MA preferences crashing issue - 10.5.6

somethingfishy · 04-09-2009, 08:23 AM

Hi. I have just installed MA 2.6 on a 3.06 GHz 24inch iMac plus NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS and 4GB RAM. I like the concept and from a moderate distance, it does look very convincing after adjusting the lighting.

This 24 inch iMac has a native resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels and although the fish move very nicely, at a displayed (and sustained) frame rate of between 508 ~ 528 fps, there is a quite noticeable pixellation of the background. Additionally, the full screen resolution drop down menu is unavailable and appears to be grayed out.

I have experienced an issue with the saving preferences button [OK] after changing any of the settings. Is there a procedure for sending the crash log to tech support?

I wonder if someone would be able to take a look.

It begins...

Process: System Preferences [3810]
Path: /Applications/System Preferences.app/Contents/MacOS/System Preferences
Identifier: com.apple.systempreferences
Version: 5.2 (5.2)
Build Info: SystemPrefsApp-1510800~2
Code Type: X86 (Native)
Parent Process: launchd [108]

Date/Time: 2009-04-09 14:10:12.465 +0100
OS Version: Mac OS X 10.5.6 (9G55)
Report Version: 6

Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGBUS)
Exception Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE at 0x0000000000000000
Crashed Thread: 0

Application Specific Information:
|ScreenSaver|running|Marine Aquarium 2.6

Thread 0 Crashed:
0 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d049103 CThreeDEnvironment::CThreeDEnvironment(CTextureMap List*) + 103
1 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d03573c CAquarium::CommonInit() + 266
2 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d0357b9 CAquarium::CAquarium(bool, int, void*, long) + 41
3 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d03590a CreateAquarium + 64
4 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d026992 -[MA_2_6_SaverView createAquarium] + 164
5 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d026bd1 -[MA_2_6_SaverView updatePrefs] + 142
6 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d02489e +[MA_2_6_SaverView updateAllPrefs] + 130
7 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d02a14f -[MA_2_6_Preferences okAction:] + 155

feldon34 · 04-09-2009, 09:46 AM

bump

dsanfili · 04-09-2009, 08:37 PM

I'm not sure what feldon33 means by "bump", but thought I'd let you know that I have the identical same machine (3.03 GHz 24" w/ GeForce 8800 and 4GB) and notice the same thing that you do - beautifully smooth fish and a badly pixellated background. I'm hoping that the next version with the animated background will remedy this.

As far as the crashing when saving prefs goes, I've never had that or any other problem. Have you tried trashing the pref file

feldon34 · 04-09-2009, 08:41 PM

Wanted to make sure it was read.

Jim Sachs · 04-09-2009, 09:10 PM

MA3 has a hi-definition background, and should eventually make its way to the Mac.

jleslie · 04-10-2009, 02:07 AM

Bump means he's putting a dummy post in to make the most recent post in the thread more recent, so it appears higher up (gets bumped up) in the order of threads... so more likely to be noticed...

somethingfishy · 04-10-2009, 05:13 AM

Thanks for the replies ~ I appreciated the bump, feldon33

dsanfili: What pref file do you think I should be trashing? The error occurs when I am trying to save the MA 2.6 preference file. I am no expert but the crash log appears to be implicating MA 2.6 as the reason for the crash.

Jim Sachs: Is there any clear timeline for when a high definition background will be making its way to the Mac?

if you need any alpha test volunteers in the UK, I can help.

Ralph · 04-10-2009, 07:51 AM

Had me confused as well.. I thought it referenced a secret "Mac" thing... and you had to have one to know the code..sort of like the secret hand shake of the Masons...

Jim Sachs · 04-10-2009, 09:35 AM

There's never been a clear timeline for anything regarding the Aquarium. I just keep working on it, adding and improving things. There are times of rapid progress, and weeks of frustration when none of my experiments seem to work. Jim O'Connor is already looking into doing a Mac translation of MA3, but at this point it's still a moving target. The translation is not trivial, since I'm writing it in DirectX, and the Mac uses OpenGL.

somethingfishy · 04-10-2009, 09:54 AM

OK. Thanks for the heads up Jim. I guess DirectX must be something that only gets used in Windows.

somethingfishy · 04-10-2009, 10:01 AM

Originally posted by Ralph:

Had me confused as well.. I thought it referenced a secret "Mac" thing... and you had to have one to know the code..sort of like the secret hand shake of the Masons...

Well it is one of the most highly protected secrets, known only to Mac users, but I would be happy to tell you about it if you would just sign this little non-disclosure agreement, here...

