24 replies to this topic

[Doccus]

I have been getting over 100 script errors , all the same in a whole bunch of pinballs, many of which worked before.. all the ones in question also get stuck balls..

It doesn't matter which version of Visual Pinball I use, except that many of these are 8.1 version ones, but will not run in 8.1 any more because I get the error  "could not create back buffer"

I have the latest scrips, and previously had 9.1.2 installed, but switched to 9.1.5.. i did the full install for 9.1.5, although previously I installed via the "visual pinball kit", or whatever it was called....since the full 9.1.5 install doesn't really add anything over the "executable only" except place folders in the correct location, which I already had, it made no difference My Pinmame is correctly installed, my tables are all in the right place, and I have no duplicate libraries in any path..

I already had a real problem getting Bad Cats tio run, but now it does, ands so do a lot of Uncle Willy's tables and about half of JP Salas's.. the other half of JPS tables are full of script errors. I don't imagine they were when he uploaded them, surely he would know, so what is going on?

The balls getting stuck in the "kicker cup" along with this awful grinding noise, is the worst.. if I edit the script by removing the "slope" property (the only way I can play them) It doesn't seem to affect in any way the table except they all get stuck balls in the kicker cups.. Anyone know WTF is going on..So far there's about a dozen of JP's tables that do this - Simpsons pinball party and Attack from MArs come to mind, but I've been trying for the last 6 hours with over a dozen others to fix them too.. Anyone have any idea?

 Since getting back into Visual pinball again, I have spent5 hours fixing problems for every hour of play, Although I've managed to solve every problem, it's frustrating, because not one had a solution online, anywhere, so I had to trial and error it..

This one is beyond me however.. Anyone?

THX

[unclewilly]

Make sure you have the newest vbs files. The new core.vbs changes the kicker class so it sounds like that is the problem

[faralos]

do you only use 9.1.5?

some of the pins require the earlier versions to play correctly

I use everything from 9.0.7, 9.1.2, 9.1.4, 9.1.5 and 9.1.6

certain pins take certain versions to play right

 like the new NBA fastbreak only plays in 9.1.5 and not 9.1.6

to try to play it in the other versions it either crashed or showed odd errors

maybe you are playing them in the wrong editor?

and yes  make sure you have the latest versions of everything

 from the pinmame to vp itself to the vbs files

[jpsalas]

Just to add to what faralos said: most of the older pins won't play under VP9. Use VP8 to play the older pins, there are too many changes in VP9, as you have seen.

[Doccus]

Part of the problem is, indeed that they appear to be only compatible with 8.1.. Actually, I have found 9.1.5 to be surprisingly compatible with the earlier pinballs.. but I already came to the conclusion that it must be an 8.1 specific issue. Unfortunately, 8.1 will no longer run.. I get an error with every file "could not create back buffer".. It appears to have started since I started using 9.1.5 regularly..

 The other issue, if indeed the vbs files, is problematic, as I have the latest ones..however, since it is the very same files with the "slope" issue where the balls get stuck in the kickers, I expect it is also that they are 8.1 specific tables.. All my other issues have been resolved, it appears that it is only some version 8.1 tables that are the problem.. But since I cannot get 8.1 to play any tables, it looks like i'll not bother with them at all.. the good ones have all been upgraded to 9x anyways..... I have found that 9.1.5 plays all the really old tables perfectly, (the rom-less ones) and all the newer ones, much more trouble free than 9.1.2...

I would like to know what the 8.1 error is all about "could not create back buffer".. Anyone?

 

 

Oh incidentally, thanks for replying JP.. your tables are just fantastic, and I am glad they all seem to run OK...

Edited by Doccus, 12 June 2013 - 05:28 AM.

[Doccus]

Incidentally, JP, since you're here at the moment.. why would some of your tables have so many big green squares over the table? in "Attack from Mars v.2.4"  I had to individually select each one in the editor and uncheck "make visible".. can this be some weird kind of file corruption due to perhaps server issues? I can't imagine what could cause a file to randomly check off settings... I've seen this twice now.. the other one was, I think, Star Wars Trilogy... Again, I had to find all the green squares in the editor, and uncheck the "make visible" bit.. Any ideas what's going on? THX

Edited by Doccus, 12 June 2013 - 06:04 AM.

[chas]

Doc,,,,the only errors i have had is "cannot open core".....

"cannnot create back buffer" is RAM.....using plenty of highspeed RAM solved it for me.

the only "slope error" i have had is older pins with external scripts in vp9.......vp6 and vp8 will play in vp91x...not all...

are the tables with "slope' error have external scripts?

