43 replies to this topic

[DKong]

Hey guys,

I finally got 2 screens (playfield and backglass) to run in FP.  My challenge is now getting FP to run on 3 screens.  I have tried both FP and BAM and am currently trying to get BAM to work in a 3 screen setup.  

 

I've read A LOT of threads similar to this subject, but after attempting many suggestions and re-reading the setups and tutorials, I'm still stuck and hoping someone here can help me.

 

I have installed and setup FutureDMD and can't seem to get the FutureDMD (or any DMD) to show up on the third screen.  Well, sometimes I can see the bottom of the DMD (hiding) at the very top of the third screen.  There is no visible text happening on the bottom of the hidden DMD when this happens and a table is playing.  Same result launching with FPLoader or from PinballX.  Still no DMD on the third screen.

 

Well actually, I can run the FP tables via the PinballX Game Manager, but I can no longer even get PinballX to open, at all.  PinballX was so stable while setting up VP.  What did I do?!

 

I have changed my PinballX.ini as instructed in other threads, but get the same result.  Please help!

 

 

Here is my PinballX.ini:

 

[Display]

Monitor=1

rotate=270

Windowed=False

WindowWidth=480

WindowHeight=720

WindowX=0

WindowY=65

PlayFieldBrightness=230

WheelTextColor=ff0000ff

WheelTextOutlineColor=ff000000

InfoTextColor=ffffffff

InfoTextOutlineColor=ff000000

FilterTextColor=ffffffff

FilterTextOutlineColor=ff000000

MenuColor=ffffa500

WheelAutoCrop=False

 

[BackGlass]

monitor=0

x=0

y=0

width=1280

height=1024

UseB2S=True

 

[DMD]

Enabled=True

monitor=2

x=0

y=0

width=900

height=300

AutoPositionPinMAME=True

UsePinMAME=True

HidePinMAME=False

 

[FileSystem]

EnableFileMatching=False

 

[Interface]

DesktopModeEnabled=False

EnableAdditionalDetail=False

ShowSystem=True

ShowRatings=False

OneClickLaunch=True

WheelOverlay=2

 

[Audio]

StreamVolume=100

SampleVolume=100

PlaySoundInVideos=True

 

[Startup]

playsound=False

playvideo=False

StartWithWindows=No

 

[KeyCodes]

quit=27

left=160

right=161

select=13

rotate=82

pageleft=33

pageright=34

exitemulator=27

ingame=80

screenshot=77

screenshotbackglass=66

instructions=73

volumedown=109

volumeup=187

 

[JoyCodes]

quit=

left=

right=

select=

rotate=

pageleft=

pageright=

exitemulator=

ingame=

instructions=

 

[Text]

Line1=Enjoy Rob's Pinball Experience!

Line2=Press Start

 

[FuturePinball]

Enabled=True

WorkingPath=C:\Games\Future Pinball

TablePath=C:\Games\Future Pinball\Tables

Executable=BAM\FPLoader.exe

Parameters=/open "[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]" /play /exit /arcaderender

LaunchBeforeEnabled=True

LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=C:\Games\Future Pinball

LaunchBeforeExecutable=FutureDMD.exe

LaunchBeforeHideWindow=True

LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=False

LaunchAfterEnabled=False

LaunchAfterWorkingPath=

LaunchAfterExecutable=notepad.exe

LaunchAfterHideWindow=False

LaunchAfterWaitForExit=True

MouseClickFocus=True

FPRAMPath=C:\Games\Future Pinball\fpRAM

LaunchBeforeParameters=table="[TABLEFILE]" close=1

LaunchAfterParameters=

 

[VisualPinball]

Enabled=True

WorkingPath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Visual Pinball

TablePath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Visual Pinball\Tables

Executable=VPinball.exe

Parameters=/play -"[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]"

LaunchBeforeEnabled=false

LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=

LaunchBeforeExecutable=notepad.exe

LaunchBeforeHideWindow=False

LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=True

LaunchAfterEnabled=False

LaunchAfterWorkingPath=

LaunchAfterExecutable=notepad.exe

LaunchAfterHideWindow=False

LaunchAfterWaitForExit=True

 

[ExitScreen]

Enabled=True

EnableExit=True

EnableShutdown=False

ConfirmExitGameTimer=False

 

[StartupProgram]

Enabled=false

WorkingPath=

Executable=notepad.exe

Paramaters=

HideWindow=true

WaitForExit=false

 

[ExitProgram]

Enabled=false

WorkingPath=

Executable=notepad.exe

Paramaters=

HideWindow=False

WaitForExit=

 

[AttractMode]

Enabled=True

Timer=1

ShowFor=10

MuteAudio=False

 

[System_1]

