MALA Screen Saver

[loadman]

OK (puff puff) I think I have cracked the 'PICTURES' screensaver bug   

It only seems to fail in certain circumstances. 

For some reason after running the video screensaver (or trying to) then switching over (JN OPTIONS) to the pictures screensaver it will fail with just flashes of the pictures. My best guess is that it is trying to play the video and picture at the same time.

My Solution: Using the latest MaLa version 1.04... In options leave it set to Pictures even though it does not appear to work. Quit MaLa.  Then re-launch MaLa. If errors occur re-boot PC.  I found this true of 3 PC's I have here.

Let me know if others have success with this. I will report to Swindus   

In the meantime I will continue with the codec testing.   

At this point I have confirmed that the start-up video failing and the screen saver failing happen only as a pair.  In other words I have not found a circumstance that one will work and the other does not (or vice-versa) So i can deduce from that now that the issue is with the codec and fullscreen video. As the layout videos seem to work fine regardless.

Retrometro I am convinced that problem is triggered by a codec conflict now. The question is how to resolve it. Is there any chance you could confirm my theory by wiping your CAB and load windows and the bare minumim to get MaLa to run and a codec and see what the result is. ?

[retrometro]

Retrometro I am convinced that problem is triggered by a codec conflict now. The question is how to resolve it. Is there any chance you could confirm my theory by wiping your CAB and load windows and the bare minumim to get MaLa to run and a codec and see what the result is. ?

Oh man, I hate to sound lazy but being on wireless, it takes forever to do all the patches and file copies after a reload.  If the spousal unit and child nodes allow, I'll try to hook up another HDD and install on it in case anything screws up.

[loadman]

Retrometro I am convinced that problem is triggered by a codec conflict now. The question is how to resolve it. Is there any chance you could confirm my theory by wiping your CAB and load windows and the bare minumim to get MaLa to run and a codec and see what the result is. ?

Oh man, I hate to sound lazy but being on wireless, it takes forever to do all the patches and file copies after a reload.  If the spousal unit and child nodes allow, I'll try to hook up another HDD and install on it in case anything screws up.

Cool.  If you get time just load the bare minimum to get mala to work. Load mala. Confirm that no videos work including the layout ones...

THEN...... start with xvid

[diverdown]

My Solution: Using the latest MaLa version 1.04... In options leave it set to Pictures even though it does not appear to work. Quit MaLa.  Then re-launch MaLa. If errors occur re-boot PC.  I found this true of 3 PC's I have here.

Let me know if others have success with this. I will report to Swindus   

I have tried this solution 5 times..... sorry It didnt fix the problem. I can see snaps in gamel ist, just not in screen saver

and as said earlier the error log just states that screendsaver has started.... no errors after that

[loadman]

My Solution: Using the latest MaLa version 1.04... In options leave it set to Pictures even though it does not appear to work. Quit MaLa.  Then re-launch MaLa. If errors occur re-boot PC.  I found this true of 3 PC's I have here.

Let me know if others have success with this. I will report to Swindus   

I have tried this solution 5 times..... sorry It didnt fix the problem. I can see snaps in gamel ist, just not in screen saver

and as said earlier the error log just states that screendsaver has started.... no errors after that

Try changing your screen resolution too  :-)

[diverdown]

i have an arcadevga with an arcade monitor...... I will (as I assume in ignorance) check the low rez option in mala

[diverdown]

My Solution: Using the latest MaLa version 1.04... In options leave it set to Pictures even though it does not appear to work. Quit MaLa.  Then re-launch MaLa. If errors occur re-boot PC.  I found this true of 3 PC's I have here.

Let me know if others have success with this. I will report to Swindus   

I have tried this solution 5 times..... sorry It didnt fix the problem. I can see snaps in gamel ist, just not in screen saver

and as said earlier the error log just states that screendsaver has started.... no errors after that

Try changing your screen resolution too  :-)

Sorry mate  . . .    Resolution was and is still 640x480......  Nothing i do seems to fix it.  I never tried to run video screen saver as I dont have any videos on the machine

[loadman]

Sorry mate  . . .    Resolution was and is still 640x480......  Nothing i do seems to fix it.  I never tried to run video screen saver as I dont have any videos on the machine

Bugger.. You could try a video..?

Anyway

To provide proof that it can work and inspiration for others to persist with Codec combos. Here is a video of the screen saver working on my cab.

[youtube]http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=arLDBO6cJIM[/youtube]

EDIT: For some reason the youtube vid is only showing the first sec of a 30 sec clip. I will re-upload tomorrow

[CathalDublin]

Works perfect for me too
I downloaded the codec binary from here, Id advise you try the below if you cant get it working
http://www.digital-digest.com/software/download.php?sid=1052&ssid=0&did=1

[retrometro]

Sorry to see that some people have it working and others not...

