Android: Constant memory consumption / dumpGfxInfo()

Question

Given: A simple Activity created with the Android Studio Wizard, without any custom code inside, consumes perpetually memory calling dumpGfxInfo().

The Android Studio's build in Allocation Tracker reveals at least three threads doing the same:

 --- 8< ------------------------------------------------------------------

 * < Thread 12 > 
   * execTransact():446, Binder (andoroid.os)   
     * onTransact():545, ApplicationThreadNative (android.app)
       * dumpGfxInfo():1107, ActivityThread$ApplicationThread (android.app)

 --- 8< -------------------------------------------------------------------

Apparently dumpGfxInfo() consumes memory by allocating memory for empty strings. The only relevant dependency compiled in, is com.android.support:appcompat-v7:22.2.1

Along with this memory consumption, following exception (sometimes) arises:

15331-15364/ W/Binder﹕ Caught a RuntimeException from the binder stub implementation.
    java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to read from field 'android.view.HardwareRenderer android.view.View$AttachInfo.mHardwareRenderer' on a null object reference
            at android.view.WindowManagerGlobal.dumpGfxInfo(WindowManagerGlobal.java:466)
            at android.app.ActivityThread$ApplicationThread.dumpGfxInfo(ActivityThread.java:1107)
            at android.app.ApplicationThreadNative.onTransact(ApplicationThreadNative.java:548)
            at android.os.Binder.execTransact(Binder.java:446)

Question: How to fix/turn off this behaviour and get rid of it?

Brigidabrigit

Answer 1

Seems like it's latest Android Studio bug. Older versions don't have this issue. See this link

Marston

Thank you very much for your answer. – Brigidabrigit

This is happening in the emulator when I am testing marker interactions. What does it have to do with Android Studio?? – Often

@Often have a look at question text. Even empty projects have this problem: 'A simple Activity created with the Android Studio Wizard, without any custom code inside, consumes perpetually memory calling dumpGfxInfo().' – Marston

and comment from google guys: 'Thanks for the report. Yes, monitoring the GPU has a small memory impact (no memory leak, just activity). We'll be adding a fix soon where you can pick which monitors you want enabled, and we'll be setting the gpu monitor as disabled by default.' – Marston

It's probably a bug in the Android SDK, not Android Studio. – Raspberry

Answer 2

For further reference and for anyone coming here: you have to disable GPU profiling since it's not disabled by default ( Android Studio 2.1 Preview 4 ). You find the button in 'Monitors' section (check out the image below)

Leisurely

Thank you man. I was trying to find a memory leak in my app since two days as it was constantly showing increase in memory spikes. Turns out the buffoon of an android studio was constantly monitoring my GPU and hogging my memory :\ – Illegitimate

Thanks a lot man, I also spent the last two days trying to find a leak. This was exactly what I needed. – Reflux

Answer 3

The described behavior was fixed in the latest SDK update 1.4 Beta (Build AI-141.2202261).

Brigidabrigit