pinMAME not visible anymore

[stigt]

Hi all, I used to have a working configuration for visual pinball, thanks to Brian's great tutorial.

However since a couple of updates ago, pinMAME is obscured by the table, it runs in the background, and I can play the table, but I can't see it.

When I set ShowDesktop to No I can see pinMAME, but no table.

Probably I am overlooking something, but I can't figure out what.

Regards,

Arjen

PS: This is my current config for Visual Pinball:

Enabled=True

STARTPAGENAME=Pinball Games

TITLETEXT=Pinball

StartPageLogo=pinball

ROMFilter=*.vpt

RomsInFolders=False

RomPath=C:\Emulation\Pinball\Tables

SnapPath=

WorkingPath=C:\Emulation\Pinball\Tables

MapKeys=True

WaitBeforeKeys=

SendKeys=

ReplaceDash=True

ReplaceUnder=True

Capitals=False

RemoveBrackets=True

ShowDesktop=True

Debug=False

MAPFile=

AlsoLaunch=[apppath]\vpauto.exe

Command=..\VPinball.exe -play -"[ROMFILE]"

OLDatZip=

TitlePath=

BoxPath=

LaunchBefore=

LaunchAfter=

CartPath=

configFile=Project 64 V2

ExcludedFiles=

CustomBackground=pinball.png

PlayMusic=

PCGame=

DATABASE=

DumbyValue=

GamesIn7Zips=

PlayInScreenSaver=True

Import=

Export=

LastGame=

ManualPath=

ShowMostPlayed=False

DontShowInfo=

PlaySelectionMusic=

SelectionMusicFolder=

[Brian Hoffman]

Arjen,

Updates to what exactly? Gameex? Vpinball? PinMAME?

[stigt]

I think it went haywire after updating gameex, I can't remember exactly which one. Is this problem with pinMAME familiar for somebody?

BTW when I launch VPinball outside gameex, everything is running normal, so it must be some conflict with gameex.

I also notice that when I alt-tab to pinmame, it is visible for a second and then disappears again, so it IS running, but hidden by the pinball table graphics.

Arjen

[Brian Hoffman]

I think it went haywire after updating gameex, I can't remember exactly which one. Is this problem with pinMAME familiar for somebody?

BTW when I launch VPinball outside gameex, everything is running normal, so it must be some conflict with gameex.

I also notice that when I alt-tab to pinmame, it is visible for a second and then disappears again, so it IS running, but hidden by the pinball table graphics.

Arjen

So what does the RUNLASTGAME.bat do? Run a pinball game from GE and the ext GE and in the start menu>all programs>gameex>Runlastgame.bat

Does it work? This way we can rule out E causing any errors...

[stigt]

Hi Brian, I tested what you suggested and it's very strange:

When I run lastgame.bat it's the same error, pinmame is obscured by the table, if I quit to the visual pinball editor and then press play, everything works OK again.

I don't understand what's going on..

Arjen

[Brian Hoffman]

Hi Brian, I tested what you suggested and it's very strange:

When I run lastgame.bat it's the same error, pinmame is obscured by the table, if I quit to the visual pinball editor and then press play, everything works OK again.

I don't understand what's going on..

Arjen

Well we can rule out GE as the issue... but it may have somthing to do with the loader... The vpauto exe is the wrapper that bypasses all disclaimers and presses play... etc

[stigt]

Hi Brian, do you have any suggestions what I can try ? And also, has anyone else had this problem and knows how to solve it?

regards,

Arjen

[Brian Hoffman]

Hi Brian, do you have any suggestions what I can try ? And also, has anyone else had this problem and knows how to solve it?

regards,

Arjen

Check you pin mame settings to the tutorial I made... and Perhaps re set it up.... Eg install to a new folder and copy a few tables and roms to the new location and see if it works... if so then copy the rest over.. It could be a cfg issue.

[stigt]

OK, I found some sort of workaround for this problem. It might not be the most elegant way, but it works.

I discovered that when I reset pinmame with F3,it became visible again.

So I added sendkeys {F3} and waitforkeys 4000 to the pinball config, and now it works.

Thanks Brian for your help,

Cheers,

Arjen

[Bigby]

I have the same problem where pinmame does not show in GameEx, but does when run solely in Visual Pinball.

Has a solution been found for this?

[headkaze]

Maybe PinMame is expiring and showing a dialog? Try downloading a new version or non-expiring version from vpforums.

[Michael]

Hi all, I used to have a working configuration for visual pinball, thanks to Brian's great tutorial.

However since a couple of updates ago, pinMAME is obscured by the table, it runs in the background, and I can play the table, but I can't see it.

When I set ShowDesktop to No I can see pinMAME, but no table.

Probably I am overlooking something, but I can't figure out what.

Regards,

Arjen

PS: This is my current config for Visual Pinball:

Enabled=True

STARTPAGENAME=Pinball Games

TITLETEXT=Pinball

StartPageLogo=pinball

ROMFilter=*.vpt

RomsInFolders=False

RomPath=C:\Emulation\Pinball\Tables

SnapPath=

WorkingPath=C:\Emulation\Pinball\Tables

MapKeys=True

WaitBeforeKeys=

SendKeys=

ReplaceDash=True

ReplaceUnder=True

Capitals=False

RemoveBrackets=True

ShowDesktop=True

Debug=False

MAPFile=

AlsoLaunch=[apppath]\vpauto.exe

Command=..\VPinball.exe -play -"[ROMFILE]"

OLDatZip=

TitlePath=

BoxPath=

LaunchBefore=

LaunchAfter=

CartPath=

configFile=Project 64 V2

ExcludedFiles=

CustomBackground=pinball.png

PlayMusic=

PCGame=

DATABASE=

DumbyValue=

GamesIn7Zips=

PlayInScreenSaver=True

Import=

Export=

LastGame=

ManualPath=

ShowMostPlayed=False

DontShowInfo=

PlaySelectionMusic=

SelectionMusicFolder=

configFile=Project 64 V2 <<surly that shouldnt be there

[Bigby]

Maybe PinMame is expiring and showing a dialog? Try downloading a new version or non-expiring version from vpforums.

I'm using the latest versions, still the LED display does not show.

Has anyone else come across this problem?