FORCE all screens black or with selected image, when PBX launches.

[wrd1972]

Okay when I launch PBX, I can still see desktop icons on my backglass screen. I would prefer for those to be blacked-out when PBX is booting up. Or maybe even force a selected image so the desktop icons are covered.

 

Is this possible?

[Draco1962]

Have you tried right clicking on the desktop and left clicking Hide desktop icons?

[Tom Speirs]

Im not sure I am with you, its blacked out for me and always has been.

Could you provide the support files?

[Draco1962]

Might be that he is running something that will override the Windows taskbar and desktop settings. Knowing the OS might help.

[wrd1972]

Dont really want to hide the desktop icons. Also running W10 home. I am running two monitors in the backbox that are in portrait mode side by side. I simp[ly span across them to create one large backbox display.

So when PBX is running in the browsing mode. I am showing "backbox" image on the left monitor and thisd shows the tables flyer. On the right side, I run "topper" and this shows the tables play card. Now for each image on each monitor, it is NOT full screen. It is a "cropped image" that allows the desktop icons to show. So I am running something out of the norm.

 

Best thing for me would be to force black screen or an image on all displays when PBX starts up.

 

FIles attached and thanks.

 

 

PinballX.ini log.txt

[wrd1972]

Here is what I am talking about

[Tom Speirs]

Probably not something I would add to PinballX but Ill get you a launch on start and exit script to hide and show icons.

[wrd1972]

Yeah I understand that. Mod would be best. Many thanks.

[Draco1962]

1 hour ago, wrd1972 said:

Here is what I am talking about

The explanation and the pic helped. My "gut" was telling me there was more to the story than a standard setup.

A creative and unique setup. Please capture a video of it in action some time!

[wrd1972]

Will do. Its really nice having a larger display for the backglasses. Even though its a major hack from two monitors. But until they make a 22" square monitor, I am shit out of luck. Gotta a feeling I will continue to be shit out of luck.

[Mike_da_Spike]

Looks nice and good way of showing info !

Do you extend the backglass in vpx on both screens ?

I like the idea, but not sure if this fit in my backbox

[Draco1962]

Seriously, I believe it is as simple as scripts that could be run to launch before to hide the icons and then launch after exit to restore the icons. Let's see what Tom comes up with before you squeeze the Charmin on your luck! :p

[wrd1972]

Draco, i think i caused some confusion. I was speaking to if the industry would ever develop large square monitors to replace the hack job i have with the two smaller monitors.  Sorry i was not more clear. No charmin squeezing intended.

 

I am confident Tom can creat a script that will hide the icons like i need. He has helped me quite a bit in addressing the weird issue i see that are related to my more unique setup.

[Draco1962]

Not a problem. 

[joyrider3774]

@wrd1972

this might help https://stackoverflow.com/questions/38544939/i-found-some-code-that-shows-hides-desktop-icons-but-it-moves-the-icons-in-the
there is also a link to google drive with a toggleicons.exe if you run it once it will turn off icons run it again it will turn icons back on. you can also get it here ToggleIcons.zip
 

if you are affraid of downloading exe's source code is available to compile yourselve or check the virustotal report https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/7a4398f9498978e8f3fb0d629f4925a892932e223f06caee74ca0fbbf3c50648/detection only one detection by drweb but that's more than likely a false positive as all other antivirusses detected nothing and stackoverflow is a respectable (programmers) site

add this program as a startup program and exit program without parameters (reflect changes to your path):µ

 

Make sure icons are visible before launching pinballx when pinballx launches toggleicons is ran the 1st time and will hide your icons, if pinball x exits toggleicons is ran again making icons visible again.

Do note if pinballx crashes you need to run toggleicons.exe manually so icons appear again. But pinballx should normally not crash but you never know.

I tested it out on my pc and works fine and i'm actually going to use it on my cabinet as well

Maybe tom can analyze code given in solution and add a simple option to pinballx to hide / show icons on pinballx startup when enabled. Although it's very possible to do it using startup / exit programs

[wrd1972]

On 10/14/2019 at 9:43 PM, Tom Speirs said:

Probably not something I would add to PinballX but Ill get you a launch on start and exit script to hide and show icons.

Tom,

Any word on this?

 

Thanks

[Draco1962]

On 10/17/2019 at 7:36 PM, joyrider3774 said:

@wrd1972

this might help https://stackoverflow.com/questions/38544939/i-found-some-code-that-shows-hides-desktop-icons-but-it-moves-the-icons-in-the
there is also a link to google drive with a toggleicons.exe if you run it once it will turn off icons run it again it will turn icons back on. you can also get it here ToggleIcons.zip
 

if you are affraid of downloading exe's source code is available to compile yourselve or check the virustotal report https://www.virustotal.com/gui/file/7a4398f9498978e8f3fb0d629f4925a892932e223f06caee74ca0fbbf3c50648/detection only one detection by drweb but that's more than likely a false positive as all other antivirusses detected nothing and stackoverflow is a respectable (programmers) site

add this program as a startup program and exit program without parameters (reflect changes to your path):µ

 

Make sure icons are visible before launching pinballx when pinballx launches toggleicons is ran the 1st time and will hide your icons, if pinball x exits toggleicons is ran again making icons visible again.

Do note if pinballx crashes you need to run toggleicons.exe manually so icons appear again. But pinballx should normally not crash but you never know.

I tested it out on my pc and works fine and i'm actually going to use it on my cabinet as well

Maybe tom can analyze code given in solution and add a simple option to pinballx to hide / show icons on pinballx startup when enabled. Although it's very possible to do it using startup / exit programs

Have you attempted this as a solution as it may be similar to what Tom was considering. 

[Tom Speirs]

I can confirm that is all I was going to do.