Name=MAME

Enabled=False

WorkingPath=C:\- EMULATORS -\- MAME -

TablePath=C:\

Executable=mamep64.exe

Parameters=[TABLEFILE]

SystemType=0

LaunchBeforeEnabled=False

LaunchAfterEnabled=False

 

[AutoExit]

Enabled=False

Minutes=10

 

[Login]

Enabled=True

 

[PinballFX2]

Enabled=False

WorkingPath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam

Executable=steam.exe

Parameters=-applaunch 226980

Process=Pinball FX2.exe

WaitFor=20

 

[Internal]

lastwheelcachematchsize=2666646

lastselected=Tron LegacyTronStern_1_3_CAB_LEDFuturePinball

filter_year=

filter_company=

filter_custom=

filtername=Tables

lastwheelcachematchsize2=0

 

[SetupWizard]

EmuPath1=C:\Emulators

AssetPath1=C:\Assets

RomPath1=C:\Roms

DefaultPathPrompt=True

DownloadDatabasePrompt=True

DownloadEmulatorPrompt=True

WizardMode=1

CustomArray=

SearchArray=

SavePosition=False

SectionIndex=11

SearchText=

EmulatorIndex=0

EmulatorGroupIndex=0

DaphneIndex=0

HTMLAppsIndex=0

ExternalAppsIndex=0

RadioStationsIndex=0

NewsFeedsIndex=0

MappedDrivesIndex=0

SystemIndex=0

ShowPanel=True

FontSize=1

WindowState=0

WindowSize=1287,812

WindowLocation=340,258

 

[GameListManager]

onlinemode=true

 

[Plugin_1]

Enabled=True

Name=FutureDMDStats.dll

 

[Plugin_2]

Enabled=True

Name=PlugInLED.dll

 

[Plugin_3]

Enabled=False

Name=PlugInSpeech.dll

 

[Plugin_4]

Enabled=True

Name=QuickLaunch (PinballX Edition).dll

 

[Plugin_5]

Enabled=False

Name=Xpadder Plugin.dll

Edited by DKong, 29 June 2015 - 02:09 AM.

[DKong]

Here is where I am in my FP setup.  PinballX now opens and launches VP tables just fine.  I still cannot get the DMD on the third screen when launching FP or using BAM.

 

If I launch FP from within PinballX, the screens flash several times, then goes back to PinballX menu.  BUT, if I wait 5-10 seconds there, the FP table launches.

 

The problem at this point is while the FP table looks loaded and ready to play, I can hear the PinballX menu audio and it sounds like I'm flipping through different tables when using the flipper buttons.  I also see the PinballX DMD on the third screen.

 

I'm guessing this is a focus issue and possibly related to my issue above.  It seems that something needs tweaking in my one or more of my ini files, but I don't know what.

 

Everyone on these boards have been so great and I'm hoping someone can help me with this.

 

Thanks.

[Carny_Priest]

Get FP+BAM+FutureDMD working on its own BEFORE trying to get these working within PinballX. 

 

Read the instructions that come with the FutureDMD download. Make sure all DLL are unblocked. Make sure all executables are set to run as administrator.

 

Run FutureDMD. If you are running it for the first time you will get an error that it could not find or read a file. It is the FutureDMD.ini file. It will create the file on the first run. Run FutureDMD again, and you will get a little DMD display that you will be able to move and stretch to fit your third screen. Make sure that your desktop theme is a choice that will allow you to see the DMD window. Something like Windows Basic. You can always change the theme back once you are done. 

 

All tables should be located in the root Tables folder. Don't organize each table in its own folder. Otherwise custom DMD color changes will not work.

 

Once you have FP+BAM+FutureDMD working THEN figure out how to get PinballX to launch a table. If you are having trouble, then review the run log and see what command it is trying to run. You will probably be able to catch the error there.  .

[DKong]

When I run FutureDMD on it own, I can now see the DMD, move and resize it on my third screen.  However when I run a FP table, the DMD moves up to the top of the third screen (cutting off half of the DMD image).  From what I can see of the DMD at this point, there is no image or score text on it.  

 

I can see a score moving on the backglass DMD (second screen), but not on the separate FutureDMD on the third screen.

 

I read the entire FutureDMD Setup, unblocked all DLLs, all executables are running as admin and tables are in the Tables folder.

 

What am I missing?  I don't see a run log to review.

Edited by DKong, 29 June 2015 - 05:49 AM.

[Carny_Priest]

Do you run FP at the same resolution as your Windows desktop? Double-check that in FP video preferences. If they are different and you configured FutureDMD outside of FP+BAM then I could see those settings being off when you do run FP+BAM.

If the resolution checks out then start FutureDMD and right click on the DMD. You have the option of changing the display number. Try selecting Display 1. Close the DMD and restart FutureDMD. If the location of the DMD is not right then repeat with Display 2 and so on until it is located where you expect it to be.

