hey guys, to add to this topic, I’m having the same problems here.
I have a nested addmore.
first addmore group is a ‘row’ or ‘section’
within the ‘section’ group, users can add ‘blocks’ defined by a few basic fields (text, file, editor)
In my current metabox file, a block is really one addmore group with all of the these fields.
Block ‘types’ are defined by choosing block type from a select list, and then using conditions, showing or hiding various field.

I have tried defining blocks as
a) a flat list of fields, where conditions from select are applied on field by field basis
b) grouping fields which define individual ‘block’ types and applying conditions to group

Dev tools is showing a lot of processing in tinymce, but replacing editor with textarea doesn’t seem to make any large difference.

A typical page will have 5-6 sections and each section 1-4 blocks.
With a page filled out with full content, without conditions, performance is acceptable.
However when I add a condition, to what looks like any field or group, and then click +/- on add more, page load (ajax processing) immediately goes up to 1-2 minutes.

cachegrind shows no real difference in performance between the different scenarios, however network tab in dev tools does show 1-2 minute processing on JS.

One scenario I thought of trying is defining an aggregate custom field, one for each block type, but I haven’t looked into how to go about doing that yet, or if plugin is easily extensible in that regard (beyond simple fields).

It occurs to me that I am having this exact same problem (reported here). I suppose one solution would be to try to structure the data differently so fields are reused (reducing the total number and thus improving performance). Is this completely a JS rendering problem that has no piklist solution?

@alexd, thanks for the suggestion, but this won’t solve the problem for me because (if I am understanding you) it breaks conditions, and I really need them to show based on condition selection. I have been reworking my data structures to try to reduce the number of values stored in the db (and thus the number of fields) but alas, the improvements have been minimal. Each additional group added significantly slows down (1 sec/3 secs/5 secs/8 secs), which is unacceptable since many people will add 4 such groups. Anyone else have any other ideas for speeding this up?

Sure here it is just slightly simplified:

<?php
/*
Title: my-component Fields
Post Type: my-component
Order: 10
*/
  

  
piklist('field', array(
    'type' => 'datepicker'
    ,'field' => 'expiration_date'
    ,'required' => true
    ,'label' => __('Expiration Date', 'my-component')
    ,'description' => __('Choose an expiration date', 'my-component')
    ,'options' => array(
      'dateFormat' => 'yy-mm-dd'
    )
    ,'attributes' => array(
      'size' => 17
    )
    ,'on_post_status' => array(
      'value' => 'lock'
    )
  ));   
piklist('field', array(
 'type' => 'textarea'
   ,'field' => 'my_brief_description'
   ,'label' => __('Brief Description', 'my-component')
,'description' => 'Type your brief description here. It will show up in lists.'
   //,'value' => ''
    ,'attributes' => array(
      'rows' => 5
      ,'cols' => 50
      ,'class' => 'large-text'
    )
  ));  
  

 piklist('field', array(
    'type' => 'editor'
    ,'field' => 'post_content'
    ,'scope' => 'post'
    ,'required' => false
    ,'label' => __('Full Description', 'my-component')
    ,'description' => __('Type your long description here. It will show up on the detail page.', 'my-component')
   // ,'value' => ''
    ,'options' => array(
      'wpautop' => true
      ,'media_buttons' => false
      ,'shortcode_buttons' => false
      ,'teeny' => false
      ,'dfw' => false
      ,'tinymce' => array(
        'resize' => false
        ,'wp_autoresize_on' => true
      )
      ,'quicktags' => true
      ,'drag_drop_upload' => false
    )
    ,'on_post_status' => array(
      'value' => 'lock'
    )
  ));

piklist('field', array(
    'type' => 'group'
    ,'label' => __('Things to do', 'my-component')
    ,'add_more' => true
    ,'description' => __('List all the things', 'my-component')
    ,'fields' => array(
    array(
    'type' => 'select'
    ,'field' => 'typeofthing'
    ,'label' => __('type of thing', 'my-component')
    ,'value' => 'none'
    ,'required' => true
    ,'choices' => array(
		'' => 'Choose thing'      
	  ,'thing' => __('thing', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_two' => __('2', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_three' => __('3', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_four' => __('4', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_five' => __('5', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_six' => __('6', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_seven' => __('7', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_eight' => __('8', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_nine' => __('9', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_ten' => __('10', 'my-component')
      ,'thing_eleven' => __('11', 'my-component')
      //,'thing_twelve' => __('12', 'my-component')
    ))
// thing FIELDS
     ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_phonenumber'
        ,'label' => __('Phone Number', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing'
      )
    )
      )
 	 ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_who'
        ,'label' => __('Who to call?', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing'
      )
    )
      )
    	 ,array(
        'type' => 'editor'
        ,'field' => 'thing_notes'
        ,'label' => __('Notes', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing'
      )
    )
      ) 
      
// thing_two fields
 	,array(
        'type' => 'select'
        ,'field' => 'thing_two_lookup'
        ,'label' => __('thing_two_lookup', 'my-component')
    	,'value' => 'none'
    	,'choices' => thing_two_lookup_choices()
    	,'attributes' => array(
      'multiple' => 'multiple' // Allow a select field to accept multiple selections
    	)        
    	,'columns' => 12
        ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_two'
      )
    )
      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'select'
        ,'field' => 'thing_two_lookup_second'
        ,'label' => __('thing_two_lookup_second', 'my-component')
    	,'value' => 'none'
    	,'choices' => thing_two_lookup_choices_second()
    	,'attributes' => array(
      'multiple' => 'multiple' // Allow a select field to accept multiple selections
    	)        
    	,'columns' => 12
        ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_two'
      )
    )
      )                        
   ,array(
        'type' => 'editor'
        ,'field' => 'thing_two_notes'
        ,'label' => __('Notes', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_two'
      )
    )
      )         

