[RESOLVED] PinballXVersion 5.97 x64 Random blocks tending to start PBFX3 tables

[ipower]

Good morning
Excuse my bad english
I searched the various trends for a solution to my problem (I like reading and solving problems more)
I explain better the problem encountered in the latest update PinballX 5.97 x64
Starting PinballX I choose a random table from my Pinballfx3 collection, at this point it connects to the desired table and starts loading the table.
It sometimes goes as far as showing the presentation graphics of the chosen table, then the PlayField goes black, you can't see any graphics or audio, while the DMD and BackGlass continue to work perfectly.
At this point I use the Esc button on my >CAB to return to the Pinnballx home screen
Then I completely quit Pinballx and restart the program and everything works perfectly
If instead I turn off my CPU and then start it again the described problem returns
Tried all the features of the pinbal fx3 software AND IT WORKS PROPERLY in its haves
Checked LOG.txt and I notice an error (Testing Flash engine. Error initializing flash engine. Please try deleting flash.ocx in the installation folder and then reininstall PinballX.
  You may need to change security)
This error described in the LOG file remains even when everything works fine as described above
Tried to reinstall a version PinballX 5.97 x64 the problem persists
Uninstalled PinballX 5.97 and installed PinballX 5.96 the problem still remains with the same LOG error

PS I ATTACH LOG AND CONFIG FILE
Sure in your kind advice

log.txt SetupWizard.log XDMDlog.txt PinballX.ini

[scutters]

It might be a focus issue.

When you have the black screen on the playfield can you press ALT+TAB and see if you can set focus to the FX3 playfield window (i.e. bring it to the front)?

I  don't have FX3 installed so i'm not sure what display options it has (fullscreen exclusive, windowed etc), but if it is a focus issue then try changing those setting in FX3

[ipower]

Thank you for your answer
I explain better
When the described problem occurs, all audio and video on the PlayField start button etc. stop
only way to return to Pinballx and press the ESC key of my cab

[Mike_da_Spike]

So, problem occurs just 1 time when fx3 isn't started before ?

You say that dmd and backglass are showed perfectly.

Both are set to "not hide", so during gameplay it shows the pinballx  media.

Do you see the dmd from Fx3 itself ?(with other words, is that projected on top of the pinballx media?)

If you restart your pc and launch a command prompt (not as admin) and run the following command "C:\Pinball FX3\Pinball FX3.exe -applaunch 442120 "-table_Alien_vs_Predator" -hotseat_1"

Does that work ?

It looks like pinballx launch the fx3 process fine , but your fx program hangs. When pressing esc, it terminates the process and returns to pbx. For me it doesn't look like an issue with pinballx, but more with your fx3.

Did you run a system check through steam, to check if 1 of the files are corrupted ?

Edited July 18, 2023 by Mike_da_Spike
Typo removed (are more, but didnt see them)

[scutters]

43 minutes ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

You say that dmd and backglass are showed perfectly.

Bothe are set to "not hide", so during gameplay it shows the pinballx  media.

Good spot Mike!

43 minutes ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

If you restart your pc and launch a command prompt (not as admin) and run the following command "C:\Pinball FX3\Pinball FX3.exe -applaunch 442120 "-table_Alien_vs_Predator" -hotseat_1"

Does that work ?

It looks like pinballx launch the fx3 process fine , but your fx program hangs. When pressing esc, it terminates the process and returns to pbx. For me it doesn't look like an issue with pinballx, but more with your fx3.

I agree. The only other thing i have to add is maybe it's worth trying with the '-offline' option in the FX3 launch parameters just in case it's related to that on the first launch.

[Mike_da_Spike]

I just gave it a try again on my cabinet.
Here's a video when I turn on my cabinet, and pinballx 5.97  loads. From the menu I select fx3 and a random table, and all working instantly

Quitting the table and relaunch another table works fine as well

I only noticed something :

When I tested this (before I wanted to record this), I noticed that my cabinet mode wasn't activated anymore.
I searched in my email and entered the cabinet key.

this resulted for me, that when I launch FX3 in portrait mode, it results in a black screen (and jumping to a table didn't work as well). 

