22 replies to this topic

[fresler1]

I'm having some problems with my DOFLinx install.

 

1. ​Even though the DOFLinx - Shortcut file is in the Windows startup folder, it doesn't start on boot. When I launch the shortcut, Windows always presents me with the run permission dialog box. Not being a Windows user, I'm not sure how to get around this.
2. I have DEBUG=1 set in the INI but no log is shown. If I set it to 2, no log is created. Or, at least, I can't find it.
3. When it's running, I get feedback in FX3 but not Visual Pinball. I added Visual Pinball 10.8.0 to the PROCESSES parameter but still nothing.
4. Even though I have backglass files in the B2S folder, I get no backglass in FX3. All that shows on the screen is the path for where it wants files.

The feedback is working great in FX3, which is awesome!

[DDH69]

Let me try and help ....

1. It sounds like you may have missed unblocking a dll or exe in the \DOFLinx folder.  The permission thing in Windows is Windows trying to protect you from files you downloaded from the Internet.  Right click in the file, select properties, follow your nose to the "blocked".  Google about unblocking files in Windows.  Check all EXE and DLL files.

2. If DEBUG=1 then DOFLinx should be showing is window on screen and creating a DOFLinx.LOG in the same folder as DOFLinx.exe.  If you have DEBUG=2 then no DOFLinx window is shown but the log is still created.  Are you seeing DOFLinx on screen with DEBUG=1 set?  If not then either you are not reading the DOFLinx.INI file that you think you are, or there is another line lower in the DOFLinx.INI with DEBUG=0.  DOFLinxConfig.exe will search for DOFLInx.INI files below where it is run from and warn if it finds multiples.

3. In normal operation DOFLinx has nothing to do with feedback for VPX.  That is done with VPX and DOF only.  Have you done a DOF setup with the DOF Config tool and downloaded that?  You do need a DOF and DOFLinx setup.

4. Have you installed B2SServer?  If so then, once you get logging running, share that for an attempted load, it may help.

[fresler1]

I managed to get the permission dialog to stop popping up.

 

For some reason VPX DOF won't work when DOFLinx is running. When I kill the task, it starts working again. Could it be my PinOne board?

 

Here are links to the log and my config file.

 

https://www.dropbox....9nntep1m6q&dl=0 - Log

https://www.dropbox....0fo4eyvgv4&dl=0 - Config

[DDH69]

The PinOne board is a serially connected device, so only one process at a time can have the COM port.  For this reason DOFLinx puts it in the same category as other COM port dependent boards and stops its connection when not in use, ie from your log the first line is when DOFLinx disconnects from DOF and hence the PinOne.  It reconnects when needed for FX3.

 

• 28-Mar-25 18:45:30.470 - Stopping DOF controllers due to 'Start Each Time' flag
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:51.824 - Found valid process name of 'Pinball FX3'
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:51.841 - Setting FX3 process ID to :5600
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:53.865 - Activated by process name : 'Pinball FX3'
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:53.869 - Named process detected and startup commenced
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:53.873 - Stopping ROM
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:53.923 - PinOne Port = COM3
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:53.928 - DOFLinx device: 1 Initializing as PinOne
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:53.936 - DOFLinx device:1 PinOne setup with 63 outputs
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:54.471 - FX3.EXE file exists, getting details
• 28-Mar-25 18:45:54.476 - FX3 EXE name=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Pinball FX3\Pinball FX3.exe Size=11605456 bytes, Dated 11/25/2024 9:22:07 PM

If you have something that DOFLinx is monitoring open ie Pinball FX, or "Fake Emulation" turned on, then you would have an issue, other than that you should not.

[fresler1]

Thanks for the explanation. That all makes sense. I’m sure I’ll eventually figure out what in my setup is causing the issue!

 

From the log, can you tell why the backglass isn’t working? I saw a line where it seemed to be looking for the B2Server in C:\B2SERVER and yet I have that location set to C:\vPinball\VisualPinball\tables.

[DDH69]

Sorry I forgot to look at that!

 

What I can tell you is that the DOFLinx.INI you posted is not the one that is being used by DOFLinx for the LOG you posted.  I suspect you have multiple DOFLinx.INI and are editing the one not being pointed to for DOFLinx.  Perhaps do a search of your drive for DOFLinx.INI and ensure you only have one and that your DOFLinx shortcut is pointing to that.  This may explain why the B2SServer is not being found and why the B2S files are not being found as well.

[fresler1]

I removed all the config files and used the config tool (wish I had discovered that early on!). Got everything set up but still no backglass. So, on whim, I brought up the cabinet config in FX3 and turned off Backglass Repositioning. The Attack from Mars backglass was there! Yay!!

 

I'm still having the problem with VPX but it's do big deal to kill the DOFLinx process when I want to switch to VPX.

[DDH69]

You should be able to run both at the same time.  Happy to help you look further.  In the mean time, rather than killing the DOFLinx process, use "DOFLinxMsg QUIT" , at least it will shutdown nicely.

[fresler1]

Is there any other log file I could provide that might help?

[DDH69]

I think we break this down to its simplest and look at both DOFLinx and DOF logs.  Here is my test logic ...

