Newest Fastest Macbook Pro has a serious Simulator display problem

Solar2D General Questions/Discussion
#81

@Vlads, good news and bad news. The good news is that both of the sample projects we provided (a gradient oval and a 3 line text display) are working. The bad news is that my game app still has distorted text and appears to run with the same errors. Per your instructions, I’ve used Windows Phone - 480x800 for these tests.

The primary difference between my game app and the samples is that the game app has considerably more challenging graphics to display. Hope this helps, some.

#82

Did it resolved crashing?

Another thing you can try is to build for macOS.

#83

@Vlads, My app isn’t set to run on Mac and has various plugins that would have to be disabled, and so on. Is it crucial that I spend the time to create a version that will run on Mac?

#84

No, not really. Just as a test.
Hey, [member=‘bc_new_theway’],  [member=‘bmrpeal’],  [member=‘dodi_games’] (and anyone participating here, if I forgot you sorry)

Did you try to run selecting Windows Phone Borderless skin? Or any other non iPhone/iPad skin?

#85

I can see an oval in Windows Phone Borderless skin.

Actually, I can see the right result on all skin except iphone and ipad.

I also build for Mac OS, and I get the oval. But it will randomly make the gpuRestart.

Here is the log:https://pastebin.com/WUqxG16U

#86

@Vlads, any update on this? Imagine that I can no longer test updates to my App without first installing it on device. An update would be very much appreciated. Meanwhile, I’m advising those that work with me to avoid purchasing any Macbook pro since 2016 with the built-in Intel graphics…ATI Radeon works (according to another developer in this thread)

#87

@troylydon, this is a very complex issue. Vlad is still waiting on some test information as well.

As far as installing to a device being a pain, have you considered live builds? it makes the device like the simulator. When you save in your text editor, the device updates automatically. This really takes a lot of challenge out of device testing.

Rob

#88

@Rob, yes, I understand about the Live Builds. I’ve used it before, so perhaps I need to get it going again. Meanwhile, can I confirm that you now have the laptop and have verified that the two sample projects we sent you do not work - so you have the ability to duplicate the issue? And have you verified the other post from another developer that this only happens on the Intel Graphics MacBook Pros?

#89

Troy, Vlad picked up an MBP that seems to have these failures. I cannot confirm what tests of yours or other developers that he has run or not. Hopefully, he will chime in and answer this for you.

He has said it appears to be a bug with a particular chipset/driver (Intel Iris maybe?) and that it’s not an easy fix.

Rob

#90

I’m not sure what you’re asking / saying.  

Are you saying some fonts do not work in the simulator on your Mac?

Or are you saying they look different on iOS when you publish?

#91

Can you find the Corona simulator icon in the /Applications/Corona-nnnn folder, right-click ( or ctrl-click ) and choose “Get Info” and let me know if “Open in Low Resolution” is checked or not?

Rob

#92

@Rob, the “Open in Low Resolution” checkbox is NOT checked for Corona Simulator in the most recent build 3319.

I checked it and there was no apparent change in the Simulator’s behavior that relates to my issue.

#93

I still don’t understand the post.  What does this mean: “FONT OBJECT DISPLAY code for displaying quickly”?

#94

I have narrowed the issue down to display.capture - it’s likely not related to the font, except that my code was merging numerous  images into a single group.

I’m creating a very small sample to show you the problem.

#95

Please take just a few moments to recreate this bug and see how it is fixed - but then, dive deeper to see that I’ve only uncovered one symptom of a larger issue.

A) The problem is definately display.capture. Do you have a way to thoroughly test it in Simulator to find the problem?

B) This next question is only related to the CoronaSplashControl plugin, which is NOT the problem, but disabling it does solve the problem in ONE case - in the example below. Read my full explaination in section 4. Is the CoronaSplashControl plugin deprecated? if not, I’ve only purchased it one time when it went into effect - but it says $99/year. And when I log in, it says it is Activated. It is really $99/one-time?

