12 replies to this topic

[ssj]

I need some suggestions on how to organize my tables folder.

I have one folder for all vp9 tables and another for all vp8 tables, on each of them I throw all the scripts and vpt files. This organization is a bit confusing to me, because lets be honest the folders can get really confusing with all those files in there and also it's prone to errors since you can easilly replace a script file by mistake.

Ideally I'd like to store each table and it's required files contained on their own folders (I have everything setup this way with FP), something like:

 

..\Tables\VP9\250cc (Inder) (1992)\

..\Tables\VP9\301 Bullseye (Grand Products) (1984)\

 

And so on. This would work great if we could have a separate folder for all the shared scripts, so we could then simply throw all the shared scripts into the script folder and then organize tables this way. Don't think this is possible right?
The only option would be to have the vpt file and all the necessary files inside each table folder, this would be problematic since everytime a script is updated I'd need to update it in all folders. But even if I go this route is there any way I can know exactly which files  each table requires?

 

Any help and suggestions on this matter would be really appreciated, thanks.

 

[TheMcD]

A VP table, per se, rarely requires anything beyond some scripts (sometimes there's some semi-superfluous stuff like a rulesheet picture, and very rarely actually something that would make the table unplayable if it wasn't there), so your idea would be kind of redundant if you're already throwing all the communal scripts into one folder anyway, usually leaving nothing but the VPT itself in terms of required files.

 

Personally, I have my table folder completely unorganized, and even then it's really easily surveyed. I have a decent collection, and all I end up with is the following:

1) A mass of scripts

2) The actual VPTs

3) The rulesheet files for JP's tables, coming in separate HTA/EXE files

4) A folder holding some stuff for Groni's MM, which went about creating some plastics in an odd, roundabout way

and technically 5) the *.VBS documentation.

 

2 to 5 are easily maintained by simply overwriting if updating and leaving it as is if not, and 1 might only be a little bit confusing, but since Windows tells you when the scripts were last modified when it asks you if you want to overwrite, picking out the latest revision is trivial.

There isn't really that much of a mess in terms of required files on a per-table basis to make such an organization an idea that I would support becoming the new standard for VP - I find a mess of files more easily surveyed than a mess of folders, where you can't see what files are in each folder in one quick view.

[ssj]

Thanks for the reply, it's a matter of preference I guess, I find it much cleaner to see only folders where I have everything needed inside each of them. I think VP-Man had a feature that would put each table on a separate folder for you, but I'm not completely sure anymore.

 

Seems I'll have to keep things as I have them right now, but regarding finding which extra scripts/files each table requires, is there any way of determining that?

[chas]

I need some suggestions on how to organize my tables folder.

I have one folder for all vp9 tables and another for all vp8 tables, on each of them I throw all the scripts and vpt files. This organization is a bit confusing to me, because lets be honest the folders can get really confusing with all those files in there and also it's prone to errors since you can easilly replace a script file by mistake.

Ideally I'd like to store each table and it's required files contained on their own folders (I have everything setup this way with FP), something like:

 

..\Tables\VP9\250cc (Inder) (1992)\

..\Tables\VP9\301 Bullseye (Grand Products) (1984)\

 

And so on. This would work great if we could have a separate folder for all the shared scripts, so we could then simply throw all the shared scripts into the script folder and then organize tables this way. Don't think this is possible right?
The only option would be to have the vpt file and all the necessary files inside each table folder, this would be problematic since everytime a script is updated I'd need to update it in all folders. But even if I go this route is there any way I can know exactly which files  each table requires?

 

Any help and suggestions on this matter would be really appreciated, thanks.

SSJ,

i dunnno if this is what you are looking for.

this is how i do it.

in the C/program/files VP installer table folder right click in the white.

in the sub menu click on "new" then "folder"

rename it.

press enter to confirm.

right click in the white to arrange the folders.

 

ex:    VP8, VP8originals, VP91x, VP91xFS, VP912, VP912FS, VP913, VP913FS, VP914, VP914FS, VP915FS

move the tables into the folders with the scripts in the table folders and outside of the table folders in the VP installer table folder.

when i  DL a table i keep track of what folder it goes in.

some are 91x, 91xFS to 915, 915FS

Edited by chas, 24 February 2013 - 07:57 AM.

[jpsalas]

I have my tables sorted by VP version, like Tables\VP8, Tables\VP9, Tables\VP911, Tables\VP914, I also have Tables\Originals, Tables\PC-games and a few others.

The scripts are only in the Scripts folder, since there is no need to put the script in the same place of the tables. A few older tables have a wrong line at the beginning of the script and it only searches for the scripts in the same folder as the table, but it is quite easy to change.