 

Start DOFLinx and trigger nothing to activate it, so it should be sitting idle not connected to anything.  Then start a VPX game.  This should work (but clearly is not)

 

So clear logs, setup DOFLinx with DEBUG=2, turn on your DOF logging.  Do the test above and post both logs.  Dependent on what we see / do not see, we'll try more from there.

[fresler1]

Here is the DOFLinx log - https://www.dropbox....9nntep1m6q&dl=0

Here is the DOF log - https://www.dropbox....p1jlyo2ozv&dl=0

 

The DOF log was in the DOFLinx folder so I don't know if that's the one you want or not.

[DDH69]

The DOF log is for a run at 1333 on 30/3/25 whereas the last run in the DOFLinx log is 2138 on 29/3/25, so not matching logs.  The best way is to delete the logs before starting and ensure you close the programs gracefully before then grabbing the logs to ensure all log data is flushed to the file.  So hard to tell much

 

Having said, the one thing I can see in the DOF log is that it only shows a DOFLinx startup and shutdown, nothing from VPX.  So no VPX failure after the DOFLinx startup.

 

Let me run through the test steps again for clarity.

 

Use the following to gather a DOFLinx.LOG https://doflinx.gith...Create_Log.html

For DOF,

a) delete DirectOutput.log

b) Edit your globalconfig file, set EnableLogging true and ClearLogOnSessionsStart false

 

1. Once setup as per instructions, start DOFLinx from your shortcut, give it about 2 minutes to ensure startup is complete

2. Start VPX and determine if you have the error

3. If you have the VPX error then stop VPX, stop DOFLinx (DOFLinxMsg QUIT)

4. Check the logs match, send logs.

[fresler1]

Let' try these:

 

DOFLinx Log - https://www.dropbox....9nntep1m6q&dl=0

DOF Log - https://www.dropbox....p1jlyo2ozv&dl=0

[DDH69]

Much nicer 

 

The last DirectOutput.log entry is 19:39:14 which is exactly when DOFLinx closes the PinOne, all as expected.  What I do not see is VPX trying to startup DOF in the DirectOutput.log.  So to confirm, you did try and start VPX while DOFLinx was running?  Did you get an error in VPX or anything else?  If you did Start VPX then my concern would be that it didn't log, so different config files or different DOF installation?

[fresler1]

The log file was created in the DOFLinx folder.  I got no error when VPX started. Even though I have logging set to true for DOF, it doesn't seem to be creating the log file.

 

Below is the GlobalConfig.xml file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<!--Global configuration for the DirectOutput framework.-->

<!--Saved by DirectOutput Version 3.2.9075.22404: 2025-01-10 14-54-56-->

<GlobalConfig>

  <LedWizDefaultMinCommandIntervalMs>1</LedWizDefaultMinCommandIntervalMs>

  <LedControlMinimumEffectDurationMs>60</LedControlMinimumEffectDurationMs>

  <LedControlMinimumRGBEffectDurationMs>120</LedControlMinimumRGBEffectDurationMs>

  <PacLedDefaultMinCommandIntervalMs>10</PacLedDefaultMinCommandIntervalMs>

  <IniFilesPath />

  <CabinetConfigFilePattern>C:\DirectOutput\Config\Cabinet.xml</CabinetConfigFilePattern>

  <TableConfigFilePatterns />

  <EnableLogging>true</EnableLogging>

  <ClearLogOnSessionStart>true</ClearLogOnSessionStart>

  <LogFilePattern>C:\DirectOutput\DirectOutput2.log</LogFilePattern>

  <Instrumentation />

</GlobalConfig>

 

I changed the LogFilePattern just to see if that file got created. It did not.

 

I'm beginning to think I might be better off deleting DOF and DOFLinx and doing a clean install of both.

[DDH69]

So you started VPX and had no error.  Did VPX work with feedback (DOF outputs)?  If not I suspect that you have not linked DOF to VPX ...... I'm pretty rusty on this, there are plenty of instructions on this site and Google.  You need the plugin and ... I can't recall, its been years since I did it.

 

I wouldn't reinstall just yet, check if you've done the entire DOF install for VPX.

[fresler1]

DOF works just fine in VPX unless DOFLinx is running. If I quit DOFLinx and launch VPX, it starts working again.

[digitalarts]

I never used Doflinx in "fire&forget" (a.k.a. Windows Autostart) mode.
Always use "start before" and "Stop after" batch Scripts for my Emulator settings in Frontend (PinballY), for FP (NOT Pinevent), FX3 and FX.
So never had conflicts between DOF (VP9x, VPX, FP-Pinevent) and Doflinx.

Edited by digitalarts, 31 March 2025 - 04:25 PM.

[fresler1]

Could you elaborate on how you set up those things?

[DDH69]

DOF works just fine in VPX unless DOFLinx is running. If I quit DOFLinx and launch VPX, it starts working again.

 

And as I said earlier, there was no trace of VPX trying to start up DOF (ie nothing in the DirectOutput.log file) while you had DOFLinx running.  So I do not believe you have produced a log of the issue.

 

I strongly recommend against stopping and starting DOFLinx, find the problem, don't mask it.