236 replies to this topic

[DDH69]

Ok that did the trick, but now when I start pinball FX i can hear contacts engage. The flippers work but its very laggy. I took a screenshot ofthe DOF FFX screen.

 

 

 

What contacts can you hear engage?  Can you tell me the ports that your flipper solenoids / contactors are on, and post your INI file please.

[bent98]

First Ledwiz Board ports 9 and 10. Its late now so I can try to see which ones engage Here is my config.

 

 

####
# The config file for FX2DOF
# A mad idea by DDH69 to have some flipper sounds, RGB display and turn buttons on when playing Pinball FX2 via Steam
# Note - this works with LEDWiz and Sainsmart (FTDI devices)
#
# Output devices outputs are entered in the format of
# device (D) and output number (#) in the format D##, so controller device 1 and output 3 is "103" without the quotes, controller board 2 output 23 is "223" without quotes
####

# location of your standard DOF outut configuration file
DIRECTOUTPUTCONFIG=c:\Visual Pinball\tables\plugin\directoutput\Config\directoutputconfig.ini
# If you want to list the processes that will wake up DOFFX2, comment it out if you just want Pinball FX2
#PROCESSES=Pinball FX2,Notepad
# Which DOF Controller output for the flipper solenoids / contactors
L_FLIPPER_OUTPUT=109
R_FLIPPER_OUTPUT=110
# The keyboard hex code for the key that is used for each flipper from https://msdn.microso...1(v=vs.85).aspx
# Left Shift = A0, Right Shift = A1
L_FLIPPER_KEY=A0
R_FLIPPER_KEY=A1
# Just in case things go wrong (ie no keyup signal is detected, flipper held down for a long time), what is the maximum time a flipper solenoid / contactor can be in in milliseconds
MAX_FLIPPER_ON=5000
# What LEDWiz output(s) are used for RGB devices.  Just enter the Red output number.  Multiples can be entered seperated by a space
RGB_OUTPUT=109
# Rainbow - cycle through the colours, Random - pick a random next colour, A colour name as it appears in the DirectOutputConfig.ini file
RGB_STYLE=RANDOM
# What changes the colour?  Time - set time period, Flipper = flipper press after the RGB_TRIGGER minimum time (to stop rapid colour changes)
RGB_TRIGGER=FLIPPER
# Dependent on trigger selection the period between changes or the minimum time for change between flipper flips
RGB_MIN_TIME=1000
# The button(s) to turn on when FX2 starts, ie the exit button LED
BUTTONS_ON=102 104
#BUTTONS_ON=
# Make the "1" (31) key (Start in VP) pulse LEDWiz 120 and "4" (34) to pulse controller/output 121
KEY_TO_OUTPUT=32 101 35 106 36 105
# Set a key to turn on a specific colour for your RGB.  The line below makes the Left Control (A2) and the Right Control (A3) turn my undercab RGB strip red.
# In Pinball FX2 this means when I nudge it all goes red.
KEY_TO_COLOUR=A2 109 Red A3 109 Red
# Setting FORCE_ACTIVE=1 will cause DOFFX2 to not listen for processes and just run until you kill the process.  Handy for using it for things other than PinBall FX2
FORCE_ACTIVE=0
# If you want the program to stop when Pinball FX2 stops then set this to 1.  If you want it to run in the background all the time leave it as 0
QUIT_AFTER_FX2=0
# Set to 1 to output the game name to the log regardless of the DEBUG flag setting.  Set to 0 to simply follow the DEBUG flag.
# Quite useful when you trying to get the FX2 window game name for setting game specific colours
OUTPUT_GAME_NAME=1
# Game specific colours in the formnat of a CSV of Game Name,Colour#1,Colour#2 - colours as they appear in your directoutputconfig
GAME_COLOUR=Plants VS. Zombies,Lime,Green,Yellow,Gold,Lawn_Green,Chart_Reuse,Green_Yellow,Forect_Green,Dark_Green,Yellow_Green,Light_Green
GAME_COLOUR=Deadpool,Magenta,Silver,Gray,Dark_Red,Orange_Red,Medium_violet_red,Sandy_brown,Dim_gray,Slate_gray,Navy,Dark_slate_blue,Dark_slate_gray,Crimson,Tomato,Firebrick
# 0 = OFF (normal operation), 1 = ON - When ON a window will appear and a log file will be created in the EXE directory.
DEBUG=1

[DDH69]

bent98,  You've got the RGB_OUT=109, so the same port as your flipper, that will give you issues (I suspect that is your issue).  You also have board #1 ports 2 & 4 turning on at startup.  I suspect you've left some of the settings from the sample INI file.  So you might be hearing output 9, 2 or 4 (or all of them)

 

You can safely place a # in front of RGB_OUT to disable it.

