Wombat

You're onto something there FyreCrypts... I just created empty trackfld.hi and turfmast.hi files in the mame/hi directory and GameEx now shows the "High Scores" option in their respective game info pages before launch (although it only shows about the first 16 scores of the possible 160 of the "base" trackfld scores... maybe a scrolling or pageflip display could be contemplated?) So far there doesn't seem to be any ill-effect in either CPWizard or MAME of having these extra files but I'd appreciate Tom (GameEx) looking again to see if he indeed has a secondary check for the existence of a .hi file and hopefully amend it (to cater for .nv only) if necessary.

Well... you have to colour me still confused then. 1) I have the 1st of July 2009 version of HiToText.exe and hiscore.dat downloaded. hiscore.dat goes into mame root directory. HiToText.exe copied to root directory of both CPWizard and GameEx replacing whatever version is delivered with them. 2) Opened a DOS command prompt and navigated to both. Did a HiToText -l and saw that (amongst everything else) dkong (Donkey Kong), turfmast (Neo Turf Masters) and trackfld (Track & Field) are in the output. The latter two are relatively new to HiToText. 3) I have "Show My High Scores" enabled in CPWizard. Fired up those three games and displayed the CPWizard control panel. It displays the option for view my high scores and indeed does display them. It's therefore okay for the -r records. 4) Went back to GameEx. I have "View High Scores" enabled as an option. In the Donkey Kong "info" screen the "View High Scores" option is available and selecting that option does indeed display my high scores (this also works for Galaga etc.. i.e. stuff that's been around for a while) 5) No such option is presented on the Neo Turf Masters and Track & Field info pages. 6) I've deleted some cached files (manually under Windows Explorer) and Rebuilt the MAME game list but I can't get the option to show up for those games. So... what now? I'm on the latest version of CPWizard and GameEx and a compiled version of 0.132 of MAME. The GameEx log file confirms I am on version 10.17 but I see no instance of a call to HiToText in there. When does the call get made... once when building the entire mame list (and it's stored somewhere) or each time the mame game info page is displayed? Dare I ask if anyone's on the same combination of these elements as me that they can see this option under Track & Field and Neo Turf Masters? Can I supply any sort of log (after setting any extra debug switches) that can assist in my problem?

Found this in and oldish post on the aracdecontrols thread for HiToText. I guess I'll see if and where this file exists on my system tonight. Quote from: redhorse on November 28, 2008, 02:34:05 PM Ok, I have it running now and after updating the GameEx HiScore_SupportedGames.txt file I can see my R-Type Higscores now!!

Now that Firecrypts has fixed my trackfld error, let me bump this topic to ask again the main original question which may have got lost. i.e. How does GameEx (and CPWizard) know when to display the menu option "View High Scores" in the front-end? If I'm going to keep HiToText (and hiscore.dat) up-todate outside of GameEx/CPWizard updates I'd like to know if I can do it and what I may need to do/edit in order to do so.

I'm currently struggling with a problem with the latest version of HiToText (which I've manually copied into the base program directories for CPWizard and GameEx) and MAME.132 which I've posted on http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?...84017#msg984017 Basically it's reading the prime record for games like dkong and galaga fine but I'm having trouble with Track & Field (so I'd love it if anyone can help me out with that problem or confirm it does/doesn't happen for them under MAME.132) I've have an alternate question for Tom and HeadKaze though... I've noticed under GameEx the existence in some game displays of the HighScore option on the info page displayed prior to selecting to launch the game and in CPWizard when I pause it (I have the option ticked on to display my high scores yet not the world records since they seem sadly out of date in some cases). Donkey Kong and Galaga both display this option and the scores fine. Track & Field doesn't display the option however. I always assumed that both GameEx and CPWizard used HiToText with its -l option to determine what games are valid to be viewed in this fashion and that maybe this information was stored somewhere (so maybe I had to rebuild the mame list under GameEx which I tried) in some GameEx database (I haven't yet looked) However Track & Field doesn't show up in this fashion so I'm wondering if (and where) the information is stored and how it can be updated (assuming I wish to keep HiToText updated more frequently that I update GameEx (although I usually keep up to scratch on that too)) "manually" Additionally I see HiToText has had for some time, support for "alternate formats" such as the best stage times in Moon Patrol or all of Track & Field's individual sport best 3 records (i.e. for 100M, Long Jump, Javelin etc.) as opposed to the generic "score" High Score table. Any plans in how these could be incorporated/displayed in both GameEx/CpWizard (as scrollable tables or pageflip displays)?

Been a longtime user of Visual Pinball 8 but sometimes get frustrated with (lack of) speed issues on my latter day machine/video card since it was coded for older machines/Direct X7. So I'm starting to incorporate some rewritten tables for the newer (takes better advantage of your latter-day hardware) Visual Pinball 9.0.2 Works well (especially the JPSalas tables) but a minor, yet continued, issue still exists with rulesheet displays. Because vpauto is listed in my "also run" fields under GameEx, I assume this is a compiled screen that gives focus to the pinmame rom/Visual pinball table and keeps focus, and also handles relevants tasks, like dialog boxes on entry/exit and this continues to function under VP9. However table authors often include rulesheets with their tables that you can display with a press of a key. These are primarily done in the table script as a popup window although JPSalas is now displaying these as .hta files which gives extra scope for html elements. Unfortunately whilst the display does quickly popup, presumably the focus element of VPAUTO quickly throws it to the background. Is it possible for this script to be updated so that this windows is not forced to the background until the user dismisses it? Assuming VPAUTO is a compiled script, is it also possible to get the original, uncompiled script? (I'd like to look at it to increase my knowledge of such matters with a view to doing similar arrangements)

Cero... if, like me, you have CPWizard loaded with GameEx at startup then you have to ensure that when you exit GameEx to use CFGMagician that you also unload CPWizard (it'll be an icon in your system tray). CPWizard seems to read the key definitions upon loadup (unless you have dynamic data loading turned on) i.e. do you find that your remaps out of CFGMagician (once placed back into the mame/cfg file) do show up the next time you boot up?

