X360CE and PinballX

[PcTeknic]

Hi.

Use X360CE for Pinball FX2 and FX3.

When the games are executed manually, XBox360CE works correctly.

If I run the tables from PinballX, with FX3 there is no problem, but with FX2 it does not respond, except the exit button that is not assigned in the game.

[Draco1962]

Likely the problem is a problem with X360ce and not PinballX proper if you are able to run Pinball Fx3 and not Pinball FX2. Of course, attaching copies of your pinballx,ini and log,txt files  to your issue thread may give additional clues. 

[joyrider3774]

not sure if it's needed or being used but did you set run as administrator on the xbox360 ce binaries in pinballfx2 directory ? I'm not too familiar with xbox 360ce but i was under the impression one had to copy the files from xbox 360ce in the folder of the executable of the game. The only thing i'm doubting about is if xbox360ce binary is actually ran when you run the game my guess its only using the (wrapper) xinput dll it creates then but not sure.

Anyway what i'm trying to say is if you got run as administor enabled on pinballx frontend you might need to do it on xbox 360ce as well or if you have it enable on some executable pinball x runs you might have to enable it on pinball x executeable. I know some things like sending WM Messages around between apps where one app is ran elevated and ther other not that they can't communicate with each other (not receive the WM_MESSAGES) due to difference in (elevated) rights. 

But i'm not certain it's applicable to xbox 360 ce  in this case as dlls don't require elevated rights set, it takes as the binary that loads the module / dll has it set. 

Just an idea though something you could try ... like test if it makes a difference if you set pinballx to run as administrator / elevated or verify the xbox 360 ce programs if you got multiple one in each game folder.

Another thing might perhaps be that the working directory is not correctly set when running pinball fx 2 and it can't find the dll's although usually they (windows) look for dll's in the directory of the executable as well 

[PcTeknic]

Both PinballX and XBox360CE are running as an administrator.

XBox360CE runs, because when you open the table, you hear the noise it makes when starting, but afterwards, it's as if PinballX had priority over XBox360CE or over FX2 and my controls no longer perform as XBox.

I have also had other problems when moving to Windows 10.

In tables with PinUp Sistem, Pinball X closes the table and PinUp Player, but UltraDMD is left open. (Stranger Things, The Beatles and Woz).

The Pause does not work, if you pause, when you return to the game, the screen remains black.

PinballX.ini

log.txt

[scutters]

Try installing the 32bit version of pinballx. Not sure if it will account for all your issues, but worth ruling out.

[PcTeknic]

The same Problems with PinballX x32bits

XBox360CE does not respond in FX2, in FX3 without problems.

If you pause the game, when you return to the game the playfield is black.

The tables with PinUp give problems.

Stranger Things - Does not close UltraDMD, PinUp Player or PinUpDisplay when exiting.

The Beatles - Does not close PinUp PLayer or PinUp Display when leaving.

WoZ - It does not close Ultra DMD when leaving, the rest if it closes it.

log.txt

PinballX.ini

[Outhere]

I'm running windows 10 64 bit
Like scutters said go with the 32 bit version...
As far is running things as administrator try running nothing as administrator...

I do not use administrator for anything

From what I understand the more things you run as administrator the more things you have to run as a administrator

It's possible some programs may not work right when they're run as administrator

[scutters]

For Pinup pack tables i've always run a taskill to clear it down after as a launch after, not sure if it's still needed but it's not causing me any problems.

LaunchAfterEnabled=True
LaunchAfterWorkingPath=C:\Windows\System32
LaunchAfterExecutable=taskkill.exe
LaunchAfterWaitForExit=False
LaunchAfterHideWindow=False
LaunchAfterParameters=/im pinupplayer.exe

Edit the ini or add those settings via Settings.exe for Visual Pinball to see if it works for you. 

As for the xbox360ce kind of working temporarily try changing to FullScreenWindowed=False in the ini

[joyrider3774]

i had the same problem with Wizards of oz but i don't consider it a pinball x (frontend) problem and indeed i also added a launch after script to kill any leftover programs still running like dmdext or some parts of b2s server that fixes it with me as well and never had a problem doing this.

i can test this weekend to see if i got the same problem with pinball fx 2 and xbox 360 ce, i did not use pinball fx2 because all the tables i own there are also in pinball fx3 (i don't own every table in pfx2) but i'm willing to test it and see if i got the same problem.

