Is it possible to set a custom background?

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Jorden Forward

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Message 1740651 - Posted: 8 Nov 2015, 20:34:33 UTC

I just started Seti@home and I plan on using it for my screen saver. I was wondering in the preferences section where it says "URL of background image" is that for setting a custom background? I have uploaded the picture I want to use to various sights but every time I put in the URL and force the update my background is not changing.

I was wondering if anyone can give me any pointers or is this even possible.
Thanks.
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Message 1740660 - Posted: 8 Nov 2015, 21:22:24 UTC - in response to Message 1740651.  
Last modified: 8 Nov 2015, 21:26:47 UTC

Well, that's a familiar first name (it's mine as well. :))

The image in the URL must be a JPG image and I think it has a certain maximum file size, even though it doesn't say that (anymore). What's the file size and the size in width x height you gave the image?


Edit: it can also take a while before the image shows, it won't be instantaneous as the website first has to transport the image to your BOINC, so it needs at least one scheduler contact to do so.
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Message 1740692 - Posted: 9 Nov 2015, 0:03:12 UTC - in response to Message 1740660.  

The picture is my background forward my desktop. The resolution is 2560x1440, I did not know there were size restrictions. Does anyone know what the size restrictions are?
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Message 1740794 - Posted: 9 Nov 2015, 8:59:03 UTC - in response to Message 1740692.  
Last modified: 9 Nov 2015, 9:03:32 UTC

I think it has a maximum resolution of something like 640x480 or 800x600 at 50KB.
It'll be integrated into the screen saver, it doesn't show as an image on the total background of the screen size.

See https://setisvn.ssl.berkeley.edu/trac/browser/seti_boinc_html/images/background.jpg for an example.
I can't find anything said about it in the page source code, so will ask the administrators (by email).
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Message 1740971 - Posted: 9 Nov 2015, 23:05:28 UTC

All right, had a whole discussion about it with David.
He says there isn't any known resolution or file size restriction on the image, but then again he also says he hasn't looked at this code in several years. So it may be that it isn't working as it should. He'll be looking into it in a couple of days.

In the mean time, I found the help page where the above image comes from, it's at http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/sah_graphics.php (it's the last menu item under Participate). There it also doesn't say if there are restrictions.

Which URL did you use for the image?
Was it HTTP or HTTPS, or even something else?
When you put the URL into a browser, do you get the full image you want, or a smaller version of it?
You did make sure the image was a JPEG (.JPG)?
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Message 1741472 - Posted: 12 Nov 2015, 2:52:55 UTC

As a test you can try if this URL will work:
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/user_images/SETI_TREK.jpg

Found from this page:
http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/ss_graphics.php

HOME -> Pictures & music -> Screensaver graphics to use as a background in the SETI@home screensaver.
 


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Message 1747480 - Posted: 7 Dec 2015, 17:53:26 UTC

Heyo. Longtime user getting back into SETI @Home after finally getting a new rig.

I, too, am having problems getting my background image to show up.

Do we have any confirm RE the 800x600 limit?

Thanks!
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Message 1747689 - Posted: 8 Dec 2015, 14:13:48 UTC
Last modified: 8 Dec 2015, 14:16:43 UTC

SOLUTION I think:

An 800x600 picture seems to be the ticket. I updated per instructions, but it still took a while to appear as my background (let it run overnight; in the AM it had automagically updated).

HTH.

Thank you SETI! It's good to be back.

PS here is the image I'm using now...a nice NYC skyline shot:

http://www.newyork-wallpapers.com/user-content/uploads/wall/o/35/New-York-City-Night-Crysler-Wallpaper.jpg
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Message 1747775 - Posted: 8 Dec 2015, 23:52:36 UTC - in response to Message 1747689.  

Great you figured it out. :)
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Message 1748105 - Posted: 10 Dec 2015, 9:15:42 UTC - in response to Message 1747689.  
Last modified: 10 Dec 2015, 9:17:37 UTC

it still took a while to appear as my background (let it run overnight; in the AM it had automagically updated)

I think the new picture should show immediately if you:
1) [Update] the project (SETI@home) (from BOINC Manager)
2) Restart BOINC (maybe even Snooze / Un-Snooze will be enough)
 
 


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Message 1766030 - Posted: 18 Feb 2016, 14:06:38 UTC - in response to Message 1748105.  

it still took a while to appear as my background (let it run overnight; in the AM it had automagically updated)

I think the new picture should show immediately if you:
1) [Update] the project (SETI@home) (from BOINC Manager)
2) Restart BOINC (maybe even Snooze / Un-Snooze will be enough)
 


Yes, quitting BOINC all together and then manually restarting should force it to update. It worked in my case.
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Message 1770634 - Posted: 9 Mar 2016, 23:05:19 UTC
Last modified: 9 Mar 2016, 23:09:48 UTC

Hi, all. I have been following this thread and regrettably, none of the solutions posed seem to work for me.

I have run SETI@Home since 1999, and have usually been able to get this to work. When we upgraded to Windows 7 Enterprise here, I had to remove the program since it would not load, but I'm now back and everything works just fine except the custom background.

It's not vital, but I would love to see the ole Starship Enterprise (NCC-1701 of course. "No bloody A, B, C, D, or E!") flying through the stars again!

--
Steve Clancy, MLS
Research Librarian & Bibliographer for Health Sciences and Nursing Science
Ayala Science Library/Grunigen Medical Library
Univ. of Calif., Irvine CA. U.S.A.
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"We don't see things as they are...We see things as we are." - Anais Nin
Steve Clancy, MLS
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Message 1770660 - Posted: 10 Mar 2016, 2:29:17 UTC - in response to Message 1770634.  

none of the solutions posed seem to work for me.

