DeskScapes XP (2.5.067) wants to store all the .DREAM files in \MY DOCUMENTS in the Windows partition, this is bad enough for someone who does not consider a .DREAM file to be a document, but as I am trying to keep the Windows partition small I had to move /MY DOCUMENTS to another larger partition, which is a pain but is how I can hold 2G worth of .DREAM files!
However, when applied to the desktop that .DREAM file is taken from \MY DOCUMENTS (even if on another partition) and extracted BACK to the Windows partition and put in the ALL USERS\APPLICATION DATA\StarDock\Deskscapes\Application Data\ExtractedData\{each individual DREAM you have run once before).
Therefore, once I cycle through all my .DREAMS (using Dream Manager to cycle dreams which should be a FEATURE of Deskscapes, not something you have to pay extra for. It's like paying for a control panel applet!) all of the data I moved to another partition comes back, uncompressed!
Question: How do I get Deskscapes to delete the extracted data after the DREAM is done and/or move it out of the ALL USERS directory and move it to another partition?
Not an answer: DreamManager allows you to scan other directories for dreams, but does nothing for this issue.
I think I may add some setting to Dream Manager to manage this. Since Dream Manager can open many dreams over the day it makes sence to offer some kind of size management of the extracted cache
Thank for for Dream Manager for XP! (and all your art too) I purchased copy for your troubles. Have a (or two) on me.
Yes, creating several gigs worth of data, seemingly unnecessarily and in a peculiar location is bad form. I ran out of room on my (admittedly small, but for good reason) system partition enjoying and sampling many dreams, yours included. If it wasn't for SequoiaView (or the like) I'd have no idea what happened.
I have a workaround: adding the directory tree to my recyclebin program, it whooses all the data away and it takes just as long to initialize the dreams if the data is there or not, it doesn't seem to help.
DreamManager hangs on dreamtasks.exe sometimes, but I think it is because explorer.exe is hanging during certain loops or dream switching. It was terribly unstable until I disable random wallpaper changing in WindowBlinds. Once I shut that off, dreams loaded more consistently, but explorer.exe still hangs. A simple kill and restart of explorer from process explorer tends to fix it, load a stuck dream and everything seems to work as if nothing happened!
You guys are doing groundbreaking work, someday animated and interactive animated desktops will be as common as mice and as useful. Cheers!
Your welcome 23Spring! Since this is the first release of DeskScapes for XP, there are bound to be some issues. I've also seen from funnyness with dreamtasks.exe (even outside the use of Dream Manager) to the point where it doesn't even switch dreams. I'm sure it will improve with furture releases to DeskScapes.
I have the extracted data feature on my todo list so look for it soon.
And thanks again,
MB
Version 1.2.3 of Dream Manager now support cache management. The default size is 1GB, but can be configured down to 0MB. It's not exact as it can't delete the cache for the current running dream and it cleans the cache just before switching dreams so you always have at lease two dreams in the cache. But it's better than nothing.
Right on top of things, well done. I'm going to dl and try 1.2.3 right now.
btw, Life on Eurpoa spellbinds me and it is a very well behaved dream, never hitches, never slows down while having a lot of desktop staying power and it scales well.
Are you familiar with the "3D Space Tour" screensaver series consisting of: Earth, Moon, Mars, Saturn, and Galaxy? They are fun and Galaxy might make an interesting .dream concept and be relatively easy to loop. It could share the sense of depth and simplicity of the entire scene the LoE does while still being in motion and organic. You should check them out if you haven't, there are demos.
If I had the skills I'd make a dream that was of a fine piece of art being painted from scratch and then the final image would move subtly somehow and then the canvas erases to change to another dream. And here I am complaining about large files, whatever. Thanks!
Thanks for you great Life on Europa comment
As you suggested, I'll check out the 3D Space Tour screen saver demos. I'm always looking for ideas.
Cheers!
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