Now that the forum allows for youtube embedding, here's my mala front end running fine with videos playing fine inline.  Neither picture or video screensavers work.  however, I've enabled picture screensaver in windows to take over.  ...yes, i've turned off the windows screensaver when testing getting it working in mala.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKwMvsLspD8[/youtube]

[rooter]

I am using Mala 1.04 and Xvid Codec 1.1.3.  I also have DiVX installed.  I am running Windows Vista with 4gigs of RAM.

The screen saver works fine for me with images.

The screen saver works fine for me with videos UNTIL I press a button or move a stick.  At that time Mala freezes.   I can close the program with Windows, I do not need to reboot.

I'll try and uninstall DiVX, but I have a feeling that isn't going to do much.

[shock_]

I just found a trigger for this, and it seems to have nothing to do with codecs.

My config: MaLa 1.0.4.5.  xVid 1.1.2 with ffdshow.  (MaLa is happy with this)

The problem:  No start video, and no screensaver (video blinks a black screen a moment, or pic shows "no files found" message). Videos in layouts play fine.

I noticed that deleting the mala.ini file and starting clean made the problem disappear.  From there, it was just a small matter of setting up DiffMerge and testing one diff at a time between a known "bad" and known "good" mala.ini.  Narrowed it down to the repeatable trigger, at least for me.  Switching 1 to 0 makes both video and pic screensavers work, and switching back to 1 breaks it again:

Code: [Select]

[Mouse]
UseMouse=0

See attachment for the GUI equivalent.  In other words, if you're using a mouse (or trackball, or spinner) in MaLa, there's a better than crap chance that your screensaver is stuffed.

And yes, I am posting this just after midnight (my time) on New Years Eve.   All those whistles and fireworks and drunk people I can hear outside are all cheering because I've discovered a repeatable testcase I'm sure.

[loadman]

And yes, I am posting this just after midnight (my time) on New Years Eve.   All those whistles and fireworks and drunk people I can hear outside are all cheering because I've discovered a repeatable testcase I'm sure.

I heard the fioreworks in Brisbane were going to be cancelled this year due to bad weather? 

I just found a trigger for this, and it seems to have nothing to do with codecs.

My config: MaLa 1.0.4.5.  xVid 1.1.2 with ffdshow.  (MaLa is happy with this)

The problem:  No start video, and no screensaver (video blinks a black screen a moment, or pic shows "no files found" message). Videos in layouts play fine.

 In other words, if you're using a mouse (or trackball, or spinner) in MaLa, there's a better than crap chance that your screensaver is stuffed.

I just tried this on the only PC that I ever had an issue and sure enough Mouse was enabled (for spinner) and now it works.  Excellent find     We need more to test.

[polaris]

ive got the mala screensaver working with vids, i didnt have to tweak anything , just downloaded vids and set it to run, got vids in my custom mala layout too.
if theres any info i can provide ill be happy to, but youll have to explain to me what and how i get the info.
 

[shock_]

I heard the fioreworks in Brisbane were going to be cancelled this year due to bad weather? 

Well, the legal ones anyway...^† but nobody told my neighbours.  Wife got sick yesterday so we stayed home from a planned shindig with friends.  I even forgot to have a beer... 

^† Note to those overseas... fireworks are proscribed here, and treated basically like mining explosives, ie. you have to be very licenced.  The only exception to this is in the Australian Capital Territory, a relatively small parcel of land surrounding our nation's capital city, Canberra.  Hardcore pr0n and fireworks are legally available there and nowhere else.  Many have long suspected that the reason for this is so that the children of politicians can't get in too much trouble and embarrass their parents

[shock_]

ive got the mala screensaver working with vids, i didnt have to tweak anything , just downloaded vids and set it to run, got vids in my custom mala layout too.
if theres any info i can provide ill be happy to, but youll have to explain to me what and how i get the info.
 

Can you tell us if you have "use mouse" enabled under the Controllers / Mouse menu (see my screenshot a few posts above)?

We'd love to hear from:
1) anyone who has screensavers working, and DOES have mouse enabled, and/or
2) anyone who has screensavers broken, can see vids in their layout fine and DOESN'T have mouse enabled. 

If people in either of those conditions exist, then there is more we can learn about this misbehaviour to tell Swindus for the next time he takes a look.

[loadman]

I even forgot to have a beer... 

And You call yourself Australian ?  

I am using Mala 1.04 and Xvid Codec 1.1.3.  I also have DiVX installed.  I am running Windows Vista with 4gigs of RAM.
The screen saver works fine for me with images.
The screen saver works fine for me with videos UNTIL I press a button or move a stick.  At that time Mala freezes.   I can close the program with Windows, I do not need to reboot.
I'll try and uninstall DiVX, but I have a feeling that isn't going to do much.

Hmmm I had this happen a few times now.  Hmmm  Investigating

[polaris]

no surprises here by the looks
was working
enabled mouse , not working anymore.fairly conclusive i would say
 

[loadman]

no surprises here by the looks
was working
enabled mouse , not working anymore.fairly conclusive i would say
 

Defiantly a major milestone 

[retrometro]

no surprises here by the looks
was working
enabled mouse , not working anymore.fairly conclusive i would say
 

Defiantly a major milestone 

KUDOS KUDOS KUDOS!!!! 