Oh wait! You can't coz you don't use a Mac.

cjmaddy · 04-10-2009, 10:12 AM

I can't help thinking there's something fishy about this?

dsanfili · 04-10-2009, 10:39 AM

Ok, somethingfishy, there's no guarantee that this will work, but I think there's a good chance it might solve your problem.

First, make sure that the MarineAquarium application is not running.

Next, go to your root level library - open the preferences folder and find the file "com.prolific.ScreenSaver.MarineAquarium2Time.plis t" and trash it.

Now go to your users library - open the preferences folder - in there, open the folder called "ByHost" and find the file "com.prolific.ScreenSaver.MarineAquarium2Time.0DD6 3505-9614-5135-BB56-8EC08CE8B66B.plist" and trash it.

Finally, restart the MarineAquarium application, reenter your license code, reset all your preferences and select the fish.

Hopefully, that will do it.

Good luck

somethingfishy · 04-10-2009, 01:58 PM

Originally posted by dsanfili:

Ok, somethingfishy, there's no guarantee that this will work, but I think there's a good chance it might solve your problem...

...Hopefully, that will do it.

Good luck

I am very pleased dsanfili because that seems to have done the trick.

Thank you.

somethingfishy · 04-10-2009, 02:00 PM

Originally posted by cjmaddy:

I can't help thinking there's something fishy about this?

dsanfili · 04-10-2009, 02:32 PM

Originally posted by somethingfishy:

I am very pleased dsanfili because that seems to have done the trick.

Thank you.

Fantastic!

I'm glad it worked for you.

Ralph · 04-10-2009, 03:05 PM

See.. those "Mac" folks talk a whole different language.. plis files.. libraries.. roots..bumps... Open GL's

cjmaddy · 04-10-2009, 03:48 PM

Now then, Ralph, - it's cruel to mock the afflicted.

..... Macs are very useful in the rain....

somethingfishy · 04-10-2009, 04:09 PM

Originally posted by cjmaddy:

Now then, Ralph, - it's cruel to mock the afflicted.

..... Macs are very useful in the rain....

I just gotta ask.

Ralph · 04-10-2009, 09:36 PM

Originally posted by cjmaddy:

Now then, Ralph, - it's cruel to mock the afflicted.

..... Macs are very useful in the rain....

I have read that...

Sure hope Jim gets his clam texture right soon.. Making fun of "Macs" shows how desperate (

) we are getting

04-09-2009, 08:23 AM	#1
somethingfishy Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	MA preferences crashing issue - 10.5.6 Hi. I have just installed MA 2.6 on a 3.06 GHz 24inch iMac plus NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS and 4GB RAM. I like the concept and from a moderate distance, it does look very convincing after adjusting the lighting. This 24 inch iMac has a native resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels and although the fish move very nicely, at a displayed (and sustained) frame rate of between 508 ~ 528 fps, there is a quite noticeable pixellation of the background. Additionally, the full screen resolution drop down menu is unavailable and appears to be grayed out. I have experienced an issue with the saving preferences button [OK] after changing any of the settings. Is there a procedure for sending the crash log to tech support? I wonder if someone would be able to take a look. It begins... Process: System Preferences [3810] Path: /Applications/System Preferences.app/Contents/MacOS/System Preferences Identifier: com.apple.systempreferences Version: 5.2 (5.2) Build Info: SystemPrefsApp-1510800~2 Code Type: X86 (Native) Parent Process: launchd [108] Date/Time: 2009-04-09 14:10:12.465 +0100 OS Version: Mac OS X 10.5.6 (9G55) Report Version: 6 Exception Type: EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGBUS) Exception Codes: KERN_PROTECTION_FAILURE at 0x0000000000000000 Crashed Thread: 0 Application Specific Information: \|ScreenSaver\|running\|Marine Aquarium 2.6 Thread 0 Crashed: 0 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d049103 CThreeDEnvironment::CThreeDEnvironment(CTextureMap List) + 103 1 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d03573c CAquarium::CommonInit() + 266 2 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d0357b9 CAquarium::CAquarium(bool, int, void, long) + 41 3 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d03590a CreateAquarium + 64 4 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d026992 -[MA_2_6_SaverView createAquarium] + 164 5 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d026bd1 -[MA_2_6_SaverView updatePrefs] + 142 6 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d02489e +[MA_2_6_SaverView updateAllPrefs] + 130 7 ...neAquarium2Time.screensaver 0x2d02a14f -[MA_2_6_Preferences okAction:] + 155

04-09-2009, 09:46 AM	#2
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	bump "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

04-09-2009, 08:41 PM	#4
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Wanted to make sure it was read. "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

