Catfood Software Support

As an ols customer with a new more powerful computer my Q is this:

as an old customer with a new computer what version of CATFOOD EARTH do you suggest?

I'd just install the latest version linked from the Downloads page.

still love this. thanks Rob. hope all is well. liquid democracy article was kinda fun.

Cool! It still gets downloaded even now that it's pretty well hidden. Liquid democracy is pretty interesting but needs a better name and some marketing...

Thanks for the update to replace the clouds layer. I notice that the "weather radar" layer shows nothing. Actually, in the many years -- and several Windows OS versions -- that I've been using your wonderful screen saver and wallpaper, I've never seen weather radar displayed. Any guess as to why?

That's odd. Which state / area / radar type are you using?

Hello,

Any chance you could put the sun and moon in Catfood Earth desktop?

Regarding sun and moon - maybe, it's been on my list for a possible new layer for a while. No promises that this will happen any time soon but watch the blog for updates...

Hi,

I'm trying to update catfood webcamsaver to get functionality back but I keep getting an error message,

Can you help?

Hi Mark, can you be more specific? What is the error message and when does it happen?

Hi Robert,

Thank you for your response, the error message below comes up every time I try to change any of the settings, it's been like it for about 12 months now and not really sure when it started.

Many thanks,

Mark.

Catfood WebCamSaver 3.10.160.0 Error Report

Framework: 2.0.50727.8806

OS: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1

Exception: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the path 'C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Local\Catfood Software

Hi,

I would like to register for the webcamsaver please Key number is 3779

Mark, you shouldn't need to register any more. If you need to use the key and email address listed on the Catfood Software page (linked to in the main post on this page).

Mark, if you are still having problems there is a new version available for download that does not require registration (3.20) - please try this and let me know here if you are still having any problems.

Hi Robert,

I have tried to download the new version and it says "something has gone horribly wrong" with the below error message, I have tried uninstalling the original version as well but it's not helped.

Bit of a shame as I really like the live camera screen saver but I am no longer able to change any of the settings i.e. which camera's, change over time etc.

Many thanks for you patience on this one.

Best regards,

Mark.

Catfood WebCamSaver 3.20.41.0 Error Report

Framework: 2.0.50727.8806

OS: Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1

Exception: System.UnauthorizedAccessException: Access to the path 'C:\Users\Mark\AppData\Local\Catfood Software\Catfood WebCamSaver\WebCamSaver.xml' is denied.

at System.IO.__Error.WinIOError(Int32 errorCode, String maybeFullPath)

Mark, the error is that Catfood WebCamSaver is failing to save settings to a file. It's in your Windows profile so it should have access. It's possible that some other program has the file open and that is causing the problem - this can happen with virus checkers (you could try excluding the specific folder above) or sometimes backup programs (i.e. if that folder is being monitored by Google Drive or something similar). If that doesn't help fix the problem the only other suggestion I can think of would be to delete the file and try again (you'll lose any existing setting changes in this case).

Hi Robert,

Thank you again for your time, all working fine again now, it was exactly as you advised, anti virus blocking the download (3.20). I should have known better really.

Very pleased to have this up and running again and can't thank you enough.

Best regards,

Mark.

I loaded Catfood Earth on a new Windows 10 computer. I turned on .NET 3.5. It works as a desktop background, but not a screensaver. (All other screensavers I’ve tried have worked, so this isn’t a general screensaver question.) If I ‘preview’ the Catfood Earth screensaver the preview works, but the screensaver never actually loads. I turned on logging and got this result-

__________

2020-05-22 11:55:00:

2020-05-22 11:55:00: Catfood Earth 4.0.18.0

2020-05-22 11:55:00: Command Line: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Catfood Software\Catfood Earth\CatfoodEarth.exe" /settings

2020-05-22 11:55:00: Framework: 2.0.50727.9151

2020-05-22 11:55:00: OS: Microsoft Windows NT 6.2.9200.0

2020-05-22 11:55:00: Render: Starting at 5/22/2020 11:55:00 AM, forceUpdate=False

2020-05-22 11:55:00: Prepare to render: Day Map, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:01: Prepare to render: Clouds, duration=00:00:01.2553317

