Bug: active program closes with MA2 - Page 4

Jim Sachs · 02-25-2006, 11:56 PM

Edgar uses a SetDisplayMode call to reset the resolution back to whatever it was when the program started. I did not, when I was programming the Windows end of things (v1.0 and before). I let the OS handle it. Since each window knows its own resolution, when my window dies the next window in line should switch the screen to its own res.

Edgar · 02-26-2006, 01:13 AM

Dale,
First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls.
Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver.

If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls.

Just knowing that some other DirectX 3D screensaver program may work can help me pinpooint the possible problem.
If all DirectX screensavers has the problem, then the problem is not in the screensaver but in the system.

I am hoping that updating your video drivers work so that you can enjoy the screensaver without anymore problems.
This will also strengthen the possibilities that this bug is related to the video driver more than the screensaver itself.

I appreciate your help on trying to solve this. I really have no other way since I can't duplicate the problem myself.

FerdFerd · 02-26-2006, 10:02 AM

I am sorry to have to report that sometimes the top application still closes when MA terminates, despite my updated video driver. It seems like it happens less often that it used to. I have Exit on Mouse Move unchecked. I can still exit with a mouse move, and sometimes the top active application still disappears when I do that. I haven't tried exiting with the Esc key, but that was a reliable way to exit in the previous version.

Edgar · 02-26-2006, 11:29 AM

I think we are getting somewhere. The key here is that with the "Exit on Mousemove" unchecked, the screensaver still exits. Is this true for everyone else with this bug?
If that is the case then I can be sure then that it is not the screensaver causing your problem. It just enhances the problem because when you exit the screensaver, the system takes a little while to return all the resources, causing all input to be queued.
If the "Exit on Mousemove" is uncheck, the screensaver will not close unless 'Esc', or 'x', or Alt-F4 is generated. Somehow, it sounds like the system is generating these keystrokes while the screensaver is running. Does any of you have some Mousedriver utilities that allows keyboard shortcuts through the Mouse?

FerdFerd · 02-26-2006, 12:23 PM

I don't quite understand what kind of mouse driver utilities you are asking about, but if it is a key to know that I can exit with a mouse move when that box is unchecked, perhaps it is also of use to know that if I run MA 2.6 from the shortcut icon on the desktop, a mouse move will not exit the program. Pressing the Esc key does exit. However, if the screen saver becomes active after the set idle time in the Windows screen saver properties elapes, a mouse move does allow me to exit. Then sometimes (but not always), the top active application also closes spontaneously.

I've installed Carousel. Should I still try using it?

Edgar · 02-26-2006, 12:31 PM

If you use other screensavers, this problem doesn't happen?
Do you have any other 3D screensavers that you can try?

The Carousel won't hurt if you try to use it but if the system is generating a "Close" message with a mousemove, I don't think Carousel would help.

FerdFerd · 02-26-2006, 01:04 PM

This problem does not occur with any of the screen savers supplied with Windows XP, but I do not have any other screen savers to try. Is there one you can suggest that has a trial to download? (If you don't want to publicize the competition, I'll look for a PM.)

Should attention be turned to mouse drivers instead of video drivers?

Dale · 02-26-2006, 03:27 PM

Originally posted by Edgar:

Dale,
First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls.
Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver.

If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls.

Just knowing that some other DirectX 3D screensaver program may work can help me pinpooint the possible problem.
If all DirectX screensavers has the problem, then the problem is not in the screensaver but in the system.

I am hoping that updating your video drivers work so that you can enjoy the screensaver without anymore problems.
This will also strengthen the possibilities that this bug is related to the video driver more than the screensaver itself.

I appreciate your help on trying to solve this. I really have no other way since I can't duplicate the problem myself.

OK, first - and (sorry) I originally posted this in another thread:

New report of "problem symptom". With the latest drivers, by the way. And I think I am now VERY carefully observing what I do and what happens.

