Running multiple versions of FP

[PinballShawn]

Is it possible to run multiple versions of fp on PinballX? With new physics versions available, not everything works with all versions. I love Slam's 2.6 FP, but it causes some games not to load, or they act very wonky when they do load. Instead of changing everything on 300 games, I'd love to have 1 version of FP for his games, and another for Zed Physics, and one standard 2.5 version.

Can this be done? If not can you include it in a future update?

Thanks!

[zeenon]

Yes. Take a look at my pinballx.ini below. I'm running the default FP and also the BAM version of FP. But you can easily add additional FP emulators (each under a different dir (ie X:\Future Pinball Zed, X:\Future Pinball 2.5, etc.)).

[Display]
Monitor=0
rotate=270
Windowed=False
WindowWidth=1080
WindowHeight=1920
WindowX=0
WindowY=65
PlayFieldBrightness=230
WheelTextColor=ffffffff
WheelTextOutlineColor=ff000000
InfoTextColor=ffd9dcdd
InfoTextOutlineColor=ff000000
FilterTextColor=ffd9dcdd
FilterTextOutlineColor=ff000000
MenuColor=ff0000ff

[backGlass]
monitor=1
x=0
y=0
width=1920
height=1080

[DMD]
Enabled=False
monitor=1
x=525
y=850
width=875
height=200

[FileSystem]
EnableFileMatching=False

[interface]
DesktopModeEnabled=False
EnableAdditionalDetail=True
ShowSystem=True

[Audio]
StreamVolume=60
SampleVolume=60

[startup]
playsound=False
playvideo=True

[KeyCodes]
quit=27
left=37
right=39
select=13
rotate=82
pageleft=33
pageright=34
exitemulator=81
ingame=80
screenshot=83
screenshotbackglass=66
instructions=73

[JoyCodes]
quit=7
left=9
right=1
select=8
rotate=
pageleft=10
pageright=3
exitemulator=13
ingame=7
instructions=

[Text]
Line1=Select Table w/ Flippers
Line2=Press Start

[FuturePinball]
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=D:\Future Pinball
TablePath=D:\Future Pinball\Tables
Executable=Future Pinball.exe
Parameters=/open "[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]" /play /exit /arcaderender
LaunchBeforeEnabled=false
LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=
LaunchBeforeExecutable=
LaunchBeforeHideWindow=False
LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=True
LaunchAfterEnabled=True
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchAfterExecutable=ledset.bat
LaunchAfterHideWindow=True
LaunchAfterWaitForExit=False
MouseClickFocus=True
FPRAMPath=D:\Future Pinball\fpRAM

[VisualPinball]
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=D:\VPinball
TablePath=D:\VPinball\Tables
Executable=VPinball.exe
Parameters=/play -"[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]"
LaunchBeforeEnabled=False
LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=
LaunchBeforeExecutable=
LaunchBeforeHideWindow=False
LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=True
LaunchAfterEnabled=True
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchAfterExecutable=ledset.bat
LaunchAfterHideWindow=True
LaunchAfterWaitForExit=False
NVRAMPath=D:\VPinball\VPinMAME\nvram
LaunchAfterParameters=

[ExitScreen]
Enabled=True
EnableExit=True
EnableShutdown=True

[startupProgram]
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
Executable=ledset.bat
Paramaters=
HideWindow=true
WaitForExit=false

[ExitProgram]
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
Executable=ledoff.bat
Paramaters=
HideWindow=True
WaitForExit=False

[AttractMode]
Enabled=True
Timer=5
ShowFor=60

[system_1]
Name=Pinball FX2
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=D:\PinballFX2
TablePath=D:\PinballFX2\data_steam
Executable=Pinball FX2.exe
Parameters=
LaunchBeforeEnabled=True
LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchBeforeExecutable=PinballFX2.exe
LaunchBeforeParameters=[TABLEFILE]
LaunchBeforeHideWindow=False
LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=False
LaunchAfterEnabled=True
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchAfterExecutable=ledset.bat
LaunchAfterHideWindow=True
LaunchAfterWaitForExit=False

