Hi,

I just updated to version 5.8.17 and since then I get no graphics at all. The screensaver starts, and it says that the client does not support graphics. I also cannot start graphics from the manager either.

It used to work before.

The projects I have are seti, Einstein, Rosetta, & cliamteprediction.

I am on Mac Os X


any help?

solved the problem myself.
Simply reinstalled over the previous install.

It must be that the install was corrupted and did not install graphics support

and again:
Now it's there, now it isn't.

Graphics have vanished again.

Maybe I, too, have found the Dark Matter here on my screen.

what;s going on that BOINC has gotten so unstable?

Still using 5.8.17?

Still using 5.8.17?

yes -- that's all there is for MAC users.
Or is it?

Still using 5.8.17?

yes -- that's all there is for MAC users.
Or is it?

As of right now, yes. Charlie hasn't done an alpha build for the 5.9.x series yet.

You can keep track of the latest alpha client here. Please, if you're going to run an alpha build, be prepared to subscribe to the alpha list and report bugs into the Trac system.

---

Kathryn :o)

Whatever the problem is, it is an ongoing problem:

Graphics seem to be volatile. Even on the 5.9 alpha build.
The "Show Graphics" button is frequently greyed out in applications that I know have graphics (Einstein, Rosetta, Seti) for macs.
So what is going on?
Why are graphics vanishing and how i can get them back?

marc

I opened a Trac ticket for you.

http://boinc.berkeley.edu/trac/ticket/152

If you could register and add details about your system, that would be greatly appreciated.

---

Kathryn :o)

KSMarksPsych

I am having the same problem but on the Window version of 5.8.17. I upgraded to 5.8.17 on April 30th.

I am running:

Microsoft Windos XP Pro
Version 2002
Service Pak 2

Computer
Intel Pentium III Processor
698 MHz, 256 MB of RAM

I am running Seti@home and the Climate Prediction project

---

There was never a 5.8.17 for Windows.

5.8.17 was a bug fix for Macs (I think) and an experiment on complier options for Linux (which really never should have been put up as a recommended version).

---

Kathryn :o)

smoidel

Your computer only has half the recommended amount of memory, and less than half of the minimum amount of recommended speed, for running the climate models.
Even without trying to run the screen saver, your models are bound to crash long before they complete.
It's just a waste of time and electricity trying.

There was never a 5.8.17 for Windows.

5.8.17 was a bug fix for Macs (I think) and an experiment on complier options for Linux (which really never should have been put up as a recommended version).

KSMark,

I provided tech details on the ticket as you requested.

Regarding 5.8.17 for macs: This is still the version that is the current recommended download for macs.

There was never a 5.8.17 for Windows.

5.8.17 was a bug fix for Macs (I think) and an experiment on complier options for Linux (which really never should have been put up as a recommended version).

KSMark,

I provided tech details on the ticket as you requested.

Regarding 5.8.17 for macs: This is still the version that is the current recommended download for macs.

Thanks for doing that.

The version was fine for Macs. It created problems for some Linux users who had older distros.

---

Kathryn :o)

I have not been able to reproduce this. I have a few questions for those of you reporting problems:

(1) When the Show Graphics button is grayed out, are you sure that the selected task is shown as "Running"?

(2) You can only use the Show Graphics button when the Activity Menu is set to "Run Always", otherwise moving or clicking the mouse will suspend the application so the Show Graphics button will be grayed out. Do you have the Activity Menu set to "Run Always"?

(3) Are both of you saying that you are seeing both the disabling of the Show Graphics button and the screensaver failing?

(4) When the screensaver kicks in, do you see "Connecting to BOINC Client" for a short time, or is the screen blank from the very start?

(5) Set the Activity Menu to "Suspend" or set "Snooze" from the BOINC icon menu, and then start the screensaver either using the hot corner or by waiting for the timeout. Do you see "BOINC is currently suspended" or a blank screen?

(6) Have you checked the Screen Saver System Preferences to make sure that the BOINCSaver is selected and the timeout, hot corners and "Options/Go to blank screen" and are all properly set? What happens if you turn off the "Go to blank screen" checkbox?

Thanks for your assistance.

---

Charlie Fenton
BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer

Dear smoidel:

I am having the same problem but on the Window version of 5.8.17. I upgraded to 5.8.17 on April 30th.

Would you be kind enough to confirm that you are indeed seeing this on Windows XP? Please double-check what version of BOINC you are running and tell us (since there was no 5.8.17 for Windows)

Also, it would be helpful if you could answer the 6 questions in my previous post.

Finally, was this a single-user isntall, a shared install, or a service install?

Thank you for your assistance.

---

Charlie Fenton
BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer

I have not been able to reproduce this. I have a few questions for those of you reporting problems:

(1) When the Show Graphics button is grayed out, are you sure that the selected task is shown as "Running"?

Yes.

