Could a list or system of horror tables be made?

[DakotaPinball]

Maybe it's a funny question because they know how to do it or it's impossible. The truth is, I've been looking around the forum, but either there's nothing or I don't know how to search properly. My question is, can I make a list of VPX and FP tables with only the horror tables? I would like to create, if possible, a section just for VPX and FP horror tables, so that it would appear as if it were another system.
I know I have the favorites option, but there are tables of all styles in this one, and what I would like is to create this new section (system) with only the horror tables, since there are many very good ones and I love them.

[Draco1962]

AI via Google Search provided the following:

Creating custom lists of tables in PinballX

There are a couple of methods for creating custom lists of tables in PinballX, with the newer method using filtered lists being the recommended approach. 

Method 1: Using filtered lists (recommended)

1. Open PinballX Database Manager: This tool allows for the creation of filtered lists based on specific criteria.
2. Access Advanced Search/Create Filters: Utilize the advanced search functionality within the Database Manager to define your filter criteria (e.g., year, manufacturer, table category, etc.).
3. Generate Filtered List: Based on your search, create the filtered list, which will be saved as an INI file within the relevant system's database folder (e.g., PinballX/Databases/Visual Pinball). The structure of the INI file would be similar to this example for an "Originals" list: 

ini

[Filter]
Comment=
Year_from=0
Manufacturer=*Original*
Category
Description=
Author
Theme
System=Visual Pinball X
Year_to=0
File=

4. PinballX will now recognize and display this filtered list within the appropriate system's menu, offering a more streamlined approach to custom table organization. 

Method 2: Manually editing XML files (still works, but less recommended)

1. Locate the relevant database XML file: These are typically located in the PinballX/Databases/[Your System] folder (e.g., PinballX/Databases/Visual Pinball/Visual Pinball.xml).
2. Make a copy of the XML file: This acts as a backup and allows for the creation of a new, customized list.
3. Open the copied XML file with a text editor (e.g., Notepad).
4. Edit the XML to include only the desired tables: Each game entry starts with <game> and ends with </game>. Delete the entries of tables you don't want in this custom list.
5. Save the modified file with a new name (e.g., "1960s.xml") in the same folder.
6. PinballX will now show this new list (e.g., "1960s Tables") as a separate option in the system menu, allowing you to select and play only the tables within that list. 

Important notes

• Ensure your PinballX version supports filtered lists, as they were introduced in a later update.
• You can create lists based on various criteria such as decades (e.g., "/menu/game[year>=1950 and year<1960]") or description keywords (e.g., "/menu/game[description [contains(text(), "star wars")]]").
• You can combine lists from different systems into a single group using the "Groups" feature in PinballX.
• PinballX also allows for setting up main menu options by system, which will lead to a sub-wheel displaying tables belonging to that system. 

[Mike_da_Spike]

On 7/20/2025 at 3:11 AM, Draco1962 said:

Method 1: Using filtered lists (recommended)

1. Open PinballX Database Manager: This tool allows for the creation of filtered lists based on specific criteria.
2. Access Advanced Search/Create Filters: Utilize the advanced search functionality within the Database Manager to define your filter criteria (e.g., year, manufacturer, table category, etc.).
3. Generate Filtered List: Based on your search, create the filtered list, which will be saved as an INI file within the relevant system's database folder (e.g., PinballX/Databases/Visual Pinball). The structure of the INI file would be similar to this example for an "Originals" list: 

ini

[Filter]
Comment=
Year_from=0
Manufacturer=*Original*
Category
Description=
Author
Theme
System=Visual Pinball X
Year_to=0
File=

4. PinballX will now recognize and display this filtered list within the appropriate system's menu, offering a more streamlined approach to custom table organization. 

Thanks @Draco1962!

@DakotaPinball in your case : 

• Create a custom filter in DBM, for example named "Horror".
• Enable the filter for all systems
• Enable the checkbox ‘Filter by Comment field’.
• In the advanced search, enter a keyword like HorrorCollection in the Comment field.
• Add this keyword HorrorCollection to the comment field of every table you’d like to include in the collection.

For more details, check the chapter “Creating Custom Filters” in the Database Manager for PinballX User Manual.pdf
 

[Draco1962]

1 hour ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

For more details, check the chapter “Creating Custom Filters” in the Database Manager for PinballX User Manual.pdf
 

Oh no! Not "RTM!"

[Draco1962]

Thought this might help as it saves me a ton of time searching our own forums (the forum search is a bit kludgy) -

 

[Mike_da_Spike]

8 hours ago, Draco1962 said:

Thought this might help as it saves me a ton of time searching our own forums (the forum search is a bit kludgy) -

 

can this be added/linked/merged to https://forums.gameex.com/forums/topic/14139-guide-how-to-ask-for-help/

 

[Draco1962]

5 hours ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

can this be added/linked/merged to https://forums.gameex.com/forums/topic/14139-guide-how-to-ask-for-help/

 

Done!

[Draco1962]

@DakotaPinballdid the solutions provided solve your issue?