[system_2]
Name=Pinball FX2 Original
Enabled=False
WorkingPath=C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam
TablePath=
Executable=Steam.exe
Parameters=-applaunch 226980
LaunchBeforeEnabled=False
LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=
LaunchBeforeExecutable=
LaunchBeforeParameters=
LaunchBeforeHideWindow=False
LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=False
LaunchAfterEnabled=True
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchAfterExecutable=ledset.bat
LaunchAfterHideWindow=True
LaunchAfterWaitForExit=False

[system_3]
Name=Future Pinball-BAM
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=D:\Future Pinball-BAM\BAM
TablePath=D:\Future Pinball-BAM\Tables
Executable=Future Pinball.exe
Parameters=/STAYINRAM /open "[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]" /play /exit
LaunchBeforeEnabled=False
LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=
LaunchBeforeExecutable=
LaunchBeforeHideWindow=False
LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=True
LaunchAfterEnabled=True
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchAfterExecutable=ledset.bat
LaunchAfterHideWindow=True
LaunchAfterWaitForExit=False
FPRAMPath=D:\Future Pinball-BAM\fpRAM
LaunchBeforeParameters=
MouseClickFocus=True

[system_4]
Name=Pinball Arcade
Enabled=False
WorkingPath=D:\Pinball Arcade
TablePath=D:\Pinball Arcade\Resource
Executable=PinballArcade.exe
Parameters=
LaunchBeforeEnabled=True
LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchBeforeExecutable=PinballArcade.exe
LaunchBeforeParameters=[TABLEFILE]
LaunchBeforeHideWindow=False
LaunchBeforeWaitForExit=False
LaunchAfterEnabled=True
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=D:\PinballX\Scripts
LaunchAfterExecutable=ledset.bat
LaunchAfterHideWindow=True
LaunchAfterWaitForExit=False

[system_8]
Name=MAME
Enabled=True
WorkingPath=D:\MAME
TablePath=D:\MAME\romdummy
Executable=mame.exe
Parameters=[TABLEFILE]
LaunchBeforeEnabled=False
LaunchAfterEnabled=False
LaunchBeforeWorkingPath=
LaunchBeforeExecutable=
LaunchBeforeParameters=
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=
LaunchAfterExecutable=

[AutoExit]
Enabled=True
Minutes=45

[setupWizard]
EmuPath1=C:\Emulators
AssetPath1=C:\Assets
RomPath1=C:\Roms
DefaultPathPrompt=True
DownloadDatabasePrompt=True
DownloadEmulatorPrompt=True
WizardMode=2
CustomArray=GameEx Online
SearchArray=
SavePosition=False
SectionIndex=6
SearchText=timeout
EmulatorIndex=0
EmulatorGroupIndex=0
DaphneIndex=0
HTMLAppsIndex=0
ExternalAppsIndex=0
RadioStationsIndex=0
NewsFeedsIndex=0
MappedDrivesIndex=0
SystemIndex=7
ShowPanel=True
FontSize=1
WindowState=0
WindowSize=809,719
WindowLocation=163,225

[internal]
lastselected=Bad Cats (Williams 1989)Bad Cats (Williams 1989)VisualPinball
filter_year=
filter_company=
filter_custom=
filtername=Tables

[Plugin_1]
Enabled=False
Name=PlugInSpeech.dll

[Plugin_2]
Enabled=False
Name=QuickLaunch (PinballX Edition).dll

[Plugin_3]
Enabled=False
Name=Xpadder Plugin.dll

Just as a side note, if you get Future Pinball with BAM working you only need one version of FP because BAM supports:

FP Original

FP 2.4

FP 2.5

FP 2.6

FP Zed

FP Slamtilts rubbers

Z

[PinballShawn]

Have you tried this with 3 monitors? I can get them both to work by tweeking PinballX, but FutureDMD only works with my original FP. I guess I have to install BAM and go from there.

Just curious if anyone has done this with a 3 screen cab.

[Dirtnap]

I was just going to ask this same question regarding FP and using a FP physics mod for Slams tables. Good info!

[Dirtnap]

Zeenon. I actually took your advice and decided to install BAM. I like the idea of having one Future Pinball.exe. I did notice though that you have a different folder for your installs so it looks as if you actually have a FP BAM folder and a regular FP folder. What I would like to accomplish is this:

First My main folder is c:\pinball

Inside my Pinball folder is a PinballX Folder and a Future Pinball folder.

