*** MA3 Beta 11e Comments, Problems, Discussion ***
 

Has no-one yet found this post !!!.... https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...69&#post120669 ??
The new interface for changing background colours is now out !!! - What are you all waiting for? - It's what we've all been asking for! - We can now have any colour we want, without a registry hack! .... And also the Logos in the crystal fade when changing! :)

so why when I double click it does it no longer run but takes me to the settings dialog. also does same if right clicked and test selected.

What!!! ..... When you double click what?
It no longer runs??..... Did it run before? ..... I think you've done something wrong, Bob!

just downloaded it, un-zipped the SCR to my desktop, double clicked it and it doesn't actually run. nor does right clicking on it and selecting test from the dropdown.

I fact right click and install does not install either.

A fresh download.. un zip.. and a shortcut to my desktop works for me. As a "*.scr" file I get a security popup asking if I want to run this file. Perhaps your version of Windows has a security setting to dis allow running *.scr files. Just as a test rename it with an EXE extension and see if it runs..You may have the scr extension designated for something else

Copy the scr file to the same folder/directory your old one is in.

If you want to be cautious, rename the old one first (I renamed mine to "MarineAquarium3.scrx), then copy the new MarineAquarium3.scr file to that folder.

So, far, for me, the background color portion works great. The background in a bright orange/yellow orange is simply stunning, albeit simply "not right", too.

Can't get the second hand to turn off.

Also, the color selections for the logos is not "holding" - meaning when I check a color, it does not stay. Could be a User rights issue?

The color picker and other settings are NOT yet working... Only the background and fading of crystal at the moment

I believe the Clock/Calendar Options and Colour options are just place holders for the next phase, 11e is as described here... https://www.feldoncentral.com/forums...69&#post120669

Thanks Ralph and cjmaddy.

In that case, those features are working well for me.

Most excellent, especially the background color changing, although I do notice one, somewhat interesting aspect - the colors I pick for the backgrounds aren't exactly what appears. For example, the default Blue/Black pairing doesn't show any actual Black, although the Blue may be very close to the selected color. This is a very minor "observation" and not something I would consider of concern.

On the other hand, the fading between one background color set to another is very well done and visually enhances the entire concept. Kudos on that.

Correction - I can now see that the colors chosen seem to appear at the extreme top and bottom of the visible background areas. The main area between that is the gradual change between the colors.

If you haven't already sorted out your best colours yet, the link back in post #13 has a good selection of typical RGB values that are useful for a starting point. - My first starting set is.... R=0 G=0 B=70 and R=0 G=35 B=0. - But I do have some light colours also!... When all sets are chosen, use F1 to manually cycle through the different colour backgrounds, and F2 to toggle the auto-change On/Off. The subtle blending of the two halves can have the effect of apparently seeming to changing the colours slightly, - you have to work at it!

Yeah, I'm seeing that.

One set I have is:

Top - 160,16,0 and bottom - 220, 220, 0

Really odd seeing the background in these colors.

Jim's worst nightmare...:D

The "fade" between selections looks super! Any chance for fade duration
setting (rapidity of the fade itself)? Opps, sorry. Forget I said that.:silent:

Nope. This is a BUG.

Clicking on the .scr file gives a message "The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?"

Renaming it to .exe does not change the symptom.,

Placing the file in \Windows\System32 and clicking on the desktop icon to run the simulation results in the same message.

Note 1: It runs without the message as a screensaver - but I'm confident that isn't what is wanted.

Note 2: This download isn't an installer version, so who knows...

Note 3: Windows 7, 32-bit.

I sometimes forget that the members of the general Forum have not been seeing all the back-and-forth dialog in the Beta test section, so I should have mentioned the following over here when I posted the link:

You may see some new items in the Clock/Logo Settings screen. None of these are hooked up yet, but may give a hint at what I'll be working on next.

Regarding W7 - I don't have it, so I don't know why it would not simply open the program when double-clicked. Nothing in my code has changed in that regard, so I can only assume that there's something in Prolific's installer that adresses it. Double-clicking works fine as always here.

I'm aware that you don't have Windows 7 - but it's "supported", isn't it?

I had renamed the 10d .scr file in C:\Windows\System32 to be MarineAquarium3_10d.scr. No changes - just a rename. Double-clicking on that file runs the simulation without the message.

As I said, I copied the new MarineAquarium3.scr into C:\Windows\System32. Double-clicking on that file does ask the question.

As you indicated, some of the features in 11 are not "hooked up" yet, so it's not ready for release anyway. But I believe that we should test the installer version, not just the .scr, when that is ready.

Back in the good old days.... (this is from February 2009)

Of course all the new additions will be completed and tested here on the Forum before the program is turned over to the cast-of-thousands who will and do all the UNICODE/Internationalization/installer stuff. Then we'll bring it back here for more testing, and finally put it up on the SereneScreen website, probably as MA3.1.