(2) You can only use the Show Graphics button when the Activity Menu is set to "Run Always", otherwise moving or clicking the mouse will suspend the application so the Show Graphics button will be grayed out. Do you have the Activity Menu set to "Run Always"?

Yes. The defect occurs with both "Run Always" and "Run based on Preferences".

(3) Are both of you saying that you are seeing both the disabling of the Show Graphics button and the screensaver failing?

I'm saying that too. <smile>

(4) When the screensaver kicks in, do you see "Connecting to BOINC Client" for a short time, or is the screen blank from the very start?

Yes, the Connecting message comes on for approximately 1 second. Then
the message "This BOINC installation does not support screensaver graphics".
After about 10 seconds, I'm now (see below) seeing the text message
displaying two of my four projects' current task progress.

(5) Set the Activity Menu to "Suspend" or set "Snooze" from the BOINC icon menu, and then start the screensaver either using the hot corner or by waiting for the timeout. Do you see "BOINC is currently suspended" or a blank screen?

After the connecting message, the "BOINC is current suspended" comes up.

(6) Have you checked the Screen Saver System Preferences to make sure that the BOINCSaver is selected and the timeout, hot corners and "Options/Go to blank screen" and are all properly set? What happens if you turn off the "Go to blank screen" checkbox?

Yes they are set correctly. Toggling the "Go to blank screen" does not
affect the defect.

I tried moving the screen saver location from /Library/Screen Savers to
/System/Library/Screen Saver. I also noticed that the group ownership
did not match the other screen savers (admin for Boinc, wheel for the
standard screen savers) so I changed all the contents of Boinc screen
saver to match. After rebooting, I noticed the change to the progress
info, but it's possible I just never waited the 10 seconds for that
to kick in previously.

I don't believe I initially installed BOINC (5.8.17 for MacOS 10.4.9
on MacIntel) as a service. I think I found some manual instructions
for changing a plist file. Core functionality has been problem free.

Thanks for your assistance.

hope it helps! Incidentally, I notice that the text task-status
is not including my fourth project (Seti@Home). Climate@Home is
the 3rd listed -it shows as "Project does not support screensaver
graphics".

-Mds

Yes, the Connecting message comes on for approximately 1 second. Then the message "This BOINC installation does not support screensaver graphics". After about 10 seconds, I'm now (see below) seeing the text message displaying two of my four projects' current task progress.

Your replies tell me the problem is not in the screensaver module, but either in the installation of BOINC itself or the project applications. This message normally indicates that BOINC is running as a service / daemon. When you start up BOINC, does the Manager display the messages "BOINC is running as a daemon." and "No application graphics will be available."?

I don't believe I initially installed BOINC (5.8.17 for MacOS 10.4.9 on MacIntel) as a service .

Have you ever run the script Make_BOINC_Service.sh which is available for download from the BOINC web site? If so, it will remain in effect until you follow the instructions for its removal (which are listed in the comments inside that file):
## Removal (to stop running BOINC as a daemon / service):
## (1) In the Finder, browse to the /Library/StartupItems folder.
## (2) Drag the boinc directory to the trash. (Finder will ask for
## your administrator user name and password).
## (3) Restart the computer.

Incidentally, I notice that the text task-status is not including my fourth project (Seti@Home). Climate@Home is the 3rd listed -it shows as "Project does not support screensaver graphics".

How many processors does your Mac have? Have you limited the number of processors to use in your BOINC global preferences? The screensaver lists the progress only for those projects which are currently running.

---

Charlie Fenton
BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer

Have you ever run the script Make_BOINC_Service.sh which is available for download from the BOINC web site?

Excuse my butting in, but I was wondering whether or not that script would still work with the current “sandbox” ownership settings. Will the file linked from the Mac Admin Tools page work with all versions of BOINC, or are there some that are too old or new for it?

---

Have you ever run the script Make_BOINC_Service.sh which is available for download from the BOINC web site?

Excuse my butting in, but I was wondering whether or not that script would still work with the current “sandbox” ownership settings. Will the file linked from the Mac Admin Tools page work with all versions of BOINC, or are there some that are too old or new for it?

Yes, it should work with all versions of BOINC on the Mac since 5.5.9.

Cheers,
--Charlie

---

Charlie Fenton
BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer

Hi!

I have "almost" the same problem: no graphics.... almost.

I DO have graphics for climateprediction, but as for SETI@home, I used to have graphics, then, all of the sudden... puf!... the are gone, the Show graphics button is disabled. According to what I read in this therad, rosseta has graphics as well.... well, I have the Show graphics disabled for rosseta too :( .

Anyway, I want to see SETI graphics again!, I don't know why from a moment to the other, I just lost the SETI graphics. I'm u sing boinc client 5.8.17 with debian sid.

This is rather confussing, but I think the problem is in the apps instead of boinc itself.

What do you think?... should I try to install boinc 5.8.16 and test?.. but then: why I have graphics in climate and not others?.

Thanks!

Ildefonso Camargo