Mac OS X Mojave - Page 2

Ike Nassi · 10-26-2018, 11:37 PM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

Our Apple guy, Jim O'Connor, is trying to find a workaround. Apple wants all 3rd party developers to re-write their OpenGL apps in Metal. With only 1 or 2 Mac sales per week, it's not feasible for him to re-write the program. There's a rumor that the Aquarium can still be started as an executable file, but not a screensaver. Not knowing anyone with a Mac, I don't know if this is true.

I can confirm that the app works, but it doesn't work as a screensaver.

scuba2000 · 10-30-2018, 04:36 PM

Please put out an update for Mojave.

Jim Sachs · 10-30-2018, 10:06 PM

Our Apple guy, Jim O'Connor, is trying to find a workaround.

feldon34 · 10-31-2018, 08:18 AM

Possible fix:
http://people.bath.ac.uk/abscjkw/Com...javeOpenGL.cpp

Another possible fix:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/...reen-on-mojave

Jim Sachs · 10-31-2018, 12:18 PM

Thanks, Morgan -- I'll run those by Jim O'Conner.

scotts · 11-01-2018, 10:23 AM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

Thanks, Morgan -- I'll run those by Jim O'Conner.

If you get to the point you need a few test beds for an update, please let me know. I'm registered with Apple Beta program and have evaluated each of Apple's builds through Mojave development.

Scott

Jim Sachs · 11-02-2018, 12:15 AM

Thanks, Scott.

scuba2000 · 11-08-2018, 07:06 PM

How's the troubleshooting going? any updates?

perkiset · 11-26-2018, 11:15 PM

Seems like an opportunity. "Rewrite as Metal" - there's nothing I've ever seen like Serene Screen. I REALLY hate having to have a "normal" screen saver now. I have a 3-screen rig and the "application" method doesn't work because the other 2 screens are still showing desktops.

At the very least, if the app was modified so that it was either non-singleton (multiple windows/instances) or blacked out other screens, that would be a step forward. I implore you to find a way to move forward for us Mac folk. Metal might be better than ever and provide a new marketing opportunity to get beyond "1-2 Mac sales per week."

Please. Something.

Fidipaldi · 11-27-2018, 05:32 AM

Hello, just wondering if Serene Screen will be updated. Still holding back with the upgrade to Mojave.....
Thanks.

uczmeg · 11-27-2018, 05:58 AM

Originally posted by Fidipaldi:

Hello, just wondering if Serene Screen will be updated. Still holding back with the upgrade to Mojave.....
Thanks.

You aren't alone.

I had my Mac connected to the TV this weekend and the aquarium popped up after a while. It was the first time my wife had seen it in close to 13 years and she instantly remembered how our then 2 year old daughter had been captivated by it and knew all the fish names...

How time flies, and how this has withstood the test of time!

Ralph · 11-27-2018, 07:30 AM

Originally posted by uczmeg:

How time flies, and how this has withstood the test of time!

So true.. not many other software programs can make this claim and work as well as the day they were first installed.

scotts · 11-27-2018, 02:45 PM

So, I know we're into the holidays now but, has anything been accomplished by the programmer? Since the App itself works just fine on Mojave, and the sound (bubbles) work when the screen saver activates, I'm venturing to guess it could be a relatively was fix.

A GoFundMe for programming time to fix the OS X Mojave version? I bet we could get a few donations for programming hours... Ho, Ho, Ho

Happy holidays!

Jim Sachs · 11-28-2018, 11:33 AM

I haven't heard whether Jim O'Conner has had any luck with a fix. My own conversion of the program to Unity is probably a year away. If and when that happens, I plan to make the upgrade free for previous Mac users.

perkiset · 11-28-2018, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by scotts:

A GoFundMe for programming time to fix the OS X Mojave version? I bet we could get a few donations for programming hours... Ho, Ho, Ho

That is not a bad idea at all. It would cost nothing to prop up and people like me would probably kick in quickly to try to get it over the top.

Here, I'll commit right now: $100 the minute you can point me to a site that'll accept it and the team commits to a Mac version.

Jim Sachs · 11-28-2018, 05:18 PM

I just never could bring myself to do a GoFundMe or Kickstarter. What if the project never got completed? I wouldn't be able to live with myself.

At least nothing is at risk with trying to do it myself in Unity. Thanks to Roku, I can at least survive for the next year while I try.

