Unfathomable MAME issues...

[stigzler]

Well, to me, anyway! It'll be a "have you turned it on at the wall" for one of you guys!

In short: When launch from GE - just get black screen - no crash - esc exits back to GE. Think get some sounds sometimes.

When copy and paste command line from log.txt into Command Prompt - launches fine!

I have been playing about with Game Extender a lot, but not sure is this as works purfic for other emus.

As ever, your benevolent and expert help would be eternally appreciated.

[sOLVED!!!] DON'T RUN GAMEEX IN COMPATIBILITY MODE IF RUNNING WIN 8!!

GameEx.ini

log.txt

[nullPointer]

Hi Stigzler

Definitely an odd case. I would highly recommend troubleshooting with your runitgame.bat as described here (pay special attention to section B):

4. "Run Last Game",or "RunitGame.bat"

It is important that the last emulator run in GameEx is the one that you are having problems with!

A. Post your "Run Last Game" or "Runitgame.bat"

Every once in awhile, someone will ask to post the contents of "Runitgame.bat" RunitGame.bat, Is the batch file that GameEx uses to start the emulator, it will show the actual command lines that GameEx is using to start the emulator. To view it, Go to: Start Menu > Program Files > GameEx > Utilities> Run Last Game, and Right click on the icon, and choose "Edit". If Windows wants to know what program to use to open the file, Choose "Select a Program From a List of Installed Programs" Choose "Notepad" from the list. (You may want to make sure that "Use This Program Everytime" is checked.)

Copy and paste the text from Notepad into your next post, by using the keys:
Ctrl + "A" (select all)
Ctrl + "C" (copy)
Ctrl + "V" (paste)


B. Troubleshooting with "Run Last Game"

Follow the instuctions above to open "runitgame.bat" It will look something like this, however, the contents will vary depending on the last emulator that was run in GameEx.

@ECHO OFF

C:
CD "C:\Program Files\Mame0127"
mame.exe 005 -rompath "D:\Mame 0.128 roms"

One way to troubleshoot a problem is to add the word "Pause" at the end of the Runitgame.bat file. When Windows asks "Do you want to save the changes..." Click on "Save". Next, double click on the "Run Last Game" Icon in the Start Menu. This will send the commands again, but the command window will remain open. It may show an error that will help you to understand what is wrong.

If you get this error:
'Emulator name.exe' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.
It means that either you have the incorrect name specified for your Emulator.exe, or your working path is incorrect.

If it gives an error that you don't understand, please let us know that you tried this method, and let us know what the error is.

So does the same thing happen if you attempt to run MAME directly from runitgame.bat? This will more accurately reflect exactly what GameEx is doing when it runs MAME. I noticed you didn't appear to have run a game in the posted log. It would also be helpful to see a copy of your log immediately after having experienced this error.

[stigzler]

Thanks nullP

used the runiitgame.bat method - game loads fine via this method! Have posted dos screen using pause method - doesn't look too worrying!

Also attached new log file following run

mysterious.... (I am running two monitors - separate GCards - with Game Extender)

log.txt

runitgame.txt

[stigzler]

OK... starting to feel a little frustrated by these issues now! It's also started happening on and off with other emus - sometimes they just load into a blank screen. Looked at runitgame on both successful and unsuccessful launches - both contained "chcp 65001" in the cmd lines - so don't think it has anything to do with this.

The only variables left are GameEx, GameExtender and the GameInfo plugin. I'm not sure what's causing the problems, but the whole system's getting a little hit and miss!

Very frustrated after putting in months of work getting everything set up - to have it all start to fail is really disheartening!!

[stigzler]

[update]

So, I removed the "-no window" from the commands bit in mame settings, problems seem to be happening in windows fullscreen. It worked! But weirdly - it still goes to fullscreen. Hey ho - it aint broke for now, but sure it'll be back for more!

However, then had mysteries of none of the keys working (tab, esc etc). Managed to somehow get into the menu to find that lots of my controls had changed to joypad mappings!! It's all too bizarre

I've had probs with directx since installing Win 8 - webupdater results in error - installed via runtimes, but still get the webupdate error. Could this explain my probs with fullscreen displays, some mysterious "draw" errors in older emus (like ZSsnes) and also keyboard mappings?

Thanks for all your help.

[stigzler]

NOOOO!!!! Lasted two minutes before no good again. ]

Finally specified the problem however. Not Game Extender. Not Game Info plugin. Just GameEx!

If I launch GameEx in fullscreen, I get the black screen on launching Mame. However, if I launch in windowed, Mame games play fine. If I launch fullscreen and then Alt+Ent to windowed and then launch Mame - black screen.