[sleepy]

The slope error can occur with a pre-VP9 table when played on a VP9+ Player, or can occur when playing a VP9+ table using a pre VP9.exe.

 

This happens when the table's script uses the .Slope Command in a pre-VP9 table and is played on a VP9+.exe,

or when a VP9+ table uses the .MinSlope or .MaxSlope commands in the script and is played on a pre VP9.exe, VP8.1, etc.

 

Before VP9, the command to change the slope in a Table1 table in the script was Table1.Slope = 6

After VP9, that command was changed to Table1.MinSlope = 6. When searching for the lines in the script, replace the Table1 with the name of the table and the 6 can also be changed to any working value that you might prefer.

 

The thing is, VP9+ no longer recognizes the command Table1.Slope, while pre VP9.exes cannot recognize the commands Table1.MinSlope or Table1.MaxSlope. .MinSlope is the direct replacement for .Slope while .MaxSlope has no apparent connection to the former .Slope command.

 

And that Kicker grinding noise is probably due to the ball falling back into the Kicker at a rapid repetitive rate after you eliminated the script's Slope command. There may be insufficient Slope and the ball has no way to roll down and away from the Kicker if the Kicker is set to a low angular force, while "the grinding noise" is the .wav sound for the Kicker overlapping on top of itself in the audio output due to the ball rapidly falling back into the Kicker.

That will happen if the Kicker is instructed to simply kick the ball back out again on hit, but the ball has no slope or angular force to leave by.

Edited by sleepy, 12 June 2013 - 01:29 PM.

[sleepy]

And if the VP8.1 tables are Not behaving when using VP8.1.exe, then it sounds like the Windows Registry Entries for Visual Pinball are still holding settings from a previous installation or from another version. I would try uninstalling VP8.1 and VP 9+ and all other installed copies of VP and if you do not have VP8.1 or VP9+ installed, then install a copy of the full version to provide easy access to the registry entries. Then Uninstall it to Remove those hanging entries and once done, then re-install the full version VP8.1. 

 

Then do not install VP9, just use the VP9+ .exe only and run it on the VP8.1 installation. That may not work for everyone, but that is how I have my setup.

 

Also, if you used the VIP kit, is there an Uninstall option there? Try running the VIP installer and see if it displays an Uninstall option, or check with Windows' Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs to see if the VIP kit has an entry there, and if so, then try uninstalling it.

Edited by sleepy, 12 June 2013 - 09:25 AM.

[faralos]

 the table1.slope=6  thing is in the vp8 tables only

 I have a wip (going on three years now!) that uses such properties in it

 the table is my dogtown wip and it is being built in vp8

as you can see this option is in the vp8 table template made by Anthias

and not from me putting it in!

trying to do that adjustment in vp9 only crashes the pin

I only hope that by the time I finish it people will still be playing vp8 desktop pins!

Attached Files

•  table slope.JPG   77.62KB   13 downloads
•  vp9 crash table slope properties.JPG   147.67KB   10 downloads

[sleepy]

Yes faralos. In VP8 you say Table1.Slope = 6 (actually NameOfTable.Slope = 6), but in VP9+ you say Table1.MinSlope = 6

Else neither will work in the other .exe version.

[jpsalas]

About the green squares: those are transparent ramps (in VP called alpha ramps). They need hardware rendering on, but after turning hardware rendering on you must quit VP and run it again, otherwise you'll see a lot of white squares all over instead of graphics.

[chas]

is there a fix for the tables with a "cannot open core" error or did i miss it?

[sleepy]

Would that be the "Cannot open core.VBS" error?

 

If it's a VPinMame table, you might need to Update the .vbs files. Unzip them to the Tables folder.

And if you've already done that, then close VP and try a Right-Click on the VP.exe that you were running

> choose Properties > the General tab and check to see if the .exe is BLOCKED for "coming from another computer".

If so, then click the UNBLOCK button, then the O.K. button, then restart VP and try the table.

 

The only other one that I know regarding the VPinMame core.vbs file would be when trying to run a VPinball.exe without first installing the Visual Pinball Full_Version. If the installation has become corrupted, then you might need to Uninstall and re-install VP Full_Version.

[chas]

Would that be the "Cannot open core.VBS" error?

 

If it's a VPinMame table, you might need to Update the .vbs files. Unzip them to the Tables folder.

And if you've already done that, then close VP and try a Right-Click on the VP.exe that you were running

> choose Properties > the General tab and check to see if the .exe is BLOCKED for "coming from another computer".

