4 replies to this topic

[DDH69]

DOFLinx  can be downloaded here

 

The Direct Output Framework R3++ beta can be downloaded here

 

What is DOFLinx?

DOFLinx is a utility to provide a bit of extra force feedback functionality in your pinball cabinet.  It uses the great DOF by Swisslizard to connect to PacLed64, LedWiz, SainSmart, Pinscape, PinConrol1, PinControl2 and Ultimate IO devices.  It can run up to 9 logical devices, more than I’ve seen anyone with so far!  It cam also drive XBox controller rumble motors, allow for a full cabinet setting menu that controls hardware, add nudge to Pinball FX, add DOF to FP, and so much more.

 

Knowing what DOFLinx does can be a bit confusing as DOFLinx can be used in essentially three different ways.  These methods can be inter-mixed, and even at the same time as you get more and more complex configurations.  A quick overview of those is below.

 

Method 1

• This mode requires no feedback / link / change from your emulator.
• DOFLinx activates when your nominated emulator start (ie Pinball FX2, FP, VP, etc) and monitors for when you press your flipper keys.  When you press those keys it fires your flipper solenoids.
• You can assign keys to activate other outputs (ie nudge key to set the under cabinet red and give the shaker a run)
• RGB devices can be set to add colour in a variety of patterns, triggered by various events
• Game flag files can be used to enable DOFLinx for only certain tables, so if you are using VP9 for example where many tables are DOF’ed, set this up and get flippers plus some colour easily for those non-DOF’ed tables.

Method 2

• Programs, batch files and VB Script can send messages to DOFLinx at any time to activate a device or RGB item
• This is done via a named pipe, one method of inter-process communication
• Using this functionality is only limited by your imagination
• Parameters can be set using the DOFLInxMsg utility in real time for such things as ‘Launch Before’ and ‘Launch After’ changes from your favourite front-end

Method 3

• In this mode, FP tables with DOFLinx code can control your toys and lighting from the table script
• DOFLinx established bi-directional real-time communication with FP
• This does not require a modified version of FP
• All FP versions should work, three different ones were used during development
• FX2 and FX3 tables with FX2 memory map files will provide full force feedback
• FX2 and FX3 tables can have force feedback actions scripted using similar script used for FP above, or simply enjoy the default scripts provided

 

Remember, all three methods can be used in the one configuration.  As a suggestion, start simple and build up from there.  A full guide exists in the download and should help make things clearer.

 

Basic Installation

1. Find the folder on your system containing DOF, ie C:\DirectOutput.  It will be the folder with DirectOutput.dll, ledwiz.dll, ftd2xx.dll, pacdrive.dll in it.
2. Unpack the DOFLinx Vx.x.zip into this folder.
3. Edit the supplied DOFLinx.INI or create your own for your setup.

Basic FP Table Linking

1. Ensure you have “Future Pinball” as one of your processes, ie “PROCESSES=Pinball FX2,Pinball FX3,Future Pinball” in your DOFLinx.INI file.
2. Add the parameter FP_ATTEMPT_LINK=1 to your DOFLinx.INI file
3. Setup all of your LINK_xx= parameters where xx=LF,RF,LS,RS,ML,MC,MR,BL,BC,BR,SH,GR,KN,ST,EB,CN,EX,LB,FN.SR,BK
4. Add DOFLinx.vbs to your FP scripts folder.  If your folder structure was C:\FP\Tables then this folder would be C:\FP\Scripts.
5. Run your DOF’ed FP table.

Edited by DDH69, 12 May 2019 - 06:20 AM.

[freneticamnesic]

Can you recommend a good demo FP table to try this out with?

[DDH69]

Can you recommend a good demo FP table to try this out with?

 

I'm in the process of loading two tables that I DOF'ed and we've been testing with now.  I will start a thread to list tables that have been DOF'ed by all shortly.  Hopefully the list gets longer quickly ..... who knows!

 

And Done ... Thread with Links to DOFLinx tables

Edited by DDH69, 13 September 2016 - 07:45 AM.

[TerryRed]

Can you recommend a good demo FP table to try this out with?

 

We are working on it...it's a learning process for me to do scripting on any tables! It's not hard to add it in once you know how. I can't do any noisy testing at night right now....  

 

I make use of DOFLinx's "night mode" function so that I can still get all the mechanical in-game sounds from a DOFLinx'd Future Pinball table at night. I have my noise makers in the cabinet turned off while the family sleeps.... but now I still get the light feedback, and the table plays with full sound effects.  It can all be changed with the push of a button at any time while playing. Nice feature!

 

We're still figuring out what tables would be the best to show off here!

[Vizzini]

If you are seeking suggestions for tables to Linx, everyone, I mean everyone, who has played my cab loaded up Rom's/SLAMT1LT's Jaws. That's a must add. Actually, all the original tables on SLAM's site are excellent candidates.