1612 replies to this topic

[Onevox]

I can't remember the specific file names but I had things like: VPinballX.exe, VPinballX64.exe, VPinball2.exe, _VPinball.exe all the Visual Pinball folder. I would rename the working version in case I had problems with the update. I forgot to clear the old versions. 

 

What triggered my realization was an memory error and a table loading without a PF image. I thought it must be trying to use the wrong vpx file. 

 

Of course, I'm not sure this was the solution or why it would be, but it did go away. 

[licwip]

I need major help.

 

I hit FN-Del instead of FN-F12 to configure a table. The computer went blank for 20 seconds and returned, then crashed when I was trying to Media Capture. Since then, PinballY won't open the way it's always opened. All I get are 4-5 large windows, but no tables can be played from them. I can still play tables by double-clicking the files, but what happened to PinballY?

 

Yep, it's as if I lost all of my configurations for PinballY. None of the tables are now recognized through it. All of the ratings I've put in there over the years are gone. Anything i changed in the Options are gone.

 

Any chance there's a PinballY config file that will save me? And I mean the one that I used until an hour ago, when I re-ran PinballY? I still have all of the media captures. 

 

So weird that this happened with a single mishit of two keys. Please help. Thanks in advance!

Edited by licwip, 20 February 2026 - 11:22 PM.

[Tesla]

AFAIK, the 3 config files are:

 

Settings.txt (backed up daily).

GameStats.csv (Categories, Favorites, play-stats, etc. for each table)

The .xml file inside the named-folder in Databases folder (main DB of Tables. Appears to keep one backup of file before last change).

 

I would suggest you backup the whole C:\PinballY\ folder (in a safe place now, before it gets any worse).

 

Restore your old name.xml Database file and see if that fixes it.

If not, try restoring yesterdays settings.txt file

It doesn't sound like a problem with GameStats.csv, but if so ... you would have to retrieve that one from a backup (or try to fix your existing .CSV file)

 

All 3 are actually ascii-text and can be examined in NotePad or other text-editor.

You can "look" but don't hand-edit unless you really know what you are doing.

 

After you get it working again, it should be able to re-use all your old media for Tables in the Database.

This works as long as the Table-names are exactly as before (Name, Maker, and Year).

Edited by Tesla, 21 February 2026 - 03:31 AM.

[licwip]

Saving data from a recent setting backup file into settings.txt did the trick! Thanks, Tesla!

[licwip]

MJR and friends, I want to point out something strange about the ratings system. PinballY will occasionally change the ratings for some tables. For a table originally rated 2.5 stars, PinballY will sometimes round up to 3. For 3.5, up to 4. This doesn't happen for all tables originally with half-stars, but it happens a lot. I've seen another anomaly or two, but it's almost always this rounding-up to the nearest full star. I've seen this happen at least twice over the years, when I compare what's showing on PinballY to what I have written on my spreadsheet (I'm weird like that). Just letting you know, thanks. 

[Thalamus]

@licwip are you sharing the folder with PinballX ? Please know that PinballY does support half stars, PinballX doesn't (I think).

[licwip]

Thanks, Thalamus! I've never used PinballX or any front-end other than PinballY. Never installed anything else, unless it installs automatically.

[Thalamus]

Ah. No, then you're fine and it would be a bug.

Edited by Thalamus, 03 March 2026 - 06:34 AM.

[licwip]

I've had a problem with the scoring on three Atari tables: Airborne Avenger, the Atarians and Middle Earth. Only some of the scoring pixels show. Strangely enough, it's only a problem when I play them through PinballY. If I click on the files directly, they display the score just fine! Just letting you know. 

[Thalamus]

Can you provide me with a screenshot or something visual ? For those games you should kind of ignore the pinmame score as they are supposed to be shown on the apron of the game. In the same manner as Space Riders that I made. https://vpuniverse.c...i-1978_v110zip/

[licwip]

Of course! When working well, all of the scoring pixels light up pre-game, but I'll show you what I get when I'm dealing with Martian scoring (seemingly-random pixels light up). The attached picture is at the end of a full game. 
 
My Atari tables won't remember how many coins I've put in. If it's working correctly, it'lI always show 88 under Credit every time I start a table and I'll have to add coins to start. If it's not working correctly, Credit will be blank. I'll still have to add coins, and the Credit readout will also be in Martian. 
 
It's only for these three Atari tables that I have the issue. Not for Space Riders, which is nice and plays well.

Attached Files

•  IMG_4233.jpeg   110.11KB   0 downloads

[Thalamus]

Hmm. Yes, that looks wrong.

 

I can't really say that I understand what can make this happen.

 

If it was always a problem, not only when you use PBY it would make more sense.

 

What I would do next though, start ONLY the roms in question via setup64.exe inside pinmame folder. Do the test button say that all the rom files are correct ?

 

I would next, rename the corresponding *.nv file in the nvram folder. And try to launch the game again, preferably via PBY. Not saving the credits might be related to pinmame crashing on exit. Look for crash.dmp and crash.txt after exit of table.

 

Unfortunately though, those files are NOT always created even if there is a crash on exit.

[Thalamus]

Hmm. I just tried the 3 atari games you mentioned, only on desktop though I should add and here they always comes up with 88, and doesn't keep the previous credits. Seems like the emulation if those machines is just that. If you look at the pinmame dmd, all those games start with a lot of 8'ths and that is why the game display of the machine starts like that when you load. I will have a closer look if that changes next time I'm on the cab.