I was just running a backup of some files (using Backup MyPC Deluxe). The V2.6 fish started swimming. I reached over and moved the mouse - and I'm sure I didn't click any mouse button.

Backup MyPC has a "Cancel" button while a backup is running. My mouse (Microsoft wireless intellimouse explorer 2.0) is configured to "Snap to: automatically move pointer to the default button in a dialog box".

A popup appeared that said "Are you sure you want to cancel this operation". That's AS IF I had clicked on the Cancel button, but I certainly had not done so. I had not touched any button on the mouse.

In any case, it is certain that I moved the mouse BEFORE the screensaver exited.

If this problem is caused by MA having some interaction with the mouse driver, it would be "logical" for the problem to go away when "exit on mouse move" is turned off.

[Note: I do *NOT* have "exit on mouse move" disabled. You're legitimately asking for me to help diagnose the problem, and to do that, I have to EXPERIENCE the problem - working around it isn't helpful in that context.]

====================

The above is with the latest video drivers, and exhibits the problem.

By the way, I don't see the problem with any of the Microsoft screensavers that I have tried. Are any of those 3D? If not, can you point me to some other 3D screensaver that I can get to try?

I'll now get Carousel and install it, and see how it goes.

FerdFerd · 02-26-2006, 03:35 PM

Originally posted by FerdFerd:

Should attention be turned to mouse drivers instead of video drivers?

I installed Intellipoint 5.5 drivers (up from 5.2) and the screensaver no longer exits with a mouse move when the "Exit with Mouse Move" box is unchecked. It's too soon to tell if the top application now stays open when I check that box, but I will watch for awhile and let you know.

I also found a Microsoft Windows 3-D screensaver on the Microsoft web site, which I will also test.

Dale · 02-26-2006, 04:00 PM

Originally posted by Edgar:

Dale,
First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls.
Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver.

If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls.

I appreciate your help on trying to solve this. I really have no other way since I can't duplicate the problem myself.

...and I appreciate the time you're taking with this.

I believe in changing one thing at a time. So, I have now found and installed Carousel V1.0 from Prolific Publishing Company. [It took me a while to find it, because it wasn't on the SereneScreen site, and Google lists about 15 different Carousel screensavers].

I installed it (set up to only run MA 2.6), and I promise to report here if I see any problems. If you see no reports here, you can reasonably assume thet "the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls."

I don't know anything about the internals of DirectX - but since I'm running DirectX 9.0c, I wouldn't be surprised.

Dale · 02-26-2006, 04:23 PM

Re: 3D screensavers.

*IF* the screensaver "3D Pipes" that comes with Windows XP is a 3D screensaver in the context you want: here's the scoop.

First, remember that I've seen the "close" problem on several different computers, runniing MA 2.0, over a long time - and am now seeing it on one computer with MA 2.6. [One computer because I'm testing it on mine before I piss off my wife by installing it on hers, etc. etc.]

For every computer that I set up - and that is over a dozen with XP Pro - I set the 3D pipes as the default screensaver. I have **NEVER** seen this "close application" problem with 3D pipes.

When I installed MA 2.0 on my wife's computer, and it caused this "close application" problem, (and after she pointed out that it really pissed her off), I changed her computer back to 3D pipes. She hasn't seen that problem since, and I would sure know.

When I installed MA 2.0 on my computer a couple of years ago, and it caused this problem, I immediately changed back to 3D pipes, and never saw the problem again.

When I built this new computer last year, I installed MA 2.0 - saw the problem - posted some information in this thread, and finally uninstalled MA 2.0 and changed to 3D pipes, and never saw the "close application" problem.

I was using 3D pipes when MA 2.6 came out, and I installed MA 2.6, and rather quickly the problem "returned". The rest is documented in this thread.

So, *IF* 3D pipes is what you meant - I can assure you that it doesn't have this problem on any of more than a dozen computers that I "support". And that's with many hundreds of hours of operation.

Oh, and the "default" screensaver with XP is installed is, I believe, "3D Flying Objects" There must be millions of folks who have never changed that, and I can't find a report of any "close application" problem.

