End of ride: No images presented (or uploaded...)

B_CN · August 15, 2020, 11:17pm

Notes:

I don’t use F10. Reason is the number of images taken is maxed at about 20 (I now have the feeling this is linked to the number of slots available in Zwift’s internal thumbnail save.) Hence, I only initiate screen capture from the Companion App.
All images taken are always available post-ride on both the PC and the phone (phone only has the HUD version, though.) None are corrupt or blank (@_Dean: Try looking in %HOMEPATH%\pictures\zwift…)

Here is the sequence of events, to the best of my understanding:

Images are first saved to host PC disk (both “clean” and with HUD, up to a max of about 20 “clean” images., From that point on only HUD images are saved.

The HUD version is then sent to the Companion, to be saved (using a different filename on the phone: 2020-08-15_10362769.jpg vs. 1597476975206.jpg, for example - the later being Linux millisecond epoch time, see converter here - why?)
Upon completing a session, the user is presented with thumbnails of images to upload, to select form (I think this is done using some internal thumbnail cache.)
Those images selected to upload are read from disk and sent to Zwift servers (hosted by Amazon) by the PC.
As an image is uploaded, a note is added to the log. There is no mention of image upload for those cases where no thumbnail is presented (and no images are uploaded - but there are all there…)

B_CN · August 16, 2020, 7:16pm

And here is another one to the collection…

(I am willing to show patience and understanding; just tell me for how long. Thanks.)

… and here is one of the better pictures I got today:

Dean · August 16, 2020, 8:06pm

You’ve done a lot of work for Zwift to be able help out I would have thought. I wonder whether this falls into the “only one or two users” bucket which seems to dictate what does/doesnt get attention.

B_CN · August 16, 2020, 8:16pm

Maybe. Care to lend a hand? (actually, it’s an open invitation - anyone can post their results below.)

Try the following:

Go for a ride (doesn’t matter how long.)
Take 30 screen images using the companion app or F10 (but on different rides…)
Tell us what you get (in terms of images), and what you think about it.

I am pretty sure I know what the outcome will be, and if it is indeed as I think it will be, than the issue is not limited to a single user, but is a Zwift issue.

Dean · August 16, 2020, 8:28pm

Happy to do that - start of the day here so wont be till after work.

Dean · August 17, 2020, 7:48am

@B_CN

Righto - 2 rides

First ride (F10) - 30 pics, 30 clean and 30 non-clean versions in /pictures/zwift - all rendered fine, could only select from 20 when saving. Strava fine
Second ride (CA) - 29 pics, slightly different result. touch the CA button and 3 pics appeared including the “clean”. After 16 of these, each press yielded only 1 picture. All pictures rendered correctly and I could select from 20 when saving.

Not sure if this photo will render but if so, you will be able to see file names (some are from previous rides)

B_CN · August 17, 2020, 9:19am

You are unbelievable. Thanks!

Strava won’t tell me when you started the first ride (and finished…), and likewise for the second - so I am struggling a bit as to how many captures where taken during each ride.

But:

I am surprised to find what appears to be a functioning F10 capture (in terms of both “clean” and HUD captures existence.) I haven’t used F10 for a long time, and it will be interesting to compare your experience to mine (homework for my next ride…)
Using the Companion, “clean” image capture eventually stops. This is consistent with what I see on my side - and in that respect, it is a Zwift bug shared by more than a single user.

Dean · August 17, 2020, 10:08am

I’ll get better file listing to you 2moro.

B_CN · August 17, 2020, 11:21am

Hope to add my finding as well by then.

Thanks!

Dean · August 18, 2020, 5:46am

A slight correction to what I said above - the 30 pics using F10 was actually 20 pics using F10. I counted older pics I think even though I swear I saw 30 added (shouldnt drink and ride eh … ). It wont go over 20 using F10 but what I did do was pressed the pic button on CA to see if I could get another photo, and I could, but only 1 image added, and not a clean version of that one either. All legible too and uploaded to Strava. 3.8 km Ride Activity on August 18, 2020 by Dean H. on Strava

So here’s the re-test from today validating that.

Here is the Companion App pics list from last night - should be more legible.

Let me know if you want anything else or need any more testing done.

B_CN · August 18, 2020, 6:49am

Thanks so much, @_Dean!

Your image capture experience closely resembles mine. Now we have (at least…) two Zwifter having the same issue (here goes “issue limited to a single user” out of windows…)

I see images were uploaded to Strava, so apparently you did not experience the image upload issue.

I did another ride yesterday, and it ended (again) with no images presented to upload. So, against my better judgment, I’ve applied a couple of updates to my system. Hopefully, this will have a positive effect… we’ll have to wait for the next ride to see.

Thanks, much appreciated!