Forgot to mention that I had always enabled "Enable SlikStik and IPAC Support" in the GameEx configuration because I DO have an IPAC4 in my cabinet so it seemed to make sense to do so (even though I know not what it actually does.) After reading Frequency's response that the H/L "inactivation" seemed to have to do with this setting, I have turned this option off and can confim that my H/L letters jumps in my game lists now function like the rest of the alphabet and that I am (so far) suffering no ill-effect due to this change within GameEx. Thanks Frequency!

GameEx.ini attached (as GameEx.txt... not permitted to load .ini)GameEx.txt

Having some large ROM lists it's sometimes handy to press a letter on the keyboard so as to jump directly to games beginning with that letter rather than use the alpha-paging joystick direction/button combo (which I also have turned on). But my H and L keys don't appear to function... why? Some things you should know. All of the keyboard letters do output a key (i.e. no faulty keyboard). For example if I go to the SEARCH function within GameEx I can press all the letter keys A thru Z and they all appear (including H and L.) I do have (within MAME at least) roms that begin with each letter, so the keyboard letter press does have something to jump to. I do know that, as delivered, the key setup to display the in-game control panel viewer is "L". However, in the Advanced Configuration, I initially blanked that out (to no effect) and, after reading another (old) post on this forum, instead set it to some inconsequential key of 145 (which I believe is "SCROLL LOCK"). To confirm this I look into GameEx.ini and see that InGameVK=145 and I don't find any reference in that file to values I can relate back to H or L. Whilst I have custom joystick commands setup to navigate GameEx I do NOT use custom key commands and the relevant options within GameEx configuration are set to YES and NO respectively. I mention this only because they share the file custominput.ini ... just in case I kept the values within the "KEYBOARD" section of custominput.ini away from 72 (H) and 76 (L) anyway. I am not running any key translator like XPadder or AutoHotKey at any point at this stage. I DO run CPWizard alongside GameEx but it is only triggered from within a GameEx menu item or from within MAME when I press the P (pause) button. I do not use either the L or H key in any of its settings. So, can anyone verify whether this behaviour also affects them and, if not, do they remember doing something proactive to avoid it?.... even in this case I could understand the "L" key being usurped but the H key throws me.

Not sure what to tell you Headkaze... remember, this is in the editor so there's no debug log as far as I know (but let me know where it is if there's one and I'll post it) Just tried it again (ver 2.14 which I believe is current) Ran it from Windows. When started, maximized the window. Moved joycode1_button1 label down one grid point. Did the same for Joycode2_button1. Hit the FILE->SAVE option. Hit the FILE-EXIT option (and answered YES to the "Really Quit" dialog box) and got a similar error to before (the letters are now different but I wonder if in my experimentation last night I added and deleted an extra label that may give rise to this) i.e. Object reference not set to an instance of an object at ai.c() ai.b() bt.a() Anyhoo, I started CPWizard up again and the labels appear to be where I moved them to and without doing anything else I did a FILE->EXIT, did the YES to the "Really Quit" dialog box again and got the same error. This appears infinitely repeatable (based on a sample set of 5) Is there some extra option I can turn on or some debugging version you can pass me that I can run on my system to give you more clues? ***IMPORTANT UPDATE TO ABOVE*** Just playing around at random, I just found that if I toggle "Hide Desktop Using Forms" off (EDIT->OPTIONS-GENERAL->HIDE DESKTOP USING FORMS), then I DON'T get the error upon exit. If I go back in and toggle it on, then I DO get the error.... hope this helps. (That said, I have bugger-all idea what this option does... I think I was switching on and off everything when trying to get the panel to consistently show as per another thread a while back)

Nope.... take it as read that if I ever get an error then usually the first thing I do is check for the latest version. This error appears under the latest version.

Headkaze... I do have a (seemingly) working CPWizard panel display for mame but after noticing a text overlay I wanted to correct (button text was overlapping) I went into CPWizard to move the labels around and saved it. Upon exit from the editor you get the dialog box asking you if you wish to quit (and you confirm it) then I receive the following. Object reference not set to an instance of an object at ah.c() ah.b() bs.a() This is continually repeatable (and the CPWizard panel viewer still works fine under GameEx) but I'm not sure what it's complaining about. Attached is my xml for my control panel. Wombat.xml

I'm in...we're now at 13.7%

Downloaded and tried out the latest CPWizard on the weekend with about 20 of my favourite MAME games. So far, I have only seen one "artifact" whereby you could see CPWizard display the control panel before the game for a nano-second before "disappearing" but then presumably one of the retries kicked in and it displayed again (very) shortly thereafter. So far, it has appeared every time it's been called for...from within GameEx menu, prior to launching a game, and upon pause within a game. So Yay!!!! Thanks Headkaze.

