[RESOLVED] 3 Monitor Problem

[steveg64]

Well after a couple of years away I am back playing around with Pinballx and Visual Pinball with the intention of building (at last) a cabinet.

I have managed to get 3 monitors up and running and everything is working as it should when launching a table direct from Visual pinball (version 9.91), all displays are correct and I can play the tables.

When scrolling through the tables in Pinballx, again everything is working as it should - Playfield video on Monitor 1, B2S Backglass on Monitor 2 and DMD (Pinmame rom) on Monitor 3.

The problem I have is when I launch a table through Pinballx. Everything displays as it should and I am able to put the credits in ok and start the game, at least as far as the DMD screen is concerned, but the focus remains on Monitor 3 so I am not able to actually play the game unless I move the mouse back onto Monitor 1 and left click.

Any help would be appreciated.

Steve G.

[Draco1962]

Welcome back! To start, please provide copies of your pinballx.ini and log.txt (Click here for additional information on how to find these files and others that may be required). Thanks!

[steveg64]

Thanks, I will post my pinball.ini and log.txt as soon as I get home from work in a few hours.

Steve G.

[steveg64]

Ok, here are the 2 files needed.

Steve G.

PinballX.ini

log.txt

[steveg64]

Anyone?

Steve G.

[Draco1962]

Sorry.. so many problems, so little time to try to address them all. I don't run the programs or have the setup as you mention, however, have you read this thread and attempted the solution mentioned?

[steveg64]

Yes, I have read that post but that is not the same problem I have

Steve G.

[Draco1962]

In looking at your pinballx.ini, something does not look right to me (anyone else please review and advise as I do not have pincab setup to compare). Seems that your playfield dimensions are not correct for Monitor 0 per the .ini:

[Display]Monitor=0rotate=270windowed=Falsewindowwidth=480windowheight=270windowx=603windowy=570PlayFieldBrightness=230WheelTextColor=ffffffffWheelTextOutlineColor=ff000000InfoTextColor=ffffffffInfoTextOutlineColor=ff000000FilterTextColor=ffffffffFilterTextOutlineColor=ff000000MenuColor=ffffa500ShowExitImage=TrueFullScreenWindowed=FalseShowExitImageFor=2[BackGlass]monitor=1x=0y=0width=1920height=1080UseB2S=True[DMD]Enabled=Truemonitor=2x=190y=0width=900height=300

[steveg64]

I assume Monitor 0 is the Playfield, Monitor 1 is the Backglass and Monitor 2 is the DMD.

My Playfield appears to look ok and is set to 1920 x 1080 in the VP "Preferences" "Video Options".

I have not edited the .ini file at all, but it does seem that others have:

windowx=0

windowy=65

I will change when I get home and see if that makes any difference?

Steve G.

[rockyrocket]

Maybe posting a screenshot of your resolution settings screen would help us visualize your set up.

One thing that may be worth checking is if your playfield monitor is set as the primary screen, not sure how PinballX handles activating a screen other that the primary? - what screen has the taskbar?.

I do remember that with hyperpin you had to set your playfield as the leftmost screen then the backglass screen to the right of that and finally the dmd screen rightwards again.

BUT i do not think that is still the case with PinballX but it cant hurt to try that way maybe?

Not my image but this shows the order I mean just ignore the resolutions :-).

[steveg64]

Hi rockyrocket,

My setup is exactly as you have suggested the Playfield this the primary monitor (and has the taskbar) and is on the far left in the "Display Properties" then the Backglass in the middle and the DMD on the right.

Like I say when launching a table directly through VP the focus stays on the playfield, it is only when I launch through Pinballx that the focus goes to the DMD monitor.

Steve G.

[rockyrocket]

Hi rockyrocket,

My setup is exactly as you have suggested the Playfield this the primary monitor (and has the taskbar) and is on the far left in the "Display Properties" then the Backglass in the middle and the DMD on the right.

Like I say when launching a table directly through VP the focus stays on the playfield, it is only when I launch through Pinballx that the focus goes to the DMD monitor.

Steve G.

Hmmm, ok am mostly out of ideas then, unless vp is throwing up a message box itself that it ignores but PinballX grabs as focus?, what windows are open in the background if you Alt Tab?.

Its the weekend so tomorrow I can mess with my cab to see if I can reproduce this although mine is only a two screen set up and both screens are 1080p.

[steveg64]

Hi rockyrocket,

Once the table is launched (in this case Lord of the Rings) through Pinballx, if I Alt Tab the windows open from left to right are:

1. "Visual Pinball Player"

2. "Pinballx" (Black Screen)

3. "Form 1" (Back Glass)

4. "Pinballx Back Glass" (this is the backglass that was shown in Pinballx before table launch - now Black Screen)

5. "Pinballx Back Glass" (this is the Pinmame DMD that was shown in Pinballx before table launch - now Black Screen)

6. "Lord of the Rings, The (10.00)" (Pinmame DMD)

Steve G.

[rockyrocket]

Just checked my settings file and it looks like Drako hit the nail on the head (of course) and comparing your pinballx.ini to mine.

