Error Box -- Cannot create new PNG

[imscottb]

Hello Mouser,
I have Automatic Screen Shotter set to start automatically and take screenshots automatically. I have been getting error boxes all day lately and I do NOT know why. I think since the update the other day.
All I can do is click OKAY and then it happens again.
Any ideas why or what to do to fix this??
Thanks, Scott

[mouser]

So you're using the latest version that was just put out a couple of days ago?
What does the error say?

[imscottb]

Hello Mouser,
Yes, the latest version from a few days ago and you will see what it says if you can see this or let me know how I can send you a picture maybe.
Hopefully, you can see what I see from this link I created in Evernote. https://www.evernote.com/l/AALuUKsHF09OWKbvOd7m-N9ut6yb0i8dNSQ/ ;       Let me know.
I KEEP on getting this and it is soo FRUSTRATING.
I have restarted my computer several times and it is not stopping!!

[mouser]

Ok let me try to track this down..  I may have to get you a debug compiled version of the program to figure out where it's freaking out..

[mouser]

If you kill the program from task manager and start it up again.. do the errors start happening immediately?
If you right-click on tray and tell it to take a screenshot now, does the error happen?
I'm trying to get a feel for whether the error is happening on EVERY screenshot, or only at a certain point..

[mouser]

Email me so we can talk about it offline via email (mouser@donationcoder.com).

[mouser]

I've uploaded a test version here:

• https://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/AutomaticScreenshotter/downloads/alpha/AutomaticScreenshotterSetup.exe
• https://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/AutomaticScreenshotter/downloads/alpha/AutomaticScreenshotterPortable.zip

If you could give that a try.  It won't fix the error per se, but it might stop showing an error box and instead just beep and log an error line to its troubleshooting log.  That would at least be a starting point for me to figure out what's wrong..

[mouser]

You know that I have remembered a very recent error, that i think i fixed with my most recent update, that someone reported was causing the same "Error on creating PNG".
It was described here: https://www.donationcoder.com/forum/index.php?topic=45791.25

Essentially it was related to compression level being set to 1.

Can you check that you have downloaded the very latest version, and check that your compression level is not set to 1 or 10 in the File Saving tab.

[imscottb]

I am not sure if my compression level is set to 1 or 10. And I just emailed you a message with the pictures. Hope that helps.
Scott

[imscottb]

No worries, Mouser, with me. I just hope we can figure this out together. I know you do GREAT work. I know you will work with me to resolve it.

[mouser]

I've uploaded an alpha version which will hopefully be better at pinpointing the error:

https://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/AutomaticScreenshotter/downloads/alpha/AutomaticScreenshotterSetup.exe
Or portable version:
https://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/AutomaticScreenshotter/downloads/alpha/AutomaticScreenshotterPortable.zip

[horst39]

I also am getting since 2 days an error message "Error on creating PNG file".
The file is created but is completely black (in different sizes according to the screenshotted window)
I uninstalled v.1.17.1 and reinstalled v1.16.1 but am getting the same error.
Where are the settings saved? I am surprised as even after uninstalling I get my settings instead of factory settings.

[mouser]

The fact that the files are there and black and the right size is a real clue.. it seems to rule out a problem with actually saving the file, and more to do with the png data being somehow problematic.. I wonder if it could be something to do with the auxilliary data in the png file (exif, file comments) somehow causing it problems..

Before I work on that hypothesis, can you try redownloading the latest alpha version (see link in previous post above), and then assuming the error is still happening can you tell me:
1. Your operating system.. win10 or winxp?
2. Does the error happen with every capture, or are some successful? Any pattern as to which work and which give error?
3. What are your settings on the File Saving tab? Does changing the compression level make the error go away?
4. If you change format to jpg on the File Saving tab, does the error go away?


Regarding settings -- in the installed version the settings will be in your MyDocuments\DonationCoder\AutomaticScreenshotter directory, and will not be deleted when you uninstall.

[mouser]

The most valuable thing would be if someone could figure out a pattern to when the error occurs and doesn't.. 

[horst39]

Ops!
Probably you helped me to find the cause of this error!
When I entered into options in order to change from png to jpg, I realized that both "format" and "Quality" fields where empty!
I just reselected "png" and "2" and now everything seems to be OK again!
You should just change your code in order not to allow that these fields may be blank.

[mouser]

Ops!
Probably you helped me to find the cause of this error!
When I entered into options in order to change from png to jpg, I realized that both "format" and "Quality" fields where empty!
I just reselected "png" and "2" and now everything seems to be OK again!
You should just change your code in order not to allow that these fields may be blank.

Well that's a good clue.

As for them being blank.. They should never be blank.. That shouldn't quite be possible.. The fact that they were suggests that the program may have malfunctioned while shutting down and saving its settings..

But this does give me something I can check for at startup, to alert the user about if it finds the settings blank..

[mouser]

I've added code in the new version to detect the situation where those values might be missing and complain/warn the user.

[horst39]

Error 404 - Page Not Found: /Software/Mouser/AutomaticScreenshotter/downloads/alpha/AutomaticScreenshotterSetup.exe

[mouser]

• https://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/AutomaticScreenshotter/downloads/beta/AutomaticScreenshotterSetup.exe
• https://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/AutomaticScreenshotter/downloads/beta/AutomaticScreenshotterPortable.zip