FutureDMD only supports intercepting the DMD frames for those defined in the table editor as 128x32. Other aspect ratios like 192x64 or 128x16 are not supported. Test with a table that has a DMD that is supported. Many will work. Jaws is a good one to use for testing.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DKong]

The BAM playfield is running at the same resolution as my windows desktop. However I am running three different resolutions in my setup (one for each screen, since each monitor supports different resolutions) and I assume most people do the same per monitor limitations.  Playfield monitor is set to 1920x1080, Backglass monitor is set to 1024x768.  The third screen (DMD monitor) is set at 1366x768 in Windows, but there is no resolution option for a third monitor inside of FP or BAM.
 
When I launch FutureDMD and select monitor 1,2, or 3, the DMD window shows up on the correct monitor.  However, no matter which screen I select in the FutureDMD setting, when I play the table in BAM, the DMD shows up on the top left corner of the playfield.

Just to clarify, BAM doesn't use or need Futurepinball.exe to run FutureDMD, right? I am running BAM exclusively for FP, as its settings are more intuitive than vanilla FP. I launch BAM via the FPLaunch.exe.
 
I am testing with Jaws.
 
What other settings or ini file can I check to get the DMD to show up on the third monitor when I play a table in BAM?

Edited by DKong, 29 June 2015 - 08:57 PM.

[Carny_Priest]

Attach screenshots of windows screen resolution, the FP video preferences dialog - one shot showing the resolution you selected for playfield and another shot showing resolution for backglass, and then FutureDMD.ini

[DKong]

I tried attaching all the requested files, but the site says my screenshots of the resolution screens and Future DMD files are too large to attach.  Not sure why, the FutureDMD.ini is 463 bytes.

 

I'll see what else I can do, but maybe you can look at my settings that I was able to upload?

Here is my FutureDMD:

 

[default]

red=245

green=100

blue=50

highscore_1_1=" is #1|"

highscore_1_2=" Rules|"

highscore_1_3="HIGH SCORE|"

highscore_1_3_2=" "

highscore_1_4="Can you beat|"

highscore_1_4_2=" ?"

avg_time_1_1="Average Game Length.."

avg_time_1_2="Average|Survival Time.."

avg_time_1_3="Most Balls Drained in.."

avg_time_1_4="Can you last longer than?.."

PosScreen=3

PosX=2706

PosY=1151

SizeW=1053

SizeH=450

Orientation=0

Mirror=0

Shades=0000000000000000

Main playfield

 

Backglass resolution

Attached Files

•  BAM video preference - playfield.PNG   337.63KB   11 downloads
•  BAM video preference - Backglass.PNG   266.07KB   7 downloads
•  DMD screen resolution - screen 1.PNG   304.28KB   12 downloads
•  Backglass resolution - screen 1.PNG   299.49KB   7 downloads

[Outhere]

This is how I have my monitors setup in Windows - screen one Plainfield, screen 2 backglass, screen 3 DMD

how do you have them set up?
 

Attached Files

•  Displays.jpg   69.76KB   19 downloads

Edited by Outhere, 29 June 2015 - 06:45 PM.

[Carny_Priest]

Yes, I would set up the extended desktop like Outhere did to start.

[DKong]

Are you guys running a program such as DisplayFusion to get your windows in three screens? I am and was having trouble getting my screens to line up as 1, 2, 3, in order as you have.

Do you think this might be my issue?

Edited by DKong, 30 June 2015 - 03:41 AM.

[Outhere]

Yes this may solve your problem and no I am not running a DisplayFusion program... You may have to move some of your video cables around to get the monitors to recognize correctly plus you can move those monitors around on the screen.. You're going to want to make the playing field the number one monitor....After you get the monitors in the right order make sure you align them like I have them...


 

Edited by Outhere, 30 June 2015 - 04:08 AM.

[DKong]

Yes this may solve your problem and no I am not running a DisplayFusion program... You may have to move some of your video cables around to get the monitors to recognize correctly plus you can move those monitors around on the screen.. You're going to want to make the playing field the number one monitor....After you get the monitors in the right order make sure you align them like I have them...


 

 

I have been trying for a while to change my main display (playfield) to be #1, but everything I've read says it is not possible to change these numbers.  Even if I move the monitors around in Display>Screen Resolution, the monitor numbers don't change.  If I disconnect the cables from the backglass and DMD monitors, the playfield monitor shows up as #1 in under Display>Screen Resolution, however as soon as I connect one or both of the backglass and DMD monitors again, Windows reverts back to labeling the monitor as shown in my attachment.  I've been searching a long time to find a solution for this and there doesn't appear to be one.  