@Outhere

The inverse is also possible they don't function if you do not let them run as administrator but it's usually outdated programs (from xp) or the program doing things that requires elevated rights (or the scripts used in vp) But you are correct in saying that  when you start with one running with elevated rights that all others possible need it as well. I've seen it with our programs at work as well and we had to do modifcations one of the things we came across were the WM_MESSAGES stuff but theres many more things sometimes you don't have a choise and must set run as administrator to make a(n older) program work. It was just an idea to see if it was related or if it might fix it. 

@PcTeknic
your not the only one with the problem and it's an old problem see https://www.zebsboards.com/index.php/forum/digital-plunger-v2/288-pinball-fx2-x360ce-issue-in-pinballx maybe the links in that thread contain a solution i just did a simple google search so could be someone had found the cause or solution eventually

[PcTeknic]

Running nothing as an administrator has not solved the problem, but while the rest is working well, it stays that way, which saves us.

---------------

I tested in FullScreen and FullScreen Windowed.

----------------

The search with google had already done it, in fact I had already read that link before and all those who quote in it and in none comes the solution.

----------------------

With that LaunchAfter, it's still open because a window asks for confirmation.

But I've changed pinupplayer.exe for pinupdisplay.exe and it works, but if you re-open another table with PinUp, you can not play it anymore.

[joyrider3774]

5 minutes ago, PcTeknic said:

With that LaunchAfter, it's still open because a window asks for confirmation.

But I've changed pinupplayer.exe for pinupdisplay.exe and it works, but if you re-open another table with PinUp, you can not play it anymore.

 

use the force parameter like taskkill.exe /F /im notepad.exe 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/taskkill

without /F it probably sends a WM_CLOSE or similar (like pressing on the X button of the form) then it might execute some code when the program closes

with /F its the same as killing a process using taskmanager nothing will get asked. 

[Draco1962]

I think that the focus needs to be on the original cry for help in resolving the issue of x360ce with Pinball FX2 and PinballX.

Based upon what I am seeing in the thread responses, we are now troubleshooting issues with tables running PinupPlayer and PinballX. I really think that that troubleshooting should take place in another thread altogether.

[PcTeknic]

I see that the problem extends to more original tables with Ultra DMD.
In some it closes well and in other Ultra DMD it does not close.
For example, in America Most Aunted remains open when leaving and in Champions League closes when leaving.

[Outhere]

What type of plunder set up do you have?
For the x360ce set up I just copied the files from one to the other and it worked

This is My Plunger Setup

I use x360ce with FX2 and FX3 in PinballX 

https://www.vpforums.org/index.php?showtopic=36108&page=2#entry413506

[joyrider3774]

49 minutes ago, PcTeknic said:

I see that the problem extends to more original tables with Ultra DMD.
In some it closes well and in other Ultra DMD it does not close.
For example, in America Most Aunted remains open when leaving and in Champions League closes when leaving.

you got all the info you need it's not a frontend problem. just create a batch file and kill using taskkill (with force parameter) any app that remained open and problem is solved i'm actually doing the same thing for some to the tables you mentioned. I did not bother to look into it further if it just works with a launch after batch file but my guess it might be something in vpx script file of those specific tables

These i use
 

taskkill /IM UltraVPServer.exe /T /F
powershell -Command "Start-Process 'taskkill' '/IM UltraVPServer.exe /T /F' -WindowStyle hidden -Verb runAs"
powershell -Command "Start-Process 'taskkill' '/IM UltraDMD.exe /T /F' -WindowStyle hidden -Verb runAs"

the reason i use powershell is because i can let taskkill run with elevated rights then as i was not sure if it needs it but i first try without it

I'm not sure i still need to test the pfx2 stuff if it works for @Outhere 

[PcTeknic]

First of all, thank you all for the help.

The issue is that we expect the frontend to be responsible for closing all processes, not that users should create scripts.

[joyrider3774]

10 minutes ago, PcTeknic said:

First of all, thank you all for the help.

The issue is that we expect the frontend to be responsible for closing all processes, not that users should create scripts.

frontend should close the apps it starts (which pinballx does) not the apps (ultradmd) that the started apps (vpinball) itselve might start thats the responsibility of the started app (vpinball) not the frontend (so vpinball should do it in all cases). But you can go around it with examples as above if the started apps might fail at it.