I wouldn't know how to write a program that "supports" any certain operating system. The situation is exactly the opposite - my program is supported BY certain OSs, including Win98,WinXP,and (rumor has it) Vista and W7. As long as Microsoft continues to recognize DirectX 8/9, then my program should run. I've never changed anything for an OS, though Prolific's installer might.

My only information regarding the behavior of MA3 on different OSs is from you guys. I have no dialog with Microsoft. Though they were supposed to provide DirectX help and testing of the program, they never did.

MA3Beta11e - Found I had 6 copies of it running!
 

I just checked my e-mail and noticed MA3 Beta11e was out. So I downloaded it and uninstalled the last version from the Windows Uninstaller. I then right clicked on the downloaded file and selected Install. It installed fine and when I checked there was only one installation in the list of available screensavers.

I was able to set up my fish and add some MP3 tracks. I noticed though that every time I exited the screensaver and went back to the screen saver settings panel in Windows 7 that the settings option and test option were unavailable. So closed the the window and then re-opened it again from the Control Panel > Change Screensaver option. Thus I was able to make changes to the MP3 list and load in a photo for the crystal.

When testing the changes, I noticed the fish were starting to judder, there was no MP3 playback and the hard drive was thrashing about, so I quit the screensaver again, and looked at the task manager. I found I had 6 copies running!

http://www.screencast.com/t/OWNkMTI2NzMt

Never had any problems on Windows 7 Home Premium before with the last beta or the installer version which is the one I had running before.

[quote=The Old Man;120724] I found I had 6 copies running!QUOTE]

For what it is worth... this happened to me as well when starting to test this. Checking in the Task Manager each copy was using some 15 ~20 resources. I ended up removing (un installing) the program and re installed. It has been good since.

Hi Ralph,

Thanks I might try that.

My screensaver just kicked in again and I noticed the music wasn't playing again. When I exited it, I checked and it was still showing (1 copy this time) in the Task Manager.

Installed
 

Installed the new bata yesterday
background now matches the color of my room..............

Windows 7 does seem to introduce a problem that may or may not affect some.

I have W7 Pro on one system and W7 Premium on another, both 64 bit.

On the W7 Pro system, MarineAquarium3.scr is in the C:\Windows\System32 folder.

On the W7 Home Premium system it is in the C:\Windows\SysWOW64 folder, although other "SCR" files are in the System32 folder.

It is working well as far as I've seen on both systems. If I recall, both setups were what the complete installer routine produced. (Nova install, sorry Jim)

With the new 11e beta, since the download after extracted is a "scr" file, I simply copied it to the appropriate folder where the previous MarineAquarium3.scr file was after I renamed the previous file.

I believe I got the question: "The publisher could not be verified. Are you sure you want to run this software?", maybe on both systems, but I answered "yes" (or similar) and haven't seen any problem since.

Note that I did not "right click" and select "install" on the 11e beta file. Therefore, I don't know for sure where the new MarineAquarium3 SCR file would be "installed" using that routine. It would seem that the download of only the SCR file is not a complete "installer" routine since it does not include the EXE file. Perhaps clarification on this would be helpful?

There is no "installer" with these versions. Manual installation is required, and when a program changes windows will ask you for verification the first time you run it. It does the same thing on my XP Pro, but if I uncheck the box and tell it yes it doesn't happen again.

And on my XP Pro it never asked anything but simply opened the settings dialog, clicking OK closed settings without running the screensaver, renaming to .exe fixed this.

never had any trouble with previous versions.

Right click shows install

If you have no previous version in the win/system32 folder then right click install places a copy there and opens the screensaver dialog, this doesn't work if previous version exists.

With 11e, I had to remove the installer version from my computer in order to confirm that the playlist bug has been quashed. In other words with both versions on my computer but only running 11e the bug was still there. So I would recommend having only 11e on your computer for testing purposes.

Looks like the installer version takes control over Vista and W7's random placement of .scr files. We'll be able to test this in time.

PS. OK my bad, I went back and checked what you were talking about and now understand. I have always dragged and dropped with everything Jim does and never use the install option unless I am looking for something in particular to be wrong. It comes from testing for ages without installers packaged, I thought you were talking about one where you get the install option from running the program and click yes, and then you had something go wrong in the process. I need more coffee this morning, its been rough at the office and I am behind. :(

I think what you are talking about is the digital signature verification that it asks for?

I don't know a good solution to this, but it appears that various people are using various different ways of getting and copying and placing and renaming the 11e .scr file. As well as various approaches to whether the 10d version is present, renamed, uninstalled, etc.

Results of testing will vary, and it's going to be very difficult to sort out the "works fine on my system" "but not on mine" symptoms.

It's not obvious from the release announcement how we should be doing it.

As I said, I don't know a good solution. Just something to be aware of.

[Much less the differences with operating systems, etc.]

BTW I think it was me that provided the details of the packaged installer as it still looks like the Inno Setup Builder and Scriptmaker version I sent in 2001.

See above :)

Pardon me while I go hang a wreath on my nose, I think my brain has died. It's just been one of those days. Comes from jumping back and forth between too many things at once.