To recreate this bug, do the following:

  1. Create a new project with NO config.lua
  2. use this for a simple build.settings file:
    settings = {
        splashScreen = { ios = { enable = false }, android = { enable = true, image = “Default-Landscape.png” } },
        orientation = { default = “landscapeRight”, content = “landscapeRight”, supported = { “landscapeLeft”, “landscapeRight”}, },
        plugins = { [‘plugin.CoronaSplashControl’] = { publisherId = ‘com.coronalabs’ }, },
    }
  3. make sure to create a Default-Landscape.png file
  4. Here are the 36 lines of code for main.lua to recreate the problem - this should display 3 lines of text, but it only displays 2 lines. If you comment out the plugin, all 3 lines appear properly. What is strange, however, is that now when I go to my larger application and take out the plugin or splash code, the problem still exists. This tells me that in this sample, the display.capture is still defective on MacOS and even though it can be solved by taking out the plugin in this example, the underlying problem remains.
    –=======================================================================================
    local snapIdx=0
    local img
    local function toSnapObj(dispObj, x, y)
      if system.getInfo(“platform”)==“Android” then
        snapIdx=snapIdx + 1
        if snapIdx == 500 then snapIdx=1 end
        local fileName=“tmp”…snapIdx…".png"
        display.save(dispObj,
          {
            filename=fileName,
            baseDir=system.CachesDirectory,
            captureOffscreenArea=false,
            backgroundColor={0,0,0,0}
          })
        img=display.newImage(fileName, system.CachesDirectory)
      else  – iOS and Simulator on Mac OS
        img=display.capture(dispObj, {captureOffscreenArea=true})
      end
      img.x=x
      img.y=y
      display.remove(dispObj);dispObj=nil
      return img
    end
    –=======================================================================================
    W=display.viewableContentWidth; H=display.viewableContentHeight
    local font=native.systemFont
    local fontSize=H*0.08
    local x=W*0.50; local y=H*0.25
    local text_D=display.newText(“This is a test”,x,y,font,fontSize)
    text_D=toSnapObj(text_D,text_D.x,text_D.y)
    local text2_D=display.newText(“This is another test”,x,text_D.y+fontSize,font,fontSize)
    text2_D=toSnapObj(text2_D,text2_D.x,text2_D.y)
    local text3_D=display.newText(“This is YET another test”,x,text2_D.y+fontSize,font,fontSize)
    text3_D=toSnapObj(text3_D,text3_D.x,text3_D.y)
     

– if you are wondering why I am doing this with these text objects, it’s because my code actually does this with a group of numerous text shadows to create a single shadow object. In this sample, no shadow is necessary to see the missing object.

– I am also converting hundreds of tiles into a single game board object using this technique, which significantly improves performance for my game board which is dynamically generated.

#96

This would be much more helpful if you put it together and put it in a .zip file and provide a download link to the file. I really can’t take this to Engineering like this.

The splash screen control is $99/year and has to be renewed each year. It is not deprecated. Also keep in mind, deprecated means “it works for now, but may not work in the future”, but even with that definition, it should be working and not deprecated.  The splash screen control plugin should have no effect on the simulator. It’s interesting that it has any effect at all.

Why don’t you have a config.lua? Does having a config.lua change the behavior?

Thanks

Rob

#97

Hi Rob,

  1. Download the zip from www.mrgreatlife.com/Archive.zip

  2. If you want, you can use the HelloWorld config.lua - no change in behavior.

  3. I really do appreciate you getting the team on this right away. I cannot reliably test/check my game code in many places where display.capture is used on simulator - I use it in more than half a dozen places.

  4. when do I have to renew the $99/yr? Will I get a notice before it is shut off? I thought it has already been a year.

#98

Is there a reason you are not using a config.lua?

As for the splash screen, you would probably get a message during building that you’re not subscribed to the plugin. I can’t look that information up, you will need to email support AT coronalabs.com and ask them to look it up for you.

Rob

#99

I wish you had not re-written your top post. What are your MBP specs again?

And can you provide a description or screenshot of what you’re seeing vs. what you should be seeing? 

I see three lines of text. I need to tell the engineers what a failure looks like.

Rob

#100

@Rob, I’m running:
macOS High Sierra, Version 10.13.4

MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)

Processor 3.3 GHz Intel Core i5

Memory 16GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3

Graphics Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650 1536 MB

  Model Name:    MacBook Pro
  Model Identifier:    MacBookPro14,2
  Processor Name:    Intel Core i5
  Processor Speed:    3.3 GHz
  Number of Processors:    1
  Total Number of Cores:    2
  L2 Cache (per Core):    256 KB
  L3 Cache:    4 MB
  Memory:    16 GB
  Boot ROM Version:    MBP142.0173.B00
  SMC Version (system):    2.44f1