screensaver issue with dual monitors

My screensaver has recently started acting up. It's sort of a minor blip, but it worked before and now it won't. Here's the issue: I have dual monitors (Intel imac, running Leopard, with a Viewsonic 20" lcd running in extended desktop mode). I use a "smart" album from iphoto as a screensaver (iphoto 08, v7.1.5). I've been using this particular smart album for several months as my screensaver and it's worked fine. How it used to work: when the screensaver activates (either by time or by hot corner) both screens would draw photos from this album and randomly scroll, zoom, and fade them across each monitor, independently but simultaneously. It's worked like this flawlessly for years, with several different iphoto albums. Now, I just noticed that the second monitor does not find the pictures. A message on screen "looking for pictures" appears on both monitors, as normal, but instead of both monitors going to screensaver, only the imac starts, and the message "looking for pictures" stays on the other. What's weird is that if I run the screensaver in test mode, it works like it used to (both screens work independently and simultaneously). And if I switch to one of Apple's supplied screensavers, both screens work as well. But any iphoto album no longer works properly. I don't understand what has changed. I just recently ran an upgrade (Software Upgrade, a week or so ago) but it seems like it worked normally since then, and I don't believe the upgrade was a major one or had anything to do with iphoto. I just noticed this problem today. I've tried restarting the machine. Same issue. Any ideas what could be causing this minor, yet annoying, glitch.

20" intel imac / 17" 1 GHz imac G4, Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Feb 11, 2009 5:57 PM

26 replies

ncc1701v

Level 1

0 points

Apr 2, 2009 3:24 AM in response to qmp

Alas I just tried it and it didn't make any difference. I'll keep experimenting. Thanks.

Mhrob

Level 1

43 points

Apr 4, 2009 11:03 PM in response to John61254

Months later and the thing still is not fixed...

I have two 23" Cinema displays and the LEFT monitor still is "looking for pictures" after months waiting for a fix.

Here are 2 observations I made that I have not seen mentioned on this thread:

1) The screen saver behave correctly when pointed to an ordinary folder (iview folders)

2) If you switch monitor positions in syst prefs, the problem does not switch sides: in my setup it still is "looking for pictures" on the LEFT monitor, even after a switch. I have not tried restarting the computer after trying # 2), so the bug might "eventually" switch position, but for now it is located in a "fixed position" on the LEFT screen and doesn't budge from there.

Hope this helps shed some light on this otherwise obscure matter,

mh

PS: 3) THERE IS A NUMBER 3: If you use the TEST button on the pref pane, it WORKS as expected: the two monitors display images as usual. But as soon as the screen saver is called by either mousing to a corner or is called up with a preset time lapse, it fails miserably.

PS: I still use iView for a 150,000 image collection, but use iPhoto for my slideshows libraries that are not sensitive enough to require iView. In fact, as iPhoto keywords never show up in Spotlight, they are so utterly useless I could cry. What a pity.Such an otherwise very appealing product.

cutenewt

Level 1

0 points

Apr 5, 2009 2:33 PM in response to John61254

Same issue here but it must be related to the type of external monitor. I had a Scott flat screen television that I was using with my MacBook Pro via a DVI to VGA adapater, and then later by a DVI to HDMI adapter. The dual screen saver worked just fine (random photos, not mirrored, on both screens from the album I chose).
I decided to use the Scott as a tv in another room and got a ViewSonic 22" monitor instead (in December 2008). It has never worked with the dual screen saver. I thought it was just something between that particular monitor and my computer until I found these postings.
I tried deleting the cache file as suggested above (which was installed at the time I used the installation disk that came with the ViewSonic) but alas no luck. In fact, the file just reappeared again with the current date. I love my monitor and I'd like to see my photos on its gorgeous display! Come on Apple!

John61254 Author

Level 4

2,527 points

Apr 5, 2009 4:37 PM in response to cutenewt

My secondary monitor is also a Viewsonic (VG2021m), but it used to work just fine up until the first of the year (or so) and since then, no go. I'm not sure what was "upgraded" (Leopard or iPhoto), but whatever it was, it no longer works as it did for the previous 2+ years!

mhou1981

Level 1

5 points

Apr 8, 2009 3:30 PM in response to John61254

Hi All, I just found a quick fix for this. The problem happen when you choose iPhoto's Photo folder.

This is the fix:
First, locate your iPhoto's Library folder. Then show the content of the folder. Make the alias of the Originals folder to the desktop. Then, inside the screensaver, choose "Choose Folder" and select that alias.

Here you go, you should be able to see all pictures in both screen.

Apr 9, 2009 3:10 PM in response to mhou1981

Fantastic! Thank You, this works great, although I just put my alias in my home folder.

John61254 Author

Level 4

2,527 points

Apr 9, 2009 7:33 PM in response to mhou1981

Nice job! For whatever reason, it works! Only problem for me, I was using a "smart album" for my screensaver, and these do not show up in the "originals" folder. But otherwise, it works with any other actual folder of pictures within the iphoto library.

exoriare

Level 1

13 points

Apr 11, 2009 10:35 AM in response to John61254

As far as I can see this problem affects whichever monitor doesn't have the menu bar placed in it. Move the menu bar and you shift the affected screen.

May 22, 2009 11:43 AM in response to exoriare

Same issue with a new macpro and dual cinima displays, talked to mac they refered me here

Jun 7, 2009 6:50 AM in response to John61254

Same here on a Mac Pro with the latest iPhoto and OSX.
I use 2 DVI monitors: an old 4/3 Samsung 213T and a more recent Acer.
Note that I invoke a very specific "static" album (the one with my lower quality phone photos as they're more saturated)...

Jul 28, 2009 6:52 AM in response to CesareFerrari

I am not sure if this is a similar issue but I started a thread in Aperture discussion. Apple are apparently working on a solution.
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2093786&tstart=45

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screensaver issue with dual monitors