Inside my Future pinball folder is the BAM folder and I have renamed the fploader.exe in the Bam folder to Futurepinball.exe

All My tables are located in the Future pinball\tables folder and they are not in subfolders. I have almost 300+ Regular non physics 2.6 tables and about 30 of Slamtilts physics 2.6 tables all smashed in the same Tables folder of Future Pinball.

I have one XML File called "Future Pinball All Tables.XML" that has all 330+ Tables in it. I am trying to make it transparent for me to Load up PinballX, it Loads my XML file that has all my Tables on the wheel, and Off I Go. If I select a Pinball lets say Abra Cadabra Ultimate by Slamtilt I want it to load the Future Pinball.exe in the BAM folder. But if I have a Non Physics Table it loads the standard FP.exe.

I want to avoid having to go back a menu and make a seperate BAM.XML on another pinball X Menu and have to bounce between a menu with 300 Non physics tables, then have top back out and load an XML Menu that says perhaps "Future Pinball Physics" tables.

Can they all coexists of the one XML menu item?

I guess I could make a sub folder in c:\pinball\Future PinballTables and call it "Bam Tables". Move all the Physics tables to that subfolder. Then Configure another system like you did in PinballX for Bam, and point to that c:pinball\\Future Pinball\Tables\Bam Tables" folder? How does PinballX use Other System configs? Does it place another catagory on the main menu? Am I out of luck wanting to use one list for everything?

I hope I did not confuse you and that makes sense. I would assume if we add BAM as another system there is no way of avoiding having a BAM catagory on the menu, and a ALL Future Pinballs menu item.

Id love to just have it load my 330+ XML file and autoload bam for physics tables and regular FP.exe for regular tables. If you got any Ideas as to how best to do that, I'd love to know.

Thanks

[zeenon]

Zeenon. I actually took your advice and decided to install BAM. I like the idea of having one Future Pinball.exe. I did notice though that you have a different folder for your installs so it looks as if you actually have a FP BAM folder and a regular FP folder.

Just to set the stage, I originally had FP, then FP with BAM came out. Because it was so new I decided to test it stand alone so it I could play without breaking my master FP install.

I have one XML File called "Future Pinball All Tables.XML" that has all 330+ Tables in it. I am trying to make it transparent for me to Load up PinballX, it Loads my XML file that has all my Tables on the wheel, and Off I Go. If I select a Pinball lets say Abra Cadabra Ultimate by Slamtilt I want it to load the Future Pinball.exe in the BAM folder. But if I have a Non Physics Table it loads the standard FP.exe.

I want to avoid having to go back a menu and make a seperate BAM.XML on another pinball X Menu and have to bounce between a menu with 300 Non physics tables, then have top back out and load an XML Menu that says perhaps "Future Pinball Physics" tables.

Can they all coexists of the one XML menu item?

Ok, I'll try to describe this the best I can since I'm not at my cab right now.

1) Leave all your tables in one XML file.

2) You will load the SAME fp.exe for ALL your tables (see #3)

3) This is the beauty of BAM, one fp.exe can load original fp, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, zed ,etc tables. You load different physics by assigning an XML to each table. Under your BAM folder you'll notice an XML dir which contains different physics file. So you want to load Cyclone Ultimate 1.02 (Williams 1981).fpt with physics 2.6.......COPY the fp-p2.6.xml to your tables dir and rename to Cyclone Ultimate 1.02 (Williams 1981).xml. With the exception of ZED tables each .fpt table should have an xml file with two exceptions:

a. ZED tables usually come with a .fpt and .zip file (the physics file is in the .zip file, so you just copy the zip/fpt into your tables folder

b. If you have a lot of tables you can leverage the default.xml. This file is a copy of ONE of the XML files which is copied to the root of your BAM folder. ANY table that does not have a corresponding xml file in the tables dir will use the default.xml (physics)

I guess I could make a sub folder in c:\pinball\Future PinballTables and call it "Bam Tables". Move all the Physics tables to that subfolder. Then Configure another system like you did in PinballX for Bam, and point to that c:pinball\\Future Pinball\Tables\Bam Tables" folder? How does PinballX use Other System configs? Does it place another catagory on the main menu? Am I out of luck wanting to use one list for everything?