Hope that helps.

FerdFerd · 02-26-2006, 04:35 PM

The screen saver file I just found at Microsoft is called 3DWindowsXP.exe. It is supposed to show off DirectX capabilities. It did not come with XP, at least for me. I assume, since DirectX seems to be at issue, that this is what we need to test.

It's here.

Edgar · 02-26-2006, 05:01 PM

3D Pipes is an openGL and not DirectX.

The 3DWindowsXP.exe should be good enough as a DirectX screensaver.

There is something that was mentioned that may be important. The Snap To behaviour of the mouse.

I will see if I can enable that on my computer to see if that generates the same problem on mine.

FerdFerd · 02-26-2006, 05:13 PM

Originally posted by Edgar:

There is something that was mentioned that may be important. The Snap To behaviour of the mouse.

I have never had the Snap To feature enabled on my system that has the troubles.

Edgar · 02-26-2006, 05:27 PM

I have one more request.
It would help me if I can get MsInfo32 report on systems that has this problem.

Warning!!!! This report has all the programs that the system runs and installed. I can understand if you feel that this may be too much information to send to me.

There is also another report that may help. Hijackthiscreates a report that may show if you have any spyware in your system.

Jim Sachs · 02-26-2006, 05:47 PM

Dream Aquarium is a 3D application. It has the ability to run using either DirectX or OpenGL. It does use a later version of DirectX than we do, but since it has been reported to cause the same problem, it might be a starting point. Someone who is experiencing the problem could try Dream Aquarium under both OpenGL and DirectX and report the findings.

Dale · 02-26-2006, 07:39 PM

Originally posted by Edgar:

3D Pipes is an openGL and not DirectX.

The 3DWindowsXP.exe should be good enough as a DirectX screensaver.

There is something that was mentioned that may be important. The Snap To behaviour of the mouse.

I will see if I can enable that on my computer to see if that generates the same problem on mine.

Sorry I misunderstand about "3D pipes", etc. being "3D". I'll continue testing MA 2.6 with Carousel, and let somebody else take a look at 3DWindowsXP.

No failures yet with Carousel in the picture.

Dale · 02-27-2006, 04:18 PM

Originally posted by Edgar:

Dale,
First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls.
Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver.

If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls.

About 24 hours running MA2.6 under Carousel, with no observed problems from applications closing when the mouse is used to wake up the screensaver.

Not conclusive, of course. But it wasn't the video drivers on my computer, and it wasn't the mouse drivers, and you've indicated that the DirectX report looked OK and so did the MSinfo report that I sent to you, so.....

I promise to report if I see an application has closed when I wake up the screensaver.

Edgar · 02-27-2006, 05:42 PM

The only program that I saw in your MsInfo that may be a possible conflict is this (c:\program files\actual window manager\actualwindowmanagercenter.exe).
But if the others who has the problems are not using this, then that can't be the conflicting program.
Note that if it keeps on working for you using Carousel, I will just suggest that all the others who has problem with programs closing to go ahead and use Carousel.

Dale · 02-27-2006, 06:51 PM

Originally posted by Edgar:

The only program that I saw in your MsInfo that may be a possible conflict is this (c:\program files\actual window manager\actualwindowmanagercenter.exe).
But if the others who has the problems are not using this, then that can't be the conflicting program.
Note that if it keeps on working for you using Carousel, I will just suggest that all the others who has problem with programs closing to go ahead and use Carousel.

BC (Before Carousel), I had speculated also about Actual Windows Manager. So, I had experimented with turning it off (i.e., not starting it at boot time). That made no difference in MA behavior. By the way, I use Actual Windows Manager mostly to _prevent_ myself from inadvertantly closing windows (it provides a "are you sure you want to do that" dialog).

Can we reasonably expect that, if Carousel turns out to be a universal "workaround", Prolific will still fix the real problem within MA on some reasonably expeditious schedule?