 

I'm heading out for the afternoon, so I'm sure we can pick this up tomorrow and get you working.

[bent98]

ah silly mistake, I got it sorted. Works great. I am hoping someone added this and dmdext to hyperspin launcher.

[Avi]

if we could do this. we could have effects rgb

https://www.google.c...a5i-wReqbOg9A1w

[TerryRed]

if we could do this. we could have effects rgb

https://www.google.c...a5i-wReqbOg9A1w

 

That basically takes the force feedback signal of an xbox 360 gamepad and connects it to an arduino, which translates the PWM signal to an output to a relay which triggers a solenoid.

 

We would like to do the same thing, but through software.  Detect force feedback activity of a gamepad (real or virtual) and output it to a key, in which DOFFX2 could trigger a solenoid / rgb lights, etc..

[gamefixer]

Forgive me if I'm asking a dumb question, been meaning to read this thread but it keeps getting bigger.

 

Does PinballFX2 support the feedback in a wired controller out of the box? Taking one apart and connecting it to feedback devices seems like a no brainer.

 

I do agree that it would be great if the software would directly interface with the LEDWiz/Sainsmart devices though.

[TerryRed]

Forgive me if I'm asking a dumb question, been meaning to read this thread but it keeps getting bigger.

 

Does PinballFX2 support the feedback in a wired controller out of the box? Taking one apart and connecting it to feedback devices seems like a no brainer.

 

I do agree that it would be great if the software would directly interface with the LEDWiz/Sainsmart devices though.

 

 

Yes, both PFX2 and TPA both have force feedback with an XBOX 360 gamepad for bumpers, but not flippers (which is where DOFFX2 comes in).

 

 

The post above mine had a link to someone who did what you said in hardware.... however, not everyone has an xbox360 gamepad in their cabinet (I do).  So a software solution that would work with DOF would be ideal...

 

 

 

Screen and Bezel Crisis is over!....

 

New screen, new bezel, and new RGB speaker holes (4 discrete holes / flashers now instead of two)!

 

 

A pic in VP (with a squished marquee I have to fix now):

 

 

 

 

...and pics of Future Pinball using DOFFX2 with GAME_COLOUR per table being used for each table as a quick example:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like colours....

Edited by TerryRed, 09 August 2016 - 12:24 AM.

[Avi]

if we could do this. we could have effects rgbhttps://www.google.c...a5i-wReqbOg9A1w

 
That basically takes the force feedback signal of an xbox 360 gamepad and connects it to an arduino, which translates the PWM signal to an output to a relay which triggers a solenoid.
 
We would like to do the same thing, but through software.  Detect force feedback activity of a gamepad (real or virtual) and output it to a key, in which DOFFX2 could trigger a solenoid / rgb lights, etc..

where I find the information. for this?

[TerryRed]

 

 

if we could do this. we could have effects rgbhttps://www.google.c...a5i-wReqbOg9A1w

 
That basically takes the force feedback signal of an xbox 360 gamepad and connects it to an arduino, which translates the PWM signal to an output to a relay which triggers a solenoid.
 
We would like to do the same thing, but through software.  Detect force feedback activity of a gamepad (real or virtual) and output it to a key, in which DOFFX2 could trigger a solenoid / rgb lights, etc..

where I find the information. for this?

 

 

 

http://forum.zenstud...-force-feedback

[senseless]

Offtopic : @TerryRed, new bezel an screen looks great, could even say it looks better than the old one .

On topic : I seem to have difficulty running DOFFX2 in combination with PinballX and PBA. Without running DOFFX2 the table selection via PinballX works fine but when I run DOFFX2 it messes with the selection routine. Did anyone get it working?

