[fional]

I had this issue previously and then I upgraded to 11.0 - but now it is back!

I'm getting these in my log, I think it may be related:
http://pastebin.com/mCzHz9Tx

Essentially, for TV Shows, Music, and Movies I have it set up to use a multi-image backgrounds - which is grand.

But today, now, I'm getting loads of "black screens" and I think it's generating an error message each time. But it's terrible, because I'm getting a serious amount of black screens... it isn't just a once off, it's happening a lot.

Any ideas on what I can do?

I looked in my previous XBMC log and I do not see any such errors.

Many thanks!

Edit:
I just restarted...new log - cycled through backgrounds until got a black one, looked at the bottom of the log and here's what it is, definitely has to be related.

Code:

23:28:32 T:2468  NOTICE: -->Python Interpreter Initialized<--
23:28:36 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\0\0ad07737.jpg
23:28:36 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/0/0ad07737.jpg
23:28:39 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\7\70084b73.jpg
23:28:39 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/7/70084b73.jpg
23:28:40 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\5\5d9af975.tbn
23:28:40 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/5/5d9af975.tbn
23:28:41 T:1664  NOTICE: -->Python Interpreter Initialized<--
23:28:41 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\5\5a488731.jpg
23:28:41 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/5/5a488731.jpg
23:28:42 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\1\1b8197e7.jpg
23:28:42 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/1/1b8197e7.jpg
23:28:42 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\5\5d046443.jpg
23:28:42 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/5/5d046443.jpg
23:28:44 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\1\1b448ba3.jpg
23:28:44 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/1/1b448ba3.jpg
23:28:44 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\f\f980e0eb.jpg
23:28:44 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/f/f980e0eb.jpg
23:28:47 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\c\c802d834.jpg
23:28:47 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/c/c802d834.jpg
23:28:48 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file C:\Users\Zookeeper\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\Thumbnails\9\999c1920.jpg
23:28:48 T:1832   ERROR: XFILE::CFile::Delete - Error deleting file special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/9/999c1920.jpg
23:28:48 T:2860   ERROR: Texture manager unable to load file: special://masterprofile/Thumbnails/9/999c1920.jpg

[spinecho]

Sorry fional can't help, but just to report I'm having the same issue too with Aeon Nox (SVN) and Eden final.

[fional]

Sorry fional can't help, but just to report I'm having the same issue too with Aeon Nox (SVN) and Eden final.

Could it be a skin issue? Maybe I should show it to Nox?

[pkscout]

I see a similar issue using Confluence, although not as frequent as what you are apparently seeing. Given that I would think it's not a skin issue.

[gibxxi]

I get the same thing using Aeon MQ3 which uses fanarts (via artwork organizer) on the main menu / homescreen.

I think this may relate to textures being referenced in the textures.db file which aren't present in the file system / or are 0 byte files. One thing to try would be to exit XBMC and rename your textures.db file to something else i.e: textures.old and allow the db to be recreated from scratch with the next run of XBMC.

You may see a lot of black screens on the first run, until the new textures.db is populated, but then if you STILL get black screens I would think that these are corrupt files. I also get the file deletion errors in my log and can't imagine any reason why this would be prevented on a windows system with only a single profile under XBMC. The currently logged in user created the files, so should be able to delete them. Not only that but UAC does not restrict access to the userdata folder AFAIK so i can't see UAC as being the culprit.

[fional]

I get the same thing using Aeon MQ3 which uses fanarts (via artwork organizer) on the main menu / homescreen.

I think this may relate to textures being referenced in the textures.db file which aren't present in the file system / or are 0 byte files. One thing to try would be to exit XBMC and rename your textures.db file to something else i.e: textures.old and allow the db to be recreated from scratch with the next run of XBMC.

You may see a lot of black screens on the first run, until the new textures.db is populated, but then if you STILL get black screens I would think that these are corrupt files. I also get the file deletion errors in my log and can't imagine any reason why this would be prevented on a windows system with only a single profile under XBMC. The currently logged in user created the files, so should be able to delete them. Not only that but UAC does not restrict access to the userdata folder AFAIK so i can't see UAC as being the culprit.

I think you are right, in that I bet if I delete textures.db it will eventually resolve itself once it repopulates -- that is, until, the issue crops up again.

I'm not sure either, cause I've given it admin access even and there should be no issues with restricted access...as far as I could tell. Perhaps, however, it was successful to delete the item, it wouldn't try displaying it. Though I could be understanding it wrong.

What I do know is that I'd get an odd black screen for a few weeks, but now it's almost all black screens and it's a bit sad. All my pretty backgrounds

[gibxxi]

Give this a try: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=96097

So far it seems to have worked for me. Make sure you read the instructions CAREFULLY though, as running this improperly could cause a lot of damage to your thumbnails data. XBMC has to be running when you execute it and the accompanying XML file needs to be edited to suit your configuration. Do a simulation first, then when your satisfied, re-run with simulation set to FALSE.