02-25-2006, 11:56 PM	#61
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Edgar uses a SetDisplayMode call to reset the resolution back to whatever it was when the program started. I did not, when I was programming the Windows end of things (v1.0 and before). I let the OS handle it. Since each window knows its own resolution, when my window dies the next window in line should switch the screen to its own res. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

02-26-2006, 01:13 AM	#62
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	Dale, First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls. Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver. If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls. Just knowing that some other DirectX 3D screensaver program may work can help me pinpooint the possible problem. If all DirectX screensavers has the problem, then the problem is not in the screensaver but in the system. I am hoping that updating your video drivers work so that you can enjoy the screensaver without anymore problems. This will also strengthen the possibilities that this bug is related to the video driver more than the screensaver itself. I appreciate your help on trying to solve this. I really have no other way since I can't duplicate the problem myself. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

02-26-2006, 11:29 AM	#64
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	I think we are getting somewhere. The key here is that with the "Exit on Mousemove" unchecked, the screensaver still exits. Is this true for everyone else with this bug? If that is the case then I can be sure then that it is not the screensaver causing your problem. It just enhances the problem because when you exit the screensaver, the system takes a little while to return all the resources, causing all input to be queued. If the "Exit on Mousemove" is uncheck, the screensaver will not close unless 'Esc', or 'x', or Alt-F4 is generated. Somehow, it sounds like the system is generating these keystrokes while the screensaver is running. Does any of you have some Mousedriver utilities that allows keyboard shortcuts through the Mouse? *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

02-26-2006, 12:31 PM	#66
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	If you use other screensavers, this problem doesn't happen? Do you have any other 3D screensavers that you can try? The Carousel won't hurt if you try to use it but if the system is generating a "Close" message with a mousemove, I don't think Carousel would help. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

02-26-2006, 04:35 PM	#72
FerdFerd Registered Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 22	3D Screen Saver The screen saver file I just found at Microsoft is called 3DWindowsXP.exe. It is supposed to show off DirectX capabilities. It did not come with XP, at least for me. I assume, since DirectX seems to be at issue, that this is what we need to test. It's here.

02-26-2006, 10:02 AM	#63
FerdFerd Registered Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 22	I am sorry to have to report that sometimes the top application still closes when MA terminates, despite my updated video driver. It seems like it happens less often that it used to. I have Exit on Mouse Move unchecked. I can still exit with a mouse move, and sometimes the top active application still disappears when I do that. I haven't tried exiting with the Esc key, but that was a reliable way to exit in the previous version.

02-26-2006, 12:23 PM	#65
FerdFerd Registered Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 22	I don't quite understand what kind of mouse driver utilities you are asking about, but if it is a key to know that I can exit with a mouse move when that box is unchecked, perhaps it is also of use to know that if I run MA 2.6 from the shortcut icon on the desktop, a mouse move will not exit the program. Pressing the Esc key does exit. However, if the screen saver becomes active after the set idle time in the Windows screen saver properties elapes, a mouse move does allow me to exit. Then sometimes (but not always), the top active application also closes spontaneously. I've installed Carousel. Should I still try using it?

02-26-2006, 01:04 PM	#67
FerdFerd Registered Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 22	This problem does not occur with any of the screen savers supplied with Windows XP, but I do not have any other screen savers to try. Is there one you can suggest that has a trial to download? (If you don't want to publicize the competition, I'll look for a PM.) Should attention be turned to mouse drivers instead of video drivers?

