Bug: Unconfirmed Screen Saver Mode Not Working (4 Screens)

srelliott · 06-22-2011, 05:27 PM

Hi Jim, Just want to preface this by saying have loved the aquarium for years. I'm running version 3.1 and just recently acquired 4 monitors. I'm running on Win 7 64-bit. When I launch SSMA3 either via a double click on the icon or by previewing from the screen savers tab, it spans all 4 screens flawlessly. (Just have to saw it look awesome spanned across 4 21" monitors!!) Here's the rub. When the screen saver launches after 10 minutes of inactivity it displays the SSMA3 logo on all 4 screens then goes wacky. Monitors 1 & 3 are blank and 2 & 4 flicker very quickly the aquarium. Please let me know if you need any more information. Thank you, Shannon

Jim Sachs · 06-22-2011, 06:11 PM

I've never tried it on four screens (or even three), but there are several members of the Forum who have. Hopefully, they will chime in with some helpful suggestions.

There really shouldn't be any difference launching it from the icon or letting it come up automatically.

philosopher · 06-23-2011, 08:01 AM

I've seen this same behaviour, but with only two monitors and have reported it before. I've had it go away with certain graphic card updates and then reappear with new graphic card updates - back and forth over the last two years.

I have no idea what the actual cause is, but I only see it when the aquarium starts as a screen saver. The specific behaviour is that one monitor is black - the other monitor flashes again and again black then image, black then image.

One interesting thing is that if I leave it flash it eventually starts working properly. Another item of interest is that if I press the space bar, click into the display settings or fish settings (not changing anything) and then click the "OK" buttons to return, that sometimes sorts things out right away.

I don't know if any of that gives a hint as to what might be happening?

It would be interesting to see if the screen saver starts working on four monitors by waiting or accessing the settings as I find it does on my two monitors.

If you really can't live with those two "fixes" then you may want to try different graphic card driver versions. I always install the latest and greatest, but like I mentioned earlier some of the drivers I've used have this problem and some haven't.

srelliott · 06-23-2011, 08:07 AM

Hi Justin, Thanks for your response. I actually tried the space bar fix and played with settings to no avail. I also have tried leaving it over night (twice no) to no avail. I suspected a drive incompatibility, unfortunately, I'm currently running the latest driver versions. I just find it very odd that it should do this only when launched as a screen saver. It would seem the API(s) is/are called differently (from a different memory space, perhaps ) when launched via automatic screen saver, which in itself is surprising.... well, perhaps not, after all, it's M$.

srelliott · 06-23-2011, 10:14 AM

Hi Jim and all, I figured out what is causing this.... It happens only if I ask the screen saver to lock the computer ("On resume, display logon screen"). If I uncheck that, the problem goes away. Also, if I lock the computer (Windows Key + L) and let the screen saver launch, the problem crops up again. I'm joined to an Active Directory Domain, so I use a domain login. Not at home to test if this problem occurs on a non-domain machine. -- Shannon

Jim Sachs · 06-23-2011, 12:51 PM

Great - thanks for your perserverance in trouble-shooting this. I'll take a look at the code, but this may be a Windows thing.

Nicki · 06-23-2011, 05:34 PM

I believe Alan over at DA put a fair bit of work into this and concluded that it is indeed a Windows thing. Not to say you shouldn't have a look Jim, fresh eyes and everything...

philosopher · 06-30-2011, 08:44 AM

Originally posted by srelliott:

Hi Jim and all, I figured out what is causing this.... It happens only if I ask the screen saver to lock the computer ("On resume, display logon screen"). If I uncheck that, the problem goes away. Also, if I lock the computer (Windows Key + L) and let the screen saver launch, the problem crops up again. I'm joined to an Active Directory Domain, so I use a domain login. Not at home to test if this problem occurs on a non-domain machine. -- Shannon

I have had this happen on both domain and non-domain machines.

geomath49456 · 10-14-2011, 03:45 PM

I just bought the SAMA3 and when the screensaver kicks in on my quad monitor setup, it just flickers and nothing happens, exactly as what srelliott described on his post. The only way is to double tap the spacebar during the flicker and it starts working. Not sure what is going on in the background, has anybody come close in finding a resolution. Thanks.

geomath49456 · 10-17-2011, 09:00 AM

The computer is in a domain environment and the only way it works is to uncheck "On Resume, display logon screen". But if it is turned on it is back to the flickering.

patscarr · 10-17-2011, 07:36 PM

I'm sorry, I can't help you.

Jim Sachs · 10-19-2011, 10:08 AM

Sounds like a heavy Windows thing. Edgar is the Windows expert here, maybe he has some ideas.

sca · 05-23-2013, 05:32 AM

Was there ever a fix for this? I am seeing the same thing - just built a new machine nvidia card - dual HDMI monitors.

won't run if the "lock on resume" is checked... if I uncheck it, it works fine.