So bottom-line: PinballX 5.97 can work fine with Fx3  

log.txt

(sound is a bit terrible. You hear me deep breathing instead than the sound of the cabinet . Sorry for that ) 

 

[ipower]

Thanks for the work you do

I did some flying tests
I answer you have questions about Mike_da_Spike
1st So, the problem only occurs 1 time when fx3 hasn't been started before?
The procedure is as follows
1Startup of the CPU
2Starting PinballX
3Starting a random table in PFX3
At this point I detect the black table, the active dmd in PFX3 works, the Pinnballx backglas media working.
NEW I tried to carry out Scutter's advice and I pressed ALT+TAB actually I find the black PFX3 table
If I move to PFX3 the table starts correctly.

2nd If you restart your PC and start a command prompt (not as administrator) and run the following command "C:\Pinball FX3\Pinball FX3.exe -applaunch 442120 "-table_Alien_vs_Predator" -hotseat_1"
When I boot into PROMT command it works perfectly
(obviously I don't find the bakglass media since Pinballx is enabled and this is completely normal)

I answer you have questions about Scutter
1st It's worth trying with the '-offline' option in the FX3 launch parameters
Tried to modify by adding '-offline' in the setting parameters without getting any results

2nd When you have a black screen on the playing field, you can press ALT+TAB and see if you can focus

I tried to carry out your advice and I pressed ALT+TAB actually I find the black PFX3 table
If I move to PFX3 the table starts correctly.

I WILL TRY TO MAKE A VIDEO OF MY PROBLEM

I apologize for the time you have dedicated to me and I am very happy for it

Thanks everyone for the advice
GOOD WORK

[Mike_da_Spike]

Hmmm .... so fx3 is loading, but behind pinballx window.

Can you try to set fx3 in full screen mode (its under settings, video within fx3)

Pinball x should switch to fx3 when detecting it.

You sure, you run the latest steam version ?

[ipower]

Good morning
Latest updates
It seems that the problem comes from excessive CPU consumption (about 78%) by flipperX
I checked with Task Manager
Obviously when PBX calls a table on PBFX3 the CPU gets to 100% and freezes until Pinballx starts to draw less CPU.
Reading some theories I decided to use PinAffinity from mjrnet.org to test
The problem seems to disappear in fact the CPU usage miraculously drops between 14-28% for PinballX and 22% for PFX3 thus allowing the correct launch of the tables.
How can I check why PinballX process takes so much CPU
I would NOT use PinAffinity in the background

I accept your kind advice
Thanks for the time you dedicate to me

[Mike_da_Spike]

Is your post translated ?

58 minutes ago, ipower said:

It seems that the problem comes from excessive CPU consumption (about 78%) by flipperX

Should this be PinballX , instead of flipperX .

If so, I dont have an answer. There is a PinballX lite version as well.

Maybe Tom can tell more about whays happening 

[ipower]

Sorry for my bad English

'It seems that the problem comes from excessive CPU consumption (about 78%) by PinballX'

[ipower]

Anyway thanks for your interest

[scutters]

2 hours ago, ipower said:

'It seems that the problem comes from excessive CPU consumption (about 78%) by PinballX'

What media are you using for backglass and dmd, is it video or images? (the media you have set to stay on on game launch)

If using videos try images, if already using images try with the option to hide them on game launch (in game manager or database manager) and check cpu use then.

Also make sure you have antivirus and/or defender exceptions set for all pinball related folders, and if not done already install the latest lav codecs

[Mike_da_Spike]

There is also a lite version of PinballX. 
it's in your pinballX install directory and called PinballXLite.exe
Maybe try this one and check if this is working better for you

[ipower]

Answer for Scutter
i tried disabling the backglass and presentation dmd completely in pinballx but i get same result
I recreated the windows defender antivirus rules but I get the same result
The lav filters were already installed but for safety I did it again
but i get same

Answer for Mike_da_Spike
I tried the lite version of pinballX the CPU absorption values drop a bit to about 64%
if I reactivate Pinaffinity the values fall within the values described above (14-28% for PinballX and 22% for PFX3)
Thank you for the time you dedicate to me

[Mike_da_Spike]

In your case, if it helps to set the cpu affinity and put programs to another core, i should do it.