MINE                                 yours[Display]Monitor=0rotate=270windowed=FalseWindowWidth=1080                     480WindowHeight=1920                    270WindowX=0WindowY=0PlayFieldBrightness=250WheelTextColor=ffffffffWheelTextOutlineColor=ff000000InfoTextColor=ffffffffInfoTextOutlineColor=ff000000FilterTextColor=ffffffffFilterTextOutlineColor=MenuColor=ffffffffFullScreenWindowed=False[BackGlass]monitor=1x=0y=0width=1920height=1080[DMD]Enabled=Falsemonitor=3x=0y=0width=900height=300HidePinMAME=TrueUsePinMAME=True

It looks like you have told PinballX that your playfield screen (monitor 1 in windows - same as mine) but monitor 0 in the pinballX ini has a resolution of 480 x 270, and that your backglass is 1920 x 1080.

My cab has a real dmd so I can not comment on why my dmd screen is set to 3 by default and your is set as 2, maybe someone else can confirm that?.

Hopefully then telling PinballX that your playfield is 1920 x 1080 will fix things for you - good luck!.

[steveg64]

I'm sure the settings on "Monitor 0" only come into effect if it is windowed.

If you notice on your Monitor 0 the 1920 x 1080 are the wrong way round anyway.

Steve G.

[rockyrocket]

I'm sure the settings on "Monitor 0" only come into effect if it is windowed.

If you notice on your Monitor 0 the 1920 x 1080 are the wrong way round anyway.

Steve G.

You may be right I am just tossing ideas out there - the width and height are correct for it being rotated 270 deg though.

Your log indicates the main screen is running full screen windowed not sure if that could be important?.

Maybe it could be a Win 10 thing also, are both PBX and VP running as admin? might be worth trying both in compatibility mode for win 7 - who knows?

Also may be worth disabling the Pinmame DMD in the table script with HideDmd = 1 on a test table as PBX may have already started it with the B2s whilst in menu.

Trying it with the B2S option disabled and or the hide Pinmame option on and off are worth experimenting with I think.

Seem to remember Carny_Priest having loads of focus issues also with his three screen P2K cab but he found workarounds for all I think?.

Guess if nothing else works AHK could send a mouseclick to the playfield window after launch.

[steveg64]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I will have a play around.

As for Win 10, I had the same problem with Win 7 - that's why I upgraded but it made no difference.

Steve G.

[rockyrocket]

Cool thanks for humouring me and agreeing to experiment - I know some of the suggestions are far fetched (and possibly patronising ) but just by eliminating stuff we will make progress.

Disabling the pinmame window in the script so it is not displayed should be useful to eliminate a number of things hopefully.

It is odd that your mouse cursor finds its way to screen 3 as I am sure mine is in a corner of the playfield screen, but I do need to check that.

Good hunting!.

[Draco1962]

I would recommend changing the monitor 0 settings to 1080x1920 as I believe that it also has play in non windowed mode. If I am wrong on this, there should be no ill effects.

[steveg64]

Well, I have tried everything suggested but when launching a table through Pinballx the mouse ends up sitting tight, up in the top right hand corner of the 3rd (DMD) monitor.

When launching direct from VP, the mouse remains on the 1st (Playfield) monitor.

This is very frustrating as it is stopping me using the excellent Frontend

Does Tom have any suggestions??

Steve G.

[rockyrocket]

Wonder if toggling the "position pinmame" option will have an effect?.

Its odd that screen 3 grabs focus even if nothing is being rendered on that screen?.

And yes your frustration is understandable.

[Draco1962]

That is one of the reasons I referenced the thread regarding the connection order of the monitors as it seemed that it was affecting focus issues. Since I don't have a 3 monitor setup, I can only guess.

[rockyrocket]

That is one of the reasons I referenced the thread regarding the connection order of the monitors as it seemed that it was affecting focus issues. Since I don't have a 3 monitor setup, I can only guess.

Mostly guessing here also.

Now my final suggestion is that there used to be a very old bug with VP that would do exactly this and the solution was to run VP in compatibility mode for Win NT SP4 would you believe.

But if the OP has indeed disabled all pinmame windows and still see`s the same result then that is unlikely, unless it is a missed config error?.

Steve do you happen to have Future pinball running successfully or only VP.

[steveg64]

I only have VP setup I'm afraid - don't really like Future Pinball.

I think I must have tried everything in the Pinballx Settings - as I last resort I even put "Use DirectB2S in Front End" = No and "DMD Enabled" = No and I still have the same problem.

What I can't understand, is why does it work perfect launching direct from VP?

Steve G.

[rockyrocket]

Starting to think draco`s suggestion of it being a hardware issue is the only possible cause, how are your screens connected, is one running from your APU possibly?, have you experimented with connecting them differently.

As for software the only other test I can think of is to test VP with the DMD dragged onto the playfield and B2S not active so vp is limited to just the one playfield screen, that would eliminate VP/Pinmame window as a cause.