Problem with PinballX and Microsoft Sidewinder Freestyle Pro

[htamas]

I installed a Sidewinder Freestyle Pro in my pinball cabinet to handle nudging. It works fine but now I started to have a problem with PinballX which was working great for the last year or more.

When I exit a table, the system doesn't go back to PinballX but it also quits PinballX and returns to the desktop.

If I disable the Sidewinder in Device Manager (or unplug it), everything is back to normal.

I tried to change the buttons to quit the table and to exit PinballX, but no matter what combination I select, this doesn't help. I also tried to plug the Sidewinder to different USB sockets and play around with changing the other USB peripheral plug locations - nothing makes a difference.

Did anyone else experience such a problem? What could be the solution?

I would hate to be forced to return to Hyperpin since PinballX works much better for me, but I also want to have the nudging provided by the Sidewinder.

I'm running Windows XP 32-bit, don't know if this matters.

[Draco1962]

When reporting a possible bug or error, please submit a copy of the following files so we may quickly assist you:

pinballx.ini and log.txt (Click here for additional information on how to find these files and others that may be required).

[htamas]

OK, thanks for the reply. Attached are the requested files.

Actually, there are two log files attached. The one called log_error.txt is the log which shows PinballX crashing upon exiting the table. This is when the program is started with the Sidewinder plugged in and enabled. Apparently there is some application error in this case. I'm running an older version of PinballX but even the latest version (1.92) behaves the same way, I just returned to the older one thinking this will make a difference.

In the meantime, I was able to get around the issue, but my solution is a bit hokey. Since I noticed that if I start PinballX with the Sidewinder disabled or unplugged, then I enable (or plug in) the controller, then everything works, this got me thinking. I ended up creating a batch file which first disables the Sidewinder, then starts PinballX, waits a few (7 or 8) seconds and enables the controller again. Waiting only 4 seconds was not enough, I had to increase the wait time before re-enabling the Sidewinder.

This allows PinballX to work correctly, nudging is still OK and upon exit, I'm returned to PinballX. The corresponding log file is log.txt

Granted, this allows me to keep PinballX as my frontend but not having to do such a workaround would be certainly great.

Thanks again.

PinballX.ini

log_error.txt

log.txt

[Draco1962]

Are you using any gamepad managing software, such as Xpadder? This might remedy the issue you are encountering.

[htamas]

Are you using any gamepad managing software, such as Xpadder? This might remedy the issue you are encountering.

No, I'm not using XPadder, but I did use a tool called DXtweak to fine tune the calibration of the controller.

How would additional software help to avoid the crash?

[Adultery]

Can you disable that tweak and try again to rule it out?

[htamas]

The tweak tool was used only once, to refine the initial calibration of the controller. It is not used or loaded anymore since then.

I don't know how to 'disable' it, or if that's even possible.

The resulting settings are essential for the Sidewinder to work properly, since the built-in Windows calibration doesn't give the necessary result.

Does the error in the log tell anything useful about the problem?

[nullPointer]

Hi htamas

I know you expressed some frustration in a separate thread that this issue was being neglected. I'll post the exact contents of your error here in the event that it might catch a bit more attention, but my concern is that this problem will likely be related to some odd hardware problem related to your specific system. In other words it's going to be hard for anyone else to duplicate the issue, without using identical hardware.

20:52:55.4 12/1/2014: Found PinMAME ROM: afm_113.nv

20:52:57.4 12/1/2014: Exit System Control Pressed

20:53:00.1 12/1/2014: Error. Exiting

20:53:00.1 12/1/2014: Error in the application.

20:53:00.2 12/1/2014: at PinballX.Main.b(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, Boolean A_2)

20:53:00.2 12/1/2014: at PinballX.Main.ai()

20:53:00.2 12/1/2014: at PinballX.Main..ctor()

20:53:00.2 12/1/2014: Disposing Plugins

20:53:00.2 12/1/2014: Showing Taskbar

20:53:00.2 12/1/2014: Unhiding Mouse Cursor

20:53:00.2 12/1/2014: Bye

Have you updated (or downgraded) any system drivers lately? You might want to check to make sure your video card drivers are up to date as well as the Sidewinder drivers. It seems hinky to me that you can't calibrate the controller in Windows being that it would seem to indicate a low level communication problem between Windows and the controller driver (unless I'm misunderstanding the nature of that particular issue).