Technicly pinafginity is not a magic tool that reduces the cpu, it only can put a process, to another (or multiple) cores.

By default a program will run and windows will decide on which core ot should run. Thats in most cases fine.

In my IT life I found that running a lot of scanning agent run on a server, could bring the cpu down. When adding 45 user to it, the server gets bumped to 100%cpu.

When putting all the scan agents to (for example) core 1, it had cores left to respond to users request.

This means for my end user the server was responding, but the core with all the security scan software was at 100% all day (if you have 8 core setver, it means just 12,5% cpu utilization).

My security team wasn't happy, as their tooling wasn't working as it should.

 

With this story, I hope you get my point. By moving programs to another core and releasing cpu resources, other programs must get into trouble.

If it is working on an end user side for you, don't bother and use it.

[ipower]

Thanks for your valuable advice
At the moment using PinAffinity is the only more balanced solution that allows me to use my cab.

At this moment I made the physical copy of all configurations and um BK complete with all SSD
The idea is to format a new ssd and reinstall everything step by step starting from a clean system
I would like some advice on whether to proceed on this impervious road
Thanks for the time you dedicate to me

[scutters]

6 hours ago, ipower said:

Answer for Scutter
i tried disabling the backglass and presentation dmd completely in pinballx but i get same result
I recreated the windows defender antivirus rules but I get the same result
The lav filters were already installed but for safety I did it again
but i get same

Answer for Mike_da_Spike
I tried the lite version of pinballX the CPU absorption values drop a bit to about 64%
if I reactivate Pinaffinity the values fall within the values described above (14-28% for PinballX and 22% for PFX3)
Thank you for the time you dedicate to me

There is one further thing to try;

Try changing the 'Table Loading Media Mode' to 'Use loading folders' in general settings. I think we've seen an issue before where one system struggled to create a snapshot of the playfield video for pinballx to use while the table launches (which is what the 'use playfield images' option does). 

[ipower]

Thank you for your answer
right now i tried your advice to edit
Setting, general settings, table loading support mode, use playing field images to use folder loading
Still no improvement for me.
If you allow me, I would like to publish a video of what happens when Pinbalx starts
Thanks for the time you dedicate to me

[Mike_da_Spike]

Always good to post videos of issues.

Bring it on !

[scutters]

@ipower Can you also confirm what the cpu usage is like after quitting & restarting PinballX and launching the same table again (like in your first post describing the original issue). And yes a video will probably help a bit!

[ipower]

Ok thanks for the special permission
Tomorrow I will dedicate myself to showing the problem by publishing the various VIDEO steps of the tests carried out UP TO NOW
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

[ipower]

 

 

Good evening
Sorry for the delayThis is what happens on the first Pinnbalx launch

I explain better
1 power on CPU
2 I make sure it loads all the operating system
3 Launch task manager 
4 Launch Pinballx

At this precise point an e block occurs
I use the TAB keys to select PBFX3
Only then does everything work properly again

[ipower]

This is the video of the second launch of PINBALLX showing the correct functioning
I EXPLAIN BETTER
1 I quit PINBALLX completely
2 I wait about 5 seconds until the task manager shows that the PBX has closed completely
3 Restart PINBALLX.
As the video shows, the cpu values drop to standard values and it allows me to manage the tables without any crashes

Thanks for the time you dedicate to me

 

 

[scutters]

Interesting. Thanks for the videos.

I'm still not sure if the CPU use is the cause of the focus issue, or the other way round.

If on the first launch of PinballX you launch a second table does that then work correctly, or does it need a second launch of PinballX?