[DakotaPinball]

I've been on vacation and haven't been able to look at much. I think I tried several tables, but it didn't work, but that was my mistake. I'll look at it in detail in the next few days and let you know whether it works or not.
Thanks for your help, and I'm sorry for not answering, but I'm on vacation and my laptop is dead, so I haven't been able to look at anything.

[DakotaPinball]

On 7/25/2025 at 8:15 PM, Draco1962 said:

@DakotaPinballdid the solutions provided solve your issue?

Sorry for the delay in answering, but I've been trying before bothering you.
In Pinball Database Manager (Version 25.9.4.0), I put Horror in the Subject section. I know you're telling me to Enable the filter for all systems, but the truth is that it doesn't appear as you say, and I've been doubting until this is the version I should use.
What I'd like to do is take the Horror tables from Future Pinball in Visual Pinball and make a system that would appear in the main menu of PinballX, and that would show Future Pinball, Pinball FX, Visual Pinball, Horror (this one as if it were a new system).

[Mike_da_Spike]

3 hours ago, DakotaPinball said:

appear in the main menu of PinballX, and that would show Future Pinball, Pinball FX, Visual Pinball, Horror (this one as if it were a new system).

If you want a horror system, you need to create it, but that cannot be a substitute of tables of fp, px,fx, etc. You can achieve to combine filtered tables from different systems, to create a filter and select that filter. If you use an  overlay or underlay per system, you will see the systems per table as well. 

[DakotaPinball]

22 hours ago, Mike_da_Spike said:

Si quieres un sistema de terror, necesitas crearlo, pero esto no puede sustituir las tablas de fp, px, fx, etc. Puedes combinar tablas filtradas de diferentes sistemas para crear un filtro y seleccionarlo. Si usas una superposición o una base por sistema, también verás los sistemas por tabla. 

Yes, as you say, my idea would be to create a Horror system but combining the tables of FP, VPX, Pinball M...
but I don't know how to create the system and then how to combine these horror tables into the supposed horror system.

[Mike_da_Spike]

7 hours ago, DakotaPinball said:

Yes, as you say, my idea would be to create a Horror system but combining the tables of FP, VPX, Pinball M...
but I don't know how to create the system and then how to combine these horror tables into the supposed horror system.

Just to clarify: in PinballX, a system refers to an emulator setup, like VP, FP, FX3, etc. which is used to launch tables specific to that emulator.  
A system cannot control or launch tables from another system.  
If you want to display tables from multiple systems together, you can use filters.  
These filters allow you to combine tables across systems, but they will appear in the lists section, not under the individual system tabs.

 

[Draco1962]

11 hours ago, DakotaPinball said:

Yes, as you say, my idea would be to create a Horror system but combining the tables of FP, VPX, Pinball M...
but I don't know how to create the system and then how to combine these horror tables into the supposed horror system.

I believe that the "how" was answered here with a reference to the section within the PinballX DBM instructions document:

 

[DakotaPinball]

On 20/7/2025 at 13:24, Mike_da_Spike said:

Gracias@Draco1962¡

@DakotaPinball En tu caso : 

• Cree un filtro personalizado en DBM, por ejemplo, llamado "Horror".
• Habilitar el filtro para todos los sistemas.
• Habilite la casilla de verificación 'Filtrar por campo de comentario' .
• En la búsqueda avanzada, introduzca una palabra clave como la que aparece HorrorCollectionen el campo de comentarios .
• Agregue esta palabra clave HorrorCollectional campo de comentarios de cada tabla que desee incluir en la colección.

Para obtener más detalles, consulte el capítulo “ Creación de filtros personalizados ” en el Manual del usuario del Administrador de bases de datos para PinballX.pdf
 

Before getting everything set up, I'd prefer to try the new HorrorCollection system, but I'm not sure how to create a Horror Collection. I can't figure out how to name it. I've attached a screenshot in case you can help me.

Regarding the copy I had on the USB drive, it wasn't the latest version, and I'm missing quite a few tables, which I'll have to find and download again.

[Draco1962]

Before creating a custom collection, it is best to install and confirm running the tables that will comprise the collection and any random tables that will not be assigned to the collection.

[Mike_da_Spike]

6 hours ago, DakotaPinball said:

Before getting everything set up, I'd prefer to try the new HorrorCollection system, but I'm not sure how to create a Horror Collection. I can't figure out how to name it. I've attached a screenshot in case you can help me.

Regarding the copy I had on the USB drive, it wasn't the latest version, and I'm missing quite a few tables, which I'll have to find and download again.

Since this is a pretty old topic, I’m not exactly sure what you’re looking for, but here are two parts that could meet your needs.:

1) Create a horror filter:

• Add text HORROR in the comment field.
• click save table
• check 'advanced search' check box
• In the newly open window, make a new filter by clicking the + button
• name it for example HORROR
• in the comment field of the advanced search, also type HORROR (this is actually the filter)
• click Save.
• when clicking search, it wil show all tables with comment is horror
• now 'tag' all your horror tables
  

Within PinballX you can select the list, and see it is showing the filter with 2 tables of my test




2) if you want a horror system (so it could have it own Playfiel/backglass/topper etc, you must create a new SYSTEM called Horror from the settings.exe:

Do for example, I create withing settings a VPX Horor where the tables resistse in the same folder as my normal VPX tables :

You can copy or move the entries to the new system (NOTE, it's database entries, not the VPX tables itself !):

now, you will have a system called horror :




I'll hope this will make sense

[Draco1962]

Filtering with the first example seems, at least to me, the easiest way to create "across-app" genress that are program-agnostic, allowing for placement of tables from multiple collections.