[tthurman]

Could be completely unrelated, but in this post, the first error you are encountering is related to a VP database error that can be corrected in the XML file, so it would seem at least plausible that these errors have nothing to do with the problem you are encountering.

This is a legacy usb 1.0 controller correct, or is it 2.0?

[htamas]

Hi htamas

I know you expressed some frustration in a separate thread that this issue was being neglected. I'll post the exact contents of your error here in the event that it might catch a bit more attention, but my concern is that this problem will likely be related to some odd hardware problem related to your specific system. In other words it's going to be hard for anyone else to duplicate the issue, without using identical hardware.

Have you updated (or downgraded) any system drivers lately? You might want to check to make sure your video card drivers are up to date as well as the Sidewinder drivers. It seems hinky to me that you can't calibrate the controller in Windows being that it would seem to indicate a low level communication problem between Windows and the controller driver (unless I'm misunderstanding the nature of that particular issue).

I know this is probably related to my hardware and it may be a unique issue that won't be reproducible... I was just wondering if the captured error means something that would shed some light on the culprit.

The problem started when I plugged in the Sidewinder, and as soon as I unplug it, there is no issue so it is clearly caused by this peripheral being connected to the system. Why would this result in PinballX crashing is a mystery to me.

I didn't change anything on the system, all drivers are the way they used to be for the last year or so. Being on Windows XP, this dictates me to stick to an old nvidia driver (270.61) because some tables hang in Visual Pinball if I install any newer driver. Other people have this exact same situation so it is not unique to my setup. Therefore I cannot install the latest video driver.

As for the Sidewinder driver, I use the built-in Windows one (which is obviously pretty old). There isn't any newer version available as far as I'm aware, at least Windows Update doesn't offer anything newer.

The Windows built-in calibration works but doesn't allow to get the ball perfectly still on a test table that is used to fine tune the controller. Many people are using the same exact DXtweak tool after the stock calibration to get the desired result with the Sidewinder connected, it just refines the settings of the Windows calibration.

Could be completely unrelated, but in this post, the first error you are encountering is related to a VP database error that can be corrected in the XML file, so it would seem at least plausible that these errors have nothing to do with the problem you are encountering.

This is a legacy usb 1.0 controller correct, or is it 2.0?

Wouldn't an eventual VP database error lead to a problem even without the Sidewinder being connected? Because I have no problem if I unplug the controller, so it doesn't seem likely this would be the case.

I believe it is a legacy peripheral, the driver is dated from year 2001.

[Draco1962]

I don't think that this is going to be reproducible for any of us as it is not likely that anyone owns the hardware you are using and, if the last driver update is back to 2001 - the same year XP was released. The hardware was released in 1998 when Win 98 was popular. If Microsoft is no longer supporting the hardwareI don't see that is is it likely that you will find a solution here.

[Adultery]

Knowing how it works under the hood i can personally guarantee that it is your controller, and probably specific to whatever that mod did to 'tweak' your driver.

So your best bet is to uninstall the driver, stick with the native driver if possible.

[htamas]

I know it IS the controller that causes the problem... and the driver IS the native driver. The tool only sets certain sensitivity values, doesn't replace or modify the driver itself.

Since I do have a workaround that solves the issue, this is not too big of a deal after all... it's just strange that connecting the controller causes a crash in a program, but only if the controller is enabled when the program starts, afterwards it can be enabled and it works perfectly, without causing any trouble.

Oh well.

Thanks for the replies.

[htamas]

Apparently I'm not the only person in the world experiencing this issue
I received a request for the file I'm using to start PinballX which eliminates the crash. So I thought just in case this helps others, I'd attach the (ZIPped) batch file here to this post.

You have to verify the device ID using Device Manager if it is the same for your controller like in my case. This is then used with the devcon command.

After disabling the controller, PinballX is started with a simple shortcut.

Then, the next command waits 8 seconds before re-enabling the controller.

px.zip