I could merge my FP installs if I wanted to by copying all my FP\tables to FP-BAM\tables and making sure the default.xml file in the root BAM folder is a copy of the fp-org.xml.

So loading an original FP table, will load the default.xml (which is a copy of the fp-org.xml)

A table like Cyclone Ultimate 1.02 (Williams 1981).fpt will have a Cyclone Ultimate 1.02 (Williams 1981).xml (which is a copy of the fp-p2.6.xml)

A table like Addams Family Pinball Gold 2.5 (Midway 1992).fpt will have a Addams Family Pinball Gold 2.5 (Midway 1992).xml (which is a copy of the fp-p2.7.xml)

Id love to just have it load my 330+ XML file and autoload bam for physics tables and regular FP.exe for regular tables. If you got any Ideas as to how best to do that, I'd love to know.

BAM will do all you requested.

Z

[zeenon]

Have you tried this with 3 monitors? I can get them both to work by tweeking PinballX, but FutureDMD only works with my original FP. I guess I have to install BAM and go from there.

Just curious if anyone has done this with a 3 screen cab.

I was just going to ask this same question regarding FP and using a FP physics mod for Slams tables. Good info!

Sorry I can only speak from a two monitors/real DMD setup.

Z

[Andurian]

Zeenon is entirely correct. I only say this to verify that I have all my tables in "Future Pinball.xml" running all the available physics for different tables.

[Dirtnap]

I had a hell of a time last night trying every combination I thought of,..renaming bams fploader program, changing pinballx's config files to use a 3rd system, etc. I did so many combinations that I thought I covered them all.

I finally nuked the pinballx config file from orbit and started over because I could get PX to load up, I would select a table, it blacks the screen, then bounces back to PX frontend, then seconds later the table would load leaving the front end of pinball x as the focus.. Since it was messing up and using the switch /STAYINRAM my guess is that it was residing in ram, and task manager couldn't kill the process, it would not let me type anything in a browser window, and screwed up my keyboard in windows royally which I am sure is the injection BAM is doing. Anyhow after sleeping on it and trying again today I did the following:

1. Renamed the fploader.exe in the c:\pinball\future pinball\BAM\ folder to Future Pinball.exe

2. I have the Future Pinball config in PinballX pointing to c:\pinball\Future Pinball\BAM\

3. I have the exe file name in pinballx's config as Future Pinball.exe (the renamed one thats sitting in the BAM folder)

4. the Parameters are Parameters=/STAYINRAM /open "[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]" /play /exit /arcaderender

Low and behold it loads up PX, blacks the screen out after selecting a table, but if you wait a seconds or two it loads it up and focus the table to the forefront window, I can play it and exit out back to PX just fine.

I swear I did this Combo last night. and it would never load the bam mod, just default back to the old future pinball.exe. I knew because hitting the Q or ~ key never showed the BAM menu.

So in summary I did NOT put bam as a 3rd "system" in the Pinball X config settings. Just changed the path to the exe in the future pinball config, and renamed the bam fploader.exe to the same exe name and added the /STAYINRAM switch on the parameter for future pinball.

I hope I did that right. It works, and that's all I care about. I appreciate the assist Z

I did also make copies of the physics XML and rename to the table name, they are reading when I load the table and bring up the bam menu, it shows its using the tables XML file. I made a copy of the fp org.xml file and pasted it in the tables folder and renamed it to default.xml. When I load non physics tables and bring up the bam window i do not see saying it is loading the default.XML. I assume it is however using it because the physics are not as bouncy.

[zeenon]

The default.xml file has to be in the root of the BAM folder (so in my case its D:\Future Pinball-BAM\BAM\default.xml) not in the tables folder.

