Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting - Revision history

Robjonson at 16:13, 11 May 2020

2020-05-11T16:13:58Z

Robjonson at 16:13, 11 May 2020

2020-05-11T16:13:52Z

Robjonson: Replaced content with "== Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting == This Page Has Been Moved [https://blog.hobbyistsoftware.com/multi-monitor-wallpaper-troubleshooting go to new location]"

2020-05-11T11:31:00Z

Replaced content with "== Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting == This Page Has Been Moved [https://blog.hobbyistsoftware.com/multi-monitor-wallpaper-troubleshooting go to new location]"

Robjonson at 11:22, 11 May 2020

2020-05-11T11:22:49Z

Robjonson: /* Workaround */

2019-07-21T17:00:50Z

Workaround

Robjonson: /* Workaround 1 */

2019-06-20T20:51:36Z

Workaround 1

Robjonson: /* Workaround 1 */

2019-06-20T20:51:28Z

Workaround 1

Robjonson: /* Workaround 1 */

2019-06-20T18:28:30Z

Workaround 1

Robjonson: /* Workaround 1 */

2019-06-20T18:27:33Z

Workaround 1

Robjonson: /* Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting */

2019-06-20T18:27:07Z

Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:13, 11 May 2020
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−	~~== Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting ==~~
−
	This Page Has Moved [https://blog.hobbyistsoftware.com/multi-monitor-wallpaper-troubleshooting to here]		This Page Has Moved [https://blog.hobbyistsoftware.com/multi-monitor-wallpaper-troubleshooting to here]

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:13, 11 May 2020
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	== Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting ==		== Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting ==

−	This Page Has ~~Been~~ Moved	+	This Page Has Moved [https://blog.hobbyistsoftware.com/multi-monitor-wallpaper-troubleshooting to here]
−	[https://blog.hobbyistsoftware.com/multi-monitor-wallpaper-troubleshooting go to ~~new location~~]

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 The good news is that there is an easy fix when this happens
-Setting the wallpaper is actually a [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/appkit/nsworkspace/1527228-setdesktopimageurl very simple command] in Mac OS. Essentially - I say 'set this image for screen N'
+=== What to do ===
 * Open Multi Monitor Wallpaper
@@ Line 31: / Line 19: @@
 This will reset all your spaces/desktops (though you won't immediately see the change in your currently visible workspace)
-Once you have done this, you can set your wallpapers with MMW again
+I have pinned down at least one way to reliably re-create this bug on my mac. What seems to happen is that the database where the system stores what image is applied for each screen/space gets corrupted.*
 For the techincal: The database is stored at ''~/Library/Application Support/Dock/desktoppicture.db
@@ Line 38: / Line 33: @@
 === Notes ===
 *I have reported this to Apple (and submitted a demonstration project and corrupted database).

@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 === Workaround ===
-The easy workaround is simply to delete the system database which stores the currently applied wallpapers. This is stored at
+The easy workaround is simply to delete the system database which stores the currently applied wallpapers.
-To find and delete this file,
+To do this:
 This will reset all your spaces/desktops (though you won't immediately see the change in your currently visible workspace)
@@ Line 37: / Line 33: @@
 Once you have done this, you can set your wallpapers with MMW again
 === Notes ===

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:51, 20 June 2019
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−	=== Workaround 1 ===	+	=== Workaround ===

	The easy workaround is simply to delete the system database which stores the currently applied wallpapers. This is stored at		The easy workaround is simply to delete the system database which stores the currently applied wallpapers. This is stored at

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 == Multi Monitor Wallpaper Troubleshooting ==
-the most common problems are the following:
+This Page Has Been Moved
+[https://blog.hobbyistsoftware.com/multi-monitor-wallpaper-troubleshooting go to new location]

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 The easy workaround is simply to delete the system database which stores the currently applied wallpapers. This is stored at
-  ''/Users/rob/Library/Application Support/Dock/desktoppicture.db
+  ''~/Library/Application Support/Dock/desktoppicture.db
 ''
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 * open the finder
 * click on '''Menu/Go/Go to Folder'''
-* paste in  ''/Users/rob/Library/Application Support/Dock''
+* paste in  ''~/Library/Application Support/Dock''
 * This will show the relevant folder
 * Now delete  ''desktoppicture.db''

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 # Wallpaper won't set for a screen
-# Wallpaper is lost on reboot
+# Wallpaper is lost/broken when you attach or remove monitors
 The bad news is that both of these relate to bugs in Mac OS itself.
-The good news is that there is generally a workaround
+The good news is that there is an easy fix when this happens
 === Background ===
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 Setting the wallpaper is actually a [https://developer.apple.com/documentation/appkit/nsworkspace/1527228-setdesktopimageurl very simple command] in Mac OS. Essentially - I say 'set this image for screen N'
-Once that is done - Multi Monitor Wallpaper has no part in 'keeping the wallpaper active', so when the wallpaper is 'lost' - that means that the operating system failed to properly save and restore the configuration.
+Once that is done - Multi Monitor Wallpaper has no part in 'keeping the wallpaper active', so when the wallpaper is 'lost' - that means that the operating system failed to properly save and restore the configuration. In some cases, the system gets 'stuck' and stops allowing apps like Multi Monitor Wallpaper to set new wallpapers.
-Similarly - there really isn't any way that Multi Monitor Wallpaper can set the image wrongly. This means that if some screen doesn't get set - It is simply that Multi Monitor Wallpaper is asking the operating system to set a wallpaper, and the operating system is failing to do so.
+I have pinned down at least one way to reliably re-create this bug on my mac. What seems to happen is that the database where the system stores what image is applied for each screen/space gets corrupted.*
 === Workaround 1 ===
-There is a workaround which seems to work in almost all cases.
+The easy workaround is simply to delete the system database which stores the currently applied wallpapers. This is stored at
-You can do this on all screens, or just the screens that are 'playing up'
+This will show the relevant folder
-# right click on the desktop and select 'change desktop background'
+Now delete  ''desktoppicture.db''
-My guess here is that somehow, the system configuration for wallpapers gets messed up - and using the Apple system to set the wallpaper resets it. This is just guesswork though.
+This will reset all your spaces/desktops (though you won't immediately see the change in your currently visible workspace)
 === Notes ===
-From version 2.0, by default Multi Monitor Wallpaper sets the wallpaper whenever you change spaces. This is the best workaround to make your wallpaper apply to all your spaces.
+*I have reported this to Apple (and submitted a demonstration project and corrupted database).