Edit: Well, I looked into it further, and apparently Unity programs can't be used as screensavers. Unity can't show its output on any screen other than its own, so the little Preview window in the Windows Screensaver Settings won't work. Mac has its own issues also, but if I can't do it in Windows, there's no reason to do it for the small Mac audience. This is especially disappointing for me, since I've been studying Unity for months and it looked like all kinds of new features would be possible in the Aquarium.

drfish · 11-30-2018, 06:45 AM

My nephew is pretty good with Unity. I'll ask him about this. If the preview window doesn't work, that doesn't seem like a huge deal. A bit of looking around makes it look like you can run Unity stuff as screensavers if you package it up right and it seems like running it in a borderless window will support spanning multiple monitors.

feldon34 · 11-30-2018, 01:40 PM

Originally posted by Jim Sachs:

Well, I looked into it further, and apparently Unity programs can't be used as screensavers. Unity can't show its output on any screen other than its own, so the little Preview window in the Windows Screensaver Settings won't work. Mac has its own issues also, but if I can't do it in Windows, there's no reason to do it for the small Mac audience. This is especially disappointing for me, since I've been studying Unity for months and it looked like all kinds of new features would be possible in the Aquarium.

It's not a simple thing to use, but this guy wrote a package so you can build Unity projects as a screen saver. You end up with two programs, one is a legit Windows screen saver that follows all the rules of a screen saver. Then it hands off the job to your Unity app.

Detailed discussion about it:
https://forum.unity.com/threads/unit...eleased.81345/

Download the package:
https://assetstore.unity.com/package...er-builder-770

drfish · 11-30-2018, 05:16 PM

That's the link I sent to my nephew. I asked him to come up with a proof of concept and code to share. I'll post whatever he comes up with.

Jim Sachs · 12-01-2018, 12:15 AM

Yeah, I had seen that one. The thread is about 8 years old, and the guy's website is no longer up. His framework was Windows-only, and a lot of people seemed to have trouble getting it to work. Yesterday I posted in a current thread in the Unity Forum, but someone was already asking the same questions and not getting any answers.

The major issues:

-Can Unity properly handle the unique requirements of a Windows screensaver at all? (Maybe I could put a static pic in the Preview window, but there are a lot of other requirements.)

-If so, can it do the same for Mac? (After all, that's the main reason to switch from OpenGL.)

-How about iOS? (An Apple exec has been asking about this, especially AppleTV. Can't do it while I have a Roku exclusive, but maybe next year.)

-Is the overhead for the enormous Unity system going to cause an unacceptably long startup delay?

10-30-2018, 10:06 PM	#23
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Our Apple guy, Jim O'Connor, is trying to find a workaround. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

10-31-2018, 08:18 AM	#24
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Possible fix: http://people.bath.ac.uk/abscjkw/Com...javeOpenGL.cpp Another possible fix: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/...reen-on-mojave "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

10-31-2018, 12:18 PM	#25
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Thanks, Morgan -- I'll run those by Jim O'Conner. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-02-2018, 12:15 AM	#27
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Thanks, Scott. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-27-2018, 05:32 AM	#30
Fidipaldi Registered Join Date: Oct 2018 Location: Switzerland Posts: 3	Any News Hello, just wondering if Serene Screen will be updated. Still holding back with the upgrade to Mojave..... Thanks.

10-26-2018, 11:37 PM	#21
Ike Nassi Registered User Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 5	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: Our Apple guy, Jim O'Connor, is trying to find a workaround. Apple wants all 3rd party developers to re-write their OpenGL apps in Metal. With only 1 or 2 Mac sales per week, it's not feasible for him to re-write the program. There's a rumor that the Aquarium can still be started as an executable file, but not a screensaver. Not knowing anyone with a Mac, I don't know if this is true. I can confirm that the app works, but it doesn't work as a screensaver.

10-30-2018, 04:36 PM	#22
scuba2000 Registered Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 3	Please put out an update for Mojave.

11-01-2018, 10:23 AM	#26
scotts Registered Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 4	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: Thanks, Morgan -- I'll run those by Jim O'Conner. If you get to the point you need a few test beds for an update, please let me know. I'm registered with Apple Beta program and have evaluated each of Apple's builds through Mojave development. Scott

11-08-2018, 07:06 PM	#28
scuba2000 Registered Join Date: Oct 2018 Posts: 3	How's the troubleshooting going? any updates?

11-26-2018, 11:15 PM	#29
perkiset Registered Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Phoenix Posts: 5	Seems like an opportunity. "Rewrite as Metal" - there's nothing I've ever seen like Serene Screen. I REALLY hate having to have a "normal" screen saver now. I have a 3-screen rig and the "application" method doesn't work because the other 2 screens are still showing desktops. At the very least, if the app was modified so that it was either non-singleton (multiple windows/instances) or blacked out other screens, that would be a step forward. I implore you to find a way to move forward for us Mac folk. Metal might be better than ever and provide a new marketing opportunity to get beyond "1-2 Mac sales per week." Please. Something.