I was thinking of a setup exe

Right-clicking on the new MarineAquarium3.scr in C:\Windows\System32, selecting "install", and giving permission - does bring up the settings panel. However, there is no subsequent change to the behavior.

Double-clicking on the "old" (renamed) file does not ask the "... publisher could not be verified..." question.

Double-clicking on the 11e file still does ask the question.

The real effect of this is that clicking on the desktop icon (to run the simulation mode) asks the "publisher could not be verified" question. That's annoying.

Just making sure we are clear - The Installer version is the one at SereneScreen.com. It's still v10d, and will remain so until I've added and tested all the features I'm currently working on.

V11e is the test version that I've got at http://www.fish-byte.com/MA3Beta.zip. It's just the naked program, no Installer. Right-clicking ANY .scr file will bring up a menu which includes an "Install" item. This is a Windows thing, and has nothing to do with an actual Installer, or anything in my program. When clicked, Windows will copy the filename into your list of screensavers, bring up the Display Properties box, and launch the screensaver in -p mode (tiny Preview window, no sound).

If some of you are getting a "Publisher Can't be Verified" message, I'm not surprised. Microsoft doesn't know me from Adam. Using XP, I've never seen this message with my own program, though I get it with about half the things I download.

Just making sure that I'm clear. I have both .scr files (10d and 11e) in C:\Windows\System32.

Double-licking on the 10d .scr file does not ask for permission - it just runs.

Double-licking on the 11e .scr file does ask for permission - and will not run until permission is given.

Double-licking on the MA3 desktop icon does ask for permission - and will not run until permission is given.

That's a difference in behavior from 10d. Jim, I'm not saying it's something you changed. I'm just reporting the difference in behavior.

Hopefully, that's an Installer issue which will be fixed when Prolific sprinkles their magic fairy dust on the program after my part is finished.

What I'm more concerned with is the report of multiple instances of the program running. There's a built-in safeguard against this, called a Mutex object (mutually exclusive). Before the program launches, it uses this to make sure there is no other instance already running. If there is, it's supposed to switch the Windows focus to that copy, and not launch a new one.

If I understand the situation, some of you are reporting that there may be ways to defeat this feature by entering and exiting the program in unusual ways - through Display Properties, for example.

The best thing I ever did, 'upgrade-wise', was change to Win2Kpro, - the next best thing I ever did, was to NOT downgrade to Vista or W7. :)

Just set up 11e
 

Running Windows 7 home premium 64-bit.

Because the file was an scr which ran when I double-clicked it, I set up a folder labeled Marine Aquarium 3 Beta 11e and created a shortcut to it. I assume that's the expected approach(?). It worked, anyway.

I did get the message about unrecognized software, and, as someone has already observed, removing the check-mark from the box and clicking Yes solved that problem.

I also uninstalled the version from last year to see what would happen. Approximately nothing, except that my 16 random fish became selected fish again and the clock switched to the SereneScreen logo, though maybe that had more to do with moving the file(?).

I also checked Registration, and it said Thank you for registering this product. Does that mean it found the number(?), or do the betas not check for registration at all? If it does become unregistered, will the Register button provide a way to enter the license code?

Finally, I found out about this change by checking in on the forum. I don't know how many new versions I may have missed. Is there a notification of a new beta(?), or should I check in on the forum more often?

When you run the program it saves information (your keycode - the choices you make within the program, etc etc ) in the Windows registry, if you manually or sometimes even using delete software - remove the program, those settings are still there in the registry. So when you delete one version and install a later one it is still reading those settings from before. That's normal activity and expected.

As far as being informed about newer versions, I hope you stop in once in awhile and check to see what's going on, :) - but if you would prefer, click on this thread and subscribe to it. It is a locked thread and only Jim, Morgan, or I can post there about new versions. That way when it gets posted to, you will get an e-mail letting you know something happened in that thread.

Looks like Michael answered just about everything. The only thing I might add is that the test versions act the same as the regular versions regarding Key Codes, which is:

If a valid Key Code is found in the Registry, it will recognize it. (They are scrambled in the Registry, by the way.)

If there is no Key Code, the program will launch in Demo Mode, which disables a few features and allows you to enter a Key Code in the Register box of Settings.

Progress Report:
I've got a user interface working for changing the text color of the digital clock/calendar. It's a series of color squares, with a slider that can be pointed to any square. This is different from the experimental layout that you see in v11e, which consisted of checkboxes and words which would need translating ("Red", "Blue", etc). The new scheme works pretty well, but my brilliant method of coding the final color of the font has a minor drawback - everything on the crystal must be the same color. This means that the white ellipse showing the current date will be the same color as the numbers. Now I need to determine if this is a big enough deal to write new code to address it.

Looking at this with the current default color scheme (white ellipse) - it seems to me that having some contrast (like the white ellipse) to identify the current date is a "big deal".

But of course, we can't see your new schema. Maybe it's not really a big deal.

Suggest you post a few pictures (before, and after in a few new colors).