This is when I run it upfront or via the run before option via PinballX.

Edited by senseless, 09 August 2016 - 08:10 AM.

[Slydog43]

I'm trying to get this going, but something is not right.  I do hear a solenoid go off at the start of PinballFX2, so thats seems good.  I changed the ini file to use my settings (I thought Left Arrow & Right Arrow for flippers and they are hooked up to ledwiz #1 port 9 & 10.  Not sure why the log says that its hooked to 2 & 4???

 

09-Aug-16 11:00:42 - Shutting down

09-Aug-16 11:00:42 - Program close

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - DOF for Pinball FX2 - DOFFX2 by DDH69

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - Starting up - version 1.4

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - 1 LEDWiz device(s) found

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - DOFFX2 device: 1 Initializing as LEDWiz #1 with ID=0

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - DOFFX2 device:1 LEDWiz setup with 32 outputs

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - 0 FTDI (Sainsmart) device(s) found

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - Reading DOFFX2.INI config file details

09-Aug-16 11:00:44 - Reading DOF config file

09-Aug-16 11:00:55 - Activated by process name : Pinball FX2

09-Aug-16 11:01:02 - FX2 game name = ''

09-Aug-16 11:01:02 - FX2 process detected and startup commenced

09-Aug-16 11:01:02 - Turning on fixed out Device=1 Output=2

09-Aug-16 11:01:02 - Turning on fixed out Device=1 Output=4

09-Aug-16 11:01:13 - FX2 process disappeared so stopping things

 

 

 

here is my ini file

 

####

# The config file for FX2DOF

# A mad idea by DDH69 to have some flipper sounds, RGB display and turn buttons on when playing Pinball FX2 via Steam

# Note - this works with LEDWiz and Sainsmart (FTDI devices)

#

# Output devices outputs are entered in the format of

# device (D) and output number (#) in the format D##, so controller device 1 and output 3 is "103" without the quotes, controller board 2 output 23 is "223" without quotes

####

 

# location of your standard DOF outut configuration file

DIRECTOUTPUTCONFIG=C:\Visual Pinball\Tables\plugins\DirectOutput\config\directoutputconfig.ini

# If you want to list the processes that will wake up DOFFX2, comment it out if you just want Pinball FX2

#PROCESSES=Pinball FX2,Notepad

# Which DOF Controller output for the flipper solenoids / contactors

L_FLIPPER_OUTPUT=109

R_FLIPPER_OUTPUT=110

# The keyboard hex code for the key that is used for each flipper from https://msdn.microso...1(v=vs.85).aspx

# Left Shift = A0, Right Shift = A1

#L_FLIPPER_KEY=A0

#R_FLIPPER_KEY=A1

L_FLIPPER_KEY=25

R_FLIPPER_KEY=27

# Just in case things go wrong (ie no keyup signal is detected, flipper held down for a long time), what is the maximum time a flipper solenoid / contactor can be in in milliseconds

MAX_FLIPPER_ON=5000

# What LEDWiz output(s) are used for RGB devices.  Just enter the Red output number.  Multiples can be entered seperated by a space

RGB_OUTPUT=109

# Rainbow - cycle through the colours, Random - pick a random next colour, A colour name as it appears in the DirectOutputConfig.ini file

RGB_STYLE=RANDOM

# What changes the colour?  Time - set time period, Flipper = flipper press after the RGB_TRIGGER minimum time (to stop rapid colour changes)

RGB_TRIGGER=FLIPPER

# Dependent on trigger selection the period between changes or the minimum time for change between flipper flips

RGB_MIN_TIME=1000

# The button(s) to turn on when FX2 starts, ie the exit button LED

BUTTONS_ON=102 104

#BUTTONS_ON=

# Make the "1" (31) key (Start in VP) pulse LEDWiz 120 and "4" (34) to pulse controller/output 121

KEY_TO_OUTPUT=32 101 35 106 36 105

# Set a key to turn on a specific colour for your RGB.  The line below makes the Left Control (A2) and the Right Control (A3) turn my undercab RGB strip red.