 

Edit: I realize the monitor numbers are only a reflection of the order of cable outputs from my video cards.  My current test setup has Display port connected to the backglass monitor and this is physically the first output used on the video card.  Next, my playfield monitor is connector via DVI and it's physically the next output used on the same video card.  Lastly, my DMD monitor, number 3, is physically connected to the VGA output on the GPU on the motherboard.

 

Once I have my final setup, monitors positioned and using slightly different video outputs from the two video cards, I believe I will be able to have my monitors listed as 1, 2, 3 in order.  However I'm waiting on parts and trying to get my software setup as best as I can before the final pieces arrive for mounting.

 

So, I somehow need to find a way to get my screen setup to be okay with the playfield be labeled monitor 2.  It appears I can have the backglass show up on monitor labeled monitor 1, even though this monitor is physically to the right of the playfield monitor.  I have tried physically moving the third monitor labeled monitor 3 to either the right or left of the playfield to see if the DMD would show up, like it did in VP, but this had no effect.

 

I have attached my changed screen resolution from windows.  Even though the monitor numbers are 2, 1, 3 in order, the playfield and backglass show up just fine.

 

Since the DMD doesn't appear to be hidden behind the playfield or backglass and shows up at the top left corner of the playfield, this seems like it's a setting in either FPLoader or FutureDMD.

 

The DMD showing up in the upper left corning of the playfield is the case with a table like Jaws, however on a table like The Goonies, I don't see the separate DMD at all now.  I can only see the DMD that is embedded on the backglass, for a 2 screen cabinet.

 

I am hoping you guys might have another suggestion so I can get this going.

Attached Files

•  Windows screen resolution.PNG   289.15KB   7 downloads

Edited by DKong, 02 July 2015 - 05:37 AM.

[Outhere]

So no matter what order you hook up your cables, the playfield is never number one

[DKong]

If I disconnect the back glass monitor cable, then the playfield is number 1 and DMD is number 2.

BUT, then when I load a FP table, the playfield bleeds outside of that monitor and onto part of the DMD monitor (with Windows visibly open dialog boxes still showing on the DMD).

Are there settings within FutureDMD or BAM/FPLauncher to physically move the DMD to the third monitor or force the DMD out of hiding, like in VP?

[Outhere]

Can you hook your DisplayPort to the playing field monitor and put your DVI to the backglass and then make sure you have the right settings in future pinball and tell futureDMD to use the third monitor.. What happens then if you can do this?
 

[Carny_Priest]

Your DMD is using the GPU integrated on the motherboard. How many ports are on your add-in video card?

If you have three ports, then connect the DMD to your video card. I have found absolutely no performance increase in "spreading the load" across multiple GPU.

If you do only have two ports, then you might have to figure out how windows identifies the DMD behind the scenes. It may not have the same number as what is presented to you when you are looking at screen resolutions via Control Panel.

There is probably an easier way to query the Windows OS, but I use the Display Changer II program to manage my screen settings via script. Create a configuration file for your current screen settings. The output will be an xml file that you can open with Notepad. Look for your DMD monitor. Now look for the source_id tag. You should see the number that Windows OS is using to id the monitor behind the scenes. This is the number for your DMD screen that you need to use as the DMD screen number in FutureDMD.ini.

If nothing else works, yes, you will want to id the port that can be identified as #1 and physically connect your TV to it. If it is DVI and your TV HDMI then you will be in the market for an adapter.

[DKong]

My playfield is now connected to the Display port, the backglass is connected to the HDMI and the DMD monitor is connected to VGA.  I still cannot get the monitors to recognize the playfield monitor is the #1 monitor.  I really don't understand this part.

 

When I check settings, resolutions in FPLauncher, everything looks okay.  However the DMD is still not showing up on the third monitor.  In Jaws, I can see the DMD on the upper left corner of the playfield as well as embedded on the bottom of the backglass display.

 

When I open FutureDMD, I can see the DMD blank image on the third monitor, however when I play a table, the DMD does not display any table info.  It's just blank.

 

If I close the DMD image on the third monitor and play a Jaws, I just still see the windows wallpaper on the third monitor.

 

I have tried adapters and changed physical cables, connections, resolutions and settings in FPLauncher.  I still have the same result.  I also tried connecting the third monitor to the DVI port on the same video card the other two monitors are connected to.  When I do this, Windows says it cannot display on the third monitor.  So, I'm left with the above connections on the video card and the third monitor connected to VGA on the GPU.  It's the only way I seem to be able to get anything (Windows) to show up on the third monitor.

 

What else am I missing?

[Carny_Priest]

Have you set up for VP and B2S yet?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[DKong]

I do. I have about 70 VP tables with B2S working great on all three screens.

This is partly why this FP setup is so confusing and frustrating. There are some really nice tables in FP, which is why I want to figure this out so badly.

Are there other settings within FPLauncher, FutureDMD or Windows I can check?