Tried about 20 of my favourite MAME games on the weekend, including a lot with two-way movement. So far, so good.... all worked wonderfully and up/down navigation in CPWizard pause menu was possible. Thanks Headkaze!

Yes but no but.... Installed the latest CPWizard along with the updated Ultrastik plugin last night. Running one version of GameEx behind the just-updated edition as well. I've been struggling with gettting CPWizard to display in a pause state under GameEx/MAME and recently it would often not appear when launcing the game as well... It seemed to always appear (my memory's a little hazy on this) when using the Display Controls option under GameEx however. Anyhoo, I gone with the default 3 retries at 2000ms now available under CPWizard and, whilst testing the updated Ultrastik plugin, I also threw some pause requests in.... it does seem that, like before, you briefly (a nanosecond) see the CPWizard rendition of my panel before it disappears into an all-back screen but then eventually it does display, presumably because of one of the retry attempts (had to say which one... the delay seems longer than 2 seconds but I didn't have a stopwatch running...I'm suspecting try 3 is the one that eventually "works" since 6 seconds would be about right) However I still swear that some pauses in Moon Patrol still didn't display the Control Panel... I restarted a couple of times and most of the time it now displays after the initial flash and display and sometimes it won't. The verbose log of CPWizard doesn't seem to show anything (posted below), in fact I'm pretty sure this log was the one where Moon Patrol didn't display even though the log seems to show it did. I tried turning off an option in GameEx (the one that says to hide the desktop so I think hideos.exe runs?) but it didn't seem to make any difference. So...it's better but something still ain't quite right. 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: CPWizard v2.11 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: Version: 5.1.2600 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: Build: 2600 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: RAM Total: 3072 MB 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: RAM Used: 392 MB 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: CPU: Intel® Core(tm)2 Duo CPU E6850 @ 3.00GHz 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Video Driver: 6.14.11.7516 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Video RAM: 512 MB 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: .NET: .NET Framework 2.0 Installed 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing InterComm Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Cmd Line Watcher 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Starting InterComm Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Display Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Program Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Reading Config 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Layout Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Controls Data 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Input Codes 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Layout Maps 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Game Info 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing History Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing MameInfo Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Command Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Story Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing HiToText 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Artwork Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Mame Manuals 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Emulator Manuals 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Emulator OpCard 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing NFO Viewer 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing IRC 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing SendKeys 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Mame Interop 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Mame Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Emulator Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Keyboard Hook 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Direct Input 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Joystick 1: Ultimarc Ultra-Stik Player 1 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Joystick 2: Ultimarc Ultra-Stik Player 2 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing MCE Remote 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Input Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Profiles 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Bezel 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Reading Mame Data 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Reading MiniInfo Xml 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Mame Version 0.129 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading Mame Ini 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Initializing Mame Cfg 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Initializing Mame Command Line 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading History Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading MameInfo Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading Command Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:39 PM: Reading All Mame Cfg's 28/01/2009 7:34:39 PM: Reading Mame Ctrlr File 28/01/2009 7:34:40 PM: Creating MainBitmap 28/01/2009 7:34:40 PM: Starting Mame Interop 28/01/2009 7:35:12 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 28/01/2009 7:35:12 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: ddonpach 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x2359496 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe ddonpach -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: ddonpach 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x2359496 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowLoading (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Form: 0 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x66126 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Already Foreground hWnd: 0x66126 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x66126 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is False 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:35:32 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:35:32 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x2359496 28/01/2009 7:35:32 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:35:33 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 28/01/2009 7:35:35 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 28/01/2009 7:35:35 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x2949320 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 () 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x2949320 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Attempting Try 3 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x2949320 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x2949320 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:35:49 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:35:49 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:35:50 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 28/01/2009 7:35:50 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: mpatrol 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe mpatrol -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: mpatrol 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowLoading (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Form: 0 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x131692 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x131692 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x131692 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is False 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:11 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe mpatrol -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: mpatrol 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowLoading (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Form: 0 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x328296 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x328296 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x328296 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is False 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:20 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 28/01/2009 7:36:24 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 28/01/2009 7:36:24 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x3604680 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 () 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x3604680 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Attempting Try 3 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x3604680 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x3604680 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:36:39 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:36:39 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:40 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 28/01/2009 7:36:40 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: galaga 28/01/2009 7:36:55 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led1,0 28/01/2009 7:36:55 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led0,0 28/01/2009 7:37:10 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 28/01/2009 7:37:10 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success This is the same log I posted in the Ultrastik plugin thread hence the stoppage after the load of Galaga (it aborted).

