How to Remove Unwanted Background Images

[iMacUser]

Greetings. I just updated to G-Force 5.4.3 (Platinum) about three hours ago.

I run G-Force as both a free-standing screensaver when I am not working on my machine, and also as a plugin in iTunes 12.3.2.

My computer is a 24" iMac running Mac OS X "El Capitan" 10.11.3.

Sometimes while I am watching the ever-changing screensaver transformations, an image of something -- such as a person, building, or some other object -- will suddenly appear amidst the swirls of colors and shapes. Some of these images I do not like, because I feel that they disrupt the flow and beauty of the overall colors and mutating shapes on the screen.

I am assuming that these background images are located somewhere in one of the subfolders in "~/Library/Application Support/SoundSpectrum/G-Force/Packages/".

However, while some of the files in those folders are PNG files, the vast majority appear to be plain text files with the ".txt" file extension.

So my question and concern is this: If I am able to locate the right file in one of those packages folders which corresponds to the image which I do not like, and if I remove the file from its host folder, will it break G-Force?

In other words, I know that G-Force works a lot with randomness, but if some algorithm makes a call to one of the files I have removed, and thus can't find the file in that location, will G-Force come to a halt, freeze, or do something worse?

[BTT]

Hello iMacUser

The folder your looking for is called Sprites, if you do not want them to show in G-Force try re-naming the folder to Old Sprites. It works for Windows, don't know about Macs. Let us know if this works for you.

[iMacUser]

BTT, I take it you are referring to this folder:

~/Library/Application Support/SoundSpectrum/G-Force/Categories/Sprite

Inside it there are five text files:

(Suggested).txt
Abstract.txt
Celestial.txt
Of This Earth.txt
Spirt.txt

They each contain some parameters, as well as lists of names.

The thing is, if your idea works -- I haven't tested it yet -- it is going to block ALL of those random images, right? I just want to eliminate certain ones.

If I can associate the correct name with a specific image, and remove that name from a list in one of those text files, would that work, or would it break everything?

It is almost not worth the effort.

[BTT]

Hello iMacUser

I am not using the version you are at the moment. I believe if you only want to remove those not to your liking I would create a new folder call it unwanted sprites or whatever, then cut and paste the unwanted ones to this folder, if there is more than one file with the same name or reference to it do the same thing with that. You cannot do any harm to G-Force, if things go wrong all you need to do is uninstall then download a fresh copy. Remember to always keep you licence code safe. I also keep a copy of the installer program just in case. Hope that helps.

[iMacUser]

Okay, I am a little confused here . . . So let's try to bring some clarity to our discussion.

I just did some further digging, and as I suspected, the names which are listed in those five text files which are located in"~/Library/Application Support/SoundSpectrum/G-Force/Categories/Sprite/", correspond to actual sprite image files which are located in "~/Library/Application Support/SoundSpectrum/G-Force/Packages/G-Force.Sprite.package/".

So, when you say to "cut and paste the unwanted ones to this folder" -- meaning the new folder that I will create -- are you actually saying to MOVE the actual sprite image files from "~/Library/Application Support/SoundSpectrum/G-Force/Packages/G-Force.Sprite.package/" to my new folder?

Directly related to this issue . . .

In those five text files which are located in /Categories/Sprite", I noticed that there is a parameter called Include.List = "", as well as another parameter called Exclude.List = "".

I am just guessing here -- because I obviously don't understand the inner workings of G-Force -- but if I were to delete some of the sprite image file names which are listed between the quote marks in the "Include" list, and paste them instead between the quote marks in the "Exclude" list, would this have the same effect as physically moving the actual sprite image files from "~/Library/Application Support/SoundSpectrum/G-Force/Packages/G-Force.Sprite.package/" to my newly-created folder?

In other words, do I have to actually move the sprite image files to my new folder so that G-Force can no longer find and use them, or would merely redirecting G-Force by editing the "Include" and "Exclude" lists accomplish the same thing?

Am I overreaching here?

[BTT]

Hello iMacUser

I am confusing you. Over the weekend I will install the version you have then give you exact details say on Monday. In the meantime there is another way to achieve what you want by using the User Interface. Select 'Sprites' and you can deselect the sprites you don't like from there. The downside to this is that it will only effect the current session. When you next run G-Force it will return to it's default settings meaning you will need to do this each time you run G-Force. You can do the same thing using the G-Force Toolbar but again would have to do this each time you run G-Force. Until a year or so ago (maybe longer) using the G-Force Toolbar you were able to select which WaveShapes, FlowFields, ColorMaps, Particles and Sprites you wanted in G-Force and save your selection as a Theme. It was simplicity itself. In my opinion (and many, many others) when SoundSpectrum removed this feature it was probably one of their biggest mistakes ever. The author of the program has promised to reinstate this feature, that was a long time ago and we are still waiting.

[iMacUser]

I think I will pass on that last idea. If there are two things which try my patience, they are redundancy and monotonous tasks.

Yes, I have picked up here and there that there are some users who are not happy with the New Management -- whoever they are -- and prefer things the way they used to be directly under Andy.

I really don't know too much about the politics and history of G-Force -- although I seem to vaguely recall that Andy may at one time have been -- like many -- a lonely developer and one-man show, who was involved in the military in some country I can't remember now . . . or maybe I am thinking of someone else.

At any rate, I prefer to enjoy the product, and stay out of the politics. Sometimes financial necessity forces people -- including developers -- to make business decisions which they prefer not to have to make.

Anyway, it has been a great while since I have looked at or fiddled with the various icons which appear on the screen when G-Force first starts up. Maybe I will discover something.

Politics aside, in my view, considering its multi-function capabilities -- iTunes, standalone SS app and SS module for OS X -- and the quality of its animations, G-Force remains the best screensaver app for the Mac out there. It is better than the old After Dark, Electric Sheep, etc., although there are also some really good individual 3rd party OS X SS modules out there as well. But that is why I eventually purchased G-Force Platinum.

[FrankN]

Hi iMacUser,

Andy is still, more or less, a one-man developer team. I help as much as I can, but there are over 10 years of legacy code that he knows like the back of his hand.

I would like to add that you are correct in your assertion of how to create a Category file by including the names of Sprites to the Include or Exclude list. It may be easier to go through the method that BTT described to create a Category in your current session, and then copy/paste the file into the Sprite Categories folder. You've caught on quickly to our file structure, so I'm using some advanced language in this post. If you'd like some clarification, please let me know.

You can also use BTT's method of simply moving the Sprites to another folder and deleting them. It's not as elegant as using our Categories system, because you will have to repeat it any time that you re-install. But, that may be a preferred solution. In addition, by creating Categories, you can create and Customize you own Themes based on what content you'd like grouped together. A Theme is similar to a Category of Categories. I'm happy to explain further to anyone that wants some simplification or elaboration.

Sorry about the long post, and thanks for reading!

[iMacUser]

Thanks for the added input Frank. I think for now I am just going to leave things as they are. I've just been through some major dental work, I am on medication, and I don't think that I want to tackle something of this scale right now, considering the condition that I am in. Maybe at a later date I will feel more bold regarding fiddling with G-Force's file structure.

[FrankN]

Sure thing, iMacUser! I hope you have a fast recovery, dental surgery can be the worst! Make sure to eat plenty of ice cream, ok?

If you'd like to continue this conversation, feel free to contact me at the link below.

- https://www.soundspectrum.com/support/contact.html

Get well!