Run on secondary monitor option?

[Tempest]

I thought the fact that hacking the files without a GUI made us 73313 or something. That way we could claim we were cooler than the other kids on the playground. Bah, I guess we can help though if that's really how you want to go with this...

HMMM... I googled ""73313", it's not a zipcode... Maybe a software engineer? One of us is way off track, but I don't know which one.

Actually yeah, if you guys want to look at something...

Kingb33 says that when Gameex is launched with my script, that GameEX loses focus. It works fine for me, so it would be hard for me to guess what's wrong.

This is the line in "Tweaks/Performance > Launch on startup don't wait"

"C:\Marqueemaker\GameExScript.exe"

The GameExScript.exe:

 

#NoTrayIcon
#SingleInstance Force

MarqMaker := A_ScriptDir

;GameEx "Launch On Startup Don't Wait": "C:\Marqueemaker\GameExScript.exe"

;*** Clear the Sreen ***
Run, taskkill.exe /IM i_view32.exe

; *** Wait, or Kill the following as well ***
Sleep, 1000

;*** Display GameEx Images ***
Run, %MarqMaker%\Bottom\i_view32.exe %MarqMaker%\My Images\GameExLogo.jpg /hide=15
Run, %MarqMaker%\Top\i_view32.exe %MarqMaker%\My Images\CPW GameEx.png /hide=15

Exitapp

Do you see anything that I should do different?

[bkenobi]

I thought 73313 was the way the kiddies were saying "LEETE" these days? Turns out, I suck!

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=31337

[Tempest]

I think you probably just suffer from aixelsyd like me....

Did you see anything wrong with my script? I really don't see how it could cause GameEX to lose focus...

[bkenobi]

The only thing that could steel focus is the i_view32.exe commands from what I see. I haven't messed with i_view32, so I don't know if that's a problem or not. Run the script with those two commented out and see if it's still a problem. Even if this fixes it, i_vew32 may not be directly the cause. It's possible that by launching that app, something else *could* be spawned in the background. Like I said though, I'm not familiar with this program.

[Tempest]

I thought I had a solution to this yesterday morning, and it seemed simple, but now I don't remember what it was... LOL

I read the GameEx.ini, and write an ini for my script. I make a backup copy of the GameEX.ini into the script folder, then I write a new GameEx.ini, changing the lines I need to change to make the script run. For Example:

I need to modify the Use Advanced Mame options, so I copy the existing information to the script.ini, and Change the GameEx.ini:

If GameEx.ini looks like this, I write this information to the script.ini:

UseAdvanceMAME=True

AdvanceMAMEExe=AdvancedMame.exe

AdvanceMAMEPAth=C:\Emulators\AdvanceMame

AdvanceMameOptions=Advance Options

And then this to the GameEx.ini:

UseAdvanceMAME=True

AdvanceMAMEExe=Script.exe

AdvanceMAMEPAth=C:\script path

AdvanceMameOptions=

I only do this once, the only way to do it again is to delete the script.ini. If the user does this, and forces a new script.ini to be written, It will read the existing GameEX.ini, which has the modified information that I put in it, and the original AdvanceMame information would be lost.

I could write the AdvanceMame information to a separate file to be recovered if a new script.ini is written...

Anybody have a simpler solution?

[Tempest]

1)

oh no, the games run fine.....its only when you first launch GameEx itself. It will just throw itself on the taskbar until you click on it to go fullscreen. After that everything is all good.

this only started after using iview32....

Kingb33,

Would you try this GameExScript.exe, and let me know if that fixes the problem?

Just replace the one in your MarqueeMaker folder with this one.

GameExScript.7z

[Tempest]

Hello? Kingb33?? Are you there???

[fRequEnCy]

I thought I had a solution to this yesterday morning, and it seemed simple, but now I don't remember what it was... LOL

I read the GameEx.ini, and write an ini for my script. I make a backup copy of the GameEX.ini into the script folder, then I write a new GameEx.ini, changing the lines I need to change to make the script run. For Example:

I need to modify the Use Advanced Mame options, so I copy the existing information to the script.ini, and Change the GameEx.ini:

If GameEx.ini looks like this, I write this information to the script.ini:

UseAdvanceMAME=True

AdvanceMAMEExe=AdvancedMame.exe

AdvanceMAMEPAth=C:\Emulators\AdvanceMame

AdvanceMameOptions=Advance Options

And then this to the GameEx.ini:

UseAdvanceMAME=True

AdvanceMAMEExe=Script.exe

AdvanceMAMEPAth=C:\script path

AdvanceMameOptions=

I only do this once, the only way to do it again is to delete the script.ini. If the user does this, and forces a new script.ini to be written, It will read the existing GameEX.ini, which has the modified information that I put in it, and the original AdvanceMame information would be lost.

I could write the AdvanceMame information to a separate file to be recovered if a new script.ini is written...

Anybody have a simpler solution?

Just hard code into your script. And give an option to restore or do whatever it is you need to do.

[Tempest]

Just hard code into your script.

What other option would I have? Soft Code?

And give an option to restore or do whatever it is you need to do.

I will actually give this some thought...

[fRequEnCy]

What other option would I have? Soft Code?

I will actually give this some thought...

Would mean to put in your script vs having to call it from an outside ini or file.