// thing_three FIELDS
 	,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_three_who'
        ,'label' => __('thing_three who', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_three'
      )
    )
      )
 	,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_three_address'
        ,'label' => __('thing_three Address', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_three'
      )
    )
      )  	
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_three_subject'
        ,'label' => __('thing_three Subject', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_three'
      )
    )
      ) 
 	,array(
        'type' => 'editor'
        ,'field' => 'thing_three_template'
        ,'label' => __('thing_three template', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_three'
      )
    )
      )     
   
// thing_four FIELDS
     ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_four_url'
        ,'label' => __('URL of thing_four', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_four'
      )
    )
      )    
       
// thing_five FIELDS   
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_five_who'
        ,'label' => __('thing_five Addresee', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_five'
      )
    )
      ) 
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_five_address'
        ,'label' => __('thing_five Address', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_five'
      )
    )
      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_five_address_2'
        ,'label' => __('thing_five 2', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
        ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_five'
      )
    )
      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'send_letter_city'
        ,'label' => __('City', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 5
        ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_five'
      )
    )      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'select'
        ,'field' => 'thing_five_state'
        ,'label' => __('thing_five State', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 4
        ,'choices' => piklist_get_states()
        ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_five'
      )
    )
      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_five_postal_code'
        ,'label' => __('thing_five Postcode', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 3
        ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_five'
      )
    )        
      )
            
//thing_six FIELDS
     ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_six_url'
        ,'label' => __('URL of thing_six', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_six'
      )
    )
      ) 
      
// thing_seven FIELDS
    ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_seven_where'
        ,'label' => __('thing_seven where', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_seven'
      )
    )
      )  
,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_seven_datetime'
        ,'label' => __('thing_seven time', 'my-component')
    	,'attributes' => array(
     	 'class' => 'dtpicker'
   		 )        
   	 ,'columns' => 12
    ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_seven'
      )
    )
      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_seven_datetime_end'
        ,'label' => __('thing_seven end', 'my-component')
    	,'attributes' => array(
     	 'class' => 'dtpicker'
   		 )        
   	 ,'columns' => 12
    ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_seven'
      )
    )
      )        
    ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_seven_url'
        ,'label' => __('URL thing_seven', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_seven'
      )
    )
      ) 

// thing_eight FIELDS
    ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_eight_where'
        ,'label' => __('Where thing_eight', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_eight'
      )
    )
      )  
 
,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_eight_datetime'
        ,'label' => __('thing_eight time', 'my-component')
    	,'attributes' => array(
     	 'class' => 'dtpicker'
   		 )        
   	 ,'columns' => 12
    ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_eight'
      )
    )
      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_eight_datetime_end'
        ,'label' => __('thing_eight end', 'my-component')
    	,'attributes' => array(
     	 'class' => 'dtpicker'
   		 )        
   	 ,'columns' => 12
    ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_eight'
      )
    )
      )        
    ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_eight_url'
        ,'label' => __('URL thing_eight', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_eight'
      )
    )
      ) 
              
// thing_nine FIELDS
    ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_nine_where'
        ,'label' => __('Where thing_nine', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_nine'
      )
    )
      )  
,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_nine_datetime'
        ,'label' => __('thing_nine time', 'my-component')
    	,'attributes' => array(
     	 'class' => 'dtpicker'
   		 )        
   	 ,'columns' => 12
    ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_nine'
      )
    )
      )
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_nine_datetime_end'
        ,'label' => __('thing_nine end', 'my-component')
    	,'attributes' => array(
     	 'class' => 'dtpicker'
   		 )        
   	 ,'columns' => 12
    ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_nine'
      )
    )
      )        
          ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_nine_url'
        ,'label' => __('URL thing_nine', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_nine'
      )
    )
      )
             
// thing_ten FIELDS   
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_ten_who'
        ,'label' => __('thing_ten who', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_ten'
      )
    )
      ) 
      ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_ten_url'
        ,'label' => __('URL thing_ten', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_ten'
      )
    )
      )
                       
// thing_eleven  FIELDS
     ,array(
        'type' => 'text'
        ,'field' => 'thing_eleven_url'
        ,'label' => __('URL thing_eleven', 'my-component')
        ,'columns' => 12
            ,'conditions' => array(
      array(
        'field' => 'typeofthing'
        ,'value' => 'thing_eleven'
      )
    )
      )
   

    )
    ,'on_post_status' => array(
        'value' => 'lock'
      )
  ));
  

I should add that even after consolidating several of the types above (for example, all of those that just had a url field into a typename/url combo, I only saw a very small performance benefit of a second or two off the 8 second add.

Is there any solution to this?

Unfortunately, the way we are using the groups with addmores predicates them being grouped so we can’t separate them into multiple tabs/workflows.

Any suggestions on how to speed things up? I’m getting load times in the 5-6 minute range. Yikes!

Giving this a shot, @Steve. Will report back. Should I use github or will the forum work for issues?

Edit: This fixed the issue when you’re using the top group. When you’re nesting groups within groups and start to add more, it gets slower. When is this going to a release?