Z

[Dirtnap]

I think I do know the answer but I have all my FP tables in one XML and that working wonderful. There are some tables I know I want but they dont exists as Future Pinballs but Visual pinball. I have that working as well but I would love to have one XML file driving every table but I have a feeling there is no way to mix FP and VP tables in the same XML correct? I am going to have to make a seperate XML file for the VP pinballs and place it in the VP database folder and back out to the main menu every time and just live with a "future Pinball list and a Visual pinball list right? Not a huge deal but for simple sake for this PC I am building for my dad, I can see him never figuring out how to back out to the main menu to "see the other tables" He is a bit of a caveman so, the easier I make it the better.

Thanks for the assistance in getting bugs ironed out .

**EDIT Ok Quite Bizarre. I started constructing the new XML for visual Pinballs XML file and realized my Future Pinball XML was named "Future Pinball ALL.xml" So I just renamed it to "Future Pinball.XML"

For giggles I loaded up pinball X to make sure the tables still loaded. Now the filters for 70's 80's etc now all work for some reason. (they did not before). I now see my One VP table (Haunted House) in the wheel with all the Future pinballs. The FP tables all work, and when I pick haunted House it loads with VP!

Now sure how or why. Maybe pinballX checks for default named XML files called Visual Pinball.xml and Future Pinball.xml and mashes them together on the same wheel. (thats what I would think would happen.) But since I had a different named XML for my future pinballs it created a new catagory on the menu called "Future Pinballs All" which lead me to believe you needed two files and two menu choices to play different emulated types of tables. When all you need is two xml files and PinballX mashes them together in the same wheel.

[Itchigo]

I know this is for FP, but it's sort of along the same lines as a question.

Is there a way to run 2 versions of VP? Directx9 will break a lot of older tables, and if we could use an older vp for these, and use the new vp for the newer tables, it would be great. I have about 450 tables, and I'm not going to update them all just to use DX9. If I could play everything before today on 9.2.1, and everything after on vp10, it would save a lot of people's cabs.

[zeenon]

I don't see why you can't add another emulator and call it Visual Pinball DX9, the same way we added a FP-BAM above. Heck you can probably have a VP8, VP9, VP DX9 and VP DX10 emulator all running under PBX.

Z

[Itchigo]

Thats exactly what I tried to do! Great minds think alike. I added "Direct X 9 Pinball", made an xml of 1 table, and added the media/database folders for it. It's enabled, and all paths are correct, yet I don't see it as a choice.

[Itchigo]

Ok, here's what I did:

The 1 table I have is in the complete xml of 452 tables. There is also an xml labeled : "Direct X 9 Pinball".

I made a folder in databases named this- for this. I also made a media folder for this, same name.

The only time I've ever seen "Direct X 9 Pinball" is when I put that xml in the Future Pinball Folder. (Still crashes).

[zeenon]

Try renaming the exe to vpinball.exe

Z

[Itchigo]

I did, no love.

I don't have it named Vpinball on my Vpinball page. I would think that as long as it's named matching the .exe, it'd be fine.

[scrivy]

Within PinballX\Config\PinballX.ini, you can manually alter this file to create many different versions of FP or VP as separate systems but in some cases, this is not necessary. Please be aware that if you are someone using BAM, and you think you can run the earliest version of FP and just because you are loading an appropriate xml file to alter the physics that all is well, you may be mistaken. Until altered later versions appeared, Future Pinball only supported 800 objects on a table. This limitation was not surpassed until version 2.5 when the objects went to 2989. If your default version doesn't start with 2.5, I believe there is a problem. The other thing to think about while running BAM to load your xml files, is that you don't have to settle for any particular physics. You can even alter the xml yourself and create your own physics. Go on Youtube, watch how a real table plays and notice where the ball goes when it hits the slingshot, bumper, kick out hole , etc. How fast does the ball move on the table due to gravity? When the ball hits a slingshot, is it directed down the side drain, or does it deflect higher? If I have an FP table that is not behaving according to proper physics, it is much easier to make the changes in the XML that matches the table, then to have to go into the table itself and change the power of all of its objects. I can create a custom XML for every table so it plays correctly. This means no more bouncy/floaty ball but I may have to make some manual adjustments to the flippers because the XML doesn't control all of this.

I like to keep my installation simple. For FP, all tables look better when loaded with BAM so it makes no sense that all tables are not loaded with it. I created a default.xml that works with most tables until I have the time to get through all of them and install a custom XML. All my tables are in one folder.