[Tempest]

I don't see it at all.... In my mind you have to save the original information in a file.

If not, then stop talking smack, and post some code!

[kingb33]

Hi Tempest, sorry ive been real busy ill try it out tonight and get back to you...

thx!

[fRequEnCy]

I don't see it at all.... In my mind you have to save the original information in a file.

If not, then stop talking smack, and post some code!

LMAO. You can save where ever you want! Post some code? My code wouldn't match yours. Think about it! Let's compare to an emulator. In an emulator sometimes it generates the ini settings file after it's first ran. Where does this come from? From the code itself. No need for me to talk smack. My scripting skills will speak for itself. Maybe you should go learn some more before you talk smack!

[kingb33]

Hey Tempest, I swapped the script .exe file:

Getting this error on startup now:

C:\MARQUEEMAKER\MyImages\CPW GameEx.png\

Can't read the file header

Unknown File Format or File Not Found

GameEx will still launch fine though. But the error sits there on the second monitor until you click ok.

[Tempest]

LMAO. You can save where ever you want! Post some code? My code wouldn't match yours. Think about it! Let's compare to an emulator. In an emulator sometimes it generates the ini settings file after it's first ran. Where does this come from? From the code itself. No need for me to talk smack. My scripting skills will speak for itself. Maybe you should go learn some more before you talk smack!

Ahhh the "Bigfoot" scripting skills... You hear alot about it but you never actually see it!

[Tempest]

Hey Tempest, I swapped the script .exe file:

Getting this error on startup now:

C:\MARQUEEMAKER\MyImages\CPW GameEx.png\

Can't read the file header

Unknown File Format or File Not Found

GameEx will still launch fine though. But the error sits there on the second monitor until you click ok.

The important thing is that it didn't minimize GameEX. It didn't right?

Try this one:

GameExScript.7z

Also if you want support for Vpinball Backglass images, I will need the questions anwered that I asked in PM, or give me a link to where you got your backglass images from, that would be best...

[bkenobi]

FYI: Don't post the link to the thread if it is from a site that contains roms....

[kingb33]

The important thing is that it didn't minimize GameEX. It didn't right?

Try this one:

GameExScript.7z

Also if you want support for Vpinball Backglass images, I will need the questions anwered that I asked in PM, or give me a link to where you got your backglass images from, that would be best...

Hi Tempest,

That new .exe now works! No longer having the mimimize to taskbar issue.

1)

Having a weird new problem though. Now GamEx is not remembering what "view" i'm using last. I like using that view the fills the entire screen background with the game video. But now its always reverts back to the view that has the small game video to the left with the marquee below it. If I switch views to the full screen video then exit GameEx and go back in and launch GameEx again it defaults to the smaller video to the left view again.

2)

Now For VisualPinball

The backglass files I have are all .jpeg files. They are from the awesome 3D Arcade project /emulator (which I'm sure you've heard of or used)

From what I can tell, and i could be wrong, I have it set up that the .jpeg VP backglass files name matches the "table" name NOT the "rom" name. Because you can rename tables in VP to anything you like and they will still work just fine. And the table list looks cleaner with nice names in GameEx. I suppose if need be the backglass files could renamed to match the VP Rom name. However you think is best or easiest to code.

So for VP its a little different I guess? At least the way I have it it does:

MAME: Marquee image name matches ROM name

VP: Backglass image name matches TABLE name (not ROM name)

Now I'm no expert at this so I don't even know if that's relevant in what you are doing.

**The real key is too make sure the table DMD sits "on top" of IVIEW and is not covered by it or it would be pointless.

3)

Also you said:

Also, you had asked for support for .swf files, It looks like you might have to download some plugins to get them to work with Iview. Do you mind checking it out and letting me know?

Sure no problem...swf isn't as important at all. The VP support would be REALLY nice though.

[Tempest]

Well, I use *.vpt for my romfilter in VP, so If they match the tables, that should work fine...

The other problems you mentioned should go away with the latest version. I will quit adding to it, (I keep thinking of ways to make it better), and will just make it useable as-is, so you can play with it.

I'll try to focus, but it is difficult. LOL

[kingb33]

Well, I use *.vpt for my romfilter in VP, so If they match the tables, that should work fine...

The other problems you mentioned should go away with the latest version. I will quit adding to it, (I keep thinking of ways to make it better), and will just make it useable as-is, so you can play with it.

I'll try to focus, but it is difficult. LOL

Any updates Tempest? Would like to use this w/ Vpinball! And also fix that other problem I'm having.

Thanks!

[headkaze]

Any updates Tempest? Would like to use this w/ Vpinball! And also fix that other problem I'm having.

Thanks!

If you mean having VPinMAME display the dot matrix screen on a secondary monitor there is an option in the path settings to do that already.

[Tempest]

Any updates Tempest? Would like to use this w/ Vpinball! And also fix that other problem I'm having.

Thanks!

I'm working on it.... Honest!

[kingb33]

If you mean having VPinMAME display the dot matrix screen on a secondary monitor there is an option in the path settings to do that already.

ah yeah i know Headkaze

We're talking the actual backglass on the second monitor. I just wanted to remind Tempest to make sure the DMD sits "on top" of the backglass and not hide it.