GameEx + CPWiz Display Focus Issues

[Endaar]

Hi,

I'm using GameEx 18.84 and CPWizard 2.67, which appear to be the latest version of both. CPWizard works fine from the command line.

When GameEx launches CPWizard prior to a game, the screen focus is not switching to the CPWizard window and the panel is therefore not visible. You can ALT+TAB and see that the CPWizard window was created, just never brought to the front.

If I try to display the controls from GameEx (from the game menu, rather than starting the game), the control panel will eventually be made visible after quite a lot of flickering. Exiting CPWizard will however not return focus to GameEx - you have to ALT+TAB back into GameEx.

I believe I have tried every combination of GameEx and CPWizard display settings, but none of these change the behavior. I'm out of ideas and would appreciate any suggestions.

I've attached the GameEx config and log files. 

Thank you!

GameEx.ini log.txt

[Tom Speirs]

I tested CP Wizard a few weeks back. It worked fine. I think there is an option to launch it at startup. Have you tried turning that on?

[Endaar]

Hi Tom - Could you please let me know what version of CPWizard you tested against? After a lot of additional troubleshooting, CPWizard 2.67 (latest version AFAIK) displays the focus issue I am experiencing. I have an old version of CPWizard (2.33) which does not exhibit this behavior; unfortunately it will not properly parse the current MAME XML file format.

I can't seem to find older versions of CPWizard in order to test anything between 2.33 and 2.67.

Just to be clear, without changing any other settings, if I use CPWizard 2.33 within my GameEx config, the panels display properly (just without controls). Changing that to 2.67 (with no other changes to the GameEx config) causes the display focus issue. I have tested literally every display option, combination, etc., in 2.67 and none fix the problem.

Thank you

[Tom Speirs]

When i tested it, I got it from here:

https://www.baker76.com/cpwizard/

[Draco1962]

18 hours ago, Tom Speirs said:

When i tested it, I got it from here:

https://www.baker76.com/cpwizard/

Per the change log, v2.65 is the latest yet the actual version available for download is v2.67:

 

@Endaar - would you mind attaching (no copy & paste please) a copy of the CPWizard.log file? It may provide a clue as to the error condition you are describing for v2.67.

 

[Endaar]

Just to confirm, I am using 2.67 as downloaded from the earlier link.

I've attached cpwizard.log. There are two attempted uses reflected in the log.

The first was launching a game. When doing so, the screen goes black for a bit (which corresponds to the CPWiz timeout) and then eventually loads into MAME. The panel is never brought to the foreground.

The second attempt was simply viewing the controls from the GameEx menu. The screen will go black, return to GameEx after a few seconds, and then  after returning to GameEx, display the panel. Once you dismiss the panel, you end up at the Windows desktop with GameEx minimized.

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

CPWizard.log

[Tom Speirs]

Please try 18.85. Available in 10 minutes.

[Tom Speirs]

I can confirm i can duplicate it and its fixed in the latest version. Will be up in a minute.

[Endaar]

Thanks so much for addressing this, Tom. Things are now working properly when you play a game, and the CP is displayed as expected.

Unfortunately, "show controls" is still acting up; when you select show controls, I quickly see the desktop, CPWizard displayed for < 1 second, and then end up back in GameEx. I think CPWiz is getting focus very briefly but quickly getting terminated. I've attached another debug file from CPW. The first instance is launching a game, and the second is viewing controls.

Even if you don't/can't fix that, I can't tell you how happy I am to have the play game side of things working. It's greatly appreciated.

Endaar

AltBeast-CPWizard.log

[Tom Speirs]

Happy to help. i may be able to code a workaround hack and will look into this for you but otherwise CPWizard is a little old now and may have issues itself. i do see source code there though and I know its coded in .net so it should be very easy to edit and compile.

[Tom Speirs]

Try replacing this file.

HideOS.zip

[Endaar]

Thanks Tom but no luck. Behavior doesn't change with the new HideOS. Honestly, it's not that big of a deal to me. Is it possible to just turn off "View Controls" entirely while not disabling CPWizard when a game is launched?

Unrelated to this, I am having an intermittent crash to desktop with no errors. The GameEx log doesn't seem to show anything, so I am not sure what info I can provide for you to review.

Thanks again.

[Draco1962]

Check Windows Event Viewer logs at about the time of the crash.