[ssj]

jpsalas, that seems to be close to what I want to do, so you only have the vpt files inside your table folders? I wasn't aware scripts didn't need to be in the same folder as tables, that's the first time I read something like that.

 

You mention a Scripts folder, where exactly is this folder located? Because I don't see any folder called scripts on Visual Pinball or VPinMAME folder, is this a static folder that Visual Pinball is aware of? Also will this work for VP8.1 tables as well?

My problem is exactly that I thought scripts always needed to be in the same folder as the table being run if that's not the case then I should be able to organize things the way I want to.

 

If you could tell me one table that references scripts on the same folder as the table I'd appreciate it so I could check how that looks like, because I never noticed it before.

[jpsalas]

The scripts folder must be inside your VP folder, and it is called "Scripts". Download the scripts from this site and unpack them into this folder (this includes core.vbs, bally.vbs, wpc.vbs ++ )

 

The vpinmame tables, this is the tables using a ROM, will call the vbs file which corresponds to the manufacturer of the table, and this vbs file will call core.vbs. This is done in a Sub like this, for example this wil call the SEGA.VBS file:

 

LoadVPM "01000200", "SEGA.VBS", 3.02

Sub LoadVPM(VPMver, VBSfile, VBSver)
    On Error Resume Next
    If ScriptEngineMajorVersion < 5 Then MsgBox "VB Script Engine 5.0 or higher required"
    ExecuteGlobal GetTextFile(VBSfile)
    If Err Then MsgBox "Unable to open " & VBSfile & ". Ensure that it is in the same folder as this table. " & vbNewLine & Err.Description
    Set Controller = CreateObject("VPinMAME.Controller")
    If Err Then MsgBox "Can't Load VPinMAME." & vbNewLine & Err.Description
    If VPMver > "" Then If Controller.Version < VPMver Or Err Then MsgBox "VPinMAME ver " & VPMver & " required."
    If VPinMAMEDriverVer < VBSver Or Err Then MsgBox VBSFile & " ver " & VBSver & " or higher required."
    On Error Goto 0
End Sub

 

 

This line is the correct one, and it will find the script in the Scripts folder:

 

    ExecuteGlobal GetTextFile(VBSfile)

 

This line is the older one, which only find the vbs file inside the current folder, and this line needs to be replaced with the one above:

 

    ExecuteGlobal CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject").OpenTextFile(VBSfile, 1).ReadAll

 

So the long one is the wrong one, the short one is the right one

This way I only have one folder with the scripts, and many folders with the tables sorted.

Edited by jpsalas, 25 February 2013 - 03:51 AM.

[darquayle]

Good info jp.  I've had to keep a handful of vbs scripts in my tables directory for exactly the reason you describe.  I just did a little investigation and now I can at least get one of them out of there... My Simpsons table was scripted with the de.vbs needing to be in the local directory.  I changed it as you noted and now it works great with the normal scripts folder version.  I verified my other 11 DE tables are good to go.

 

Now I just need to find out which other tables are using my s7, s11, b2s, and B2Bcollision scripts. 

 

Thanks. DQ

[ssj]

Thanks a lot jpsalas, that was an excellent piece of info, it should be added to the tutorial! I honestly thought that wasn't possible as I never saw it mentioned anywhere, thanks for explaining it in such a clear way. The way you have your folders organized is how I'd like to have mine.

So everything you mentioned will be valid for both VP9 and VP8 right?

[destruk]

Yeah, all I have is a vp tables (romless) folder, and a pinmame tables folder, with the scripts in the scripts folder.

[JohnnyDoe]

I have my tables sorted by VP version, like Tables\VP8, Tables\VP9, Tables\VP911, Tables\VP914, I also have Tables\Originals, Tables\PC-games and a few others.

The scripts are only in the Scripts folder, since there is no need to put the script in the same place of the tables. A few older tables have a wrong line at the beginning of the script and it only searches for the scripts in the same folder as the table, but it is quite easy to change.

Something that could've been brought to my attention YESTERDAY!!!

 

Just kidding, I think I watched a bit too much Sandler the other day...

But really? The scripts don't need to be in the tables-folder? Thats great news. And I agree with "ssj", it should be added to the tutorial.

[xio]

This topic is very interesting, it's such a mess in my VP folder (right now I got no subfolder, all vpt + vbs + hta/exe + b2s in the main folder) !

 

Could the "Direct B2S" files be in a specific folder also ?

[s1500]

It would be neat if .VPT files could be a full-fledged file container format. Ie have not just wav files, image files(assets), but .vbs files it references first(and maybe an option to be overriden by core .vbs files) AND have the .mp3 files + B2S files stuffed in there. One file, that's it.