02-26-2006, 03:27 PM	#68
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Edgar: Dale, First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls. Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver. If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls. Just knowing that some other DirectX 3D screensaver program may work can help me pinpooint the possible problem. If all DirectX screensavers has the problem, then the problem is not in the screensaver but in the system. I am hoping that updating your video drivers work so that you can enjoy the screensaver without anymore problems. This will also strengthen the possibilities that this bug is related to the video driver more than the screensaver itself. I appreciate your help on trying to solve this. I really have no other way since I can't duplicate the problem myself. OK, first - and (sorry) I originally posted this in another thread: New report of "problem symptom". With the latest drivers, by the way. And I think I am now VERY carefully observing what I do and what happens. I was just running a backup of some files (using Backup MyPC Deluxe). The V2.6 fish started swimming. I reached over and moved the mouse - and I'm sure I didn't click any mouse button. Backup MyPC has a "Cancel" button while a backup is running. My mouse (Microsoft wireless intellimouse explorer 2.0) is configured to "Snap to: automatically move pointer to the default button in a dialog box". A popup appeared that said "Are you sure you want to cancel this operation". That's AS IF I had clicked on the Cancel button, but I certainly had not done so. I had not touched any button on the mouse. In any case, it is certain that I moved the mouse BEFORE the screensaver exited. If this problem is caused by MA having some interaction with the mouse driver, it would be "logical" for the problem to go away when "exit on mouse move" is turned off. [Note: I do NOT have "exit on mouse move" disabled. You're legitimately asking for me to help diagnose the problem, and to do that, I have to EXPERIENCE the problem - working around it isn't helpful in that context.] ==================== The above is with the latest video drivers, and exhibits the problem. By the way, I don't see the problem with any of the Microsoft screensavers that I have tried. Are any of those 3D? If not, can you point me to some other 3D screensaver that I can get to try? I'll now get Carousel and install it, and see how it goes.

02-26-2006, 03:35 PM	#69
FerdFerd Registered Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 22	Originally posted by FerdFerd: Should attention be turned to mouse drivers instead of video drivers? I installed Intellipoint 5.5 drivers (up from 5.2) and the screensaver no longer exits with a mouse move when the "Exit with Mouse Move" box is unchecked. It's too soon to tell if the top application now stays open when I check that box, but I will watch for awhile and let you know. I also found a Microsoft Windows 3-D screensaver on the Microsoft web site, which I will also test.

02-26-2006, 04:00 PM	#70
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Edgar: Dale, First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls. Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver. If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls. I appreciate your help on trying to solve this. I really have no other way since I can't duplicate the problem myself. ...and I appreciate the time you're taking with this. I believe in changing one thing at a time. So, I have now found and installed Carousel V1.0 from Prolific Publishing Company. [It took me a while to find it, because it wasn't on the SereneScreen site, and Google lists about 15 different Carousel screensavers]. I installed it (set up to only run MA 2.6), and I promise to report here if I see any problems. If you see no reports here, you can reasonably assume thet "the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls." I don't know anything about the internals of DirectX - but since I'm running DirectX 9.0c, I wouldn't be surprised.

02-26-2006, 04:23 PM	#71
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Re: 3D screensavers. IF the screensaver "3D Pipes" that comes with Windows XP is a 3D screensaver in the context you want: here's the scoop. First, remember that I've seen the "close" problem on several different computers, runniing MA 2.0, over a long time - and am now seeing it on one computer with MA 2.6. [One computer because I'm testing it on mine before I piss off my wife by installing it on hers, etc. etc.] For every computer that I set up - and that is over a dozen with XP Pro - I set the 3D pipes as the default screensaver. I have NEVER seen this "close application" problem with 3D pipes. When I installed MA 2.0 on my wife's computer, and it caused this "close application" problem, (and after she pointed out that it really pissed her off), I changed her computer back to 3D pipes. She hasn't seen that problem since, and I would sure know. When I installed MA 2.0 on my computer a couple of years ago, and it caused this problem, I immediately changed back to 3D pipes, and never saw the problem again. When I built this new computer last year, I installed MA 2.0 - saw the problem - posted some information in this thread, and finally uninstalled MA 2.0 and changed to 3D pipes, and never saw the "close application" problem. I was using 3D pipes when MA 2.6 came out, and I installed MA 2.6, and rather quickly the problem "returned". The rest is documented in this thread. So, IF 3D pipes is what you meant - I can assure you that it doesn't have this problem on any of more than a dozen computers that I "support". And that's with many hundreds of hours of operation. Oh, and the "default" screensaver with XP is installed is, I believe, "3D Flying Objects" There must be millions of folks who have never changed that, and I can't find a report of any "close application" problem. Hope that helps.