2020-05-22 11:55:01: Prepare to render: Night Map, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:01: Prepare to render: Places, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:01: Render: Day Map, duration=00:00:00.3350987

2020-05-22 11:55:02: Render: Clouds, duration=00:00:00.4559705

2020-05-22 11:55:02: Render: Night Map, duration=00:00:00.5339833

2020-05-22 11:55:02: Render: Places, duration=00:00:00.0312525

2020-05-22 11:55:02: Render: Completed at 5/22/2020 11:55:02 AM, duration=00:00:02.6693767

2020-05-22 11:55:06: Render: Starting at 5/22/2020 11:55:06 AM, forceUpdate=False

2020-05-22 11:55:06: Prepare to render: Day Map, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:06: Prepare to render: Clouds, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:06: Prepare to render: Night Map, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:06: Prepare to render: Places, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:06: Render: Day Map, duration=00:00:00.3452444

2020-05-22 11:55:07: Render: Clouds, duration=00:00:00.4402439

2020-05-22 11:55:07: Render: Night Map, duration=00:00:00.5392906

2020-05-22 11:55:07: Render: Places, duration=00:00:00

2020-05-22 11:55:07: Render: Completed at 5/22/2020 11:55:07 AM, duration=00:00:01.3404059

2020-05-22 11:55:07: SetWallpaper: Failed to set wallpaper using IActiveDesktop

2020-05-22 11:55:07: System.InvalidCastException: Unable to cast COM object of type 'System.__ComObject' to interface type 'CatfoodEarth.IActiveDesktop'. This operation failed because the QueryInterface call on the COM component for the interface with IID '{F490EB00-1240-11D1-9888-006097DEACF9}' failed due to the following error: No such interface supported (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004002 (E_NOINTERFACE)).

at CatfoodEarth.Utils.SetWallpaper(Image image, String path, Boolean useCustomLocation, CustomLocation customLocation)

__________

Is there anything I can do to get the screensaver to work? (As an experiment I loaded Catfood Earth on an older Windows 10 machine and it worked perfectly.)

Hi Barry, I've noticed the same problem and it's on my list to fix. Will post here when I figure it out.

Barry, should be fixed. Update to 4.01 and configure the screensaver by running the start menu link to 'Catfood Earth Screensaver Settings' under Catfood Software.

I love the wallpaper but the screensaver doesn't work? Other integrated screensavers work . . . I was hoping I wouldn't have to use them.

Still running Windows 10.

Thanks--

Hi Jessie, do you have the latest version? 3.29.0002. What happens if you pick the Catfood Earth screen saver and then click Preview?

I've got 4.20.0028, which I downloaded yesterday from this site.

And when when I click preview, it shows the proper catfood earth image. I hit "apply" or "OK", but when I walk away from the computer for a while (longer than my 1-minute setting!) it doesn't pop into screensave mode.

Jessie, sorry, 4.20 is right, the other version was WebCamSaver. Try rebooting, there may be a lock that is stuck. If that doesn't help I'll look some more.

Well, I rebooted, tried the screensaver again, and once again it refused to go into screensave mode. I hope there's another switch to set somewhere!

Jessie, I managed to reproduce this problem on one computer and have just released a fix in 4.30 together with some other changes. Can you update, and then run the 'Catfood Earth Screensaver Settings' shortcut - this will make sure the screen saver configuration is correct. Let me know if this helps.

I'm afraid that didn't help. I've verified that I've got version 4.30.0003, I've rebooted, but the catfood earth screensaver still doesn't click into screensave.

I'm running 64-bit Windows 10 Home version 21H2 with an Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz 2.59 GHz processor, if that affects this any.

Thanks--

Did you run the 'Catfood Earth Screensaver Settings' shortcut?

The other thing to try might be reinstalling the .NET 4.8 Framework Runtime and see if something is missing from that.

Yes, I did . . . seems to be in a loop? Running the "catfood earth screensaver settings" pops up the Windows screensaver settings; I hit the settings button and it pops up "run catfood earth settings to configure catfood earth screensaver". The catfood earth settings doesn't seem to have any settings for the screensaver.

