41 replies to this topic

[Carny_Priest]

Where are you located by the way? I'm in Austin.

[Tesla]

OK ...

- 17 Tables installed, configured, and working.

- Pinscaped KL25Z Accelerometer is all setup (and variable analog-nudge is working in all tables)

- No real core-VPX (or sub-components) strangeness going on.

- PinballY all setup and working (with Descriptions and media captured for each Table).

 

Windows-10 (64bit) is now asking permission to install the v.22H2 Update.

 

I think it's time to run my first full-system Macrium-Reflect Image-Backup.
This would be a good place-in-time to return to if need-be.

Edited by Tesla, 16 March 2023 - 05:00 AM.

[Tesla]

Where are you located by the way? I'm in Austin.

 

PM sent

[Mike DA Spike]

I think it's time to run my first full-system Macrium-Reflect Image-Backup.
This would be a good place-in-time to return to if need-be.

Yeah ! 1 thing i learned is to create backups.
I do a system backup daily (only os).
My pinball directory is on another volume and will have a full filebackup with a retention of 30 file versions.
Maybe overkill, but this way I can easily recover from OS and any issue that is caused by a change in my pinball directory

[Tesla]

There are some different versions of 911 and HS2...

So problems should only rely the two new tables

 

The super-laggy-ness problem with GanjaFarmer's "The Getaway High Speed II" was also just a bad .directB2S file.

 

Like my problem with Rescue-911, the B2S file I selected was dragging-down the table big-time.

 

Bassgeige's older B2S was the one I had the problem with, but his newer v1.1 one, released in 2019 works fine.

 

https://www.vpforums...&showfile=13027

Edited by Tesla, 16 March 2023 - 11:58 PM.

[Tesla]

So, everything if fine here again. I'm running:

 

VPX v10.7.2

B2S-Server v1.4.1 (recently un-Registered and Re-Registered)

FlexDMD and DMDExt (but only utilized on a couple of tables)

 

on Windows-10 Pro (64 bit) v21H2

 

But like I said ... something seems to have changed here recently. I've adapted and all is good ... just seems strange:

a. My system can't find screenres.txt in \B2S\, so I moved my single one to \Tables\ 

b. I can no longer start most Tables unless a .directB2S file is beside it

c. Some B2S files seems to be incompatible with my system and/or popular VPX Tables. They tend the drag the table down to an ultra lag-fest.

 

Seems similar to this old problem:

https://www.vpforums...=34922&p=353663

 

There is nothing to fix (as the Tables now all run fine). Just thought I would mention it (in case others see similar).

Edited by Tesla, 21 March 2023 - 06:09 PM.

[Mike DA Spike]

Do you have very old b2s files?
I upgraded yesterday to b2sserver 2.0 (as I wanted to test 64bit), and vpx 32 bit are showing my backglasses fine (didnt check all 1200 tables, but tested multiple)
I alwaus name the directb2s with the same name as my vpx file name.

[digitalarts]

Hi Tesla,
To your point b.
Do you set
<ShowStartupError>0</ShowStartupError>
inside your B2STableSettings.xml ?

[Tesla]

1. Do you have very old b2s files?

2. I upgraded yesterday to b2sserver 2.0 (as I wanted to test 64bit), and vpx 32 bit are showing my backglasses fine (didnt check all 1200 tables, but tested multiple)
3. I always name the directb2s with the same name as my vpx file name.

 

1. I have whatever is available for download here. I try to get the latest version of the B2S file that looks authentic and most likely to work without problems. 

 

2. That is good to hear. So, I've only been running VPX a month or so. Do yall end-up upgrading your B2S-Server like once a year? When it gets released, everyone upgrades huh? How about VPX? What is the release interval for that?

 

3. Yes, same here. But I save the archived B2S, so I always know which one I settled on.

Hi Tesla,
To your point b.
Do you set
<ShowStartupError>0</ShowStartupError>
inside your B2STableSettings.xml ?

 

Yes .

 

And I only have one B2STableSettings.xml .

Edited by Tesla, 17 March 2023 - 02:15 PM.

[Mike DA Spike]

2) i ussually dont update b2sserver, but because of all the things that are going on, i updated it.
Vpx is diffferrent. For cabinet, i like the latest stable version, but for VR, I'm using the beta.
Mostly once a year VP will come with a new version and I updat vpinmame with it.
When Freezy has a new dmdext version, i want to have it as quick as possible, so I plan to put that on the backlog of the current sprint.

Edited by Mike DA Spike, 20 March 2023 - 11:56 AM.

[Tesla]

 

But like I said ... something seems to have changed here recently. I've adapted and all is good ... just seems strange:

a. My system can't find screenres.txt in \B2S\, so I moved my single one to \Tables\ 

b. I can no longer start most Tables unless a .directB2S file is beside it

c. Some B2S files seems to be incompatible with my system and/or popular VPX Tables. They tend the drag the table down to an ultra lag-fest.

 

 

 

Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K  

 

For anyone still following ... be reminded that the problems I had installing Addams Family (and the resulting crash) was when all of the above started.