Yes..but...no..but... Intsalled both the new version of CPWizard and this Ultrastik plugin last night. In case it has any bearing on the issue I'll say now that I'm just one level behind the latest version of GameEx just recently released. I unzip into the appropriate place the new version of the plugin and try running an 8-way game (Do Don Pachi)... no problems (other thasn that discussed in my separate post about my CPWizard issues)... played a four-way game (Frogger) also okay, then tried so two-way horizontal games. Circus Charlie and Moon Patrol (as well as the others) both worked okay both in the game and navigating the CPWizard menu... i.e. I had vertical movement in the CPWizard pause menu when playing these two-way horizontal games. However I then loaded Galaga (also a two-way horizontal game) and as the game was going through its attract sequence GameEX aborted (i.e. I didn't even reach for the pause button) Attached you can see a screenshot of the resultant screen. If I go and turn the Ultrastik plugin off, Galaga runs okay under GameEx... turn it back on, it aborts. Doesn't seem to be anything of value inside the GameEx or CPwizard log but I'll post a snippet here of a similar rerun anyway. GameEx log: 19:35:06.3 28/01/2009: Restoring Emulator Database From Cache 19:35:06.4 28/01/2009: Restoring Emulator from Cache 19:35:06.4 28/01/2009: Restoring Emulator Database From Cache 19:35:09.4 28/01/2009: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\mame\mame.exe ddonpach -rompath C:\mame\roms -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 19:35:45.8 28/01/2009: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\mame\mame.exe mpatrol -rompath C:\mame\roms -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 19:35:45.8 28/01/2009: Launching CPWizard: "C:\Program Files\CPWizard\CPWizard.exe" -emu mame -game mpatrol -timeout 9000 19:36:33.3 28/01/2009: Running: cmd.exe /c C: C:\mame\mame.exe galaga -rompath C:\mame\roms -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 19:36:33.3 28/01/2009: Launching CPWizard: "C:\Program Files\CPWizard\CPWizard.exe" -emu mame -game galaga -timeout 9000 CpWizard log: 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: CPWizard v2.11 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: Version: 5.1.2600 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: Build: 2600 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: RAM Total: 3072 MB 28/01/2009 7:34:35 PM: RAM Used: 392 MB 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: CPU: Intel® Core(tm)2 Duo CPU E6850 @ 3.00GHz 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Video Driver: 6.14.11.7516 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Video RAM: 512 MB 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: .NET: .NET Framework 2.0 Installed 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing InterComm Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Cmd Line Watcher 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Starting InterComm Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Display Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Program Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Reading Config 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Layout Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Controls Data 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Input Codes 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Layout Maps 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Game Info 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing History Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing MameInfo Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:36 PM: Initializing Command Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Story Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing HiToText 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Artwork Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Mame Manuals 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Emulator Manuals 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Emulator OpCard 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing NFO Viewer 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing IRC 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing SendKeys 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Mame Interop 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Mame Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Emulator Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Keyboard Hook 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Direct Input 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Joystick 1: Ultimarc Ultra-Stik Player 1 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Joystick 2: Ultimarc Ultra-Stik Player 2 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing MCE Remote 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Input Manager 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Profiles 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Initializing Bezel 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Reading Mame Data 28/01/2009 7:34:37 PM: Reading MiniInfo Xml 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Mame Version 0.129 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading Mame Ini 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Initializing Mame Cfg 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Initializing Mame Command Line 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading History Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading MameInfo Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:38 PM: Reading Command Dat 28/01/2009 7:34:39 PM: Reading All Mame Cfg's 28/01/2009 7:34:39 PM: Reading Mame Ctrlr File 28/01/2009 7:34:40 PM: Creating MainBitmap 28/01/2009 7:34:40 PM: Starting Mame Interop 28/01/2009 7:35:12 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 28/01/2009 7:35:12 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: ddonpach 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x2359496 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe ddonpach -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: ddonpach 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x2359496 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowLoading (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Form: 0 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x66126 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Already Foreground hWnd: 0x66126 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x66126 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is False 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 28/01/2009 7:35:20 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:35:32 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:35:32 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x2359496 28/01/2009 7:35:32 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:35:33 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 28/01/2009 7:35:35 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 28/01/2009 7:35:35 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x2949320 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 () 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 28/01/2009 7:35:46 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x2949320 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Attempting Try 3 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x2949320 28/01/2009 7:35:48 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x2949320 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:35:49 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:35:49 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:35:50 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 28/01/2009 7:35:50 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: mpatrol 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe mpatrol -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: mpatrol 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowLoading (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Form: 0 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x131692 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x131692 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x131692 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is False 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:02 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:11 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe mpatrol -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: mpatrol 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowLoading (ProgramManager) -> Showing Loading Form: 0 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x328296 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x328296 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x328296 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is False 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing MainMenu 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x3014856 28/01/2009 7:36:14 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:20 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 28/01/2009 7:36:24 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 28/01/2009 7:36:24 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x3604680 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 () 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 28/01/2009 7:36:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x3604680 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Attempting Try 3 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x3604680 28/01/2009 7:36:35 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x3604680 (Preview) 28/01/2009 7:36:39 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 28/01/2009 7:36:39 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Closing Loading Screens 28/01/2009 7:36:40 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 28/01/2009 7:36:40 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: galaga 28/01/2009 7:36:55 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led1,0 28/01/2009 7:36:55 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led0,0 28/01/2009 7:37:10 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 28/01/2009 7:37:10 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success Hmm...now that I look again at that log what are the two lines that say: 28/01/2009 7:36:55 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led1,0 28/01/2009 7:36:55 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led0,0 I don't have LEDs on my panel nor did I think I activated any option/plugin for them... Why do they only appear in the Galaga section?