One other outside possibility - if there is no Catfood Earth desktop wallpaper image then the screen saver will have nothing to display. Is your desktop wallpaper getting updated correctly?

I believe the wallpaper is updating fine, because it has Fiona and Ian clearly on it! (I'm a meteorologist.)

Oddly, in the interim, the screensaver started working. Gremlins must have gotten to it. Thanks for all the attention!

I first tried Catfood Earth 4.00 more than two years ago. The desktop background worked and updated normally, but the screensaver only worked in preview mode. The 4.01 fix didn’t work for me- same problem. Since then I had to reinstall Windows 10 (not for this.) I then updated to Windows 11. I’ve downloaded at least two more versions of Catfood Earth, now on 4.30. Still, the desktop is fine, but screensaver only works in preview, though .scr screensavers work normally. On the off chance I tried to load .NET 4.8 manually, but got an error message saying a more advanced version was already installed. I downloaded and tried the .NET repair tool. Still no screensaver. Is there anything else to try?

Hi Barry, did you run the Catfood Earth Screensaver Settings shortcut? This should fix any configuration issues.

Thanks, Robert. That worked, and the screensaver is beautiful. Finding the Catfood Earth Screensaver Settings shortcut took a while because I was looking in the wrong place. I normally just use desktop shortcuts, so despite your telling me exactly where to look earlier, I overlooked it. Obviously it's my bad, but for anyone else frustrated, you can ONLY find it in the Start Menu. It CANNOT be accessed by opening Catfood Earth through desktop icon, NOR can it be found in (x86) folder, NOR can it be accessed through Personalization/Lock screen/Screen saver. If you just want to open the folder it's in- C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Catfood Software\Catfood Earth

It took exactly one Windows update to break the Catfood Earth screensaver- about a week, and it was sweet while it lasted. I finally had a chance to mess with it, and I've uninstalled, reinstalled, and run the Catfood Earth Screensaver Settings properly from the Start Menu- not working. I guess I'll have to try the next iteration. I don't see any error messages in the log that wern't there in 2020-

2022-10-27 11:29:04:

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Catfood Earth 4.30.3.0

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Command Line: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Catfood Software\Catfood Earth\CatfoodEarth.exe" /background

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Framework: 4.0.30319.42000

2022-10-27 11:29:04: OS: Microsoft Windows NT 6.2.9200.0

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Render: Starting at 10/27/2022 11:29:04 AM, forceUpdate=False

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Prepare to render: Day Map, duration=00:00:00

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Prepare to render: Clouds, duration=00:00:00.0156249

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Prepare to render: Night Map, duration=00:00:00

2022-10-27 11:29:04: Render: Day Map, duration=00:00:00.3125200

2022-10-27 11:29:05: Render: Clouds, duration=00:00:00.4531566

2022-10-27 11:29:05: Render: Night Map, duration=00:00:00.5000329

2022-10-27 11:29:05: Render: Completed at 10/27/2022 11:29:05 AM, duration=00:00:01.2813344

2022-10-27 11:29:05: SetWallpaper: Failed to set wallpaper using IActiveDesktop

2022-10-27 11:29:05: System.InvalidCastException: Unable to cast COM object of type 'System.__ComObject' to interface type 'CatfoodEarth.IActiveDesktop'. This operation failed because the QueryInterface call on the COM component for the interface with IID '{F490EB00-1240-11D1-9888-006097DEACF9}' failed due to the following error: No such interface supported (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80004002 (E_NOINTERFACE)).

at CatfoodEarth.Utils.SetWallpaper(Image image, String path, Boolean useCustomLocation, CustomLocation customLocation)

Barry, possibly others, I'm still looking to see if there is anything I can do to help with this behavior. I haven't got any changes to try yet, but you might want to check this long thread on Windows 10 screen saver issues to see if anything helps (let me know if it does).

The Earth screensaver does not currently log anything. The log is just for the desktop wallpaper process.

Haven't been here for a bit, but I never removed the screensaver, figured I'd just use it for the wallpaper, and the oddest thing happened. I walked away from the computer one day, came back, and the screensaver was on. I didn't do anything to it. I don't know if it was a Windows update that fixed it, or what, but it's been working for about a month now. Computers, ain't they wonderful?