Pictures folder screensaver in Mate 19.3 or 20. Solved and thank you!

[David1293]

Hi, all

I have my computer turned on for most of the evening. I use it to check news, sports scores and other things.

I quite like that I can use the above screensaver- it's nice to see pictures of pretty girls in bikinis scrolling when my computer is idle.

I tried upgrading to Mate 19.3, but this screensaver doesn't work- I just get a blank screen. When I check preferences, it shows a picture from the pictures folder, and preview works.
Has anyone experience of using the pictures screensaver in 19.3 or 20? Might there be something I can do to make this work?
I realise it's not critical for using a computer, but it would be nice to have it working.

I hope someone can help. Thanks, in advance for anyone who does,.

Regards
D

[David1293]

Hi, all

Any help with this please, folks?

Regards
D

[cliffcoggin]

I seem to recall screensavers being scrapped after 18 because they had no function following the demise of CRTs.

[David1293]

Hi
Many thanks for the reply.

I had been using pictures folder screensaver up to Mate 19.1.

I don't know what CRTs are.

I'm hoping that I can get it back, but so far, no success.

Regards
D

[decrepit]

My 19.3 works, I just love looking at travel pics, But I have a vague memory of having your problem when I upgraded. I'm busy now, don't have time to check what I did. But the good news is, you can get it working.
CRT is a cathode ray tube, those big clunky things we had as TVs and monitors. If they had the same thing onthem for any length of time, that image would slowly get burnt onto it permanently. That's why they are called screensavers, changing images stops this happening.

Brain is starting to work, I think I changed screen saver, lets have a look at what I'm using.
OK I'm using Xscreensaver-data-extra and Xscreensaver-gl-extra.

If you haven't got these, remove the screen saver you do have and install these. That should get you working.

Edit just had a closer look, and there's also Mate-screensaver and Xscreensaver-gl

[David1293]

Hi

So, I've checked and I already have all of those installed.

I'm not sure what to do next. I was thinking of upgrading to 20, but would really like to keep this feature.
I've also tried selecting GL slideshow, but no matter how I try, I can't get it to select the pictures folder.

Regards
D

[decrepit]

It's a very vague memory, but I think there may have been 2 screensavers, and the one that didn't support pictures was in control. just check, those 4 are the only ones you have installed. Sometimes my memory comes back to me overnight, keep your fingers crossed.

This may be a clue

Code: Select all

decrep@PCSSD:~$ mate-screensaver

** (mate-screensaver:7563): WARNING **: 21:37:36.142: screensaver already running in this session
decrep@PCSSD:~$ xscreensaver

Command 'xscreensaver' not found, but can be installed with:

sudo apt install xscreensaver

decrep@PCSSD:~$ Xscreensaver

Command 'Xscreensaver' not found, did you mean:

  command 'xscreensaver' from deb xscreensaver

Try: sudo apt install <deb name>

So I'm running mate-screensaver, not xscreensaver, it's only the xscreensaver libraries installed not xscreensaver itself.
Just check xscreensaver isn't installed.

[David1293]

Hi


Many thanks for the reply.

I'm actually using Mate screensaver, but it isn't working in 19.3 if I choose pictures folder.

Regards

D

[decrepit]

It's not whether you are using matescreensaver, but if you are only using it. Check if it's the only screensaver installed.
Nothing further occurred to me overnight. I just can't remember exactly what I did to fix me problem. But somewhere there's a difference between this machine of mine and yours, if we can find that, you should be right.

[smurphos]

I've just run a quick test in a Mate 20 virtualbox install. The Pictures screensaver didn't work initially having been set.

Running mate-screensaver-command --exit && mate-screensaver & disown fixed it. It continued to work fine after a reboot.

[David1293]

Hi

Many thanks for the reply.

I'm going to try that tomorrow, when I plan to install Mate 20.
I'll post back and list as resolved, if appropriate.

Regards

D

[decrepit]

I've just run a quick test in a Mate 20 virtualbox install. The Pictures screensaver didn't work initially having been set.

Running mate-screensaver-command --exit && mate-screensaver & disown fixed it. It continued to work fine after a reboot.

Thanks smurphos, that doesn't sound the same as I did, but I've saved your instructions for when I next upgrade, in case it happens again

[smurphos]

To be honest, it was just me starting troubleshooting steps and it started working. I suspect a reboot may have been enough having set the screensaver up.

[decrepit]

Don't you hate mysteries!

[antikythera]

CRT is a cathode ray tube, those big clunky things we had as TVs and monitors. If they had the same thing onthem for any length of time, that image would slowly get burnt onto it permanently. That's why they are called screensavers, changing images stops this happening.

That issue is back for Plasma and OLED panels, some manufacturers have a pixel shift function built into their displays to negate the impact of burn in.

[cstuettgen]

I thought I'd post a solution for the Pictures Folder option in LM 20 Mate screensaver no longer functioning.
The reason it isn't working, is because of a missing file in the /usr/share/applications/screensavers folder

To fix the problem you just need to create a slideshow.desktop file with the following information and put in the /usr/share/applications/screensavers folder.

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Pictures folder
Comment=Display a slideshow from your Pictures folder
Exec=/usr/lib/mate-screensaver/mate-screensaver/slideshow --location=your_photo_folder
TryExec=/usr/lib/mate-screensaver/mate-screensaver/slideshow
StartupNotify=false
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Screensaver;
OnlyShowIn=MATE;

Replace your_photo_folder in the code above with the path to the folder containing the photos you want to be displayed.

Hope this helps!

[miquelets]

Worked for me with Mint 20.2 Uma, Mate 1.24.0
Thanks