# In Pinball FX2 this means when I nudge it all goes red.

KEY_TO_COLOUR=A2 109 Red A3 109 Red

# Setting FORCE_ACTIVE=1 will cause DOFFX2 to not listen for processes and just run until you kill the process.  Handy for using it for things other than PinBall FX2

FORCE_ACTIVE=0

# If you want the program to stop when Pinball FX2 stops then set this to 1.  If you want it to run in the background all the time leave it as 0

QUIT_AFTER_FX2=0

# Set to 1 to output the game name to the log regardless of the DEBUG flag setting.  Set to 0 to simply follow the DEBUG flag.

# Quite useful when you trying to get the FX2 window game name for setting game specific colours

OUTPUT_GAME_NAME=1

# Game specific colours in the formnat of a CSV of Game Name,Colour#1,Colour#2 - colours as they appear in your directoutputconfig

GAME_COLOUR=Plants VS. Zombies,Lime,Green,Yellow,Gold,Lawn_Green,Chart_Reuse,Green_Yellow,Forect_Green,Dark_Green,Yellow_Green,Light_Green

GAME_COLOUR=Deadpool,Magenta,Silver,Gray,Dark_Red,Orange_Red,Medium_violet_red,Sandy_brown,Dim_gray,Slate_gray,Navy,Dark_slate_blue,Dark_slate_gray,Crimson,Tomato,Firebrick

# 0 = OFF (normal operation), 1 = ON - When ON a window will appear and a log file will be created in the EXE directory.

DEBUG=1

 

 

 

 

Must be something stupid, can't wait this is a major improvement for the playability of fx2 and others, thanks

 

 

OK I see why buttons 2 & 4 where set to come on from the ini file, so I commented that out, still no go.

Edited by Slydog43, 09 August 2016 - 03:17 PM.

[Outhere]

Try changing this

RGB_OUTPUT=109

[Slydog43]

Thanks for the tip, I changed that line to be RGB_OUTPUT=123, which in turn turns on an RGB light at the start of a game, yeah! but still no go with the flippers using the left and right arrow (25 & 27) I think.  any other ideas?

 

I also changed 

KEY_TO_COLOUR=A2 107 Red A3 107 Red

 

since it was 109 and I thought it might be a confict.

Edited by Slydog43, 09 August 2016 - 07:35 PM.

[senseless]

Also check BUTTONS_ON=102 104, these are the default settings and could interfere with your own setup. My experience is that with playing around with DOFFX2 works best to take it step by step and start with the flippers and then work your way to the other toys. Just put a # in front of it and check if this helps.

[Mace]

First up thank you DDH69 for moving on the hobby, it's great to finally add some feedback with Pinball FX2 and TPA. I've been using LEDblinky to animate my LEDs and trigger the shaker a low frequencies.

I have one issue though, my cab button controller outputs joystick button presses rather than keyboard keys, this means I use x360ce to convert these into the joypad inputs for PinballFX2 and TPA, I've not been able to find a way to get DOFFX2 to detect the joystick buttons. Maybe I'm missing something and there is an XINPUT way of doing this?

I've tried asking the x360ce folk for the option to output keyboard strokes but unfortunately they appear to regard this as a form of heresy, not really sure why but it seems to be a touchy subject.

I could try using something like pinnacle to remap the keys but it does not play with x360ce very well and I need x360ce for the plunger integration.

Any suggestions would be welcome, especially if I'm missing something obvious.......

[TerryRed]

First up thank you DDH69 for moving on the hobby, it's great to finally add some feedback with Pinball FX2 and TPA. I've been using LEDblinky to animate my LEDs and trigger the shaker a low frequencies.

I have one issue though, my cab button controller outputs joystick button presses rather than keyboard keys, this means I use x360ce to convert these into the joypad inputs for PinballFX2 and TPA, I've not been able to find a way to get DOFFX2 to detect the joystick buttons. Maybe I'm missing something and there is an XINPUT way of doing this?

I've tried asking the x360ce folk for the option to output keyboard strokes but unfortunately they appear to regard this as a form of heresy, not really sure why but it seems to be a touchy subject.

I could try using something like pinnacle to remap the keys but it does not play with x360ce very well and I need x360ce for the plunger integration.

Any suggestions would be welcome, especially if I'm missing something obvious.......