04-09-2009, 09:10 PM	#5
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	MA3 has a hi-definition background, and should eventually make its way to the Mac. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-10-2009, 09:35 AM	#9
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	There's never been a clear timeline for anything regarding the Aquarium. I just keep working on it, adding and improving things. There are times of rapid progress, and weeks of frustration when none of my experiments seem to work. Jim O'Connor is already looking into doing a Mac translation of MA3, but at this point it's still a moving target. The translation is not trivial, since I'm writing it in DirectX, and the Mac uses OpenGL. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

04-09-2009, 08:37 PM	#3
dsanfili Registered Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 22	I'm not sure what feldon33 means by "bump", but thought I'd let you know that I have the identical same machine (3.03 GHz 24" w/ GeForce 8800 and 4GB) and notice the same thing that you do - beautifully smooth fish and a badly pixellated background. I'm hoping that the next version with the animated background will remedy this. As far as the crashing when saving prefs goes, I've never had that or any other problem. Have you tried trashing the pref file

04-10-2009, 02:07 AM	#6
jleslie Engineer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 1,279	Bump means he's putting a dummy post in to make the most recent post in the thread more recent, so it appears higher up (gets bumped up) in the order of threads... so more likely to be noticed...

04-10-2009, 05:13 AM	#7
somethingfishy Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	Thanks for the replies ~ I appreciated the bump, feldon33 dsanfili: What pref file do you think I should be trashing? The error occurs when I am trying to save the MA 2.6 preference file. I am no expert but the crash log appears to be implicating MA 2.6 as the reason for the crash. Jim Sachs: Is there any clear timeline for when a high definition background will be making its way to the Mac? if you need any alpha test volunteers in the UK, I can help.

04-10-2009, 07:51 AM	#8
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	Had me confused as well.. I thought it referenced a secret "Mac" thing... and you had to have one to know the code..sort of like the secret hand shake of the Masons...

04-10-2009, 09:54 AM	#10
somethingfishy Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	OK. Thanks for the heads up Jim. I guess DirectX must be something that only gets used in Windows.

04-10-2009, 10:01 AM	#11
somethingfishy Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	Originally posted by Ralph: Had me confused as well.. I thought it referenced a secret "Mac" thing... and you had to have one to know the code..sort of like the secret hand shake of the Masons... Well it is one of the most highly protected secrets, known only to Mac users, but I would be happy to tell you about it if you would just sign this little non-disclosure agreement, here... Oh wait! You can't coz you don't use a Mac.

04-10-2009, 10:12 AM	#12
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	I can't help thinking there's something fishy about this?

04-10-2009, 10:39 AM	#13
dsanfili Registered Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 22	Ok, somethingfishy, there's no guarantee that this will work, but I think there's a good chance it might solve your problem. First, make sure that the MarineAquarium application is not running. Next, go to your root level library - open the preferences folder and find the file "com.prolific.ScreenSaver.MarineAquarium2Time.plis t" and trash it. Now go to your users library - open the preferences folder - in there, open the folder called "ByHost" and find the file "com.prolific.ScreenSaver.MarineAquarium2Time.0DD6 3505-9614-5135-BB56-8EC08CE8B66B.plist" and trash it. Finally, restart the MarineAquarium application, reenter your license code, reset all your preferences and select the fish. Hopefully, that will do it. Good luck

04-10-2009, 01:58 PM	#14
somethingfishy Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	Originally posted by dsanfili: Ok, somethingfishy, there's no guarantee that this will work, but I think there's a good chance it might solve your problem... ...Hopefully, that will do it. Good luck I am very pleased dsanfili because that seems to have done the trick. Thank you.

04-10-2009, 02:00 PM	#15
somethingfishy Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	Originally posted by cjmaddy: I can't help thinking there's something fishy about this?

04-10-2009, 02:32 PM	#16
dsanfili Registered Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 22	Originally posted by somethingfishy: I am very pleased dsanfili because that seems to have done the trick. Thank you. Fantastic! I'm glad it worked for you.

04-10-2009, 03:05 PM	#17
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	See.. those "Mac" folks talk a whole different language.. plis files.. libraries.. roots..bumps... Open GL's

04-10-2009, 03:48 PM	#18
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	Now then, Ralph, - it's cruel to mock the afflicted. ..... Macs are very useful in the rain....

04-10-2009, 04:09 PM	#19
somethingfishy Registered Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 11	Originally posted by cjmaddy: Now then, Ralph, - it's cruel to mock the afflicted. ..... Macs are very useful in the rain.... I just gotta ask.

04-10-2009, 09:36 PM	#20
Ralph Retired Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Edmonton Alberta Ca Posts: 2,443	Originally posted by cjmaddy: Now then, Ralph, - it's cruel to mock the afflicted. ..... Macs are very useful in the rain.... I have read that... Sure hope Jim gets his clam texture right soon.. Making fun of "Macs" shows how desperate () we are getting