Headkaze, Any other data/files (mame.ini?) I can provide or switches I can attempt to flop to find a resolution to this "hidden behind other windows" I seem to be suffering from. In the meantime, I've upgraded (compiled using your excellent app) to Mame 0.129 with MKCHamp's hiscore diff just to see if that made a difference. Nope... although I seem to continue to mostly have success displaying the control panel within GameEx but not from when pausing the game in MAME (that is to say that the panel seems to ever-so-quickly flick up then possibly show the CPmenu and then get hidden behind the mame pause screen). Totally dumb question possibly slightly related...do I need to apply your bezel patch? It seems to me that I may only need this if I wish to display a pre-stored CP image as one of the MAME control options? Is this true? If so, then that doesn't totally interest me since I like the dynamic appeal of CPWizard displaying the controls according to my current mapping and I wouldn't have to generate (and remember to regenerate when necessary) the CP images. Just mention it in case that's the difference I have to other people's setups. In mame I use d3d instead of ddraw... would that have an effect for CPWizard? (I use that so as to get the nice resolution artwork overlays on games and clear, crisp mame menus that I don't get if I use ddraw).

I used to show all of the 7,500+ MAME games on my lists because I was always afraid I'd miss out on some game that would be really cool to play. Recently, to aid navigation and because I like the cleaner look, I decided to change options so that no clones were shown (unless better than parent). However, I also permitted imperfect games to show up (so my favourite Galaga appears) and I manually coded some exclusions to the noclone rule (like sbishik - because the Korean version works better for me than the Japanese version - some stages are graphically corrupt on the Japanese version). Often I prefer my visitors not to have to make the decision about how to navigate through and which of the multiple versions of a game they should play to recreate their nostalgic arcade experience - I like to give them only a single choice so we're all going for the high score on the same game. I have all the MAME "genres" turned on so All Games, Original Games, Multiplayer Games, Neo Geo, Golden Age games etc. are all present. Rebuilt the list... all is good....only one version per game appears unless I've specifically included a clone version to be shown in the list as well. But what I would like is that the "no clones" feature apply to all of these lists BUT I'd still have a list option in there (named like "All Games" since that is damn close to "Original Games" in such a setup) so that I could peek & play at all of the variants of Galaga or Pac-Man or whatever without having to exit GameEx, change the options, rebuild the list etc. etc. I'd like this "Full MAME list" to truly be a list of all games supported under your version of MAME i.e. it would ignore the clones, not working etc. flags that apply to the other lists upon rebuild so that I could readily see what I'm missing out on. And it would probably be better to be included at the bottom of the MAME game page (maybe just above rebuild list) so that it is ever-so-slightly ponderous to navigate to and selectable only when absolutely necessary. That way when someone remembers that there was a speed-hacked version of Pac-Man or a fast shoot version of Galaga/Galaxian we could readily flip from the uncluttered single-game entry lists (under All or Original or other clusters above) to this "Full MAME" list and quickly play it and possibly contemplate it's inclusion into the upper lists via the appropriate settings. Is this able to be achieved under the current version of GameEx? If so, how? If not, does this idea appeal to other users so that we can possibly convince Tom to give it some thought for a future release?

Just happened to me from within GameEx as well. Played a game of Super Bishi Baski (Korean version) then went to look at the controls for Frogger from the GameEx hook to CPWizard (i.e. didn't launch the game). Excerpt is this:- 5/01/2009 9:12:40 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 5/01/2009 9:12:40 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: sbishi 5/01/2009 9:18:59 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 5/01/2009 9:18:59 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x6423340 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 5/01/2009 9:20:57 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing Again we see this? 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 9:20:54 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0

