Prevent screensaver & monitor standby during playback/recording

[Caldur]

Please consider adding an option to prevent screensaver & monitor standby during playback/recording.

C++  example:

On playback/recording:

SetThreadExecutionState(ES_CONTINUOUS | ES_SYSTEM_REQUIRED | ES_DISPLAY_REQUIRED);

On stop/pause:

SetThreadExecutionState(ES_CONTINUOUS);

SetThreadExecutionState on MSDN

Foobar:

 

Edited October 14, 2020 by Caldur
Add C++ example. Add screenshot examples from other programs

[kc23]

Screensaver is not a Cakewalk feature.

Disable it in Windows.

[Caldur]

This feature seems to exist in both Cubase & Audacity and maybe other DAW applications.

However it looks like it was not implemented correctly in both DAWs, so for correct implementation check foobar2000 and VLC Player.

The prevention should happen only during actual playback or recording and not just when the application is running.

I would directly bind it with the GUI playback/recording buttons/keys.

[Starship Krupa]

I like this idea. Yes, many Windows programs have the ability to keep the monitor awake for critical operations. I'm forever forgetting to turn off my screensaver for DAW use, then sitting down to record, playing, then the screen goes black.

Until such time as the feature may be implemented in Cakewalk, I use a utility called Don'tSleep. When I remember to. ?

[IgoRr]

For many years, this feature has been configured in Windows Settings under Energy Options. There are 3 different "energy plans" where all the smallest options are configured to turn off the monitor, hard drives, protective screen, "sleep mode" and other services in the computer, I don’t really understand, why you need to insert such options into separate programs? This is for the completely lazy ones who have never configured and do not configure the system after a clean installation. Practical experience taught me this, when in the middle of some work, the archive hard drive suddenly turned off, since then, the first thing I do is set up the "Energy Options" section, it takes 5 minutes, there are much more settings and acts directly on the system itself, without the need to configure individual programs.

[TheoGRM]

I agree, this should not be a windows feature...I want my screen saver to work when I am in windows but not when I am recording or playing back in Cakewalk. I don't want to disable it in windows and then forget to enable it every time I launch Cakewalk. It is not like the screen is inactive when the  meters and the trackers are moving up and down , left and right...this is a DAW implementation that needs to be addressed and not Windows. Many programs that I use never go to screensaver even though windows have it enabled.  

[GreenLight]

On 10/4/2020 at 11:13 PM, Caldur said:

Please consider adding an option to prevent screensaver & monitor standby during playback/recording.

Brilliant idea, would be a great option! ?

[User 905133]

On 3/29/2022 at 2:28 AM, IgoRr said:

For many years, this feature has been configured in Windows Settings under Energy Options. There are 3 different "energy plans" where all the smallest options are configured to turn off the monitor, hard drives, protective screen, "sleep mode" and other services in the computer, I don’t really understand, why you need to insert such options into separate programs? 

There is one reason I can think of: Microsoft sometimes doesn't respect user choices.

On 3/29/2022 at 2:28 AM, IgoRr said:

This is for the completely lazy ones who have never configured and do not configure the system after a clean installation. 

Very often Windows will change my energy settings--not for every single update, but often enough that I have to change them back to what I had before.

So, I agree that computer users need to understand their systems and to know all the ins and outs of setting them up to do music, but at the same time, if the CbB team could figure out a way to respect our power setting needs despite Microsoft's changes, I am for it!

[TheoGRM]

It is plain simple and can be implemented in the Preferences. Any software I use will not go in to screensaver and then sleep, even if I am not moving the mouse. Imagine watching a movie on your Media player that will bring up screensaver because you aren't moving your mouse. Would be very annoying!