02-26-2006, 05:01 PM	#73
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	3D Pipes is an openGL and not DirectX. The 3DWindowsXP.exe should be good enough as a DirectX screensaver. There is something that was mentioned that may be important. The Snap To behaviour of the mouse. I will see if I can enable that on my computer to see if that generates the same problem on mine. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

02-26-2006, 05:13 PM	#74
FerdFerd Registered Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 22	Originally posted by Edgar: There is something that was mentioned that may be important. The Snap To behaviour of the mouse. I have never had the Snap To feature enabled on my system that has the troubles.

02-26-2006, 05:27 PM	#75
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	I have one more request. It would help me if I can get MsInfo32 report on systems that has this problem. Warning!!!! This report has all the programs that the system runs and installed. I can understand if you feel that this may be too much information to send to me. There is also another report that may help. Hijackthiscreates a report that may show if you have any spyware in your system. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

02-26-2006, 05:47 PM	#76
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	Dream Aquarium is a 3D application. It has the ability to run using either DirectX or OpenGL. It does use a later version of DirectX than we do, but since it has been reported to cause the same problem, it might be a starting point. Someone who is experiencing the problem could try Dream Aquarium under both OpenGL and DirectX and report the findings. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

02-26-2006, 07:39 PM	#77
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Edgar: 3D Pipes is an openGL and not DirectX. The 3DWindowsXP.exe should be good enough as a DirectX screensaver. There is something that was mentioned that may be important. The Snap To behaviour of the mouse. I will see if I can enable that on my computer to see if that generates the same problem on mine. Sorry I misunderstand about "3D pipes", etc. being "3D". I'll continue testing MA 2.6 with Carousel, and let somebody else take a look at 3DWindowsXP. No failures yet with Carousel in the picture.

02-27-2006, 04:18 PM	#78
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Edgar: Dale, First of all, Carousel uses DirectX 7 calls and MA2.6 still has DirectX 6 calls. Carousel runs the screensavers it starts differently compared to running MA2.6 on its own. Carousel stays in control as the screensaver. If Carousel works, then it may give me some insights that the MA2.6 screensaver may have some problem in the DirectX 6 calls. About 24 hours running MA2.6 under Carousel, with no observed problems from applications closing when the mouse is used to wake up the screensaver. Not conclusive, of course. But it wasn't the video drivers on my computer, and it wasn't the mouse drivers, and you've indicated that the DirectX report looked OK and so did the MSinfo report that I sent to you, so..... I promise to report if I see an application has closed when I wake up the screensaver.

02-27-2006, 05:42 PM	#79
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	The only program that I saw in your MsInfo that may be a possible conflict is this (c:\program files\actual window manager\actualwindowmanagercenter.exe). But if the others who has the problems are not using this, then that can't be the conflicting program. Note that if it keeps on working for you using Carousel, I will just suggest that all the others who has problem with programs closing to go ahead and use Carousel. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

02-27-2006, 06:51 PM	#80
Dale Banned Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Western Missouri Posts: 960	Originally posted by Edgar: The only program that I saw in your MsInfo that may be a possible conflict is this (c:\program files\actual window manager\actualwindowmanagercenter.exe). But if the others who has the problems are not using this, then that can't be the conflicting program. Note that if it keeps on working for you using Carousel, I will just suggest that all the others who has problem with programs closing to go ahead and use Carousel. BC (Before Carousel), I had speculated also about Actual Windows Manager. So, I had experimented with turning it off (i.e., not starting it at boot time). That made no difference in MA behavior. By the way, I use Actual Windows Manager mostly to _prevent_ myself from inadvertantly closing windows (it provides a "are you sure you want to do that" dialog). Can we reasonably expect that, if Carousel turns out to be a universal "workaround", Prolific will still fix the real problem within MA on some reasonably expeditious schedule?