 

So, it's just come to my attention that according to my (one single) current B2STableSettings.xml .

 

My first 10-or-so Tables were all set to:

 

<StartAsEXE>1</StartAsEXE>

 

After Addams Family, all my recently installed tables are now all set to:

 

<StartAsEXE>0</StartAsEXE>

 

Should be easy to fix and retest all my recent ones, but does anyone know where the "Default Setting" to get directB2S files to always install like the old-setting is defined?

[xenonph]

 

 

But like I said ... something seems to have changed here recently. I've adapted and all is good ... just seems strange:

a. My system can't find screenres.txt in \B2S\, so I moved my single one to \Tables\ 

b. I can no longer start most Tables unless a .directB2S file is beside it

c. Some B2S files seems to be incompatible with my system and/or popular VPX Tables. They tend the drag the table down to an ultra lag-fest.

 

 

 

Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K  

 

For anyone still following ... be reminded that the problems I had installing Addams Family (and the resulting crash) was when all of the above started.

 

So, it's just come to my attention that according to my (one single) current B2STableSettings.xml .

 

My first 10-or-so Tables were all set to:

 

<StartAsEXE>1</StartAsEXE>

 

After Addams Family, all my recently installed tables are now all set to:

 

<StartAsEXE>0</StartAsEXE>

 

Should be easy to fix and retest all my recent ones, but does anyone know where the "Default Setting" to get directB2S files to always install like the old-setting is defined?

 

 

 

Right-Click with mouse on Backglass, and a Backglasses settings window will pop up.

There is a section called "Default start mode" that has an arrow on right side that can toggle the different settings.

[Tesla]

 

Right-Click with mouse on Backglass, and a Backglasses settings window will pop up.

There is a section called "Default start mode" that has an arrow on right side that can toggle the different settings.

 

 

Thanks for verifying that is indeed the setting.

 

Isn't it strange for it not to be defined in B2STableSettings.xml ?

[htamas]

I don't understand why an option is even there to run the backglass in non-EXE mode.

I'm not aware of any advantage to do that, and all it does is possibly introduce stutter.

[Tesla]

I don't understand why an option is even there to run the backglass in non-EXE mode.

I'm not aware of any advantage to do that, and all it does is possibly introduce stutter.

 

Agreed.

 

My experience is that in Non-EXE-Mode, only the simple-est of directB2S files will allow the Table to even be playable (unless you like 10fps).

 

Yet something on my system caused my last 10 tables to all get installed as <StartAsEXE>0</StartAsEXE> (NON EXE-Mode) .

 

I certainly didn't go into each one and set them that way. If I would not have caught it, my new tables would also be installed that way (not to mention the problems incurred from having all the recent ones set that way).

Edited by Tesla, 28 March 2023 - 06:15 AM.

[wiesshund]

 

I don't understand why an option is even there to run the backglass in non-EXE mode.

I'm not aware of any advantage to do that, and all it does is possibly introduce stutter.

 

Agreed.

 

My experince is that in Non-EXE-Mode, only the simple-est of directB2S files will allow the Table to even be playable (unless you like 10fps).

 

Yet something on my system caused my last 10 tables to all get installed as <StartAsEXE>0</StartAsEXE> (NON EXE-Mode) .

 

I certainly didn't go into each one and set them that way. If I would not have caught it, my new tables would also be installed that way (not to mention the problems incurred from having all the recent ones set that way).

 

 

just set it as a default, as i showed int he PM

As to why there is an option to do otherwise
old legacy stuff i believe

[Tesla]

 

 

just set it as a default, as i showed int he PM

As to why there is an option to do otherwise
old legacy stuff i believe

 

 

Yes, I'll just add it to the list of things I do when I install a table.

 

I also like now being able to change options via B2STableSettings.xml or scanning it to look for potential problems. I make sure every installed Table has an entry.

[htamas]

As to why there is an option to do otherwise

old legacy stuff i believe

 

Right, but then the question would be why there is still such an option. Especially since a new version of the B2S software was just released... the setting should be removed, leaving EXE as the only way.

Edited by htamas, 28 March 2023 - 02:18 AM.

[Carny_Priest]

Set exe in the default and you never have to worry about it again. Might as well activate plugin and uncheck Error message without backglass while you are at it. Even if you don't intend to play most stuff with Pinup Player there are some tables that are great that require it, like Stranger Things at orbitalpin.com. If you set up your defaults correctly then I would expect that you would not often have to even think about individual table settings.

 

PS

Depends of your goals, of course. If you are attempting to preserve the exact aspect ratios of backglasses rather than adjusting the image to fit to your backglass screen resolution then, yeah, that will require getting fussy with individual table settings, separate res files, etc. 

[Tesla]

 

Depends of your goals, of course. If you are attempting to preserve the exact aspect ratios of backglasses rather than adjusting the image to fit to your backglass screen resolution then, yeah, that will require getting fussy with individual table settings, separate res files, etc. 

 

This pretty much describes me exactly.