Please, for the love of god, someone surely must have some ideas? Looks like a problem with GameEx itself - recent update? I would appreciate any help. Know I'm posting a lot at the moment, but got a week off and trying to get this godforsaken project finished!

[EDIT] - Definitely something really dodgy with launching games form gameex fullscreen. Tried same method (from windowed and fullscreen GE) - ZSNES and Fusion launch fine from windowed, but from full screen, get following errors:

ZSNES: idirectdraw7::SetCooperativeLevel failed

Fusion (see screenie)

So, this definately feels like a bug with GameEx itself. Spent all day on this, and finally recognizing it's out of my power to sort - seems like some problem in the code. How does one go about getting help for issues like this? Most people have been really helpful on here, but this particular issue seems to be a little errr... 'willfully overlooked' ??

Regards

[nullPointer]

Hi stigzler

I know it's probably not what you're trying to hear, and I know this is a newer machine, but have you verified that your graphics drivers are up to date, along with your .NET components and DirectX? Have you also tried disabling all plugins just to see what happens?

[headkaze]

Are you setting MAME and GameEx to change the resolution?

Check your mame.ini (use mame.exe -cc to create it if you don't already have one)

## FULL SCREEN OPTIONS#triplebuffer              0switchres                 0full_screen_brightness    1.0full_screen_contrast      1.0full_screen_gamma         1.0

Make sure switchres is 0.

Also in the GameEx Setup Wizard go to Display Settings and make sure "GameEx won't change resolution" is set under "Don't switch resolution".

[stigzler]

Thanks for the help chaps, but no further forward.

null: G Drivers were up to date. .NET was the most current. DXDiag showing most recent DX -11 - although as mentioned above, there are some slight peculiarities with DX - but no errors being shown. Screens and dx log attached. Also disabled all plugins - no difference.

Head: Setting in mame were set as you outlined. GameEx was set as you suggested.

So, no further along.... 3 days on this now + getting fedup.

All emus seem to run fine outside of gameex. Problem only appears when launch from fullscreen gameex. Thus - pretty sure it's the interaction between gameex and my PC that's the problem. Who would know all the techie stuff about DX, screen sizes etc?

Thanks again for your efforts.

Steve

mame.ini

DxDiag.txt

[nullPointer]

Oh hey I meant to ask - Does the Windows Event Viewer show any events that correspond to this error? (you'd probably have to match up the timestamp of the event according to the time that the error occurred).

[stigzler]

Couldn't see anything on forcing the error just now - trawled through for anything with the corresponding timestamp - nada. However, I'll look at this again tomorrow with fresher eyes.

How easy is it to re-instal GameEx? Would that make a difference?

[stigzler]

OK - so examined event viewer again this am. The summary is exactly the same pre + post fullscreen bug. As per screenshot ("Last Hours" is relevant time period for fullscreen error)

This has been going on for four days now, and still no further forward. Is it bad form to message the developer of GameEx, because this feels quite complicated and beyond any ideas that I have.

Thanks

Steve

[DazzleHP]

Hi stigzler,

Seems like you're having a focus issue of some sort - but what do i know Have you tried running GE in compatibilty mode? Maybe try W7 and work your way backwards. Worth a shot?

[stigzler]

I'm sure you know lots, Dazzle

I'd agree - some kinda focus issues - happens on mame and lots of emulated platforms when launch from fullscreen - not when from windowed!

Tried 8, 7, Vista and XP - no difference - same issue throughout. Think I'm going to email Tom, because getting nowhere fast with this issue and seems an issue with GameEx.

[u-man]

i see you use 2 grafic-cards, maybe thats a problem. it seems like GameEX / MAME starts on a second screen/ grafics-card, cant find one and does come back again to GameEx, or your direct X has a problem, try to start MAME with -ddraw and see if problem still exists.

[stigzler]

Dazzle - you indirectly solved the problem!!!

It was all about compatibility mode. I had set GameEx to run in Win 7 compatibility to enable video capture (wouldn't work in Win8). However, took off compatibility - and everything's back to normal!! YAYYY!!!

Mame and emulators all launching fine now.

Dammit - talk about needles in haystacks.

Now only problem remaining is that I can't video capture a session of GameEx launching games. Nemmind - at least my cab's gonna work properly!

Thanks everyone for your ideas.

[DazzleHP]

Glad you got that sorted!

I would recommend a hardware encoder for capturing what you mentioned as most software recorders (AFAIK) don't switch focus with the windows - they just "stick" to whichever DX program has focus when you start capturing. The Live Gamer HD for example or maybe even an external PVR device

[stigzler]

OOOO - now that's an idea! However, will be waayy too expensive. Got a Philips HDT8520 - which has HD recording, but can find no way to record an input. Hey ho... the pile of 'mini projects' is getting huge - think i'll stockpile that one!