What a great Christmas, Winter Festival, Kwanza, Hanakuh, Pagan New Year, gift to the community!!!   Thank you guys for the exhaustive work on finding this huge bug!

Not only did this fix the problem right away, but it also resolved my problem with MALA playing a video upon startup!  Yipee!

Now I think I'm going to put Circo's video game commercial video pak in the cab for playback too!  The wife is looking at me strangely but man, it would have been supercool to have gotten this working when we had ppl over for xmas.  But better late than never!  (jumping up and down still)

[shock_]

... it would have been supercool to have gotten this working when we had ppl over for xmas.  But better late than never!

You could always invite them back, assuming they weren't so put off by your lack of SNES and PSX advertisement screensaver

[diverdown]

 

got a spinner and trackball so i will be doubly stuffed

and Ps

thanks Loadman for the heads up

[loadman]

got a spinner and trackball so i will be doubly stuffed

I'm sure you can live without the screensaver or spinner/trackball for a liitle while when the bug get's fixed 

[polaris]

no surprises here by the looks
was working
enabled mouse , not working anymore.fairly conclusive i would say
 

Defiantly a major milestone 

it is for me, i feel like im reading ---smurfing--- double dutch when i put my head round the door of this forum

[Deefish]

I would also like to confirm this works on my machine. I could not get the screensaver to work for the videos or the pictures. I have xp codec pack 2.3.4 installed with current xvid codec, MALA 1.04, running Windows XP Beast Edition.

I would get the not files found on screen or it would blink and then back to layout with LED attract going.

I unchecked use mouse and now my video works perfect. My pictures still says no files found. Am I correct in using my snaps folder for this? It will show png's right?

Great work guys on MALA, love it. Cant wait until you get this bug squashed!! Thanks much guys.

Deefish

[shock_]

II unchecked use mouse and now my video works perfect. My pictures still says no files found. Am I correct in using my snaps folder for this? It will show png's right?

Hmmm - yeah that should work fine (and does for me).  I'll assume you don't have a problem with the "use pictures from current emulator / gamelist" checkboxes.

Can you please:

• rename your mala.ini file temporarily to something like mala.ini.bak,
• start MaLa,
• cancel everything you can about creating gamelists and MAME and stuff  (this saves time and keeps the ini file clean),
• go straight in and configure screensaver for pictures pointed at your snaps directory,
• change the delay to something like 5000ms
• see if they start working and report back?

If they do, then you've got something weird in your mala.ini still that is causing the pics to fail and the videos to work, and we want to find that!!  Thanks for advising!

[slsimon]

I am able to successfully run snapshots as my screensaver with no issues.  However, I am still having issues with using videos as my screensaver.  It seems to run fine for quite a while but then eventually stops running videos and shows a screen that says "No Files Found" or something similar.  I am currently running it with logging enabled so I can eventually send the log to Swindus.

Good Luck!

Just an FYI.  I have seen the "No Files Found" message as well.  My mala.exe error log is very close to the log in the above thread posted by encryptor.  I get the object class access denied error.  Just an FYI.  Wanted to confirm this and make sure it's documented by more than one.  Thanks,

[Deefish]

Ok Shock, I followed your steps exactly.

The picture screensaver works fine like this.

Next step in troubleshooting?

Thanks,
Deefish

[slsimon]

Sound like a bug to me,  .  I will wait until the new release is posted for Mala.  Now, as much time as I am spending on configuring mala, I am assuming as long as the files and directories on my computer do not change, I should be able to rename my mala.ini file, perform software upgrade per posted instruction that I am assuming are on the Mala's website somewhere and then override the new mala.ini file with the original and all my settings will stay.  I am not sure if I can get back what I have been working on.  Just wanted to double check.  Thanks,

[diverdown]

Just thought i should post an update..... problem solved.....

How did I do it?


DUNNO     It just started working one day...  I think my 5 year old mashed the keyboard

possibly press I D D K F A


wait was that the god mode in doom?

well mine works....  sorry I cant give any useful info

[jhabers]

any word on a fix yet for the "mouse" but with the screen saver in Mala?

[loadman]

any word on a fix yet for the "mouse" but with the screen saver in Mala?

It's on the list 

[jhabers]

any word on a fix yet for the "mouse" but with the screen saver in Mala?

It's on the list 

Thank you! 

[loadman]

Fixed

http://malafe.net/index.php?page=wip-development

[Circo]

WooHoo!  Great Job Loadman, I will have to post an article

[loadman]

WooHoo!  Great Job Loadman, I will have to post an article

OK Maybe I will do a mini release for this much anticipated bug fix tonight

...LATER

Bug Fix Beta version posted here:

http://malafe.net/index.php?page=download