The Exact "URL of background image" you try to use?
i.e. Copy/Paste from your SETI@home preferences
 


- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 
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Message 1770819 - Posted: 10 Mar 2016, 22:10:27 UTC - in response to Message 1770634.  

Could it be that the website that is hosting the image that you want doesn't allow for direct linking to the picture? Per earlier post can you please put up the exact URL of the image you want to use?
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Message 1770831 - Posted: 10 Mar 2016, 22:52:37 UTC - in response to Message 1770660.  
Last modified: 10 Mar 2016, 23:01:26 UTC

The current one I am trying is https://webfiles.uci.edu/sclancy/setipix/Enterprise-star-trek-the-original-series-3984959-1024-768.jpg

After reading the posts about the size of graphics, I also tried these, both of which worked in the past (pre-Windows 7):

https://webfiles.uci.edu/sclancy/setipix/1701a.jpg
https://webfiles.uci.edu/sclancy/setipix/1701a2.jpg

I also tried one suggested in a previous post: http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/user_images/SETI_TREK.jpg

I'm just happy now that I can get SAH to run, but if my small issue is solvable, that would be nice as well.

Thanks in advance.
Steve Clancy, MLS
Medical Librarian, UC Irvine

"We don't see things as they are...We see things as we are." - Anais Nin
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Message 1771053 - Posted: 11 Mar 2016, 22:45:51 UTC - in response to Message 1770831.  

Howdy again.

So I just came back to my office to discover that my custom background (https://webfiles.uci.edu/sclancy/setipix/Enterprise-star-trek-the-original-series-3984959-1024-768.jpg) is now displaying just fine.

Manually updating or closing and reopening BOINC didn't seem to work before, but now, for some mysterious reason it is.

Thanks for the suggestions from everyone. :-)

--steve
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Message 1771058 - Posted: 11 Mar 2016, 23:35:24 UTC - in response to Message 1771053.  

Yeah, for some reason, it took several hours for my custom to hit also. Glad it all turned out! Or to quote a friend of mine's high school yearbook quote, "All's well that ends." :)
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Message 1771355 - Posted: 13 Mar 2016, 13:23:47 UTC - in response to Message 1771053.  

 
OK, I tried to find the "mysteries" behind 'URL of background image'
(I use optimized applications which have no graphics so I never used background image)

* 1) I set your 'URL of background image' (https://webfiles.uci.edu/sclancy/setipix/Enterprise-star-trek-the-original-series-3984959-1024-768.jpg)

After [Update] from BOINC Manager:
- in Event Log (you can find the lines in stdoutdae.txt or stdoutdae.old):

13/03/2016 13:24:43 SETI@home Started download of background_1457867983
13/03/2016 13:24:44 Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site
13/03/2016 13:24:44 SETI@home Temporarily failed download of background_1457867983: HTTP error
13/03/2016 13:24:44 SETI@home Backing off 1 min 0 sec on download of background_1457867983
13/03/2016 13:24:45 Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
13/03/2016 13:25:27 SETI@home File background_1457867983 exists already, skipping download


- New lines appeared in account_setiathome.berkeley.edu.xml

<app_file>
<timestamp>1457867983</timestamp>
<open_name>background</open_name>
<url>https://webfiles.uci.edu/sclancy/setipix/Enterprise-star-trek-the-original-series-3984959-1024-768.jpg</url>
</app_file>


- The file "Downloaded" was background_1457867983 and have zero size (0 bytes)

- the site (webfiles.uci.edu) have "bad" Certificate
- I tried to change from https to http but the site (webfiles.uci.edu) automatically changes to https


* 2) I set http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/user_images/SETI_TREK.jpg

File background_1457869042 was Downloaded with correct size/contents (identical to SETI_TREK.jpg)


* 3) To avoid the https error from webfiles.uci.edu I go to:
http://postimage.org/

Click 'Web' on the first line ("Upload images:")
Copy/Paste to the box: https://webfiles.uci.edu/sclancy/setipix/Enterprise-star-trek-the-original-series-3984959-1024-768.jpg
Click [Upload It!]

This generated the following 'Direct Link':
http://s7.postimg.org/82b8wrumz/Enterprise_star_trek_the_original_series_3984959.jpg

I used that link for 'URL of background image'
File background_1457869574 was Downloaded with correct size/contents


Moral: try to use http and check that background_xxxxxxxxx was Downloaded OK


* 4) To see the new background for running tasks: Snooze / un-Snooze (or any other way to restart apps)
- this "refreshes" init_data.xml (in 'slots') so the running/restarted apps/tasks will know about the change.
New lines in init_data.xml (which appeared after Snooze / un-Snooze):

<app_file>
<timestamp>1457869574</timestamp>
<open_name>background</open_name>
<url>http://s7.postimg.org/82b8wrumz/Enterprise_star_trek_the_original_series_3984959.jpg</url>
</app_file>
 


- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well ..... then don't do it!" :)
 
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Message 1771617 - Posted: 14 Mar 2016, 19:07:41 UTC - in response to Message 1771355.  

Wow, you went to a lot of trouble to help!

I did have my suspicions that using the university file storage might have been initially at fault, but since it worked in the past I wasn't sure. I wasn't aware of the http://postimage.org/ site so thanks for that!

I also appreciated a look into the "guts" of the settings. I will file this away for future reference.

In any event, it finally seemed to work, but much, much thanks for your efforts!

--steve
Steve Clancy, MLS
Medical Librarian, UC Irvine

"We don't see things as they are...We see things as we are." - Anais Nin
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Questions and Answers : Preferences : Is it possible to set a custom background?


 
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