How to download file from uci webfiles

I just started Seti@home and I plan on using it for my screen saver. I was wondering in the preferences section where it says "URL of background image" is that for setting a custom background? I have uploaded the picture I want to use to various sights but every time I put in the URL and force the update my background is not changing.

I was wondering if anyone can give me any pointers or is this even possible.
Thanks.

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Well, that's a familiar first name (it's mine as well. :))

The image in the URL must be a JPG image and I think it has a certain maximum file size, even though it doesn't say that (anymore). What's the file size and the size in width x height you gave the image?


Edit: it can also take a while before the image shows, it won't be instantaneous as the website first has to transport the image to your BOINC, so it needs at least one scheduler contact to do so.

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The picture is my background forward my desktop. The resolution is x, I did not know there were size restrictions. Does anyone know what the size restrictions are?

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All right, had a whole discussion about it with David.
He says there isn't any known resolution or file size restriction on the image, but then again he also says he hasn't looked at this code in several years. So it may be that it isn't working as it should. He'll be looking into it in a couple of days.

In the mean time, I found the help page where the above image comes from, it's at www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar (it's the last menu item under Participate). There it also doesn't say if there are restrictions.

Which URL did you use for the image?
Was it HTTP or HTTPS, or even something else?
When you put the URL into a browser, do you get the full image you want, or a smaller version of it?
You did make sure the image was a JPEG (.JPG)?

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Heyo. Longtime user getting back into SETI @Home after finally getting a new rig.

I, too, am having problems getting my background image to show up.

Do we have any confirm RE the x limit?

Thanks!

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SOLUTION I think:

An x picture seems to be the ticket. I updated per instructions, but it still took a while to appear as my background (let it run overnight; in the AM it had automagically updated).

HTH.

Thank you SETI! It's good to be back.

PS here is the image I'm using nowa nice NYC skyline shot:

www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

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Great you figured it out. :)

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it still took a while to appear as my background (let it run overnight; in the AM it had automagically updated)

I think the new picture should show immediately if you:
1) [Update] the project (SETI@home) (from BOINC Manager)
2) Restart BOINC (maybe even Snooze / Un-Snooze will be enough)
 

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- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well then don't do it!" :)
 

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it still took a while to appear as my background (let it run overnight; in the AM it had automagically updated)

I think the new picture should show immediately if you:
1) [Update] the project (SETI@home) (from BOINC Manager)
2) Restart BOINC (maybe even Snooze / Un-Snooze will be enough)
 

Yes, quitting BOINC all together and then manually restarting should force it to update. It worked in my case.

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Hi, all. I have been following this thread and regrettably, none of the solutions posed seem to work for me.

I have run SETI@Home since , and have usually been able to get this to work. When we upgraded to Windows 7 Enterprise here, I had to remove the program since it would not load, but I'm now back and everything works just fine except the custom background.

It's not vital, but I would love to see the ole Starship Enterprise (NCC of course. "No bloody A, B, C, D, or E!") flying through the stars again!

--
Steve Clancy, MLS
Research Librarian & Bibliographer for Health Sciences and Nursing Science
Ayala Science Library/Grunigen Medical Library
Univ. of Calif., Irvine CA. U.S.A.

"We don't see things as they areWe see things as we are." - Anais Nin

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Steve Clancy, MLS
Medical Librarian, UC Irvine

"We don't see things as they areWe see things as we are." - Anais Nin

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none of the solutions posed seem to work for me.

The Exact "URL of background image" you try to use?
i.e. Copy/Paste from your SETI@home preferences

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- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well then don't do it!" :)
 

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Could it be that the website that is hosting the image that you want doesn't allow for direct linking to the picture? Per earlier post can you please put up the exact URL of the image you want to use?

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The current one I am trying is www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

After reading the posts about the size of graphics, I also tried these, both of which worked in the past (pre-Windows 7):

www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar
www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

I also tried one suggested in a previous post: www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

I'm just happy now that I can get SAH to run, but if my small issue is solvable, that would be nice as well.

Thanks in advance.

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Steve Clancy, MLS
Medical Librarian, UC Irvine

"We don't see things as they areWe see things as we are." - Anais Nin

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Howdy again.

So I just came back to my office to discover that my custom background (www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar) is now displaying just fine.

Manually updating or closing and reopening BOINC didn't seem to work before, but now, for some mysterious reason it is.

Thanks for the suggestions from everyone. :-)

--steve

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Steve Clancy, MLS
Medical Librarian, UC Irvine

"We don't see things as they areWe see things as we are." - Anais Nin

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Yeah, for some reason, it took several hours for my custom to hit also. Glad it all turned out! Or to quote a friend of mine's high school yearbook quote, "All's well that ends." :)

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OK, I tried to find the "mysteries" behind 'URL of background image'
(I use optimized applications which have no graphics so I never used background image)

* 1) I set your 'URL of background image' (www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar)

After [Update] from BOINC Manager:
- in Event Log (you can find the lines in www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar or www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar):

13/03/ SETI@home Started download of background_
13/03/ Project communication failed: attempting access to reference site
13/03/ SETI@home Temporarily failed download of background_ HTTP error
13/03/ SETI@home Backing off 1 min 0 sec on download of background_
13/03/ Internet access OK - project servers may be temporarily down.
13/03/ SETI@home File background_ exists already, skipping download


- New lines appeared in account_www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

<app_file>
<timestamp></timestamp>
<open_name>background</open_name>
<url>www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar</url>
</app_file>


- The file "Downloaded" was background_ and have zero size (0 bytes)

- the site (www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar) have "bad" Certificate
- I tried to change from https to http but the site (www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar) automatically changes to https


* 2) I set www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

File background_ was Downloaded with correct size/contents (identical to SETI_www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar)


* 3) To avoid the https error from www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar I go to:
www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

Click 'Web' on the first line ("Upload images:")
Copy/Paste to the box: www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar
Click [Upload It!]

This generated the following 'Direct Link':
www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar

I used that link for 'URL of background image'
File background_ was Downloaded with correct size/contents


Moral: try to use http and check that background_xxxxxxxxx was Downloaded OK


* 4) To see the new background for running tasks: Snooze / un-Snooze (or any other way to restart apps)
- this "refreshes" init_www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar (in 'slots') so the running/restarted apps/tasks will know about the change.
New lines in init_www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar (which appeared after Snooze / un-Snooze):

<app_file>
<timestamp></timestamp>
<open_name>background</open_name>
<url>www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar</url>
</app_file>

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- ALF - "Find out what you don't do well then don't do it!" :)
 

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Wow, you went to a lot of trouble to help!

I did have my suspicions that using the university file storage might have been initially at fault, but since it worked in the past I wasn't sure. I wasn't aware of the www.cronistalascolonias.com.ar site so thanks for that!

I also appreciated a look into the "guts" of the settings. I will file this away for future reference.

In any event, it finally seemed to work, but much, much thanks for your efforts!

--steve

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Steve Clancy, MLS
Medical Librarian, UC Irvine

"We don't see things as they areWe see things as we are." - Anais Nin

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