You could have tables that fall under the "Horror" genre from VPX, PinballFX, Future Pinball, etc. without duplicate media.

[DakotaPinball]

On 1/5/2026 at 7:20, Draco1962 said:

El filtrado con el primer ejemplo me parece, al menos a mí, la forma más sencilla de crear géneros "aplicables a diferentes aplicaciones" que sean independientes del programa, lo que permite colocar tablas de varias colecciones.

Podrías tener mesas que se clasifiquen dentro del género "Terror" de VPX, PinballFX, Future Pinball, etc., sin necesidad de contenido duplicado.

But how do I install two systems, VPX and Future Pinball? According to the diagram above, the workflow and table are only for one system.

[Mike_da_Spike]

39 minutes ago, DakotaPinball said:

But how do I install two systems, VPX and Future Pinball? According to the diagram above, the workflow and table are only for one system.

To display tables from Future Pinball and VPX, you can establish a filter, a process I will guide you through incrementally in Option 1.

 

[DakotaPinball]

I'll try to explain, I hope I can do it without making it too complicated.

I followed the steps (images attached). It seems to be working correctly (at least in my opinion). I have 6 Future Pinball tables and about 20 VPX tables already installed in the Horror Pinball system. The VPX tables open fine, except for two that open with VPinballX.exe because the 64-bit version doesn't work properly. But with Future Pinball, when I select the desired table and click, it seems to load, but then it switches back to PinballX in the Horror Pinball system. What am I doing wrong?

PinballX.ini PinballX.ini Horror.ini

[Draco1962]

You attached two copies of your pinballx.ini, I think you meant to attach a copy of your log.txt file after the error instead?

[Mike_da_Spike]

I'm not sure why your Future Pinball filter isn't working properly.
If your system's Future Pinball can launch the table, the filter should be able to do it as well.

Looking at both your screenshots (and your Horror.ini), I notice that in the first screenshot you selected for all systems.


but in your second screenshot, the checkbox is unchecked:


In your horror.ini, it only shows the filter "Visual Pinball X" with the company set to *Original*, and the comment for the Horror filter is missing.

This is just to display the tables in the frontend, not when launching.
but you are getting on the correct track !

Please note that DBM cannot display all tables for a multi-system platform. It will only filter the tables of the selected system.

[DakotaPinball]

I'll try to explain, I hope I can do it without making it too complicated.

I hope I'm explaining myself well; this is difficult for me, to be honest, I'm not that advanced anymore. I've checked everything, and yes, VisualPinball was missing "All systems," which I've already enabled, but it's still not working. All the Visual Pinball tables open; the only ones that don't work are the Futura Pinball tables, which give an error shown in image 5. I honestly don't understand, but I'd say the problem stems from the "horror pinball" system I've set up:
System type: custom
Working path: C:\vPinball\VisualPinball
Table path: C:\vPinball\VisualPinball\Tables (Of course, this includes the VisualPinball tables, but not the Future Pinball ones)
Executable: VPinballX64.exe
Parameters: /play -"[TABLEPATH]\[TABLEFILE]"

So far, so good for VPX, but since I don't know how to configure Future Pinball here, I understand that's where the error is coming from.

I followed the steps (images attached). It seems to be working correctly (at least in my opinion). I have 6 Future Pinball tables and about 20 VPX tables already installed in the Horror Pinball system. The VPX tables open fine, except for two that open with VPinballX.exe because the 64-bit version doesn't work properly. But with Future Pinball, when I select the desired table and click, it seems to load, but then it switches back to PinballX in the Horror Pinball system. What am I doing wrong?

PinballX.ini log.txt

[Mike_da_Spike]

The vpx tables thst needs 32 bit can be done with alternate.exe. but I have 1100+ tables and all working in 64 bit. Only CCC can't run 10.8, so needed to setup a 10.7.4 system, for this table

Is table "C:\vPinball\VisualPinball\Tables\ClassicPanicSE" a VPX or FP table? Because it tries to load with vp instead of fp.

Is your 'normal' future pinball system working?

According to the log, you also have 2 horror filters.

You only need one. Set one up in the visual pinball system and select the all systems option. If the filter is finds tables from another system, it will show in the front end as well. But NOT within DBM as it shows only the selected system. Thats something @scuttersand myself must takd care of.

Action plzn for you:

• Delete 1 of the horror filters and just keep 1
• Make sure your Future pinball system works from the frond end
• If FP works from frontend, mark tables in the future pinball as horror, via the discription
• Also marks your Visual Pinball tables that you like to see as hordor

This should show the filter in the frontend with tables from all systems that you marked as "horror" in the description.