[RESOLVED] VPX not saving nvram when set up via "other systems"

[SuperKeeks]

Hello!! I have a virtual pinball I purchased directly from a manufacturer. PinballX comes preconfigured with several systems, including Visual Pinball with all available tables. However (presumably with the intention to create several shorter lists of tables) they set up several variants of Visual Pinball which are configured as "other systems", each group with tables filtered by different themes such as "classics", "music", "kids"...

I found that some of the VPX tables wouldn't save the nvram (hi scores, configuration, credits...) when closed, while others did. After a few hours experimenting I realised that the VPX tables launched from the native Visual Pinball section save the nvram fine. However, when launched via those other filtered groups set up as "other systems" they will run fine, but won't save the nvram.

I double checked the config so its the same between the native VP and those set up as "other system", but the issue persists. I'm assuming this is some bug related to PinballX killing the VP differently when set up via "other systems", but maybe I'm missing something...?

I'm attaching config and log. Thanks!!

PinballX.ini log.txt

[Mike_da_Spike]

The other systems with the setup of system "visual pinball" will handle exact the same as the default Visual Pinball system. 
Not saving nvram could be (from own experience) a lot of things.
From my shadow Volume copy service (check eventvwr for errors) to table that doesn't stop the controller correctly.
And off course versions of Pinmame (setup of pinmame)

You use a kill.bat as well when closing Visual Pinball. Not sure whats in there as well

I also noticed that it takes a long time to load a table as well for you 

23:19:49.83  13/02/2023:  C:\Visual Pinball\VPinballX.exe /play -"C:\Visual Pinball\Tables\Cactus Canyon (Bally 1998).vpx"
23:19:50.81  13/02/2023:  C:\PinballX\vpauto.exe 
23:20:23.78  13/02/2023:  Visual Pinball Foreground Timout: 32

but when I launch CC :

06:53:53.04  15-2-2023:  D:\Pinball\Visual pinball\VPinballX.exe -play "D:\Pinball\Visual pinball\Tables\VPX\Cactus Canyon (Bally 1998) VPW 1.1.vpx"  -ExtMinimized
06:53:53.20  15-2-2023:  C:\Pinball\PinballX\vpauto.exe 
06:53:57.05  15-2-2023:  VPX Full screen exclusive mode detected
06:53:57.05  15-2-2023:  VPX Full screen exclusive focus hack set
06:54:03.75  15-2-2023:  Found PinMAME ROM: cc_13
06:54:03.83  15-2-2023:  Visual Pinball Player window foreground: 11

thats a difference of 20 seconds !

For me, the custom systems for VP works fine.
I use pinemhi for extracting nvram for highscores and those are working like a charm.

As you bought it from a pre seller, you can ask him for support on this as I think that he earns money to a free product and @Tom Speirsdidnt get paid for his work

 

[SuperKeeks]

On 2/15/2023 at 4:32 AM, Mike_da_Spike said:

The other systems with the setup of system "visual pinball" will handle exact the same as the default Visual Pinball system. 
Not saving nvram could be (from own experience) a lot of things.
From my shadow Volume copy service (check eventvwr for errors) to table that doesn't stop the controller correctly.
And off course versions of Pinmame (setup of pinmame)

You use a kill.bat as well when closing Visual Pinball. Not sure whats in there as well

I just tried this on a fresh install on my desktop, with exactly the same results. Since I'm in a desktop computer without the settings set to use all screens, I could see VPX window on one of the monitors. When launching the game from VisualPinball system, and then closing the table, I could see that the VPX window took a second or two to close; however, when launching from the VP from "other systems", it closed immediately, as if PinballX killed the VPX process in a more "radical" way.

The kill.bat is something that the manufacturer had in the config, but it's disabled (LaunchAfterEnabled=False). Either way, in the fresh install I don't have a reference to that bat and the same issue happens.

As you mention this is working fine for you, could you attach your .ini file so I can take a look (or at least the section for the VP setup within "other systems")

On 2/15/2023 at 4:32 AM, Mike_da_Spike said:

I also noticed that it takes a long time to load a table as well for you 

23:19:49.83  13/02/2023:  C:\Visual Pinball\VPinballX.exe /play -"C:\Visual Pinball\Tables\Cactus Canyon (Bally 1998).vpx"
23:19:50.81  13/02/2023:  C:\PinballX\vpauto.exe 
23:20:23.78  13/02/2023:  Visual Pinball Foreground Timout: 32

but when I launch CC :

06:53:53.04  15-2-2023:  D:\Pinball\Visual pinball\VPinballX.exe -play "D:\Pinball\Visual pinball\Tables\VPX\Cactus Canyon (Bally 1998) VPW 1.1.vpx"  -ExtMinimized
06:53:53.20  15-2-2023:  C:\Pinball\PinballX\vpauto.exe 
06:53:57.05  15-2-2023:  VPX Full screen exclusive mode detected
06:53:57.05  15-2-2023:  VPX Full screen exclusive focus hack set
06:54:03.75  15-2-2023:  Found PinMAME ROM: cc_13
06:54:03.83  15-2-2023:  Visual Pinball Player window foreground: 11

thats a difference of 20 seconds !

This is very strange indeed. However it doesn't happen all the time... in the log there is a 2nd launch of CC but it only takes 10 seconds (like yours). When the issue happens I can see the DMD and backglass, but the table screen still has the loading logo. Could it be some issue with the logo hanging there for longer than it should? Any ideas to fix this?

On 2/15/2023 at 4:32 AM, Mike_da_Spike said:

As you bought it from a pre seller, you can ask him for support on this as I think that he earns money to a free product and @Tom Speirsdidnt get paid for his work

Well... even though they offer support I'm not too happy with the level of service tbh. They haven't really managed to fix any of the issues I told them and had to fix myself... the table is very well built, but support could definitely be better.

I don't know if they pay any money for this, but that's a good point. I just happily became a Patreon  Keep up the good work!

[Mike_da_Spike]

11 hours ago, SuperKeeks said:

As you mention this is working fine for you, could you attach your .ini file so I can take a look (or at least the section for the VP setup within "other systems")

This is my PinballX.ini :
Bit not very different as yours PinballX.ini

 

 

[SuperKeeks]

4 hours ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

This is my PinballX.ini :
Bit not very different as yours PinballX.ini

Think I found my issue!

I changed this:

WaitForProcess=VPinballX.exe

To empty (as in your "Visual Pinball PinemHI" system):

WaitForProcess=

And it's now saving NVRAM correctly. I can see the VPX window taking a fraction of a second more to close, so I think this matches my theory that it was a problem with how VPX was being killed.

I'll double check later in my table (I only tried in my desktop) but I'm 100% sure it's this.

Thanks for your help!!

[Mike_da_Spike]

27 minutes ago, SuperKeeks said:

Think I found my issue!

I changed this:

WaitForProcess=VPinballX.exe

To empty (as in your "Visual Pinball PinemHI" system):

WaitForProcess=

And it's now saving NVRAM correctly. I can see the VPX window taking a fraction of a second more to close, so I think this matches my theory that it was a problem with how VPX was being killed.

I'll double check later in my table (I only tried in my desktop) but I'm 100% sure it's this.

Thanks for your help!!

Good finding!

And glad it is working for you.