Most Cinapse schedules stay fast, and you shouldn't normally run into performance problems. But if your schedule feels slow, laggy, or sluggish (slow to open, slow to drag strips, or slow to save), it may be because your file has grown large. This is uncommon and is mostly a holdover from older versions of Cinapse, but very large files can still occasionally slow down. The good news: we can optimize your file to get it back to full speed, and your schedule and work stay completely intact.
What makes a file large
Over time, as you make thousands of edits, and especially if a script has been imported more than once, or a large script came in from Final Draft — a file can build up a lot of behind-the-scenes history and grow large. A large file takes longer to load and can feel slow to work in.
Optimization is a quick maintenance pass our team runs that trims that built-up history and shrinks the file back down. There's no "optimize" button on your side, and it doesn't change or delete any of your actual schedule, strips, breakdowns, or reports.
What to do if your file feels slow
1. Reach out to us. Email support@cinapse.io and let us know your schedule is running slow. Include the project/file name, a quick note on what feels slow (opening, dragging strips, saving), and the email you log in with. We'll make every effort to expedite your request and get you back to full speed.
2. We'll run an optimization on your file. It only takes a few minutes. Because it works best when no one's actively editing, we may run it at a quieter time and confirm the timing with you.
3. Refresh your session afterward. Once we've optimized the file:
- Log out of Cinapse completely.
- Fully close your browser (or restart your computer).
- Log back in.
Your file will reopen faster, with your schedule and work exactly as you left them. You may notice a brief hiccup signing back in right after; that's normal and clears once you're logged in.
Keep your file lean
The single most helpful thing you can do is archive old boards you're no longer using: that keeps your file smaller and faster.
Will I lose any work?
No. Optimization keeps your schedule, strips, breakdowns, elements, and reports intact; it only trims the behind-the-scenes history that was slowing things down. Cinapse also auto-saves as you go: watch the cloud icon. Green means saved and synced, orange means changes are saving locally, and red means there's a problem to look into.
Slow to open vs. stuck reloading
A slow-to-open file usually just needs optimizing (this article). If instead the whole app keeps refreshing or is stuck in a reload loop, that's a different issue; see Why does Cinapse keep refreshing or won't load?
Need more help? Email us at support@cinapse.io, or ask the help assistant using the chat button in this Help Center — it answers most questions instantly and can connect you with our team.