I'm currently installing pinball fx2 on my cabinet to see if i got the same issue.
 

[joyrider3774]

I just installed pinball FX2 copied all the xbox360ce files from pinball fx3 to pinball fx2 folder in one of the steam folders where pinball fx2 is installed (same folder where pinball fx2.exe is located in my case C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Pinball FX2) and it works without a problem with me starting from pinballx or outside it, it makes no diffrence with me in both cases it works

So i'm not sure what could be the cause with you. 

and i'm using the 32 bit version (for 32 bit games) of xbox 360ce not the 64 bit

I also got exactly the same settings in my pinballx.ini file as you (except for the launch before / launch after stuff to remap some keys i use ingame from my encoder)

[PcTeknic]

With FX2 it only works for me from outside of PinballX.

I created a .txt file with this

powershell -Command "Start-Process 'taskkill' '/IM UltraVPServer.exe /T /F' -WindowStyle hidden -Verb runAs"
powershell -Command "Start-Process 'taskkill' '/IM UltraDMD.exe /T /F' -WindowStyle hidden -Verb runAs"
powershell -Command "Start-Process 'taskkill' '/IM pinupplayer.exe /T /F' -WindowStyle hidden -Verb runas"

I renamed as Kill.bat

But PinballX need .exe in LaunchAfter config

[joyrider3774]

no it does not check the file type combobox you can change it to BAT files you need to name your file with a .BAT extension and then in the file open dialog change exe to .BAT not .TXT 

and no not .BAT.TXT make sure you can see file name extensions in windows otherwise it will be named .BAT.TXT which will not work


This is basic common dialog windows usuage, which is the same in any program you use, a bit amazed you did not know this

[PcTeknic]

Yesssssss, I can´t select with combobox, buy can write Kill.bat manually.

Work perfect now.

But is it as simple as executing those commands, because PinballX does not do it directly?

 

[joyrider3774]

9 minutes ago, PcTeknic said:

Yesssssss, I can´t select with combobox, buy can write Kill.bat manually.

Work perfect now.

But is it as simple as executing those commands, because PinballX does not do it directly?

 

as said before pinball x does not have to do it. All pinball X has to do is close any app pinballx starts and nothing else ...

if pinballX starts vpx it should close vpx (which it does)

but if pinballx starts vpx and vpx starts ultradmd and when closing vpx, vpx does not close ultradmd correctly it's not a pinballx problem but a vpx problem (or a table problem if it's a fault in the script).

These are only workarounds, because some tables have such problems sometimes or even programs. In an ideal world you wouldn't need to do this

But indeed its as simple as executing those commands, and if you ever see that another app remains open you can just add an extra line to kill it.

Do note the powershell thing only works on windows 10 by default, in windows 7 you need to install powershell first. In windows 10 it's already installed in windows 7 not

 

[PcTeknic]

I have extensions visibles always

[PcTeknic]

Again thank the help.

Whether or not it corresponds to PinballX, is what we expect from PinballX, which will close all processes.

Before that as it says, there was only PinballX, now there are several frontend and if we leave details like this escape, many instead of asking for help, choose to install another frontend.

You install a frontend to open and close the tables, if you do not ...

[joyrider3774]

pinballx can't know what another program starts. I can create / modify a script from vpx  table to start windows media player, notepad.exe, even open a browser at a certain url etc. you can't expect pinballx close all of these or even know about it (unless they are childprocesses of the started process), it knows what it started and should close that.  

But anyway can we get back on topic.... being your xbox 360 ce problem

you did copy the files to pinball fx2 folder right and not folder where steam.exe is  and you are using the 32bit files of xbox 360 ce.

There are ways to diagnose it like using sysinternals procmon.Exe and process explorer to get more info but it's very very technical well the procmon part at least. so i'm a bit affraid you won't understand it all.
like first thing would see where it loads your xinput.dll from in both cases and compare it should be same location if it's different when launching from pinballx you need to find out why it loads it from a different location (if it even loads it when starting from pinballx) but in all cases it should load the xinput wrapper dll xbox 360 ce created if it does not that's your problem. If it is same location it's another problem and will be harder to investigate