Script to shut down FX2 and go back in to Pinball X?

[foneservice]

Is anyone aware of a script that would allow the automatic shutdown of an FX2 after a table finishes with a return to Pinball X ?

Thank you

[Jannek]

C:\Windows\System32\Taskkill /IM "Pinball FX2.exe" /F

[foneservice]

Thank you Jannek, where would i use that command?  in Pinball X settings?

[Draco1962]

You would have to create a batchfile with that command line and then via Setting go to the Pinball FX2 secition, locate and enable Launch After, set the path to the batch file and the batchfile name in the Launch After executible section.

[foneservice]

Wooh, ok probably a bit beyond my capabilities.  Anyone fancy doing that for me and i will pay for your time with paypal?

[Draco1962]

Actually, I had considered creating it for you. But then I got to thinking that would defeat the purpose of you learning how to research how to do these things.

This hobby demands that you learn how to use command lines to setup the various emulators and programs as well as learning the applications you will have to configure outside of PinballX to get them working properly on your system.

This isn't something that can be done with much difficulty, but you will have to dig deeper and search the web on how to create a batch file. You've got this if you really want to try.

[foneservice]

Hahaha as much as I kind of agree with what you have said Draco, I have 5 children and a full-time job and I just need to get this cab finished, so in all honesty Im not sure if i have the time (and energy with an a 2 year old biting my heels as soon as i do anything on my cab!) to work it out for myself   

But if there is anyone out there (wink wink Draco) willing to write the batch file for me I genuinely happy to buy you a digital beer with Paypal   (yep that's how bad i need it)

 

 

[foneservice]

Ok i think i have done it ! (partly).  I edited the one i already had which was used to kill the dmd i think.  I edited the BAT file in Notepad ++ and inserted your suggested command line Draco and then inserted this in to Pinball X.  Its still not auto exiting a FX2 table upon finishing the game, would you mind taking a look at the screenshots I have attached and telling me if i have something wrong?  Would be eternally grateful 

[Smoke.007]

Personally, I don't think you can do what you're trying to do automatically.  Once I'm done with a table in Pinball FX2, I use the same quit button to exit the table as I use to quit the VP tables.  I have Quit in PinballX set to Escape.  I then set VP to also use Escape to quite.  Works for me.  Oh, also, I'm using joystick inputs for PinballFX2 and I had to map out my buttons to find that, for me, Button 7 was the quit button.  I also have that mapped in PinballX on the Joystick Input Settings page.

About Batch files - Hint, to put this in very layman's terms, a batch file is just a .txt (text) file that has .bat file extension instead of .txt.  You put your command or list of commands inside the .bat file.  When you run the .bat (batch) file, it executes the commands in order.  Start with creating a new file in Notepad with your commands, then do a save as, but change the type to *.*, give it a filename ending in .bat instead of .txt.  You can then run your saved .bat file by double clicking it and edit the file in notepad as needed.

Yes, there are lots of ways to do this.   I figured this would be easiest way to explain it to someone who is new to this.  If you saved it as .txt first and try to rename it to .bat, you'll prob save it as .bat.txt and that won't work.   You'll have to turn on "show file extensions" in Windows Explorer.Here's prob a good link for noobs on batch files if you'd like to dig deeper.  http://www.computerhope.com/batch.htm

Edited January 3, 2017 by Smoke.007

[Draco1962]

What I suggest is launching Pinball FX2 outside of PinballX first, then copying and pasting the command line you put in the batch file, hit enter. You should see either an error or success message with Pinball FX2 closing. If there is an error, then you may want to post that.

[foneservice]

Great advice Smoke, my file is def .bat

But description of what a batch file is, thank you, understand much better now.

 

 

[foneservice]

Draco it worked (following your advice).  the script does shut down FX2.  Do I have the right info in Pinball X settings page?  

[foneservice]

Thinking this through logically, how will Pinball X know it has to execute the batch file?  I can see how it works in the case that the system (FX2) is stopped and then it executes the batch file, but how would pinball X know WHEN to stop FX2 whilst the programme is essentially still running?  ok the table might have finished but the actual FX2 programme is still running.  Maybe Smoke was right, maybe this is just something that cannot be done

 

[Smoke.007]

I think the "launch after executable" means to launch your kill FX2 script after PinballX launches FX2.  So, FX2 will launch, then the kill script is executed.  Let me know if I'm wrong when you try it.  

I use the launch before executable to script my table volumes based on time of day.  

[foneservice]

At the end of the game it goes to high scores and then just sits there waiting for further instruction (button press), so not working.  

I note that Nukelauncher claims they have 3 different exit options for FX2, I wonder if this may achieve the outcome im looking for.

[Smoke.007]

Why not just use the quit button to manually exit out when done playing the table like quitting the VP tables?  Just wondering?

[foneservice]

Im building a table for a kids home and i dont want lots of different buttons and instructions.  Just really super-simple.  Some of the kids have learning difficulties so easier the better.  Essentially i have future pin tables working fine with START, left and right flipper and thats it!  No other buttons.  The future pin tables end and go straight back to pinball X, i want FX2 to do the same.  Nightmare.......  might investigate this Nukelauncher tomorrow 

[Draco1962]

Not sure Nukelauncher will address the exit issue.

[foneservice]

Have resolved that this cannot be achieved, thank you to those that contributed to the thread.