Okay...if it helps here's my CPWizard.ini file for my initial test. Whilst I'm here, I have another question about HiToText... there's one in the GameEx directory and one in the CPWizard directory. I'm assuming I can get rid of one of them but I can't find where in CPWizard to point to the version in the GameEx directory... and of course, HiToText won't work otherwise if I don't leave a version in the CPWizard directory... is there a setting I can place in CPWizard.ini to point to the GameEx location? CPWizard.ini:- [General] RunOnStartup=False VolumeControlEnable=False DynamicDataLoading=False GhostScriptExe=C:\Program Files\gs\gs\bin\gswin32c.exe VerboseLogging=True [HideDesktop] Enable=False HideDesktopOnStartup=False HideMouseCursor=False HideDesktopUsingForms=False SetWallpaperBlack=False HideDesktopIcons=False HideTaskbar=False MoveMouseOffscreen=False [Mame] Version=0.127 Exe=C:\mame\mame.exe Layout=Wombat LayoutOverride=Mame UseMameOutputSystem=True Screenshot=True SendPauseKey=True SkipDisclaimer=False UseOverlay=False [MameFolders] Cabinets=C:\mame\cabinets Cfg=C:\mame\cfg CPanel=C:\mame\cpanel Ctrlr=C:\mame\ctrlr Flyers=C:\mame\flyers Icons=C:\mame\icons Ini=C:\mame Marquees=C:\mame\marquees Previews=C:\mame\movies Snap=C:\mame\snap Titles=C:\mame\titles PCB=C:\mame\pcb Hi=C:\mame\hi Manuals= NvRam=C:\mame\nvram Select= [Layout] LayoutName=Wombat [Display] Rotate=0 Screen=\\.\DISPLAY1 ShowDelay=0 AllowOverlays=False ForceColorKey=False LabelArrowShow=True LabelArrowSize=4 LabelArrowColor=-16777077 LabelSpotShow=True LabelSpotSize=8 LabelSpotColor=-16777077 AlphaFade=True AlphaFadeValue=10 DisplayChangeDelay=1000 ShowLoadingScreens=False [Data] ShowCPOnly=True MameCP=True GameInfo=True GameHistory=True MameInfo=True ControlInfo=True HighScore=False MameArtwork=False MameManual=False MameIRC=False EmulatorCP=True EmulatorArtwork=True EmulatorManual=True OperationCard=True NFO=False EmulatorIRC=False ShowMiniInfo=True ExitToMenu=True MyHighScore=True [Export] ExportType=Image ResolutionType=0 DrawBackground=True SkipClones=False IncludeVerticalBezel=True VerticalOrientation=False [Input] BackKeyExitMenu=True ShowKey=KEYCODE_P SelectKey=|JOYCODE_1_BUTTON1 BackKey=KEYCODE_ESC||JOYCODE_1_BUTTON5 MenuUp=JOYCODE_1_YAXIS_UP_SWITCH MenuDown=JOYCODE_1_YAXIS_DOWN_SWITCH MenuLeft=JOYCODE_1_XAXIS_LEFT_SWITCH MenuRight=JOYCODE_1_XAXIS_RIGHT_SWITCH VolumeDown=KEYCODE_MINUS VolumeUp=KEYCODE_EQUALS ShowDesktop=KEYCODE_HOME HideDesktop=KEYCODE_END EnableExitKey=True ExitKey=KEYCODE_P [IRC] Server=irc.scifi-fans.net Port=7000 Channel=#byoac NickName=wwwombat UserName=WOMBAT-3709250C RealName=CPWizard IsInvisible=True [LastWriteTime] ControlsDat=5/01/2008 2:38:54 AM ColorsIni=12/11/2007 6:14:28 AM Mame=9/09/2008 11:56:47 AM HallOfFame=1/01/2009 1:45:42 AM CatVer=23/12/2008 8:34:50 AM NPlayers=17/10/2008 1:47:36 PM [DataFiles] ControlsDat=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\controls.xml ColorsIni=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\colors.ini CatVer=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\catver.ini NPlayers=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\nplayers.ini ListInfo=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\ListInfo.xml MiniInfo=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\MiniInfo.xml CommandDat=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\Command.dat HistoryDat=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\History.dat MameInfoDat=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\MameInfo.dat HallOfFame=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\HallOfFame.xml StoryDat=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\Story.dat StdIni=C:\Program Files\CPWizard\Data\Std.ini [Preview] LastRomSelected=galaga Here's the verbose log of my first run... note that I displayed the control panel from the GameEx menu screen - no problems. I then launched the game (galaga) and again the CPWizard screen display no problems. However once inside the game I press P for Pause and ever-so-briefly I believe I see the CPWizard display flash before my eyes but then I am left looking at a blank/black screen. When I unpasue i can continue my game but press pause again and the same thing happens. Please note I am on MAME 0.127 (I'll upgrade to the stable version of 0.129 when that comes out soon after I update all the damn roms that will likely change again including my NEO GEO favourites) if that plays into this at all. 5/01/2009 6:40:16 PM: CPWizard v2.04 5/01/2009 6:40:16 PM: OS: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition 5/01/2009 6:40:16 PM: Version: 5.1.2600 5/01/2009 6:40:16 PM: Build: 2600 5/01/2009 6:40:16 PM: RAM Total: 3072 MB 5/01/2009 6:40:16 PM: RAM Used: 438 MB 5/01/2009 6:40:17 PM: CPU: Intel® Core(tm)2 Duo CPU E6850 @ 3.00GHz 5/01/2009 6:40:17 PM: Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GT 5/01/2009 6:40:17 PM: Video Driver: 6.14.11.7516 5/01/2009 6:40:17 PM: Video RAM: 512 MB 5/01/2009 6:40:17 PM: Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio 5/01/2009 6:40:17 PM: .NET: .NET Framework 2.0 Installed 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing InterComm Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Cmd Line Watcher 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Starting InterComm Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Display Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Program Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Reading Config 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Main Menu 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Layout Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Controls Data 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Input Codes 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Layout Maps 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Game Info 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing History Dat 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing MameInfo Dat 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Command Dat 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Story Dat 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing HiToText 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Artwork Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Mame Manuals 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Emulator Manuals 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Emulator OpCard 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing NFO Viewer 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing IRC 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing SendKeys 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Mame Interop 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Mame Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Emulator Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Keyboard Hook 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Direct Input 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Joystick 1: Ultimarc Ultra-Stik Player 1 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Joystick 2: Ultimarc Ultra-Stik Player 2 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing MCE Remote 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Input Manager 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Profiles 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Bezel 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Reading Mame Data 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Reading MiniInfo Xml 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Mame Version 0.127 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Reading Mame Ini 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Mame Cfg 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Initializing Mame Command Line 5/01/2009 6:40:18 PM: Reading History Dat 5/01/2009 6:40:19 PM: Reading MameInfo Dat 5/01/2009 6:40:19 PM: Reading Command Dat 5/01/2009 6:40:19 PM: Reading All Mame Cfg's 5/01/2009 6:40:19 PM: Reading Mame Ctrlr File 5/01/2009 6:40:19 PM: Creating MainBitmap 5/01/2009 6:40:19 PM: Starting Mame Interop 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x328502 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Already Foreground hWnd: 0x328502 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x328502 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 5/01/2009 6:40:33 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 5/01/2009 6:40:34 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x262968 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Already Foreground hWnd: 0x262968 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x262968 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 5/01/2009 6:40:41 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 5/01/2009 6:40:42 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 5/01/2009 6:40:42 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 5/01/2009 6:40:43 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 5/01/2009 6:40:44 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 5/01/2009 6:40:44 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: galaga 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x328504 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe galaga -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: galaga 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Sending Pause Key 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: PauseMame (MameManager) -> Sending Pause State to Mame 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x328504 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x131874 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is True 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 5/01/2009 6:40:54 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 5/01/2009 6:41:02 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 5/01/2009 6:41:02 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x328504 5/01/2009 6:41:02 PM: UnPauseMame (MameManager) -> Sending UnPause State to Mame 5/01/2009 6:41:04 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 5/01/2009 6:41:09 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led1,0 5/01/2009 6:41:09 PM: OnMameOutput (MameManager) -> OnMameOutput: led0,0 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x328504 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe galaga -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: galaga 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Sending Pause Key 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: PauseMame (MameManager) -> Sending Pause State to Mame 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x328504 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x1638630 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x1638630 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x1638630 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is True 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x328504 5/01/2009 6:41:11 PM: UnPauseMame (MameManager) -> Sending UnPause State to Mame 5/01/2009 6:42:09 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 5/01/2009 6:42:10 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 5/01/2009 6:42:10 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success I tried again with Moon Patrol i.e. displayed fine before the game commenced but when using pause within MAME, I very briefly saw my control panel shot before again being presented with the black screen until I hit pause again just to be returned to my game. However this time the log does have a line "in error" 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 7:28:04 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> ShowScreen: Layout (Display Mode) False (Layout Override) False (Exit To Menu) False (Dynamic Load) 5/01/2009 7:28:04 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Mame Mode 5/01/2009 7:28:04 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 5/01/2009 7:28:04 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 5/01/2009 7:28:04 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x590700 5/01/2009 7:28:05 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x590700 5/01/2009 7:28:05 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Success! Foreground hWnd: 0x590700 5/01/2009 7:28:05 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 5/01/2009 7:28:05 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 5/01/2009 7:28:05 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 5/01/2009 7:28:05 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu False 5/01/2009 7:28:05 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 5/01/2009 7:28:06 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 5/01/2009 7:28:07 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> OnMameStart 5/01/2009 7:28:07 PM: OnMameStart (MameManager) -> GameName: mpatrol 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> OnMamePaused 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: OnMamePaused (MameManager) -> Showing Mame 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Mame Running 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Searching for Mame 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Mame Running hWnd: 0x656236 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Window Rect: {X=0,Y=0,Width=1920,Height=1200} 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: FindMame (MameManager) -> Command Line: mame.exe mpatrol -rompath "C:\mame\roms" -nowindow -joy -skip_gameinfo 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Game Found: mpatrol 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Getting Game Details 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Sending Pause Key 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: PauseMame (MameManager) -> Sending Pause State to Mame 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Taking Screenshot 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Minimizing Mame 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: MinimizeMame (MameManager) -> Minimizing Mame hWnd: 0x656236 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout Form 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> frmLayout hWnd: 0x328796 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: ForceForegroundWindow (HideDesktop) -> Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (frmLayout) -> Failed! Foreground hWnd: 0x0 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Show CP Only is True 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Exit To Menu is True 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: Show (ProgramManager) -> Display Mode is Layout 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Hiding Main Menu 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Resetting Menu 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Setting Exit To Menu True 5/01/2009 7:28:10 PM: ShowScreen (ProgramManager) -> Showing Layout 5/01/2009 7:28:20 PM: CPForm_FormClosing (frmLayout) -> Closing 5/01/2009 7:28:20 PM: RestoreMame (MameManager) -> Restoring Mame hWnd: 0x656236 5/01/2009 7:28:20 PM: UnPauseMame (MameManager) -> Sending UnPause State to Mame 5/01/2009 7:28:25 PM: OnMameUnPaused (MameManager) -> OnMameUnPaused 5/01/2009 7:28:27 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> OnMameStop 5/01/2009 7:28:27 PM: OnMameStop (MameManager) -> Success P.S. I see what you mean about the exit to menu keys etc... that works flawlessly so far in CPWizard's preview mode but sadly I can't get to it within MAME/GameEx yet as per the above.