If so, then click the UNBLOCK button, then the O.K. button, then restart VP and try the table.

 

The only other one that I know regarding the VPinMame core.vbs file would be when trying to run a VPinball.exe without first installing the Visual Pinball Full_Version. If the installation has become corrupted, then you might need to Uninstall and re-install VP Full_Version.

tried R/click on all of the the 91x exec 912 - 914,  474 and 588, properties, then general tab.....did not see anything for the blocked thing......where is it ?

[sleepy]

If the .exe is blocked, you'll find the Unblock button on the .exe or Shortcut Right-Click > choose Properties > General tab.

It'll be at the bottom of the General tab pane in the "Security" section with a message,

"This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer"

and the Unblock button will be right alongside the message.

Edited by sleepy, 16 June 2013 - 06:41 AM.

[FlipperManiac]

do you only use 9.1.5?

I use everything from 9.0.7, 9.1.2, 9.1.4, 9.1.5 and 9.1.6

certain pins take certain versions to play right

 

How do you do this?  Obviously, you need multiple .exes, for each version, but is there a way to associate a

certain game to a certain .exe?  So that HyperPin automatically starts certain games with certain versions?

Or how do you do it manually?   Thanks much

Edited by FlipperManiac, 16 June 2013 - 12:05 PM.

[chas]

If the .exe is blocked, you'll find the Unblock button on the .exe or Shortcut Right-Click > choose Properties > General tab.

It'll be at the bottom of the General tab pane in the "Security" section with a message,

"This file came from another computer and might be blocked to help protect this computer"

and the Unblock button will be right alongside the message.

 

in win7 all desktop 91x exec and shortcut properties......security, details, previous versions, general, shortcut and compability.....click on security, advanced,  then effective permissions----.full control etc.....did not find the block thing anywhere.

 

in XP all 91x desktop properties only has ......general, version, compabiliity and summary.......there are no options in the 91x desktop exec in XP like win7..... how do XP users make the changes in the 91x desktop exec shortcut in XP to full control or block thing?....so basically win7 has the all the tab options in the first paragraph in the 91xdesktop exec but not in my XP.....there is no security tab and alot of other options not in my XPhome like win7.....

 

FM>>>>>>>How do you do this?  Obviously, you need multiple .exes, for each version, but is there a way to associate a

certain game to a certain .exe?  So that HyperPin automatically starts certain games with certain versions?

Or how do you do it manually?   Thanks much

 

just my opinion......im running ok.......i created folders for the different versions ......EX: 91xFS, 912fs, etc...... when i DLd i put into the folder.....some are titled what version it was built in......you can have 912-916 on desktop.....copy paste the 912-916 in C/programfiles with the vpfolders and all the pb stuff....right click on the silver ball .... send to----->desktop.....use the freeimage in drop box-----dropbox....VPinball Builds

Edited by chas, 16 June 2013 - 10:31 PM.

[Doccus]

To the  replies ..thank you.. Re Ram.. firstly, I'm using "Virtual Box" , and although I haver really high speed RAM in my Mac , and have assigned 4 gigs to Virtual Box, I cannot enable hardware rendering.. i simply get a crash... probably an issue using a virtual environment. I had very few tables anyways with the green square issue, and deselecting "make visible" seemed to solve the problem anyways..

 I agree that it probably would require uninstalling and reinstalling in order to enable 8.1 to work again.. the problem only occurred after windows automatically "reinstalled" VP.. for some reason it occasionally "loses" the install, and required the installer after I clicked on a table.. after one of these incidents, when it was a 9.1.5 MSI installer it ran, suddenly 8.1 no longer worked. Since I have over 180 perfectly working tables, and all of yours also, JP, i'm, quite satisfied..

 I do wish I could remember the "opeen..quit" command instead of always ending up in the editor..it's  the only issue left...

 THX everybody..

[faralos]

I would like to know what the 8.1 error is all about "could not create back buffer".. Anyone?

I used to get this when I used to use vp9 to build my VP8 tables.

See in working with vp8 you cannot export sounds from the pins

 so I used to (after vp9 was made of course) use vp9 to extract clips and music

from other pins then import them into my vp8 one

but sometimes I'd by accident save the pin in vp9

(I used to have both vp9 and vp8 open at the same time)

 okay not to go into all of it now but saving a table made in vp8 with vp9

 ya' get odd crashes OR like your problem the next time I try to open it in vp8

I'd get the same error as you

Edited by faralos, 18 June 2013 - 01:36 PM.