >= 0)
+                    extendedViewportEnd = Math.Min(Bounds.Height, extendedViewportEnd + Math.Abs(spaceAbove));
+                if (spaceAbove >= 0 && spaceBelow < 0)
+                    extendedViewportStart = Math.Max(0, extendedViewportStart - Math.Abs(spaceBelow));
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                var spaceLeft = _viewport.Left - bufferSize;
+                var spaceRight = Bounds.Width - (_viewport.Right + bufferSize);
+                
+                if (spaceLeft < 0 && spaceRight >= 0)
+                    extendedViewportEnd = Math.Min(Bounds.Width, extendedViewportEnd + Math.Abs(spaceLeft));
+                if(spaceLeft >= 0 && spaceRight < 0)
+                    extendedViewportStart = Math.Max(0, extendedViewportStart - Math.Abs(spaceRight));
+            }
+
+            Rect extendedViewPort;
+            if (vertical)
+            {
+                extendedViewPort = new Rect(
+                    _viewport.X, 
+                    extendedViewportStart,
+                    _viewport.Width,
+                    extendedViewportEnd - extendedViewportStart);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                extendedViewPort = new Rect(
+                    extendedViewportStart,
+                    _viewport.Y,
+                    extendedViewportEnd - extendedViewportStart,
+                    _viewport.Height);
+            }
+
+            // Determine if we need a new measure
            var newViewportStart = vertical ? _viewport.Top : _viewport.Left;
            var newViewportEnd = vertical ? _viewport.Bottom : _viewport.Right;
+            var newExtendedViewportStart = vertical ? extendedViewPort.Top : extendedViewPort.Left;
+            var newExtendedViewportEnd = vertical ? extendedViewPort.Bottom : extendedViewPort.Right;

+            var needsMeasure = false;
+            
+           
+            // Case 1: Viewport has changed significantly
            if (!MathUtilities.AreClose(oldViewportStart, newViewportStart) ||
                !MathUtilities.AreClose(oldViewportEnd, newViewportEnd))
            {
+                // Case 1a: The new viewport exceeds the old extended viewport
+                if (newViewportStart < oldExtendedViewportStart || 
+                    newViewportEnd > oldExtendedViewportEnd)
+                {
+                    needsMeasure = true;
+                }
+                // Case 1b: The extended viewport has changed significantly
+                else if (!MathUtilities.AreClose(oldExtendedViewportStart, newExtendedViewportStart) ||
+                         !MathUtilities.AreClose(oldExtendedViewportEnd, newExtendedViewportEnd))
+                {
+                    // Check if we're about to scroll into an area where we don't have realized elements
+                    // This would be the case if we're near the edge of our current extended viewport
+                    var nearingEdge = false;
+                    
+                    if (_realizedElements != null)
+                    {
+                        var firstRealizedElementU = _realizedElements.StartU;
+                        var lastRealizedElementU = _realizedElements.StartU;
+                        
+                        for (var i = 0; i < _realizedElements.Count; i++)
+                        {
+                            lastRealizedElementU += _realizedElements.SizeU[i];
+                        }
+                        
+                        // If scrolling up/left and nearing the top/left edge of realized elements
+                        if (newViewportStart < oldViewportStart && 
+                            newViewportStart - newExtendedViewportStart < bufferSize)
+                        {
+                            // Edge case: We're at item 0 with excess measurement space.
+                            // Skip re-measuring since we're at the list start and it won't change the result.
+                            // This prevents redundant Measure-Arrange cycles when at list beginning.
+                            nearingEdge = !_hasReachedStart;
+                        }
+                        
+                        // If scrolling down/right and nearing the bottom/right edge of realized elements
+                        if (newViewportEnd > oldViewportEnd && 
+                            newExtendedViewportEnd - newViewportEnd < bufferSize)
+                        {
+                            // Edge case: We're at the last item with excess measurement space.
+                            // Skip re-measuring since we're at the list end and it won't change the result.
+                            // This prevents redundant Measure-Arrange cycles when at list beginning.
+                            nearingEdge = !_hasReachedEnd;
+                        }
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        nearingEdge = true;
+                    }
+                    
+                    needsMeasure = nearingEdge;
+                }
+            }
+
+            if (needsMeasure)
+            {
+                // only store the new "old" extended viewport if we _did_ actually measure
+                _extendedViewport = extendedViewPort;
+                
                InvalidateMeasure();
            }
        }
@ -924,6 +1108,15 @@ namespace Avalonia.Controls
            }
        }

+        private void OnCacheLengthChanged(AvaloniaPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
+        {
+            var newValue = e.GetNewValue<double>();
+            _bufferFactor = newValue;
+    
+            // Force a recalculation of the extended viewport on the next layout pass
+            InvalidateMeasure();
+        }
+        
        /// <inheritdoc/>
        public IReadOnlyList<double> GetIrregularSnapPoints(Orientation orientation, SnapPointsAlignment snapPointsAlignment)
        {
--- a/tests/Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests/VirtualizingStackPanelTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Avalonia.Controls.UnitTests/VirtualizingStackPanelTests.cs