I bought a stack of stuff from Ultimarc (U360s, Optipac, Spinner, IPAC4 etc.) a while back to build my cabinet and I love it all now that I've got the damn thing mostly built (is it ever really finished?) and the maps, frontend, plugins etc. predominantly working. The only thing I think I'm sad about is that back then you had to order the U360 springs separately and I don't know at that point what I'd need them for. Now that the cabinet is up and running and I'm using Headkaze's U360 plugin under GameEx to change the U360 maps to 4-way etc. there are still some games that can prove problematical. The biggest one I have grief with is "Frogger". Using a 4-way map, which I've further altered to increase a dead-spot when the joystick is centred, I still experience a lot of bounce-back which in Frogger can be deadly i.e. you're navigating between the cars/logs pressing up, left or right as required and Froggy jumps in stacatto movements. But then the joystick, upon snap back to centre, probably goes a little far thus registering the opoosite direction and throws you into the car / water that you were trying to avoid. Because I've tried altering the map and some mame deadzone etc. settings (which I think only apply to analog settings but it couldn't hurt to try) and I still can die horribly in these situations (through I think no fault of my own ;o) ), I think further research has shown that the (hard) springs may arrest this "bounce". But the springs cost is far less than the postage cost to get them here (and I don't need any other Ultimarc stuff at this stage) so I was wondering, before I finally do order them, whether anyone in Australia stocks these things? The obvious place I thought to check was www.ozstick.com.au but Chris doesn't mention these on the website (he carries some Ultimarc products but not the Ultrastik it appears.) Anyone know of a local (South Australia or Australian) supplier?

