[ATTN: TOM] Need help with VP - Launch after does not seem to work with Win 8

[R-DUB]

I have VP working and I have looked to no avail to find out how to get VP to close automatically.

Tables start and play just fine but when I try and escape back to GameEX it will go to VP and want to select escape to editor which the editor also does not close.

I have to manually close this once out of GameEX.

OS is windows 8 and VP's ini posted

What am I missing or need to do to get a clean out.

Thanks

[Emulator]VideoSnapPath=Info=Emulator for the roms that Pinball machines use for scoreboard and display animations.Website=http://pinmame.retrogames.com/RequiredFiles=DownloadUrl=http://www.gamesdbase.com/setupwizard/emulators/download/pinmame.7zRating=Version=2.3Emulator=Visual PinMAMECategory=PinballSystem=PinballEnabled=TrueTitleText=PinballStartPageName=Visual PinMAMEStartPageLogo=Visual PinMAMECommand=""C:\GameEx\Emulators\Visual Pinball\VPinballLoader" "[ROMFILE]" "[WORKINGPATH]""RomFilter=*.vptDatabase=[Pinball] Visual PinMAMEConfigFile=[Mapping Off] Exit (ESC+Q)MapFile=RomPath=C:\GameEx\Emulators\Visual Pinball\TablesSnapPath=TitlePath=C:\GameEx\Emulators\Visual Pinball\BackglassBoxPath=CartPath=ManualPath=ControlPanelPath=C:\GameEx\Emulators\Visual Pinball\ControlsWorkingPath=C:\GameEx\Emulators\Visual Pinball\TablesMapKeys=TrueWaitBeforeKeys=SendKeys=ReplaceDash=TrueReplaceUnder=TrueCapitals=TrueRemoveBrackets=FalseShowDesktop=TrueDebug=FalseAlsoLaunch=vpauto.exeOLDatZip=LaunchBefore=LaunchAfter=ExcludedFiles=CustomBackground=PlayMusic=DontShowInfo=PlaySelectionMusic=SelectionMusicFolder=PCGame=GamesIn7Zips=PlayInScreenSaver=FalseShowMostPlayed=FalseRandomMostPlayed=FalseCDCheck=CDCheckFile=lastgame=HideGameExtenderViewer=False

[DazzleHP]

Hi R-DUB,

Please review this thread as helpman had a similar issue recently with VP not closing correctly. It turned out an Advanced Config was needed. If this doesn't solve your issue, or you just need a bit more guidance then by all means don't hesitate to get back to us

[R-DUB]

I have seen this and it did not help.

[R-DUB]

No tips?

[Draco1962]

Have you tried creating a batch file to kill the VP program and loading it via Launch After?

[R-DUB]

Never done this before.

How would I do this if you don't mind me asking.

[Draco1962]

Actually since you are not requiring more than one variables, perhaps just putting the following command line in your Launch After field will suffice:

taskkill /f /IM VPinball915.exe (or whatever the executable name-version is that you are running)

[R-DUB]

I did try that command and it did not work for me.

Not sure if it has to do with windows 8, just starting to get to know this OS.

I will try it again and post if it worked.

[Draco1962]

You may want to run runitgame.bat to see if there are any other related processes associated with VP that are loading.

[R-DUB]

How would I do this?

[R-DUB]

I have tried to use the line Taskkill /F /IM vpinball.exe in cmd.exe and it still would not close out VP.

Not sure why this won't close.

[Draco1962]

Instructions found here for runitgame.bat

I have tried to use the line Taskkill /F /IM vpinball.exe in cmd.exe and it still would not close out VP.

Not sure why this won't close.

There may be another process running (vploader.exe or similar perhaps?). You may be able to "eyball" them by looking under the Processes tab in Task Manager but runitgame.bat will be your best bet to confirm precisely what is loaded still.

[R-DUB]

Just tried that Taskkill /F /IM vpinball.exe in my XP setup and it will kill it there. Just not in the win8 set up

[Draco1962]

In Windows 8, run cmd.exe and then Taskkill /F /IM vpinball.exe and see if that works. If not, then run cmd.exe "as Administrator" and then the same command line. If that works, the issue is being able to run the command "elevated" or "Run as Administrator."

[R-DUB]

Ok I got cmd to close it out when it is run as admin.

I put this into the launch after line and it did not work like before

So now the question is how will this translate me using this in gameEX?

[hansolo77]

Just write out the command in the LAUNCH AFTER part of the config for that emulator. You may need to create a batch (.bat) file and give it Admin privileges though if it won't close unless you're admin.

[Draco1962]

R-Dub - try the following:

c:\windows\system32\taskkill /f /im vpinball.exe

or create a batch file via notepad and call it VPinKill.bat and use the following:

@echo offc:\windows\system32\taskkill /f /im vpinball.exe

If you go with the batch file you will need point your launch after command to it. I'd try the first, obviously.

[R-DUB]

Ok I have the bat file working but only if I run it as an admin.

How can I get this to run with admin permissions? it always needs to be told and does not save these permissions.

[Draco1962]

I was able to run the command line and .bat without admin permissions in Win 7 to close Notepad.exe as my test application.I don't think that it is possible to change the properties in the compatibility tab to run as Administrator for a .bat file and, since taskkill.exe is a system file, changing its attributes is not likely.

[R-DUB]

I found a way to get this to work.

What I had to do is make a shortcut of the bat file and then right click properties go to advance and tell it to run as adimin.

now to see if it shortcut works in gameex.

[R-DUB]

ok the shortcut to bat works to kill vp on its own but not in gameex under emu's launch after.

[Draco1962]

Awesome, but not so upon re-read. I found a little nugget that works on my system and contains the elevation within the batch process. You may want to give it a try, substituting your Vpin executable for notepad.exe.

taskbat.zip

[R-DUB]

ok it works but only outside gameex again.

I just can not get any launch after files to work.

[R-DUB]

ok I have just tried to launch a different program in the launch after line and it also did not launch.

Is this a bug with the launch after option?

[Draco1962]

It may be that there is an issue with the way it handles launch after in Windows 8, otherwise would think we would have a flood of reports as it is used quite often. I am going to direct this to Tom's attention. Be patient as he has been busy outside of GameEx quite a bit as of late and may not respond quite as quickly.