B_CN · August 19, 2020, 7:07pm

Thanks, Zwift, for the support! … ever since the latest update, Zwift will no longer present or upload images…

Fellow Zwifters: If you care to help, please post your screen capture experience of using F10 30 times during a ride (see @_Dean’s post above…)

Thanks!

Milan_Rost · August 20, 2020, 4:21am

Hi,
I am afraid I cannot help you, just my experience:

Zwift running on PC, Win 10, last updates, the same for GPU GTX 1650 (always checking for updates before riding)
bridging with Companion App, HTC U11, Android 9, also fully updated (has ANT+, too - tested shortly, no problems, but did not try to make no images)
Pictures taking with ZCA (is on my handlebars; PC keyboard not accessible when biking)
20 (sometimes 19 ?!?) pictures clean & with HUD; with HUD two images (I always manually delete one after the ride). Next images with HUD only, just one image
20 clean+HUD images limit per ride (for example warm up in Watopia, after the warm up joining an event - for both 20 clean+HUD" images possible
had never problems with image upload
after zwifting 2 winters I am level 29, 5993 kms - had the problem with Activity in progress not properly uploading to Zwift twice, but every time I could upload to Strava and TP manually.

As stated no help for you here, just FYI - my PC is 8 years old, Intel i7-6700 CPU @ 3.40 GHz, 16 GB RAM, GTX 1650 upgrade made after 1st winter (15-25 FPS with the old GT…, do not know anymore - perhaps 670? - but also with the old GPU no problems with images).

I have just 128 GB SSD - it is enough, but not to much - so I always move the pictures (and other data in my Documents etc.) to a HDD. Have 16 GB free on the SSD.

B_CN · August 20, 2020, 4:28am

I would say you did help…

Even though your image count only barley meets the minimum (it terms of the issue’s typical manifestation) - your description indicated you are indeed experiencing the “limited number of clean image captures” issue.

As for the image upload, indeed, your experience differs from mine - but the data point you provide is helpful (for example, we use a similar graphics card…)

Thanks much, mate! Ride On!

shooj · August 21, 2020, 12:03am

Guess what gang? I asked, and it’s confirmed that there is an upload limit of 20 images.
Most folks will be fine with that, while a few will want more. We’d like to know how often you’d want to save more than 20. Can you describe for us why we should lift that limit?

Mike_Rowe1 · August 21, 2020, 12:47am

With all the events featuring pro riders, new meetup race functions, increased users since most local clubs aren’t doing group rides i can see why some want to take more than 20 pics. Especially with the ride with a pro events, trying to get that perfect picture of your avatar next to the pro can be a challenge.

B_CN · August 21, 2020, 6:57am

How often? every ride.

However, I fail to see the relation between upload limit and the number/type of images captured.

Surly, there needs to be a upload limit. That limit is currently 5, not 20 (one cannot select more than 5 images using the upload screen.) Seems 20 (I don’t really know - I am no longer being presented with any images from which to select…) is the upper limit on the number of images from which the user can select to upload, or the upper limit of the number of images to be presented to the user at end of ride (these two are not identical issues.)

Why link the number of image captures to this functionality is beyond me… (actually, I suspect it is linked to some static memory set aside for image thumbnails - and if that is the case, than that incorrect upper limit assumption has brought us here…) Let the user browse 100 images, if that is the number of images taken. There is really no reason for this “feature” to have existed in the first place.

The reason for taking a large (let’s say >20 is “large”), is, as I stated elsewhere a long time ago is:

Basically, one wants to select the best and most interesting image to use. The more images taken the better one’s chance of finding those “best” (subjectively…) images.

There is also the “small” issue of blank (white rectangle image placeholder) image upload presentation, linked (somehow, maybe) to the number of captures taken: as long as this “feature” exists, it is exceedingly difficult to gauge whether these two issues are linked (my guess: yes.)

This limit, vehemently denied by Zwift support for such a long time, is also one of the most poorly documented Zwift features, which your acknowledgment of finally conforms. However, confirmation is not documentation.

The question (to me…) is not “why drop” bur rather, “why keep”. It was a mistake - fix it. I propose Zwift drops this “feature” altogether, the sooner the better. If you do decide to keep it, document it and make sure to understand the side effects - and document them (like: “No images will be presented to upload if more than 20 are taken during a ride”) as well.

Keeping this mis-feature leads me to consider alternative, external, screen capture solutions. Surely, Zwit does not need a third wheel…

B_CN · August 23, 2020, 4:55am

How strange… another ride, this time 40 images, thumbnails presented - and a perfect upload experience.

And, of course, 20 “clean” images only (as per the built-in limit would allow.)

B_CN · August 25, 2020, 8:51pm

Another ride, 43 images. No uploaded thumbnail presented.

Seems totally random…

Mike_Rowe1 · August 25, 2020, 9:28pm

I tested this the other day, took 34 or 37 images, can’t remember exactly. I was presented with some image thumbnails to upload, but not all of them I think? I used the ZCA to take all the pictures.