Bug: Unconfirmed Clone mode dual-display:Certain resolutions crash MA3

321liftoff · 03-13-2009, 07:49 PM

Have two monitors: a 19" LCD with native resolution of 1280x1024 and a 32" LCD TV with a native resolution of 1360x768. I have an ATI Radeon 9200 AGP with latest available drivers (dated 05/03/2006) running both displays in clone mode with a resolution of 1360x768. There are two options for displaying the higher resolution on the 19" LCD: 1) Scale image to full panel size (which makes everything tall and squished) or 2) Use centered timings (which puts part of the screen off the display and moving the mouse towards an edge scrolls the screen to reveal more).

When I run MA3-9M in either of these modes and a resolution of 1360x768 (too wide for the 19" LCD), it crashes (error dialog box attached). At the same time that the error box appears, the resolution is switched from 1360x768 to 1280x768. I don't know if MA3 is asking for the resolution to be switched or if video drivers are switching it automatically.

Likewise, when I run MA3-9M with a resolution of 1280x1024 (too tall for the TV) MA3 crashes, displays the same error box, and simultaneously switches to 1280x768 again.

When I run MA3 with the resolution set to 1280x768, MA3 runs just fine.

Any thoughts?

Jim Sachs · 03-13-2009, 08:02 PM

This could be a tough one to figure out. I'd probably need for it to happen here while the debugger is running.

Can you make it crash with just one monitor?

321liftoff · 03-13-2009, 08:44 PM

When I disable the second monitor, resolutions that are greater than the native resolution of the monitor not disabled not longer are available. So unfortunately, I can't test it with just one monitor.

Jim Sachs · 03-13-2009, 09:19 PM

That's probably the key to the problem. With the second monitor, illegal resolution choices are showing up on the list. That whole monitor-choice section of MA3 is Microsoft code, so it's mostly Greek to me. Maybe as it builds the list of resolutions, it's doing an OR instead of an AND - like this: "If this resolution is good for Monitor 1 OR Monitor 2, then put it on the list."
I'll look at it, and see if anything obvious jumps out at me.

Edgar · 03-13-2009, 10:38 PM

When you say clone mode, I assume you are letting your hardware set it to clone mode.

Is there any reasons why you have the displays set to clone mode?

Do you use those displays in clone mode normally?

321liftoff · 03-15-2009, 06:08 PM

My normal config is clone mode. Clone mode replicates the same display to both monitors. As I said in my original post, one monitor is a TV so this lets me use my 19" monitor normally and simply turn on the 32" TV to watch movies, pictures, etc.

You may ask why I don't use the typical configuration (set up the 19" LCD as a primary display and the TV as a secondary). I don't because the video player software only works when playing on the primary display so I tried setting the TV as a primary, but that got annoying real quick with every dialog box appearing on the TV instead of the 19" LCD.

Edgar · 03-15-2009, 06:14 PM

The failure is more likely happening because the 2 displays are not in the same configuration.

321liftoff · 03-15-2009, 06:32 PM

My normal config is clone mode. Clone mode replicates the same display to both monitors. As I said in my original post, one monitor is a TV so this lets me use my 19" monitor normally and simply turn on the 32" TV to watch movies, pictures, etc.

You may ask why I don't use the typical configuration (set up the 19" LCD as a primary display and the TV as a secondary). I don't because the video player software only works when playing on the primary display so I tried setting the TV as a primary, but that got annoying real quick with every dialog box appearing on the TV instead of the 19" LCD.

03-13-2009, 08:02 PM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	This could be a tough one to figure out. I'd probably need for it to happen here while the debugger is running. Can you make it crash with just one monitor? Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-13-2009, 09:19 PM	#4
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	That's probably the key to the problem. With the second monitor, illegal resolution choices are showing up on the list. That whole monitor-choice section of MA3 is Microsoft code, so it's mostly Greek to me. Maybe as it builds the list of resolutions, it's doing an OR instead of an AND - like this: "If this resolution is good for Monitor 1 OR Monitor 2, then put it on the list." I'll look at it, and see if anything obvious jumps out at me. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

03-13-2009, 10:38 PM	#5
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	When you say clone mode, I assume you are letting your hardware set it to clone mode. Is there any reasons why you have the displays set to clone mode? Do you use those displays in clone mode normally? *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

03-15-2009, 06:14 PM	#7
Edgar Prolific/SereneScreen Developer Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Norwalk, CA Posts: 513	The failure is more likely happening because the 2 displays are not in the same configuration. *Edgar Tolentino* Prolific Developer www.prolific.com www.LifeGlobe.com

03-13-2009, 08:44 PM	#3
321liftoff Registered Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 16	When I disable the second monitor, resolutions that are greater than the native resolution of the monitor not disabled not longer are available. So unfortunately, I can't test it with just one monitor.

03-15-2009, 06:08 PM	#6
321liftoff Registered Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 16	My normal config is clone mode. Clone mode replicates the same display to both monitors. As I said in my original post, one monitor is a TV so this lets me use my 19" monitor normally and simply turn on the 32" TV to watch movies, pictures, etc. You may ask why I don't use the typical configuration (set up the 19" LCD as a primary display and the TV as a secondary). I don't because the video player software only works when playing on the primary display so I tried setting the TV as a primary, but that got annoying real quick with every dialog box appearing on the TV instead of the 19" LCD.

03-15-2009, 06:32 PM	#8
321liftoff Registered Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 16	My normal config is clone mode. Clone mode replicates the same display to both monitors. As I said in my original post, one monitor is a TV so this lets me use my 19" monitor normally and simply turn on the 32" TV to watch movies, pictures, etc. You may ask why I don't use the typical configuration (set up the 19" LCD as a primary display and the TV as a secondary). I don't because the video player software only works when playing on the primary display so I tried setting the TV as a primary, but that got annoying real quick with every dialog box appearing on the TV instead of the 19" LCD.