06-22-2011, 05:27 PM	#1
srelliott Registered Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 4	Screen Saver Mode Not Working (4 Screens) Hi Jim, Just want to preface this by saying have loved the aquarium for years. I'm running version 3.1 and just recently acquired 4 monitors. I'm running on Win 7 64-bit. When I launch SSMA3 either via a double click on the icon or by previewing from the screen savers tab, it spans all 4 screens flawlessly. (Just have to saw it look awesome spanned across 4 21" monitors!!) Here's the rub. When the screen saver launches after 10 minutes of inactivity it displays the SSMA3 logo on all 4 screens then goes wacky. Monitors 1 & 3 are blank and 2 & 4 flicker very quickly the aquarium. Please let me know if you need any more information. Thank you, Shannon

06-22-2011, 06:11 PM	#2
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,787	I've never tried it on four screens (or even three), but there are several members of the Forum who have. Hopefully, they will chime in with some helpful suggestions. There really shouldn't be any difference launching it from the icon or letting it come up automatically. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-23-2011, 08:01 AM	#3
philosopher Registered Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 86	I've seen this I've seen this same behaviour, but with only two monitors and have reported it before. I've had it go away with certain graphic card updates and then reappear with new graphic card updates - back and forth over the last two years. I have no idea what the actual cause is, but I only see it when the aquarium starts as a screen saver. The specific behaviour is that one monitor is black - the other monitor flashes again and again black then image, black then image. One interesting thing is that if I leave it flash it eventually starts working properly. Another item of interest is that if I press the space bar, click into the display settings or fish settings (not changing anything) and then click the "OK" buttons to return, that sometimes sorts things out right away. I don't know if any of that gives a hint as to what might be happening? It would be interesting to see if the screen saver starts working on four monitors by waiting or accessing the settings as I find it does on my two monitors. If you really can't live with those two "fixes" then you may want to try different graphic card driver versions. I always install the latest and greatest, but like I mentioned earlier some of the drivers I've used have this problem and some haven't. Sincerely, S. Justin Gengo "Out of chaos comes order." Nietzsche

06-23-2011, 10:14 AM	#5
srelliott Registered Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 4	Solution Found Hi Jim and all, I figured out what is causing this.... It happens only if I ask the screen saver to lock the computer ("On resume, display logon screen"). If I uncheck that, the problem goes away. Also, if I lock the computer (Windows Key + L) and let the screen saver launch, the problem crops up again. I'm joined to an Active Directory Domain, so I use a domain login. Not at home to test if this problem occurs on a non-domain machine. -- Shannon

06-23-2011, 12:51 PM	#6
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,787	Great - thanks for your perserverance in trouble-shooting this. I'll take a look at the code, but this may be a Windows thing. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

06-23-2011, 08:07 AM	#4
srelliott Registered Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 4	Hi Justin, Thanks for your response. I actually tried the space bar fix and played with settings to no avail. I also have tried leaving it over night (twice no) to no avail. I suspected a drive incompatibility, unfortunately, I'm currently running the latest driver versions. I just find it very odd that it should do this only when launched as a screen saver. It would seem the API(s) is/are called differently (from a different memory space, perhaps ) when launched via automatic screen saver, which in itself is surprising.... well, perhaps not, after all, it's M$.

06-23-2011, 05:34 PM	#7
Nicki Sugar Plum Fairy Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 1,267	I believe Alan over at DA put a fair bit of work into this and concluded that it is indeed a Windows thing. Not to say you shouldn't have a look Jim, fresh eyes and everything... Run you clever boy. And remember...

06-30-2011, 08:44 AM	#8
philosopher Registered Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 86	Non-Domain Originally posted by srelliott: Hi Jim and all, I figured out what is causing this.... It happens only if I ask the screen saver to lock the computer ("On resume, display logon screen"). If I uncheck that, the problem goes away. Also, if I lock the computer (Windows Key + L) and let the screen saver launch, the problem crops up again. I'm joined to an Active Directory Domain, so I use a domain login. Not at home to test if this problem occurs on a non-domain machine. -- Shannon I have had this happen on both domain and non-domain machines. Sincerely, S. Justin Gengo "Out of chaos comes order." Nietzsche

10-14-2011, 03:45 PM	#9
geomath49456 Registered Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 2	I just bought the SAMA3 and when the screensaver kicks in on my quad monitor setup, it just flickers and nothing happens, exactly as what srelliott described on his post. The only way is to double tap the spacebar during the flicker and it starts working. Not sure what is going on in the background, has anybody come close in finding a resolution. Thanks.

10-17-2011, 09:00 AM	#10
geomath49456 Registered Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 2	The computer is in a domain environment and the only way it works is to uncheck "On Resume, display logon screen". But if it is turned on it is back to the flickering.

10-17-2011, 07:36 PM	#11
patscarr Pet Shark Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Back in Buffalo Posts: 5,455	I'm sorry, I can't help you. Patrick

10-19-2011, 10:08 AM	#12
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,787	Sounds like a heavy Windows thing. Edgar is the Windows expert here, maybe he has some ideas. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

05-23-2013, 05:32 AM	#13
sca Registered Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 28	Screen Flickering Was there ever a fix for this? I am seeing the same thing - just built a new machine nvidia card - dual HDMI monitors. won't run if the "lock on resume" is checked... if I uncheck it, it works fine.