11-27-2018, 05:58 AM	#31
uczmeg Registered Join Date: May 2008 Location: UK Posts: 16	Originally posted by Fidipaldi: Hello, just wondering if Serene Screen will be updated. Still holding back with the upgrade to Mojave..... Thanks. You aren't alone. I had my Mac connected to the TV this weekend and the aquarium popped up after a while. It was the first time my wife had seen it in close to 13 years and she instantly remembered how our then 2 year old daughter had been captivated by it and knew all the fish names... How time flies, and how this has withstood the test of time!

11-27-2018, 07:30 AM	#32
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,441	Originally posted by uczmeg: How time flies, and how this has withstood the test of time! So true.. not many other software programs can make this claim and work as well as the day they were first installed. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889 – 1951) The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for.

11-27-2018, 02:45 PM	#33
scotts Registered Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 4	So, I know we're into the holidays now but, has anything been accomplished by the programmer? Since the App itself works just fine on Mojave, and the sound (bubbles) work when the screen saver activates, I'm venturing to guess it could be a relatively was fix. A GoFundMe for programming time to fix the OS X Mojave version? I bet we could get a few donations for programming hours... Ho, Ho, Ho Happy holidays!

11-28-2018, 11:33 AM	#34
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	I haven't heard whether Jim O'Conner has had any luck with a fix. My own conversion of the program to Unity is probably a year away. If and when that happens, I plan to make the upgrade free for previous Mac users. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

11-28-2018, 01:57 PM	#35
perkiset Registered Join Date: Nov 2018 Location: Phoenix Posts: 5	Originally posted by scotts: A GoFundMe for programming time to fix the OS X Mojave version? I bet we could get a few donations for programming hours... Ho, Ho, Ho That is not a bad idea at all. It would cost nothing to prop up and people like me would probably kick in quickly to try to get it over the top. Here, I'll commit right now: $100 the minute you can point me to a site that'll accept it and the team commits to a Mac version.

11-28-2018, 05:18 PM	#36
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	I just never could bring myself to do a GoFundMe or Kickstarter. What if the project never got completed? I wouldn't be able to live with myself. At least nothing is at risk with trying to do it myself in Unity. Thanks to Roku, I can at least survive for the next year while I try. Edit: Well, I looked into it further, and apparently Unity programs can't be used as screensavers. Unity can't show its output on any screen other than its own, so the little Preview window in the Windows Screensaver Settings won't work. Mac has its own issues also, but if I can't do it in Windows, there's no reason to do it for the small Mac audience. This is especially disappointing for me, since I've been studying Unity for months and it looked like all kinds of new features would be possible in the Aquarium. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium Last edited by Jim Sachs; 11-29-2018 at 12:19 AM.

11-30-2018, 06:45 AM	#37
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,357	My nephew is pretty good with Unity. I'll ask him about this. If the preview window doesn't work, that doesn't seem like a huge deal. A bit of looking around makes it look like you can run Unity stuff as screensavers if you package it up right and it seems like running it in a borderless window will support spanning multiple monitors. I don't watch commercials.

11-30-2018, 01:40 PM	#38
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Originally posted by Jim Sachs: Well, I looked into it further, and apparently Unity programs can't be used as screensavers. Unity can't show its output on any screen other than its own, so the little Preview window in the Windows Screensaver Settings won't work. Mac has its own issues also, but if I can't do it in Windows, there's no reason to do it for the small Mac audience. This is especially disappointing for me, since I've been studying Unity for months and it looked like all kinds of new features would be possible in the Aquarium. It's not a simple thing to use, but this guy wrote a package so you can build Unity projects as a screen saver. You end up with two programs, one is a legit Windows screen saver that follows all the rules of a screen saver. Then it hands off the job to your Unity app. Detailed discussion about it: https://forum.unity.com/threads/unit...eleased.81345/ Download the package: https://assetstore.unity.com/package...er-builder-770 "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

11-30-2018, 05:16 PM	#39
drfish the Doc Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Zeeland, MI Posts: 5,357	That's the link I sent to my nephew. I asked him to come up with a proof of concept and code to share. I'll post whatever he comes up with. I don't watch commercials.

12-01-2018, 12:15 AM	#40
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,788	Yeah, I had seen that one. The thread is about 8 years old, and the guy's website is no longer up. His framework was Windows-only, and a lot of people seemed to have trouble getting it to work. Yesterday I posted in a current thread in the Unity Forum, but someone was already asking the same questions and not getting any answers. The major issues: -Can Unity properly handle the unique requirements of a Windows screensaver at all? (Maybe I could put a static pic in the Preview window, but there are a lot of other requirements.) -If so, can it do the same for Mac? (After all, that's the main reason to switch from OpenGL.) -How about iOS? (An Apple exec has been asking about this, especially AppleTV. Can't do it while I have a Roku exclusive, but maybe next year.) -Is the overhead for the enormous Unity system going to cause an unacceptably long startup delay? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium