1532 replies to this topic

[hlr53]

Tried the zip from today. It loads dmdext.exe just fine either using a batch file or straight command line in your example:

[NOWAIT] "d:\path to\dmdext.exe"  mirror --source=pinballfx3  --whatever-other-options-are-in-the-batch-file

 

But FX3 refuses to launch in either case. If I manually kill the cmd.exe window while PBY is running, FX3 launches. It is NOT set to run as administrator.

Edited by hlr53, 11 September 2018 - 09:45 PM.

[mjr]

Tried the zip from today. It loads dmdext.exe just fine either using a batch file or straight command line in your example:

[NOWAIT] "d:\path to\dmdext.exe"  mirror --source=pinballfx3  --whatever-other-options-are-in-the-batch-file

 

But FX3 refuses to launch in either case. If I manually kill the cmd.exe window while PBY is running, FX3 launches. It is NOT set to run as administrator.

 

You have everything set like this, right?:
 

- Run Before set to the command above

 

- Program EXE to to [STEAM]

 

- Program Parameters set to the normal -applaunch for FX3

 

I just want to make sure you're not expecting Run Before to launch FX3.  FX3 has to be launched separately from dmdext.  dmdext just sits there waiting for FX3 to run separately.

 

And you wrote [NOWAIT] in all upper case?

 

You might actually want to change that to [NOWAIT TERMINATE] to make sure dmdext gets killed after FX3 exits.

 

If that's how you have everything set up, it sounds like the problem is in the [NOWAIT] processing.  What do you see in the log file?  (Make sure launch logging is turned on.)

Edited by mjr, 11 September 2018 - 10:01 PM.

[TerryRed]

Some very good news!

 

Bad news first. You still need both fx3 and dmdext to Run as Admin for it to work like it did before.....BUT....

 

With your new dmdext, it closes out now in ALL situations (admin or no admin). So if you have both fx3 and dmdext run as admin, the new memory grabber method works for everything AND it closes out correctly which also means PuP-Packs also close out correctly!

 

This will save me from telling everyone that they MUST use the --fx3-legacy method....

 

....but it also means updating all my guides again...lol!

[mjr]

Some very good news!

 

Bad news first. You still need both fx3 and dmdext to Run as Admin for it to work like it did before.....BUT....

 

With your new dmdext, it closes out now in ALL situations (admin or no admin). So if you have both fx3 and dmdext run as admin, the new memory grabber method works for everything AND it closes out correctly which also means PuP-Packs also close out correctly!

 

Well, that's good at least.  

 

But you really, really should not have to run in Admin mode.  That is a bug - accept no excuses to the contrary.  What behavior do you see in non-Admin mode?

(And I assume you're talking about running this from the plain Windows desktop without any of the pinup stuff involved, pack or popper or otherwise.  Just dmdext and FX3.  There could be a whole separate issue with the pinup code if that's involved, especially if you're running any of *that* in Admin mode.)

Edited by mjr, 11 September 2018 - 11:27 PM.

[TerryRed]

 

Some very good news!

 

Bad news first. You still need both fx3 and dmdext to Run as Admin for it to work like it did before.....BUT....

 

With your new dmdext, it closes out now in ALL situations (admin or no admin). So if you have both fx3 and dmdext run as admin, the new memory grabber method works for everything AND it closes out correctly which also means PuP-Packs also close out correctly!

 

Well, that's good at least.  

 

But you really, really should not have to run in Admin mode.  That is a bug - accept no excuses to the contrary.  What behavior do you see in non-Admin mode?

(And I assume you're talking about running this from the plain Windows desktop without any of the pinup stuff involved.  There could be a whole separate issue with pinup if that's involved.)

 

 

 

 

Correct...outside of any program or front end...no pinup used.

 

This is my batch file:

 

 

cd "C:\Visual Pinball\VPinMAME"

 

start /min "" "dmdext.exe" mirror --source=pinballfx3 -q -d virtual --virtual-hide-grip --virtual-position=3878 1524 1280

 

START "" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steam.exe" -applaunch 442120 -table_BobsBurgers

 

 

 

If dmdext and fx3 are both not run as admin, then 50% of the time the freezy DMD will load but then close out when the table is loading / starting (maybe its crashing). the other 50% of the time it works.

 

 

If dmdext and fx3 are BOTH run as admin (it has to be both), then freezy dmd works everytime...going in and out of fx3 many many times, and closing out on its own.

[mjr]

If dmdext and fx3 are both not run as admin, then 50% of the time the freezy DMD will load but then close out when the table is loading / starting (maybe its crashing). the other 50% of the time it works.

 

If dmdext and fx3 are BOTH run as admin (it has to be both), then freezy dmd works everytime...going in and out of fx3 many many times, and closing out on its own.

 

Interesting...  If it's working 50% of the time, then clearly Admin mode isn't outright required.  I mean, if it were, it would work 0% of the time without it, right?  Which means that Admin mode must not be the crucial factor; it's only doing something that "covers up" the real problem.

 

Have you looked at the log on one of the 50% of times it exits prematurely?  Maybe that will explain why it's doing that.

Edited by mjr, 11 September 2018 - 11:46 PM.

[TerryRed]

I can't seem to find the log for dmdext....

 

Here's the dmdext.log.config file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<nlog xmlns="http://www.nlog-project.org/schemas/NLog.xsd"
      xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"
      xsi:schemaLocation="http://www.nlog-project.org/schemas/NLog.xsd NLog.xsd"
      autoReload="true"
      throwExceptions="false"
      internalLogLevel="Off" internalLogFile="c:\temp\nlog-internal.log" >

    <targets>

        <!-- 
            add your targets here 
            See https://github.com/nlog/NLog/wiki/Targets for possible targets.
            See https://github.com/nlog/NLog/wiki/Layout-Renderers for the possible layout renderers.
        -->

        <target name="console" xsi:type="ColoredConsole" useDefaultRowHighlightingRules="false"
             layout="${pad:padding=4:inner=[${threadid}]} ${date} ${pad:padding=5:inner=${level:uppercase=true}} | ${message} ${exception:format=ToString}">
            <highlight-row condition="level == LogLevel.Trace" foregroundColor="DarkGray" />
            <highlight-row condition="level == LogLevel.Debug" foregroundColor="DarkGray" />
            <highlight-row condition="level == LogLevel.Info" foregroundColor="Gray" />
            <highlight-row condition="level == LogLevel.Warn" foregroundColor="Yellow" />
            <highlight-row condition="level == LogLevel.Error" foregroundColor="Red" />
            <highlight-row condition="level == LogLevel.Fatal" foregroundColor="Magenta" />
        </target>

    </targets>

    <rules>
        <logger name="*" minlevel="Debug" writeTo="console" />
    </rules>
</nlog>

[TerryRed]

OK...so figured out the logging... 

 

Here is a working log:

 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:07:05.105  INFO | Launching console tool. 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:07:05.202  INFO | Added VirtualDMD renderer. 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:07:05.202  INFO | Resizing virtual DMD to 128x32 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:07:05.212  INFO | Setting up Render Graph for 1 destination(s) 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:07:05.212  INFO | Connecting Pinball FX3 to Dmd (ColoredGray2 => Rgb24) 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:07:05.230  INFO | Waiting for Pinball FX3 to spawn... 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:07:05.256  INFO | Press CTRL+C to close. 

 [3] 2018/09/11 20:07:15.270  INFO | Reading DMD data from Pinball FX3's memory at 25 fps... 

 [3] 2018/09/11 20:07:15.274  INFO | Frames coming in from Pinball FX3. 

 [3] 2018/09/11 20:07:23.042  INFO | Frames stopped from Pinball FX3. 

 [3] 2018/09/11 20:07:23.042  INFO | Exiting. 

 [3] 2018/09/11 20:07:23.042 DEBUG | Disposing Render Graph... 

 [3] 2018/09/11 20:07:23.058  INFO | Source for 1 renderer(s) stopped. 

 

 

Here is a not working log:

 

[1] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.779  INFO | Launching console tool. 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.881  INFO | Added VirtualDMD renderer. 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.887  INFO | Resizing virtual DMD to 128x32 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.887  INFO | Setting up Render Graph for 1 destination(s) 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.899  INFO | Connecting Pinball FX3 to Dmd (ColoredGray2 => Rgb24) 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.899  INFO | Waiting for Pinball FX3 to spawn... 

 [1] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.939  INFO | Press CTRL+C to close. 

 [4] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.984 ERROR | Index was outside the bounds of the array. 

 [4] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.984 ERROR | System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array.

   at LibDmd.Input.PinballFX.PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.FindPattern(Process gameProc, Int32 gameBase, Int32 size, Byte[] bytePattern, Int32 offset) in D:\per\Visual Pinball Cabinet Project\dmd-extensions\LibDmd\Input\PinballFX\PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.cs:line 292

   at LibDmd.Input.PinballFX.PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.GetPointerBaseAddress(Process gameProc) in D:\per\Visual Pinball Cabinet Project\dmd-extensions\LibDmd\Input\PinballFX\PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.cs:line 279

   at LibDmd.Input.PinballFX.PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.FindGameHandle() in D:\per\Visual Pinball Cabinet Project\dmd-extensions\LibDmd\Input\PinballFX\PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.cs:line 204

   at LibDmd.Input.PinballFX.PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.<>c__DisplayClass30_0.<StartPolling>b__0(Int64 x) in D:\per\Visual Pinball Cabinet Project\dmd-extensions\LibDmd\Input\PinballFX\PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.cs:line 78

   at System.Reactive.AnonymousSafeObserver`1.OnNext(T value)

   at System.Reactive.Linq.ObservableImpl.TakeUntil`2._.T.OnNext(TSource value)

   at System.Reactive.Linq.ObservableImpl.Timer.TimerImpl.InvokeStart(IScheduler self, Object state)

--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---

   at System.Reactive.PlatformServices.DefaultExceptionServices.Rethrow(Exception exception)

   at System.Reactive.Linq.ObservableImpl.Timer.TimerImpl.InvokeStart(IScheduler self, Object state)

   at System.Reactive.Concurrency.DefaultScheduler.<>c__DisplayClass1`1.<Schedule>b__0(Object _)

   at System.Reactive.Concurrency.DefaultConcurrencyAbstractionLayer.<>c__DisplayClass1.<QueueUserWorkItem>b__0(Object _)

   at System.Threading.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.WaitCallback_Context(Object state)

   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)

   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)

   at System.Threading.QueueUserWorkItemCallback.System.Threading.IThreadPoolWorkItem.ExecuteWorkItem()

   at System.Threading.ThreadPoolWorkQueue.Dispatch()

   at System.Threading._ThreadPoolWaitCallback.PerformWaitCallback() 

 

 

 

 

[hlr53]

 

Tried the zip from today. It loads dmdext.exe just fine either using a batch file or straight command line in your example:
[NOWAIT] "d:\path to\dmdext.exe"  mirror --source=pinballfx3  --whatever-other-options-are-in-the-batch-file
 
But FX3 refuses to launch in either case. If I manually kill the cmd.exe window while PBY is running, FX3 launches. It is NOT set to run as administrator.

 
You have everything set like this, right?:
 
- Run Before set to the command above
 
- Program EXE to to [STEAM]
 
- Program Parameters set to the normal -applaunch for FX3
 
I just want to make sure you're not expecting Run Before to launch FX3.  FX3 has to be launched separately from dmdext.  dmdext just sits there waiting for FX3 to run separately.
 
And you wrote [NOWAIT] in all upper case?
 
You might actually want to change that to [NOWAIT TERMINATE] to make sure dmdext gets killed after FX3 exits.
 
If that's how you have everything set up, it sounds like the problem is in the [NOWAIT] processing.  What do you see in the log file?  (Make sure launch logging is turned on.)
 

 
I swear I had it all all set up correct this afternoon but now it is working. As one ages :-(
 
Definitely need the TERMINATE added. It will launch without it but after going back to PBY from FX3 3 or 4 times bad things happen in memory and everything locks up. Probably looked like Terry's non working log. I didn't check though.
 
I'm using: [NOWAIT TERMINATE] d:\dmdext.exe  mirror --source=pinballfx3 on my system
 
Now I cannot launch an individual table but I don't think that's a PBY problem. Now after FX3 launches an enter key gets put in and then it goes to the main menu after hitting enter. I ran the Williams Beta last week which nukes the other tables one owns. (Real BS they set it up this way!! Idiots #%%$^#). To get the owned tables back you have to opt out of the FX3 beta in Steam. I'll look at that later.
 
All the time I have this evening. Will look at PBA tomorrow.
 
Thanks MJR!

Edited by hlr53, 12 September 2018 - 12:28 AM.

[mjr]

 

OK...so figured out the logging... 

 

Here is a not working log:

 [4] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.984 ERROR | Index was outside the bounds of the array. 

 [4] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.984 ERROR | System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array.

   at LibDmd.Input.PinballFX.PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.FindPattern(Process gameProc, Int32 gameBase, Int32 size, Byte[] bytePattern, Int32 offset) in D:\per\Visual Pinball Cabinet 

 

Excellent!  Thanks for getting the log.  That's very helpful at least in pointing out the immediate problem.  The crash is coming from an obvious defect in the memory grabber code.  Let's fix that and see what the next problem is...

 

http://mjrnet.org/pi...n-20180911a.zip

 

(I cleaned up a bunch of other stuff in here while I was at it, which probably means I created five or ten new problems.  If this crashes and burns in some new way I'll try doing an isolated fix with just the buffer overrun bug fixed.  But hopefully I proofed the changes carefully enough.)

 

The reason Admin mode made a difference?  Pure dumb luck.  The problem is memory configuration dependent.  When you run in Admin mode it rearranges memory for the running processes.  In your particular configuration, on this particular Tuesday, Admin mode was just by pure blind chance rearranging memory into a favorable layout.

Edited by mjr, 12 September 2018 - 04:55 AM.

[mjr]

I swear I had it all all set up correct this afternoon but now it is working. As one ages :-(

 

Well that's great news!  

 

You might want to grab the slightly updated version above with the new bug fix for TerryRed, as you might randomly hit that too.  It's a memory layout issue, so it's kind of random.  

 

 

 I ran the Williams Beta last week which nukes the other tables one owns. (Real BS they set it up this way!! Idiots #%%$^#). To get the owned tables back you have to opt out of the FX3 beta in Steam. I'll look at that later.

 

Well, that's just great.  Maybe it wasn't a Farsight thing after all - maybe "user unfriendly" just comes as a free bonus with the Williams licenses.

 

 

Will look at PBA tomorrow.

 

Sounds good.  I should warn you that the latest PBA push from Farsight (1.71.8 DX) appears to have partially (mostly, really) broken Freezy's TPA memory grabber.  With this push it seems to work sporadically for some games and not at all for others.  I thought it was something I broke with all of the patching I've done to this thing, but I went back and tried Freezy's official 1.7.1 release, and exact same behavior.  I think Farsight must have rejiggered the internal memory layout that Freezy is hacking into.  If you think those keyboard scripts are hard to keep running...

[TerryRed]

 

 

OK...so figured out the logging... 

 

Here is a not working log:

 [4] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.984 ERROR | Index was outside the bounds of the array. 

 [4] 2018/09/11 20:08:51.984 ERROR | System.IndexOutOfRangeException: Index was outside the bounds of the array.

   at LibDmd.Input.PinballFX.PinballFX3MemoryGrabber.FindPattern(Process gameProc, Int32 gameBase, Int32 size, Byte[] bytePattern, Int32 offset) in D:\per\Visual Pinball Cabinet 

 

Excellent!  Thanks for getting the log.  That's very helpful at least in pointing out the immediate problem.  The crash is coming from an obvious defect in the memory grabber code.  Let's fix that and see what the next problem is...

 

http://mjrnet.org/pi...n-20180911a.zip

 

(I cleaned up a bunch of other stuff in here while I was at it, which probably means I created five or ten new problems.  If this crashes and burns in some new way I'll try doing an isolated fix with just the buffer overrun bug fixed.  But hopefully I proofed the changes carefully enough.)

 

The reason Admin mode made a difference?  Pure dumb luck.  The problem is memory configuration dependent.  When you run in Admin mode it rearranges memory for the running processes.  In your particular configuration, on this particular Tuesday, Admin mode was just by pure blind chance rearranging memory into a favorable layout.

 

 

 

More good news.

 

This new version runs perfect with fx3 and dmdext NOT running as admin using new grabber method!

 

This was outside of any other front end.

 

Then tried in Popper with multiple FX3 tables which in turn uses SSF PuP-Packs and the Aliens PuP-Pack. All working without needing to be in Admin!

 

I entered and exited numerous FX3 tables...then tried VPX with some pup-pack..then back to FX3...then FP with pup-pack....then back to fx3. dmdext runs perfect and closes out everytime as does every pup pack.

 

Well done!

[mjr]

More good news.

 

This new version runs perfect with fx3 and dmdext NOT running as admin using new grabber method!

 

This was outside of any other front end.

 

Then tried in Popper with multiple FX3 tables which in turn uses SSF PuP-Packs and the Aliens PuP-Pack. All working without needing to be in Admin!

 

I entered and exited numerous FX3 tables...then tried VPX with some pup-pack..then back to FX3...then FP with pup-pack....then back to fx3. dmdext runs perfect and closes out everytime as does every pup pack.

 

Well, hooray!  I'm really glad we were able to get to the bottom of this.

 

I've pushed all of those updates into github, so Freezy can consider them at his leisure for incorporation into the mainline.  In the meantime, I'll post binaries of the x86 and x64 builds on my github fork so that you can point people to them until the official release gets the fixes.

[hlr53]

 

More good news.

 

This new version runs perfect with fx3 and dmdext NOT running as admin using new grabber method!

 

This was outside of any other front end.

 

Then tried in Popper with multiple FX3 tables which in turn uses SSF PuP-Packs and the Aliens PuP-Pack. All working without needing to be in Admin!

 

I entered and exited numerous FX3 tables...then tried VPX with some pup-pack..then back to FX3...then FP with pup-pack....then back to fx3. dmdext runs perfect and closes out everytime as does every pup pack.

 

Well done!

 

 

Terry,

 

Slightly off topic but are you able to launch individual tables out of PBY or Popper or even PBX if you still use it?

 

 

Well, that's just great.  Maybe it wasn't a Farsight thing after all - maybe "user unfriendly" just comes as a free bonus with the Williams licenses.

 

 

Will look at PBA tomorrow.

 

Good point on the license. Who knows?

 

 

Sounds good.  I should warn you that the latest PBA push from Farsight (1.71.8 DX) appears to have partially (mostly, really) broken Freezy's TPA memory grabber.  With this push it seems to work sporadically for some games and not at all for others.  I thought it was something I broke with all of the patching I've done to this thing, but I went back and tried Freezy's official 1.7.1 release, and exact same behavior.  I think Farsight must have rejiggered the internal memory layout that Freezy is hacking into.  If you think those keyboard scripts are hard to keep running...

 

 

Well isn't that special! I'm sure they broke FCM also. At least with FCM the virtual DMD goes into the back glass. I have to see if I can launch DX11 today. Got sidetracked on FX3. Maybe direct path on the command line using Run (2).

Edited by hlr53, 12 September 2018 - 11:04 AM.

[TerryRed]

 

 

More good news.

 

This new version runs perfect with fx3 and dmdext NOT running as admin using new grabber method!

 

This was outside of any other front end.

 

Then tried in Popper with multiple FX3 tables which in turn uses SSF PuP-Packs and the Aliens PuP-Pack. All working without needing to be in Admin!

 

I entered and exited numerous FX3 tables...then tried VPX with some pup-pack..then back to FX3...then FP with pup-pack....then back to fx3. dmdext runs perfect and closes out everytime as does every pup pack.

 

Well done!

 

 

Terry,

 

Slightly off topic but are you able to launch individual tables out of PBY or Popper or even PBX if you still use it?

 

 

 

 

With using Popper...yes everything for FX3 launches and works like it normally should with this new dmdext using the new grabber method. Tables launch directly from the front end.

[mjr]

 I have to see if I can launch DX11 today. Got sidetracked on FX3. Maybe direct path on the command line using Run (2).

 

If you're talking about launching Pinball Arcade, you really should put that in the Program EXE + Parameters rather than Run Before or Run After.  You could launch the game from any of the slots, I suppose, but PinballY won't know that it's *the game* if you put it in one of the other slots, so PBY won't be able to give it the various bits of special treatment the game gets.  PBY assumes the game isn't running yet when it's working on the Run Before slots, and assumes the game has already finished when processing the Run After slots.

[hlr53]

Running your latest dmdext build I cannot shut off the virtual DMD. Trying out FX3. TPA is currently FUBAR. I have the --no virtual set in the command line and in dmddevice config file I have set it to false. Am if missing something else?

 

[global]
; how to downscale SEGA 192x64 pixel games to smaller displays: fit, fill or stretch
resize = fit
; flips the image horizontally
fliphorizontally = false
; flips the image vertically
flipvertically = false
; enable or disable frame-by-frame colorization (inactive in VPX bundle)
colorize = true

; a DMD that renders with nice dots on a computer monitor
[virtualdmd]
enabled = false
; virtual dmd stays on top of all other windows
stayontop = false
; hide the resize grip
hidegrip = false
; ignore the aspect ratio of the rendered dots when resizing
ignorear = false
; use VPM's registry values when positioning the virtual dmd
useregistry = false
; x-axis of the window position
left = 0         
; y-axis of the window position
top = 0          
; width of the dmd in monitor pixels
width = 1024     
; height of the dmd in monitor pixels
height = 256     
; scale the dot size (set to 0.8 for same size as pre-1.6.0)
dotsize = 1.0

[pindmd1]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a pinDMD1
enabled = false  

[pindmd2]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a pinDMD2
enabled = false  

[pindmd3]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a pinDMD3
enabled = true
; COM port, e.g. COM3
     

[[Removed for Trademark Infringement]]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a [Removed for Trademark Infringement]
enabled = false 

[browserstream]
; if enabled, stream to your browser in your LAN
enabled = false
port = 9090

[vpdbstream]
; if enabled, stream DMD to https://test.vpdb.io/live
enabled = false
endpoint = https://api-test.vpdb.io/

[video]
; if enabled, writes frames to an .avi file
enabled = false  
; path to folder or .avi file. if folder, gamename.avi is used.
path =

[pinup]
; if enabled, send frames to PinUP.
enabled = false

 

dmdext is running and shutting down perfectly.

Edited by hlr53, 12 September 2018 - 09:11 PM.

[TerryRed]

Running your latest dmdext build I cannot shut off the virtual DMD. I have the --no virtual set in the command line and in dmddevice config file I have set it to false. Am if missing something else?

 

[global]
; how to downscale SEGA 192x64 pixel games to smaller displays: fit, fill or stretch
resize = fit
; flips the image horizontally
fliphorizontally = false
; flips the image vertically
flipvertically = false
; enable or disable frame-by-frame colorization (inactive in VPX bundle)
colorize = true

; a DMD that renders with nice dots on a computer monitor
[virtualdmd]
enabled = false
; virtual dmd stays on top of all other windows
stayontop = false
; hide the resize grip
hidegrip = false
; ignore the aspect ratio of the rendered dots when resizing
ignorear = false
; use VPM's registry values when positioning the virtual dmd
useregistry = false
; x-axis of the window position
left = 0         
; y-axis of the window position
top = 0          
; width of the dmd in monitor pixels
width = 1024     
; height of the dmd in monitor pixels
height = 256     
; scale the dot size (set to 0.8 for same size as pre-1.6.0)
dotsize = 1.0