 

 

I have the same issue because my pincab uses an actual xbox360 gamepad for its controls. DOFFX2 only detects keyboard presses. So I use gamepad mapping software like Pinnacle Game Profiler or XPadder to map your button presses into keyboard keys.  You need to make sure that your buttons and keyboard keys aren't BOTH controlling the game at the same time!

 

There are two things you could do:

 

You couple re-map the keys in PFX2 or TPA to something different than what you setup in DOFFX2. I did this, and had my flipper buttons,etc setup in Pinnacle Game Profiler to trigger the keys setup in DOFFX2. That way the gamepad was still controlling the game directly while also triggering the keys setup in DOFFX2.

 

or....

 

you could use Pinnacle Game Profiler to "override" the XINPUT buttons so the gamepad won't control the game by "gamepad controls". Then have Pinnacle map your buttons to the same keyboard keys as the game. Then you setup DOFFX2 to match those keys. Then your gamepad will ONLY trigger the keyboard keys that controls the game and DOFFX2 at the same time.

[Slydog43]

maybe thats my trouble as I'm using a KADE encoder emulating a gamepad.  When I run PinballFX2 I use a profile with JoyToKey to trigger Left and Right arrow for my flippers.  Seems to work well with FX2 but I can't get the solenoids to fire.  I tried switching JoytoKey to trigger left and right shift and changed the DOFini file to match, but still no go.

[DDH69]

 

Thanks for the tip, I changed that line to be RGB_OUTPUT=123, which in turn turns on an RGB light at the start of a game, yeah! but still no go with the flippers using the left and right arrow (25 & 27) I think.  any other ideas?

 

I also changed 

KEY_TO_COLOUR=A2 107 Red A3 107 Red

 

since it was 109 and I thought it might be a conflict.

 

 

Hey Slydog43, first chance I've had to check the forums today, busy trying to get a job and coding version 2.0 of this little beast 

 

Anyway, as senseless said, if you've got issues, strip it down to basics and add a piece at a time.  You could strip your DOFFX2.INI file down to

 

DIRECTOUTPUTCONFIG=C:\Visual Pinball\Tables\plugins\DirectOutput\config\directoutputconfig.ini

L_FLIPPER_KEY=25

R_FLIPPER_KEY=27

L_FLIPPER_OUTPUT=109

R_FLIPPER_OUTPUT=110

 

As senseless said, this RGB_OUTPUT=109 was definitely a problem (that's my RGB not yours!), and the BUTTONS_ON line.

 

The BUTTONS_ON=102 104 turns on outputs 2 and 4 when DOFFX2 is activated.  This is used for turning on something like LEDs in buttons.  Remove it, or comment it out while you get going.

 

I think you got all of this but thought I'd clarify anyway.  How are you getting on?  If you still have issues post up the current INI and LOG.

maybe thats my trouble as I'm using a KADE encoder emulating a gamepad.  When I run PinballFX2 I use a profile with JoyToKey to trigger Left and Right arrow for my flippers.  Seems to work well with FX2 but I can't get the solenoids to fire.  I tried switching JoytoKey to trigger left and right shift and changed the DOFini file to match, but still no go.

 

OK, now I see this bit ... I'm losing it today.

 

DOFFX2 checks for Windows key states, so if the keystroke is coming from an emulator it is possible that it will not pick up the key state.  If you are running with DEBUG=1 you will see a message about the flipper key being pressed and other for release regardless of any output being turned on.  If you're not seeing those messages, then DOFFX2 is not "seeing" the keystroke.

[senseless]

Offtopic : @TerryRed, new bezel an screen looks great, could even say it looks better than the old one .

On topic : I seem to have difficulty running DOFFX2 in combination with PinballX and PBA. Without running DOFFX2 the table selection via PinballX works fine but when I run DOFFX2 it messes with the selection routine. Did anyone get it working?

This is when I run it upfront or via the run before option via PinballX.

 

 

Update : startup of DOFFX2 was not working in Windows 8. Had to modify the registry to disable LUA. I hate Microsoft....

 

I made this change in this way:

1. Run > RegEdit:
   Set the key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies \ System \ EnableLUA to 0.

Next step....