[fional]

Give this a try: http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=96097

So far it seems to have worked for me. Make sure you read the instructions CAREFULLY though, as running this improperly could cause a lot of damage to your thumbnails data. XBMC has to be running when you execute it and the accompanying XML file needs to be edited to suit your configuration. Do a simulation first, then when your satisfied, re-run with simulation set to FALSE.

Cheers for that! I used the thumbnail cleaner when I was using 10.0.

Only problem is this is temporary as well, as I imagine the issue will come back after a couple months. Since it's only a handful of us posting abotu this, I'm thinking maybe it's something I'm doing wrong overall?

[gibxxi]

Yep, think I spoke to soon. Going to have to enable XBMC debug log and look deeper. I don't think the problem is skin related, since people with different skins are getting the issue. It might by a plugin issue or it might be XBMC itself, but not going to make any assumptions until I've looked a little deeper.

I don't think the delete failiure messages are the culprit. To my mind if XBMC is trying to delete an old thumbnail, it should already have been removed from any applicable DB's.

[gibxxi]

...As for doing something wrong, I don't know, but I don't think so. A while back I had an issue where no fanart at all would display on the homescreen in Aeon MQ3. It turned out to be the case that if a custom folder was used in the Artwork Organizer plugin (Which MQ3 uses to display fanart on the homescreen) nothing would display except black screens.

I don't know if this issue is related, until I do a bit more digging. Can I ask if you use this plugin, or the Artwork Downloader / Artist Slideshow plugins?

[gibxxi]

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid...pid1067716

[fional]

Yep, think I spoke to soon. Going to have to enable XBMC debug log and look deeper. I don't think the problem is skin related, since people with different skins are getting the issue. It might by a plugin issue or it might be XBMC itself, but not going to make any assumptions until I've looked a little deeper.

I don't think the delete failiure messages are the culprit. To my mind if XBMC is trying to delete an old thumbnail, it should already have been removed from any applicable DB's.

Ok, ye I was just guessing because I see those failures the exact second I get a black screen. Could just be a coincidence. I won't pretend to even know

...As for doing something wrong, I don't know, but I don't think so. A while back I had an issue where no fanart at all would display on the homescreen in Aeon MQ3. It turned out to be the case that if a custom folder was used in the Artwork Organizer plugin (Which MQ3 uses to display fanart on the homescreen) nothing would display except black screens.

I don't know if this issue is related, until I do a bit more digging. Can I ask if you use this plugin, or the Artwork Downloader / Artist Slideshow plugins?

I do use the Artwork Downloader/Artist Slideshow plugins. Though I never actually use the "artwork downloader" to download artwork. I think that comes default with Nox. If not, I can uninstall it, because I never use it. I do use the Artist Slideshow one though.

It seems to vary too - like the black screens more or less went away last week, but they are back again. When I get back home, I've been meaning to turn on the debug log and have a go - maybe post an official bug or however that's done - just been mad busy before summer!

[gibxxi]

Well AFAIK the cache is deleted (and maybe the textures.db too) on a cycle, so after a certain amount of time you'll see any blacks dissapear by themselves... That is until you scan new content in again.

Artwork Downloader downloads clear logos (for TV Series), posters, and extra fanart. If it was installed with Nox, likelyhood is it's a required add-on so i wouldn't uninstall it, just in case it's breaks something else.

As for me, i'm not busy, I'm off work long term sick, but I've got about a half-dozen different plugins in XBMC that are all having issues of some kind. So there comes a time where you just want to enjoy the software without constantly having to hack away at it.

[fional]

Well AFAIK the cache is deleted (and maybe the textures.db too) on a cycle, so after a certain amount of time you'll see any blacks dissapear by themselves... That is until you scan new content in again.

Artwork Downloader downloads clear logos (for TV Series), posters, and extra fanart. If it was installed with Nox, likelyhood is it's a required add-on so i wouldn't uninstall it, just in case it's breaks something else.

As for me, i'm not busy, I'm off work long term sick, but I've got about a half-dozen different plugins in XBMC that are all having issues of some kind. So there comes a time where you just want to enjoy the software without constantly having to hack away at it.

I say that is what is happening, to an extent, which is why there are times my black screens are bad and others where they seem to diminish (temporarily).

I agree with that, I've given up fiddling with some just for want of time - in fact I haven't upgraded Nox since the github thing moved from master to the new upcoming part. That said, this black screen issue is very annoying to me and I wish I could figure it out. I think I'll run a debug log tonight. It's especially frustrating when you are loading xbmc and the first couple screens are black. It's fairly anticlimatic!

[gibxxi]

It certainly ruins the wow factor doesn't it? How can you show of your awesome Media Centre to your mates when you have black screens? Kinda ruins the ambience, for sure.

If you do a debug, see if you get similar error messages to the ones I posted here, and let me know. I'm beginning to think this is skin-independant. Whether it's XBMC's way of operating or the Artwork Organizer add-on i don't know. But it's certainly seems to be caching related.