Aerial with black screen- 3 monitor setup

[kmdezine]

Aerial constantly reverts to just a black screen on all 3 monitors. I have seen that the legacy screen saver has hung when doing a force quit on other apps, and that it was not responding and had to force quit that app. I have the latest version and running aerial companion.

Mac Studio M2 Ultra- 192GB RAM 2TB running Sonoma 14.2.1

When it was working weeks ago, I also noticed that it would repeat images on several monitors at the same time, instead of having a unique image per monitor as I had set in settings.

It's been several weeks without any images on screen, and just blank black monitors when the screen saver starts up. I could force it to start with hot corners, but no luck.

Also, another issue that has occurred, but not sure if it is related to Aerial or not is an issue with Exposé and Adobe apps. I have noticed that when I use expose to switch apps, or windows etc., that after doing this a few times I get a random screen shift, where the adobe apps do not repond because the pointer is off somehow. Very hard to explain, but basically if I click on the menu bar, the cursor seems to be clicking on the desktop and I can't select any tools. The windows all shift to where the menu bars are off screen and same with the toolbars. it's almost like everything is mis aligned. The only fix to this is for me to engage the black screen saver, then wake the computer up immediately which re-centers all the windows and pallets, and fixes the issue. Another way I was able to fix the issue was to select APPLICATION FRAME within the adobe app, and then deselect it and it would also fix the alignment issue. Again, not sure if this is Aerial Related or not.

[glouel]

Aerial constantly reverts to just a black screen on all 3 monitors. I have seen that the legacy screen saver has hung when doing a force quit on other apps, and that it was not responding and had to force quit that app. I have the latest version and running aerial companion.

Can you define constantly ? Is it every single time ? Is it after a set amount of time ? Is every black screen a crash ? Do you have crash logs ?

Mac Studio M2 Ultra- 192GB RAM 2TB running Sonoma 14.2.1

The one instance I know of crash log seems to happen with some USB-C issues. What's your monitor setup and do you have any USB hub ?

When it was working weeks ago, I also noticed that it would repeat images on several monitors at the same time, instead of having a unique image per monitor as I had set in settings.

Depending on how large your library is, you can get the same video playing twice right now on the same screen from time to time. Odds will decrease if you have a large cache.

It's been several weeks without any images on screen, and just blank black monitors when the screen saver starts up. I could force it to start with hot corners, but no luck.

So right now, any start will generate a crash ?? Please give me :

• a crash log
• your configuration file (I can point to where it is if needed)

Also, another issue that has occurred, but not sure if it is related to Aerial or not is an issue with Exposé and Adobe apps. I have noticed that when I use expose to switch apps, or windows etc., that after doing this a few times I get a random screen shift, where the adobe apps do not repond because the pointer is off somehow. Very hard to explain, but basically if I click on the menu bar, the cursor seems to be clicking on the desktop and I can't select any tools. The windows all shift to where the menu bars are off screen and same with the toolbars. it's almost like everything is mis aligned. The only fix to this is for me to engage the black screen saver, then wake the computer up immediately which re-centers all the windows and pallets, and fixes the issue. Another way I was able to fix the issue was to select APPLICATION FRAME within the adobe app, and then deselect it and it would also fix the alignment issue. Again, not sure if this is Aerial Related or not.

I can't possibly see how it's related. What's more likely is that entering screen saver mode and exiting is causing Adobe apps to reset themselves. I'm sure if you switch to another screen saver you'll see the exact same thing.

Please see if you can provide me the various details above so I can investigate this more, thanks !

[kmdezine]

Instead of showing images on each screen, it just shows black screens. It acts and behaves like it is suppose to, wakes from sleep when you click or move the mouse, or hit a key on the keyboard, but there are no images when the screensaver activates... only black screens on all 3 monitors. There are no crashes...

The only time I noticed that the legacy screensaver module was hung up was when I was trying to force quit another application. When I pressed Command-Option-Escape to quit out of another app, I saw the Legacy Screen Saver that was red and not responding. so I forced quit the app. But I have had this issue for several months now. Can't seem to get the videos to play an anymore.

I haven't tried to restart the system yet, and will do so later today when I have closed all my work apps. I usually keep the system on- and in sleep mode when not using it, so the restart might help.

[glouel]

Let's try this :

• Open Aerial Settings
• Go to Advanced
• Scroll down
• Check "debug mode"
• Close settings and System Settings
• Launch screensaver via hot corner
• Open Aerial Settings again, go back to the same place in Advanced
• Click "Show log in finder"
• Grab "AerialLog.txt" and attach it to a post here

This might show what's wrong

[magicmilesss]

@glouel I'm also experiencing the black screen. Here's my AerialLog.txt file:
AerialLog.txt

Here is also a screen recording:
https://github.com/JohnCoates/Aerial/assets/89229594/d51ba8db-e865-4d78-8d6b-84706b3246fa

When I switch to a different screen saver in settings and then reselect the Aerial option, it briefly shows in the preview pane. However, once I activate it (via "preview" or hot corner), it goes black.

Hope this helps and I can get back to my beautiful screensavers! Let me know if you need anything else, thanks

[glouel]

@magicmilesss

Can you open :

• Close System Settings
• Open Activity Monitor
• Filter with "legacy"

See if you have any "legacyScreenSaver" process running ? If you do, kill it. Then try launching screen saver again. Here it looks like something may be stuck somewhere.

Also next time, never use preview, but use a hot corner (after closing System Settings) and note the time you started the screensaver so I can triple check. If nothing changes, please do the log again following these instructions because your log doesn't make sense here. Thanks !

[magicmilesss]

@glouel found legacyScreenSaver and the process was not responding. Killed it and things seem to be working again. Sorry, skipped a step in the debug instructions!

[glouel]

Great, sometimes that part of macOS crashes under Sonoma and there's not much I can do. Should it happen, a restart of your mac will also fix it. There are some mitigations in latest versions (3.3.7) but it's hit and miss.

[kmdezine]

I started the thread about the black screens on all 3 monitors. I have restarted the system, and the screensaver started to work again for a while, but went back to black screens after a few days. I just tried your debug steps and also found the LegacyScreenSaver (Wallpaper) process not responding. I forced quit it- and went to the hot corner to start the screensaver- and still all black screens. I am in the middle of working on projects and can't restart the system every time this happens, so was hoping the debug would work, but unfortunately doesn't seem to do the trick for me.

[glouel]

@kmdezine can you check if legacyScreenSaver is stuck again after running the hot corner ?

[kmdezine]

Yes. The activity monitor is still open and legacyScreenSaver (Wallpaper) is running. I also went into system settings and opened screensaver- on Aerial window- and now see legacyScreenSaver (Screen Saver (System Settings)) running as well.

[glouel]

The wallpaper one is the borky one, kill that one. the System Settings one is the one that shows the tiny preview. Does the tiny preview show ? I suggest closing System Settings, kill all legacyScreenSaver, then try a hot corner and see it if works.

[kmdezine]

Tiny preview doesn't work either. I've killed the Wallpaper one several times and tried to enact the hot corner but still just get black screens. I know that I had restarted about a week ago, and noticed that the screensaver was working again for several days... Then noticed that 2 screens were black and just the main monitor was showing... I didn't journal the times, but eventually all 3 are black.

[glouel]

Ok in that case yes a reboot is the only way. Really sorry about that, sadly there's not much I can do on this issue, it's plaguing some people (not everyone) and there's no other workaround that I know of :(