Looking for a screen saver

[Peter Kinross]

I am looking for a screen saver, Ideally with the following attributes.

• 1) Show photos from my selected folder.
  2) Show pics in file date order.
  3) Restart each time where it left off last time.
  4) Free.
  5) Have selectable view periods - say 5 - 30 sec.
  6) Be able to use the arrow keys to cycle to next or previous pics without turning off the screen saver.

Pretty simple things to look for, but surprisingly hard to find.
The reason for point 3). I have over 2000 pics in the screen saver folder; they would only get 1/4 displayed (at the most) before the screen saver is then timed off. When all the screen savers I have looked at start again, they start from the beginning. Thus I would never see 3/4 of my pics.

[Leif]

6) Be able to use the arrow keys to cycle to next or previous pics without turning off the screen saver.

I think by definition you are not going to achieve that. Screen-savers are triggered by inactivity, and any keyboard or mouse input will turn them off.
But I could be wrong!

[HansV]

Random Photo Screensaver is not free, but "donationware".

The screensaver remembers the last image shown and continues where it left off the next time it starts.

[Peter Kinross]

I think by definition you are not going to achieve that. Screen-savers are triggered by inactivity, and any keyboard or mouse input will turn them off.
But I could be wrong!

Thanks Leif, but Windows screensaver allows arrow key use as does the one Hans suggested.

Hans I am currently trying that suggestion. Couple of things that seem funny. Seemed to double my startup time and the sequential ordering seems to be in aplha sequence, which totally stuffs up numerical file names such as mine (1 - 2500 and growing)
I have already given Marijn, the programmer my donation, so hope it can be fixed.
Thanks guys.

[Leif]

Thanks Leif, but Windows screensaver allows arrow key use as does the one Hans suggested.

Not on my Windows 7, it doesn't!

Perhaps it is because I have a blank screensaver, and/or I have mine password protected?

[HansV]

In the blank screensaver, it wouldn't make sense to use the arrow keys for anything except turning off the screensaver (or display the password prompt).
But in the (built-in) Photos screensaver, the right arrow key advances to the next picture, and the left arrow returns to the previous picture. Other keys, including up and down arrow, interrupt the screensaver.

[viking33]

I am looking for a screen saver, Ideally with the following attributes.

• 1) Show photos from my selected folder.
  2) Show pics in file date order.
  3) Restart each time where it left off last time.
  4) Free.
  5) Have selectable view periods - say 5 - 30 sec.
  6) Be able to use the arrow keys to cycle to next or previous pics without turning off the screen saver.

Pretty simple things to look for, but surprisingly hard to find.
The reason for point 3). I have over 2000 pics in the screen saver folder; they would only get 1/4 displayed (at the most) before the screen saver is then timed off. When all the screen savers I have looked at start again, they start from the beginning. Thus I would never see 3/4 of my pics.

Peter,
I use webshots.com for my screensaver. I'm not sure if can do all of the things you ask but there ARE many options available and it's
Might be worth a look.

[Leif]

It seems to me that calling it a 'screen-saver' is a little out of date now!

[stuck]

Is this any use?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/wind ... slide-show
The link is for Win 7 but the same sort of thing can be done in XP

Ken
edited: to correct the link

[viking33]

It seems to me that calling it a 'screen-saver' is a little out of date now!

That's very true. How about eyesaver? Or whatever. Better than staring at that spreadsheet that you saved ten minutes ago.

[Peter Kinross]

Is this any use?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/wind ... slide-show" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The link is for Win 7 but the same sort of thing can be done in XP

Thanks for the thought Ken, but that is the Windows screensaver (eyesaver) that I have been using. But you can't have it start at where it left off.

I have removed that eyesaver that Hans suggested. Below is my email to the programmer, Marijn. It IS sorted alphabetically, which screws up when one has numerically named pics.

Marijn, thanks for your prompt replies.
Unfortunately, when I sat down at the computer this morning and touched the mouse (it took a LOT of mouse movement) to wake up the computer, my desktop had a background picture of 1/2 normal pic and 1/2 one of the screen saver pics. This fixed itself after about 5 - 10 minutes, but it lessens my faith in your product. That together with the sorting was enough for me to remove it from my computer.
Thanks for your time.

So I am still looking.

[viking33]

So have you checked out Webshots?

[Peter Kinross]

Thanks Bob, yeah I checked it out; albeit in a very limited way.
Their web page contains absolutely no info whatsoever on their product, unless you watch a video that has no fast forward or scroll to pass the very, very boring bits. I think that the video shows their product, which is a photo storage application - nothing like what I am after. It may well have a screensaver add on bit, but there was no way I was going to watch the whole video just to check it out. It does sound like it would use the photos stored on their web site for the screensaver, something I really would not do. If they put some halfway decent info on their site, and if it doesn't use pics from the cloud, then I may have another look.
However, in the meantime, I'm still looking.

[stuck]

Is this any use?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-GB/wind ... slide-show" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The link is for Win 7 but the same sort of thing can be done in XP

Thanks for the thought Ken, but that is the Windows screensaver (eyesaver) that I have been using.

Oh, is it, sorry. I thought it was for a feature that autochanges the picture on the desktop. Perhaps it is the screensaver as well. I suggested it because I know some of my colleagues have auto-changing desktop background images but I've never used it.

Ken

[Peter Kinross]

Oh dear, now it's my turn to eat crow.
I think you are correct, after a second look it does look like what you said it was a desktop background changer. Still not what I am after though.
Thanks anyway Ken..

[viking33]

Thanks Bob, yeah I checked it out; albeit in a very limited way.
Their web page contains absolutely no info whatsoever on their product, unless you watch a video that has no fast forward or scroll to pass the very, very boring bits. I think that the video shows their product, which is a photo storage application - nothing like what I am after. It may well have a screensaver add on bit, but there was no way I was going to watch the whole video just to check it out. It does sound like it would use the photos stored on their web site for the screensaver, something I really would not do. If they put some halfway decent info on their site, and if it doesn't use pics from the cloud, then I may have another look.
However, in the meantime, I'm still looking.

Just as a point of information, Webshots can use either their huge selection of pictures OR your own library collection. Whether it can do those other things you mentioned, I don't know.
I haven't visited their website very recently, since I use mostly my own pics, so wasn't aware of the video bit.
Anyway, just a suggestion. Keep looking. Good luck!