Will set verbose logging on tonight after the 2.04 install and try to display Galaga controls until it fails and post log from there. Just so I'm clear... I can have one button set so that a total return to GameEx/Mame is possible (and that's the one I'll tell people about) but then set another one to return to menu so I can view additional info if required? Or only one is set so that pressing that either returns to the menu or not... For the record I have P set to pause MAME (and display CPWizard) and I have joystick button 5 exit CPWizard (but not unpause MAME) and then I unpause MAME by pressing P again (allows me to reaquaint myself with the game so I don't immediately die). And then back to the original state upon unpause I assume. Yay!... I look forward to that and packing my keyboard away a little deeper into the box. Will do... I think I downloaded FireCrypt's latest HiToText today as well so I'll check that out tonight as well.... I just assumed (since you and he talked about its front-end incorporation post some other discussion about rank 0) that he'd put in and you'd incorporated the latest version into CPWizard that may correct this. 5) If I can be so bold, the page with the 8 or so options I refer to in my original question... from past conversations I've had with you I feel you may have a similar setup to mine... what should they, or rather... what do YOU have them set to? Forgive me if these options are buried in documentation somewhere but I'm a programmer too (albeit on a dinosaur mainframe - Adelaide, South Oz... I believe you're an Aussie too?) and documentation is the last thing I enjoy doing too. I remember someone (Tempest?) offering to do CPWizard documentation at one point (which a fair while back, with a few responses from yourself as well, allowed me to get up and running) but I haven't checked lately if it describes these features.... i.e. what does "Hide Desktop" under CPWizard actually do? (I don't notice any visible difference checked or unchecked on my system but then I have a plain black background with only a few icons on it)

Only just downloaded the latest version of CPWizard (2.04) here at work so I'll install tonight but what I'm about to say applies to my version (2.02) and I have been experiencing this for a while through the past few revisions. 1) Mainly the problem I seem to be having is that sometimes the CPWizard panel doesn't show.... i.e. most of the time when using 'Display Controls' under GameEx then the CPWizard view displays fine as it also does just after I press the appropriate button to launch a MAME game. However every so often the display doesn't show leaving me with effectively a blank (black) screen. Pressing the CPWizard back button allows me to progress to the game itself (as it would if it had showed). Similarly this happens when I'm in the game as well (pausing the MAME game usually displays the CPviewer screen and again I can press the exit CPviewer button to exit that and then, when I'm ready, depress P again to unpause MAME). It's like the window is hidden below somehow (such as described a few pages back) although the CPWizard log doesn't seem to show anything unusual occurring. Please note that this doesn't have to occur when switching games... if I try to display the Galaga controls say 10 times in a row, sometimes one or more of them may "fail" to show. I'm not sure what to post (perhaps from a verbose log) to allow Headkaze to track the "problem" if indeed one exists. I do say "problem" in quotes though because I am unsure about what exactly some of the CPWizard options do. There's a page with about 8 or so checkable options (god, it's hard trying to explain something from memory ;o) ) like "Display Loading Screens" and "Use MAME Output System" that I'm really unsure if I should be using them (and when I uncheck or check some of them I usually don't see what effect they actually have) or not and whether they affect my problem. I have CPWizard set to start when GameEx starts and it sits in the system tray quite happily, mostly doing its thing when called upon. 2) As a side question I have the option set in CPWizard to ONLY display the control panel. To my mind this looks cleaner for use prior to game launch HOWEVER I wouldn't mind if CPWizard only displayed the control panel either on pre-launch of the game or when called from the appropriate menu option from within GameEX and exit completely when I press the back button in these cases. However when within the game I would prefer it upon pause to throw up the control panel but when I press the back button (or perhaps some other alternate button) place me in the CPWizard menu structure so I can view the extra information like MAME revision notes, extended control.dat information etc. 3) One other problem I have is that I have also enabled the very excellent Ultrastik 360 plugin (also by Headkaze I believe) that changes maps to 4-way, 8-way, mouse etc. as appropriate for each MAME game. My problem usually arises when I play two-way horizontal games like Galaga, Moon Patrol, Circus Charlie etc..... if I pause the game to bring up CPWizard or I use TAB to get to the MAME configurations I cannot navigate the menus therein unless I pull out my USB-connected keyboard to use the arrows keys on it to navigate around (since the U360 remaps effectively takes away my vertical joystick axis)... any thoughts on a way around this so that in a MAME pause state, the full joystick directions are temporarily re-enabled until an exit from pause? This "limitation" is probably another good reason why I currently only display the Control Panel upon pause and not all the other goodies CPWizard offers. 4) And a final question, not specifically about CPWizard, but I notice a recent release of CPWizard came with HiToText... my probably dumb question is this.... do I have to maintain this separately or will it always be a part of the CPWizard installation? Is there a separate version for GameEx and do I need to maintain that as well? And quite a few of my games (Donkey Kong, Galaga) still show the top rank (me!!!! yay! I still got it!) as being rank 0 instead of rank 1 and I'm a little unclear whether the onus is on me to download and install (or manually edit something) to correct this or this will be "fixed" by a new version of HiToText either by my own hand or an update of CPWizard/GameEx.