[pindmd1]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a pinDMD1
enabled = false  

[pindmd2]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a pinDMD2
enabled = false  

[pindmd3]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a pinDMD3
enabled = true
; COM port, e.g. COM3
     

[[Removed for Trademark Infringement]]
; if false, doesn't bother looking for a [Removed for Trademark Infringement]
enabled = false 

[browserstream]
; if enabled, stream to your browser in your LAN
enabled = false
port = 9090

[vpdbstream]
; if enabled, stream DMD to https://test.vpdb.io/live
enabled = false
endpoint = https://api-test.vpdb.io/

[video]
; if enabled, writes frames to an .avi file
enabled = false  
; path to folder or .avi file. if folder, gamename.avi is used.
path =

[pinup]
; if enabled, send frames to PinUP.
enabled = false

 

dmdext is running and shutting down perfectly.

 

 

To clarify...are you referring to dmddevice.dll for VPX? Or dmdext.ext for FX3?

 

They are completely separate things.

 

FX3 and TPA has nothing to do with dmddevice.dll (which uses dmddevice.ini).  They only use dmdext.exe, which has no "config" file. It uses command line paramters to configure and use everything. dmdext.exe doesn't use dmddevice.ini at all.

 

Only VPX uses dmddevice.dll and dmddevice.ini

[hlr53]

To clarify...are you referring to dmddevice.dll for VPX? Or dmdext.ext for FX3?

 

They are completely separate things.

 

FX3 and TPA has nothing to do with dmddevice.dll (which uses dmddevice.ini).  They only use dmdext.exe, which has no "config" file. It uses command line paramters to configure and use everything. dmdext.exe doesn't use dmddevice.ini at all.

 

Only VPX uses dmddevice.dll and dmddevice.ini

 

 

I am about to have a RANGER FLASHBACK (as in being back at the 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd BN Fort Lewis, WA, 40 yrs ago - geez I'm old)

 

I'm talking for FX3. I usually run it off my D Data drive. When MJR did the rebuild I dumped everything from that zip into that directory and only that directory (I didn't add to VP) which added the dmddevice stuff, thus causing the virtual DMD to CONSTANTLY display. I cannot get rid of it.

 

Do I just need dmdext.exe and dmd.exe to run my pinDMDV3 for FX3 (and PBA)? Always have - - no virtual set in the command line.

Edited by hlr53, 12 September 2018 - 09:58 PM.

[mjr]

hlr53 - let's try to figure out whether that virtual DMD is coming from the DLL or dmdext.  Here's the question:  WHEN is it appearing?

1 - all the time when you run PinballY, but goes away when you run an FX3 game

 

2 - during an FX3 game launch only

 

3 - both!

 

If it's (1), it's the DLL, and the config file is where you want to look for answers.  If it's (2), it's dmdext, and the config file has nothing to do with it.  If it's (3), both might be involved.

 

If the DLL is the culprit, turn on Real DMD logging and then look in the log file to see the full path where the DLL is coming from.  That should tell you the folder where you need to look for the dmddevice.ini file - it should be getting loaded from the same path that the DLL is being loaded from.  The problem might be that you're editing a different copy of the file in a different location, so all of your attempts to effect a change in it are getting ignored when it actually runs.

 

For the dmdext command line, you're actually typing --no-virtual  (with the embedded dash), right?  I notice that you've mentioned it twice writing "--no virtual" with a space instead of a dash in the middle.  I'm pretty sure that must just be a formatting error in the forum software (it's always incredibly hard to get punctuation to format right here), because presumably you'd just be getting a command parsing error from dmdext rather than a succesful run if you were writing it with the space instead.  But just wanted to make sure.

Edited by mjr, 12 September 2018 - 10:28 PM.